A larger purchase is not simply a larger mortgage
Spanish banks have appetite for substantial lending, but they read it differently. Assets, recurring income, borrowing held in other countries, and whether what you declare lines up with what moves through your accounts — all of it gets weighed before anyone looks at the property.
Which is why the work starts before choosing a lender. The same buyer can get very different answers from two banks depending on how the case is put, and a refusal handled badly leaves a trace that follows you to the next one.
The thing that actually delays foreign buyers
Almost never the loan. It is the NIE, an account opened in time, a power of attorney if you will not be flying over to sign, and above all proving the origin of your funds. When the money comes from outside the EU that last one takes far longer than anybody budgets for.
None of it is difficult. All of it is sequential, which is why it needs starting early rather than in the fortnight before completion.
One tax detail that matters at this level
Transfer tax here is a flat 7% with no bands — there is no higher rate once you pass a million, as there is in some other Spanish regions. On new build it is VAT at 10% plus 1.2% stamp duty instead.
Andalusia's reduced rates all require the property to be your main home and are capped well below this end of the market, so they rarely apply in Marbella. What is worth checking before signing is the value the tax office uses to calculate the bill, which does not always match the price agreed.
Areas we cover
Golden Mile. Between Marbella town and Puerto Banús, and the highest prices in the province. Deals where preparing the file counts for more than the headline figure.
Nueva Andalucía. The golf valley: very international, a mix of villas and gated developments, and buyers who frequently do not live in Spain.
San Pedro de Alcántara. A town with its own life all year and more main-home buying than the rest of the municipality. It is where mortgages come up most.
Elviria and Las Chapas. East Marbella, pine woods and gated estates. Second homes, and holiday letting too, which changes how the purchase is framed.
Applications prepared for complex and international profiles
Source-of-funds documentation handled early, not at the end
One point of contact from first call to notary
Frequently asked questions
Can I finance a high-value property in Spain?
Yes, but the strategy has to be prepared: income, assets, valuation, existing borrowing and documentation. How the case is presented changes the answer more than the amount does.
I do not live in Spain. Does that change things?
It changes the share of the value a bank will lend and it lengthens the timeline. The process itself can run remotely, with a power of attorney for the signing if you cannot travel.
Do you work with Marbella estate agents?
We coordinate with whichever agency holds the property, but we work for the buyer. Our job is protecting your position and getting the financing right, not selling you someone's stock.
I am a cash buyer. Do I need a broker?
There is no loan to arrange, and everything else stays: negotiation, tax, valuation, registry checks, notary and registration. At this level those carry more money than the mortgage would.