Buying guide · Madrid
Buying property in Madrid: the steps for buyers
The official steps for buying a home in Madrid. It is general information, not legal or tax advice.
Updated October 2026
Your NIE
Foreign buyers need an NIE, the foreigner identity number, before they can sign a purchase or open the utilities.
Check the title
Before you pay a deposit, request a nota simple from the Land Registry (registradores.org): it shows the owner and any charges on the property.
The notary and the Land Registry
Every sale is signed before a notary, who checks the parties and the deed; the purchase is then recorded at the Land Registry.
Property taxes
Resale homes pay the property transfer tax (ITP), set and collected by the Comunidad de Madrid; new builds pay VAT instead. Rates change, so confirm them on comunidad.madrid or with your lawyer before you budget.
Where people live
See our property guide for Salamanca, Los Jerónimos, Chamberí, the centre and Chamartín. We don’t publish prices or yields.
Madrid market guide The ULTIMATE Madrid guide
Questions and answers
Can a foreigner buy property in Madrid?
Yes. You need an NIE, and the deed is signed before a notary and recorded at the Land Registry.
What taxes do buyers pay?
The property transfer tax (ITP) on resale homes, set by the Comunidad de Madrid, or VAT on new builds. Confirm the current rate on comunidad.madrid.
General information only, not legal or tax advice. Sources: registradores.org, notariado.org, comunidad.madrid (checked 23 October 2026). Confirm with a qualified lawyer.