Frequently asked questions

The NIE (Número de Identidad de Extranjero) is the Spanish tax identification number, essential for buying a property, opening a bank account or entering into any contract in Spain. It is national: the same number applies in the Canaries as on the mainland. It can be obtained at a police station in Spain, at the Spanish consulate in Luxembourg, or through a lawyer holding power of attorney. The timeframe ranges from a few days to a few weeks depending on the route chosen. We recommend starting the process as soon as your plans take shape: it is the first formality we arrange with our clients.

Three items, only one of which depends on the region. First, transfer tax, set by the autonomous community: from 6.5% of the price in Tenerife to 10% on the Costa Blanca for a resale property (the region-by-region detail is covered in the next question). Then the notary's fees and Land Registry charges, generally between €1,500 and €3,000 depending on the property price. Finally the fees of an independent lawyer, around 1% of the price, which we recommend in every case to safeguard the transaction. In practice, take your region's tax rate and add 2 to 3 points: roughly 9% of the price in Tenerife, up to around 13% on the Costa Blanca. Corales provides you with a detailed budget, costed for your region, before any offer is made.

Yes — this is a situation we handle regularly for our clients in Luxembourg and the Greater Region, in Tenerife as on the mainland. Viewings can be conducted by video call with detailed photo and video reports, after which a notarised power of attorney allows your lawyer to sign on your behalf on site. The power of attorney can be drawn up before a notary in Luxembourg, with an apostille, without your having to travel. That said, we recommend at least one visit on site before committing: nothing replaces experiencing a neighbourhood and its light for yourself.

For an existing property with no legal complications, allow around 8 to 12 weeks between acceptance of the offer and signing before the notary — the schedule does not depend on the region. This timeframe covers the signing of the deposit agreement (contrato de arras), the legal due diligence and the preparation of funds, particularly where an international transfer is required. Obtaining the NIE in advance and opening a Spanish bank account can extend the schedule if not anticipated. This is why we put these steps in place from the very start of your search. An off-plan new build follows a different logic: the schedule is the developer's, with staged payments through to completion.

This answer applies to Tenerife. It all depends on your lifestyle: La Caleta and Playa del Duque appeal for their understated elegance and oceanfront restaurants, El Médano draws those who love authenticity and wide-open spaces, while Los Cristianos offers shops and services within walking distance all year round. Distance to the airport, the atmosphere in peak season and the topography — seafront or elevated with a view — are criteria that are often underestimated. We organise discovery days to compare several neighbourhoods in real conditions. The method is the same on the mainland, where our area guides cover the Costa del Sol, the Costa Blanca and the Costa Cálida.

Corales is your single point of contact between Luxembourg and Spain: we define your brief, select the relevant properties, organise viewings on site or remotely and negotiate on your behalf. We then coordinate all the parties involved — lawyer, notary, bank, surveyor where needed — through to signing. After the handover of the keys, we remain on hand for utility connections, any works and the practical aspects of life in your home. You benefit from support in your language, with a thorough command of both administrative environments.

We begin with a well-reasoned valuation of your property, based on recent transactions in the area and the state of the local market. We then prepare a complete sales pack — professional photography, presentation and styling, up-to-date legal documentation — before introducing the property to our network of qualified European buyers. Viewings are organised and screened by us, and we guide you through the negotiation and on to signing before the notary. For non-resident sellers, we also anticipate the applicable tax withholdings, such as the 3% retention on the sale price — a national rule that applies in the Canaries as on the mainland — together with your adviser.

The question is settled on how you will use the property, not on the catalogue. Tenerife means a non-stop flight of around 4 h 30 from Findel, one hour's time difference, and a climate stable enough year-round to make the property liveable in January as in July: it is our historic heartland, the south of the island that we know house by house, and it is where the bulk of our catalogue sits today. Mainland Spain means Málaga in 2 h 45 and Alicante in 2 h 05, with no time difference — a weekend trip remains realistic — but distinct seasons, with winters markedly cooler than in the Canaries. Our guides and maps already cover the Costa del Sol, the Costa Blanca and the Costa Cálida; the first properties there are on their way. If you are torn, we start by framing how often you will travel and what journey time you will accept: the geography follows from that.

The Canaries fall outside Spanish VAT and apply IGIC instead, an indirect tax specific to the archipelago. In Tenerife, a resale property attracts ITP at 6.5% and a new build attracts IGIC at 7% plus AJD at 1%. On the mainland, each autonomous community sets its own ITP rate on resale: 7% in Andalusia (Costa del Sol), 8% in the Region of Murcia (Costa Cálida) and 10% in the Valencian Community (Costa Blanca); new builds there are subject to VAT at 10%, plus AJD (1.2% in Andalusia, 1.5% in the other two). The gap is not trivial: 3.5 points separate Tenerife from the Costa Blanca on resale, roughly €17,500 on a €500,000 property. These rates are set by regional governments and can change: we have them confirmed by your lawyer before any offer.

Tenerife South is served non-stop from Findel, around 4 h 30 of flying time. On the mainland, Málaga is roughly 2 h 45 non-stop and serves the whole Costa del Sol; Alicante is around 2 h 05 and covers the Costa Blanca, as well as the Costa Cálida with a further 45 minutes by road to the Mar Menor. Frequencies and airlines vary by season: we advise checking the actual flight schedule when you plan, particularly outside school holidays. Journey time weighs heavily on how much a second home actually gets used — it is a question we ask in the very first conversation, before discussing properties at all.

In the Canaries, yes: one hour behind all year round, daylight saving included. When it is 12 noon in Luxembourg, it is 11 a.m. in Tenerife. On the mainland there is no difference at all: the Costa del Sol, the Costa Blanca and the Costa Cálida share Luxembourg's time zone. This detail matters more than it seems: it shifts the window for business calls, the scheduling of remote viewings and the rhythm of a short stay. One hour's difference in Tenerife remains marginal for most of our clients — it is the flight time, far more than the clock, that shapes how often they travel.