We are fluent in Spanish and English so you’re always in safe hands with us if your Spanish is not as good it could be. But there are a number of property-related Spanish terms that are useful, so we’ve constructed this little property glossary.

Property glossary

Abogado – lawyer/solicitor. If you don’t have a legal advisor in Spain, look here.

Catastral (referencia catastral) – the number that refers to the position/coordinates/boundaries of a property in the land register.

Cala – beach surrounded by mountains, hills or cliffs. Some are rocky, like Cala Deia or Cala Llucalcari, others are sandy.

Cargas – charges and encumbrances such as mortgages, rights of way and so on.

Cedula de habitabilidad – a certificate that proves a property is licensed to be lived in.

Contrato de arras – the private contract between a buy and seller. If a seller pulls out they have to refund twice the deposit paid.

Denuncia – a legal statement or formal complaint.

Empadronamiento – residency.

Escritura de compravent – the deed of purchase showing the details of an acquisition including the buyers and sellers information as well as price and terms.

Escritura de propiedad – the property deed, including details like the size and layout of a house, its outside space and location.

Final d’obra – final sign-off on a construction project to approve that it is as was set out in the plans.

Finca – farmhouse.

Hacienda – Spanish tax office/inland revenue. More information on costs when buying property in Spain.

Hipoteca – mortgage.

IBI – impuestos de bienes inmuebles or local authority rates.
Impuesto de sucesiones – inheritance tax.

Licencia de alquiler – rental license needed to rent out your property. Read more in our extensive FAQ on the subject.

NIE – the individual fiscal number for a non-Spaniard needed to buy a property.

Nota simple – a record from the land registry that details the owner of a property and any mortgages outstanding or charges.

Notario – a professional person who certifies documents as legal in the eyes of the law.

Obras menor – small or minor refurbishment works including simple aesthetic repair work than structural alteration.

Obra mayor – major refurbishment work that includes major changes to the internal and external structures of a building.

Parcela – a plot of land.

Piso – flat or apartment.

Registro de la propriedad – the Spanish property register.

Rustico – agricultural land.

Servidumbre – right of way.

Suelo rústico – agricultural/rustic land.

Unidad de actuación – an area or group of plots where the right to further development is reserved.

Usufructo – the right to live in or use a certain property.

Valor catastral – the value of property or land as calculated by the town hall.

Now you should definitely be ready to browse our portfolio of sales or rentals properties.

Still, if you can’t find what you’re looking for, then feel free to get in touch.