On top of the price you’ll need to budget for taxes and deed costs. As a rough guide, allow a little over 10% of the price for a resale home in Orihuela and around 13% for a new build. It’s worth knowing this before making an offer, as banks don’t usually lend this part.
Resale homes: ITP
When you buy from a private seller you pay Property Transfer Tax (ITP). In the Valencian Community the general rate has been 9% since 1 June 2026; it was previously 10%. If the value exceeds €1,000,000, the rate is 11% on the entire value, not just the excess.
The tax isn’t always calculated on what you pay: the tax base is the higher of the price in the deed and the land registry’s reference value (valor de referencia). If the reference value is above the price, you’ll be taxed on the reference value. You can check it on the Catastro website before signing.
Reduced rates in the Valencian Community
Some buyers pay less if the home will be their main residence and they meet the legal requirements, which in several cases include income limits:
| Buyer | Up to €180,000 | Over €180,000 |
|---|---|---|
| Under 35, first main home | 6% | 8% |
| VPO (general scheme), first main home | 6% | 8% |
| VPO (special scheme) | 3% | 4% |
| Large or single-parent families, disability or victims of gender violence | 3% | 4% |
New builds: VAT and stamp duty
If you buy directly from the developer you don’t pay ITP. You pay VAT, plus stamp duty (AJD) when signing the deed:
- 10% VAT on homes (21% on commercial premises and other property).
- 1.4% AJD in the Valencian Community.
- If the home will be your main residence, AJD falls to 0.1%.
Notary, land registry and agency fees
Notary and land registry charges follow official scales based on the value of the transaction. A gestoría, if you use one, charges separately for processing the deed and paying the taxes. For a first estimate we use 1.5% of the price, with a minimum of around €1,500; we’ll give you a more accurate figure once the deal takes shape.
Unless agreed otherwise, the Civil Code makes the seller responsible for the costs of the original deed and the buyer for the first copy and everything after the sale.
If you’re taking out a mortgage
Since Law 5/2019, the bank pays the costs of setting up the mortgage: notary, registry, agency and the stamp duty on the loan. You pay for the appraisal. Banks usually lend up to 80% of the lower of price and appraised value for a main home, and less for non-residents, so you’ll need savings for the rest plus taxes and costs.
Two worked examples
| Resale: €150,000 | New build: €250,000 | |
|---|---|---|
| Main tax | ITP 9%: €13,500 | VAT 10%: €25,000 |
| Stamp duty (AJD) | Not payable | 1.4%: €3,500 |
| Notary, registry and agency (estimate) | €2,250 | €3,750 |
| Total cost | €165,750 | €282,250 |
| Savings needed with an 80% mortgage | €45,750 | €82,250 |
For the new build, if it were your main home, AJD would fall to €250 and the total cost to €279,000. Every property page has a calculator that runs these numbers for its price.
Buying in Santomera or elsewhere in Murcia
Santomera is just a few kilometres from Orihuela but belongs to the Region of Murcia. There, the general ITP rate is 7.75% and AJD on new-build deeds is 1.5%.
After you buy
Once you’ve moved in, there are annual costs to look at from the outset: council tax (IBI), refuse collection, community fees and home insurance. Ask us for these figures before you decide: they’re part of the real cost of living there.
Official sources consulted
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