A luxury villa on the Costa Blanca is still perfectly buyable for a British purchaser. What it buys you changed completely in 2025.

Two rules now decide whether a Spanish villa makes sense for you, and neither is about the property. The Golden Visa was abolished on 3 April 2025, so buying no longer brings residency. And under the 90/180 Schengen rule a UK passport holder can spend only ninety days in any rolling one hundred and eighty in the Schengen area without a visa.

Put those together and the headline for a British buyer is blunt: you can own it outright and still only be in it about three months a year.

Last updated: 20 October 2026. Entry rules and the Golden Visa position verified on this date.

The Golden Visa Has Gone

For a decade, investing more than €500,000 in Spanish property brought residency. Property purchases accounted for more than 90% of all golden visas granted, and UK nationals were among the largest groups using it, alongside Chinese and American buyers.

If your reason for buying was the residency, that reason no longer exists. If your reason was a holiday home, read the next section before you commit, because it is the one that bites.

The 90/180 Rule Changes Everything

This is the single most important fact for a British buyer, and villa listings almost never mention it.

Since Brexit, a UK passport holder visiting the Schengen area is a third-country national. You may stay 90 days in any rolling 180-day period across the whole Schengen zone — not 90 days per country, and not 90 days per calendar year.

Run the arithmetic before you buy. If the plan was to winter in Spain and summer in Britain, that is roughly six months and it does not fit inside 90 days in 180. The answer is a visa in your own right — a non-lucrative visa or a digital nomad visa, each with income and insurance conditions — not a property deed.

The 100% Tax That Is Not Law

You will have seen headlines saying Spain has imposed a 100% tax on property purchases by non-EU buyers. Here is the accurate position.

The draft would have applied to second-hand properties bought by purchasers from outside the EU, which since Brexit includes British buyers. Commentary suggests a UK buyer already legally resident in Spain would most likely fall outside its scope, but since the measure does not exist in law, its scope is not settled either.

What to do with that: do not let it panic you into buying, and do not ignore it. Ask your Spanish lawyer for the position in writing on the day you exchange, because that is the only date that matters.

What It Actually Costs To Buy and Hold

The imputed income tax line deserves emphasis. Spain taxes you on a notional rent for a second home even when it stands empty. It is not large, but it is annual, it requires a return, and a surprising number of British owners discover it years late.

The Villas, and a Word About Listings

This page has long featured five villas from a Costa Blanca and Ibiza developer. Here they are, with an honest note on their status.

That caveat is not pedantry. Property listings go stale faster than almost any other kind of content, and an article that presents a sold villa as available wastes a reader’s time at best. Treat names like these as a guide to the type and area rather than a live shortlist, and search the agent’s own site for what is actually on the market today.

The Checks That Only Affect Villas

• Licence of first occupation. Ask to see it. Without it a property can be difficult to insure, connect to utilities or resell.
• Is the pool legal and registered? Unregistered extensions and pools are common and become the buyer’s problem.
• Check the Land Registry entry matches what you walked round. Terraces, annexes and converted basements are frequently absent from the register.
• Debts travel with Spanish property, not with the seller. Your lawyer must check for outstanding IBI, community fees and charges.
• Rural land has its own rules. A villa on rustic land may not be lettable or extendable at all.
• Off-plan? Insist on the bank guarantee protecting your deposit. It is a legal requirement and the only thing standing between you and a failed developer.
• Get a building survey. It is not customary in Spain, which is precisely why it is worth doing.

If you are weighing Spain against elsewhere, our guides to buying property in Spain, purchasing property in Portugal, the cities of Portugal and buying in Sydney cover the same ground for other markets.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a British person still buy property in Spain?

Yes. There is no restriction on UK nationals buying Spanish property. What changed is what the purchase gets you: since 3 April 2025 it no longer brings any right to live there.

Does buying a villa in Spain give me residency?

No, not since 3 April 2025. Spain’s Golden Visa was abolished by Organic Law 1/2025. Applications filed before 2 April 2025 are processed under the old rules and visas already issued run to their expiry date, but no new ones are granted.

How long can I stay in my Spanish villa?

90 days in any rolling 180-day period, as a visitor, unless you hold a visa or residence permit. That is the Schengen rule for UK passport holders since Brexit, and it applies to the whole Schengen area, not just Spain.

Is there a 100% tax on non-EU buyers in Spain?

No. It is a proposal that has not become law. It was announced in January 2025 and submitted to Congress, but as of October 2026 it has not been debated or approved. Many sites report it as though it were in force. Check the current position before you buy.

Do I pay Spanish tax on a holiday home I never rent out?

Yes. Spain charges non-resident owners an imputed income tax on a second home even when it generates no rent. It catches a great many British owners by surprise.

What is an NIE?

A foreigner’s identification number. You cannot buy property, open a Spanish bank account or pay Spanish tax without one, and you should start the application early because it takes time.

What are the purchase costs on top of the price?

Transfer tax or VAT depending on whether the property is resale or new, plus notary fees, Land Registry fees and legal fees. Budget well above the asking price and get your lawyer to set out the total in writing.

Should I use my own lawyer?

Yes, and an independent one. Do not use a lawyer recommended by the seller or the agent. An independent Spanish lawyer checks the licence position, the Land Registry entry and whether there are debts attached to the property.

Are the villas listed on this page still for sale?

We cannot confirm it. Individual properties sell, and listings go stale faster than almost any other kind of content. The agency’s site is live — check availability directly before making plans.

What can I do if I want to live in Spain full time?

You need a visa in your own right. Routes such as the non-lucrative visa and the digital nomad visa exist, each with its own income and insurance conditions. Take professional advice rather than relying on a property purchase.

Conclusion

A Spanish villa is still a perfectly good thing to buy. Just buy it for the right reason. Since 3 April 2025 it brings no residency, and under the 90/180 rule you can be in it for about three months in any six unless you hold a visa in your own right.

Get an NIE, instruct your own independent lawyer, budget for the annual costs including the tax on a home you never let, and ask for the current legal position in writing on the day you exchange. Do that and the dream works. Skip it and the paperwork decides your summer for you.

Sources

• FCDO — Spain entry requirements
• gov.uk — Living in Spain
• Miralbo — the developer featured on this page

Disclaimer

Entry rules, the Golden Visa position and the status of the proposed non-EU buyer tax were verified on 20 October 2026. Immigration and tax rules change and are specific to your circumstances — take advice from a Spanish lawyer and, where relevant, a consulate before committing. Availability of the individual properties named here could not be confirmed. This article is general information, not legal, tax or investment advice. More from The UK Post.