Buying in Costa Blanca: what overseas buyers should know
The Costa Blanca is one of Spain's most established coastal regions for overseas buyers, running along the eastern mainland with a long season of sunshine and a wide choice of resort towns. It attracts holiday-home owners, retirees and families, along with investors drawn to steady rental demand. Property spans seafront apartments, townhouses and villas, from established resorts to newer developments set back in the hills.
What buyers are looking for in Costa Blanca
The region divides loosely into a northern stretch of low-rise towns and pine-backed coves and a southern stretch of larger resorts and value-focused developments. Buyers find apartments near the beach, townhouses on managed complexes and detached villas with pools inland, with both resale homes and new-build schemes widely available. Demand is strongest for properties within easy reach of the coast, amenities and an airport.
Buying as an overseas buyer
UK citizens can own freely in Spain. You can spend up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the Schengen area, with non-lucrative or digital nomad visas for longer stays; the Golden Visa route has now closed. You will need an NIE and a local lawyer, and completion takes place before a notary. Budget for a transfer tax on resale homes or VAT on new-build, plus the annual local property tax (IBI), and note that Spanish banks lend to non-residents, usually with a larger deposit. Treat this as a short summary and take current local advice. Start your search to see property for sale in Costa Blanca, or contact our team to be connected with a local partner agent.
Where to find property for sale in Costa Blanca
The northern Costa Blanca, around Javea, Moraira and Altea, is known for villas on wooded hillsides and smaller coves, while the area around Alicante and the southern resorts offers apartments and townhouses on managed developments at a wider range of prices. Benidorm and the towns near it suit buyers who want amenities and rental potential year round, while quieter inland villages appeal to those after space and views. Villas suit longer stays and permanent moves, while apartments work well for lock-up-and-leave owners. Explore our collections to shortlist by the way you want to live.
