Selling Guide: How to Sell Your Property in Marbella

The value of utilising the services of an agent throughout the sale process cannot be overstated. An agent brings their knowledge, expertise, and professional network to the table from the beginning, ultimately raising the success rate of any sale.

When looking for an agent, consider the following:

• Feel comfortable with who you decide to hire — the more comfortable you feel, the easier it will be to communicate openly
• Choose an agent with a reputable background and plenty of experience in the field
• Search for agents who have experience selling properties in your specific area
• Find an agent well-versed enough in the market to evaluate your property adequately based on m², location, views, quality of materials, orientation, and privacy
• State your expectations from the start — whether the home will be sold furnished, partly furnished, or unfurnished, and what will be included in the inventory

Questions to ask your agent:

• How much have you sold in this area?
• How much should my property be evaluated for?
• How many other properties are you currently dealing with?
• What is your success rate?
• How will you handle viewings?

Your agent will provide fair market appraisals, a list of recently sold properties in the area, and helpful information about the Marbella property market. We recommend asking your agent (or lawyer) to inform you of all costs and taxes applied during and after the sale before putting your property on the market.

Understanding buyers:

Buyers in Marbella often compare many properties before deciding. Interestingly, sellers don't always choose the highest offer — they often choose the most serious buyer. A buyer with their NIE ready, lawyer lined up, funds prepared, and timeline clear often appears safer than someone offering more money but seeming unprepared or uncertain.

Preparing your home is arguably the most important and demanding step in the sales process. The better your property is presented, the higher the chances of increasing its value and attracting more buyers.

Be realistic about pricing:

Be careful when comparing your property's price with other listings online, as advertised prices can sometimes be quite far from the actual selling prices agreed upon. The actual price is often only known by those involved in the sales process.

Research the market:

• Independently research real estate portals to compare your property to others in your area
• Read the latest market reports to understand what is selling, for how much, and who is buying
• Our Live Market Report provides an overview of Marbella pricing trends

Staging your home:

• Declutter your home — remove personal items such as photographs, jewellery, and toys
• Remove decorative pieces that are very personal to your taste
• Remove worn-out pieces of furniture that could tarnish your home's finished look
• Create a snagging list to check for minor faults (paint chipping, leaks, heating issues)
• Ensure all appliances, hot water, and electricity are in working order
• Invest in a fresh coat of paint and floor polishing
• Consider hiring a professional cleaning company before viewings

Complete your inventory:

Finalise your property's inventory before viewings, as it can affect the outcome of negotiations. From experience, sales can fall through if inventory and extras are not in line with what was initially agreed. Make sure all items included in the sale are clearly documented.

Prepare documents for buyer due diligence:

Buyers will conduct thorough checks before purchasing. Having these ready speeds up the process:

• Legal documents: Title deed, land registry information, community debts, certificates
• Urbanistic documents: First Occupation License (LPO), planning compliance certificates, certificate of no infractions from the town hall
• Technical condition: Be prepared for buyers to inspect the structure, installations, and equipment

Note on the First Occupation License (LPO):

Many properties in Marbella, especially those built in the 2000s, may not have the full LPO due to developers slightly exceeding permitted building volumes. In practice, people live in these properties, they get resold, and banks provide mortgages. Your lawyer can advise on specific situations. For villas, it's common for basements to have rooms officially designated as "storage" but used as bedrooms, gyms, or cinemas — this is extremely common and rarely creates problems.

The listing agreement is a document handed by the agent to you to sign. It determines factors such as the type of listing, the time period the property will be for sale, the listing price, commission terms, and how the agent will be paid once the property is sold.

Open market listing:

Marbella has an open real estate market, meaning you can list your property with several agents and agencies. Whoever sells the property is entitled to the commission. This is viable for those willing to be in active communication with various agents.

If you choose this option:

• Actively control how agencies promote your property online
• Periodically review your property's exposure on portals such as Idealista or Fotocasa
• Be aware that agencies might publish your property multiple times on the same portal
• Consider preparing your own marketing assets to share with all agencies, ensuring consistent quality

Exclusive listing:

Many vendors opt for signing an exclusive right to sell with an agent or agency. Benefits include:

• Your property becomes the primary focus with dedicated marketing efforts
• The agent works alongside you throughout the marketing process for personal input
• The agent controls all marketing and viewing actions on your behalf
• Uniquely marketed with bespoke branding rather than various formats from different agencies
• Avoids miscommunication such as different prices appearing on different portals
• The property appears more exclusive to viewers, gaining more attention and recognition

Neither option guarantees a sale more than the other. Choose the option that feels best for you and your property.

Along with your agent's expertise, marketing your property successfully is the main reason a property sells. In Marbella, the agent or agency typically provides the budget for all marketing actions, regardless of whether it is a conventional or exclusive listing.With an exclusive listing, there is often a higher investment in marketing, which can increase the likelihood of a sale. Better marketing means better exposure and more attention on your property.

Professional marketing typically includes:

• Professional and industry-standard property photographs and videos
• Social media promotion across globally recognised channels
• Property tours published on platforms like YouTube
• Bespoke mailings to targeted clientele
• Compelling written descriptions in several languages
• Targeted digital marketing campaigns

Open house events:

Consider organising an open house for large-volume viewings. This is a great way to have your property recognised through advertising and word-of-mouth.

Before any marketing:

The house must be physically prepared. Ensure the house is immaculately presented for photographs and videos. If there is any work being done on the property, this must be finished before any marketing actions take place.

Property viewings are imperative to the sale process as they give people a natural feel for the property.

Before the first viewing:

• Let your agent know what you love most about the property
• Highlight the elements you would like them to emphasise during viewings
• Run through the property with your agent so they know everything about it

Flexibility is key:

Give your agent as much flexibility as possible with viewings. You never know when a high-potential buyer will come, so allowing flexible viewing times means a higher chance of receiving an offer.

Why you should not attend viewings:

• As the homeowner, you are emotionally connected to your property and could over-enthusiastically sell the house
• You could overwhelm potential buyers with irrelevant information
• Potential buyers won't feel comfortable expressing concerns if you are present
• Your agent is trained to show and sell a house professionally

What buyers look for:

Serious buyers often request second viewings — ideally at different times of day, such as in the evening. Second visits give them a new perspective and help confirm if the property feels right. Buyers also often drive around the communities independently to get a real sense of the area and atmosphere.

For villas, buyers focus less on price per square meter and more on:

• Location and views
• Architecture and design
• Quality of materials
• Orientation and natural light
• Privacy of the plot

During this phase, your agent's knowledge and experience come to the fore. Your agent will present offers from potential buyers and provide feedback on all viewings.

Evaluating offers:

A good agent will not obligate you to accept a specific offer but rather guide you through your options and offer professional advice. Remember that the highest offer is not always the best offer — the most serious, prepared buyer often represents a safer transaction.

An offer should be clear on:

• The price and applicable taxes
• What's included — furniture, fixtures, extras
• The payment schedule
• The expected completion timeline

Important considerations:

Before accepting any offers, establish the complete inventory and all property information. If agreeing to complete any works before the sale (such as building a home cinema), establish a clear budget agreed upon by the buyer to avoid misunderstandings.

Typical timeline:

• Offer negotiation: Can take a few days, a week, or even months
• Reservation to private contract: 2 to 4 weeks
• Private contract to notary completion: 1 to 2 months
• Total from offer to notary: Approximately 3 months (can be faster or slower if both parties agree)

Once you and your agent have revised the offers and made a decision, the contract signing phase begins.

Reservation contract:

Your agent prepares a reservation contract including all agreed-upon terms. This is usually about 1% of the purchase price and takes the property off the market. The reservation fee is normally non-refundable but is subject to legal and technical due diligence — if checks uncover a serious issue, the buyer can get it back.

Important note:

A reservation is not the strongest guarantee. If another buyer comes with a much higher offer, it's technically possible to return the reservation and accept the other deal. This is why buyers are motivated to move quickly to the private contract.

Private purchase contract:

Following the reservation, the buyer signs a private contract and makes a payment equalling 10% of the purchase price. This deposit is typically non-refundable under normal circumstances.

This is a binding contract between both parties:

• If you (the seller) terminate the sale, you must return double the 10% deposit to the buyer
• If the buyer pulls out, they lose their deposit

The contract is subject to legal and technical due diligence. If either reveals serious negative results, the buyer may be entitled to terminate and be reimbursed without penalties.

We recommend hiring a lawyer for this stage to revise contracts and ensure everything proceeds smoothly.

Buyers typically conduct three types of due diligence before or during the contract phase. Being prepared for these helps speed up the sale.

1. Legal due diligence:

The buyer's lawyer checks that:

• The property is legally owned by you
• It is free of debts or charges
• It can be sold without issues
• Title and land registry are in order
• Community debts are cleared

If furniture is included, ensure it's listed as an inventory attached to contracts.

2. Urbanistic due diligence:

This confirms the property is legal from a planning perspective. The key document is the First Occupation License (LPO).

For apartments and townhouses, the main question is whether the community was legally built and has the license. For villas, the situation is more nuanced — the buyer's lawyer will compare the current house with original approved plans.

A certificate of no infractions from the town hall is usually requested. This document can take months, so include appropriate clauses in contracts.

3. Technical due diligence:

Inspectors check the structure, installations, equipment, and overall condition.

For resales, buyers should accept that some things will be older — that's normal. However:

• If equipment is completely broken, you may need to negotiate repairs or replacement
• If equipment is old but working, it's simply part of buying a home that is not new
• You are responsible for any hidden problems that were concealed on purpose

Once the initial contracts are signed and all legal prerequisites are met, your agent or lawyer will walk you through the completion process.

At the notary:

All parties must attend the signing of the title deed at the notary's office. Those who must be present:

• The seller (or representative with power of attorney)
• The buyer (or representative with power of attorney)
• The notary

Lawyers and agents are usually present but technically not required.

What happens simultaneously:

• The buyer signs the purchase deed
• The seller signs
• The notary signs
• Ownership transfers to the buyer
• The seller receives the remaining 90% payment
• The keys are handed over

How payment is made:

• Banker's drafts (recommended): The most common and secure method. The buyer transfers money to their Spanish bank account, and the bank issues drafts in your name. Once issued, the money is blocked for you.
• Bank transfers during signing: Valid but less clean, as transfers can take hours.

Sometimes multiple drafts are needed — one for the seller, one for the bank if a mortgage needs cancelling, and one for agent fees that are deducted from the purchase price.

Registration:

The title deed is automatically sent from the notary to the Land Registry. Updating the registry takes about a month. Your lawyer usually handles this and later provides a copy of the updated registry.

Understanding your financial obligations as a seller is essential for planning.

Costs paid by the seller:

• Real estate agency fees: The seller pays the agent commission
• Plusvalía municipal: A local tax based on the increase of the land's cadastral value and the years you owned the property. Usually not a significant amount.

Capital Gains Tax:

When you sell, you may be liable for capital gains tax on your profit.

• For non-residents, the rate is 19%
• It applies to your profit — the difference between your net sale result (minus costs like agency and lawyer fees) and your total acquisition cost (including purchase price, taxes, notary fees, and documented improvements)

3% Retention for non-resident sellers:

When a non-resident sells, the buyer withholds 3% of the sale price and pays it to the tax office as an advance. This is not an additional cost — it's a retention. You then file to receive it back, and if you have no pending debt, you will get it back.

What buyers pay (for your reference):

Understanding buyer costs helps in negotiations:

• Resale property: 7% transfer tax
• New build: 10% VAT plus 1.2% stamp duty
• Additional costs (lawyer, notary, registry, reports): Approximately 1–1.5%
• Total buyer costs: 12–13% on top of the purchase price

Tip for buyers purchasing as investment:

Buyers purchasing a resale property as an investment with the intention to resell within 5 years can apply for a reduced transfer tax of 2% instead of 7%. If they keep the home longer, they pay the difference plus interest. This can be useful information to share with potential investor buyers.

Once the sale is complete, there are a few final steps.

Transfer of utilities:

Ensure all utility contracts (water, electricity, internet) are properly transferred out of your name. Failure to do this can result in you receiving bills after you no longer own the property.

Notify the council:

Your lawyer should notify the council so future IBI property tax and garbage collection bills are issued to the new owner.

Community fees:

Ensure you have paid all community fees up to the date of completion and provide relevant documentation to the buyer.

Final documentation:

Keep copies of all sale documents for your records, including the signed deed, proof of payment received, and tax filings.

Drumelia Real Estate agents will be by your side from the very beginning, utilising their knowledge and expertise in the Marbella real estate field to ensure that your sale is completed swiftly and successfully.

Our commitment:

• We handle all marketing material in-house with all costs covered
• Our 7-Day Standard strategy ensures all marketing is completed within 7 days of the first action
• We create unique marketing strategies tailored to each property
• We utilise our broad online following and globally recognised social media channels
• We film and publish Drumelia Property Tours on our acclaimed YouTube Channel

Our priority is to meet your expectations, give you the best advice available, listen to your needs and goals, optimise your home, and be there for you every step of the sale.

Your trust in us will be evident through the results we deliver from the start. After all, our success depends on yours — so let us succeed together!