Buying a home is probably the biggest financial transaction of your life, The process is the same wherever you buy, and mistakes cost the same. This guide walks through the usual steps and the real costs you will face in 2026.
Step 1: set your budget and financing
Before looking at homes, look at numbers. Banks usually finance up to 80% of the lower of the appraisal value and the purchase price for a main residence, though the exact percentage depends on the bank and your profile. As an indicative example: with a 90,000-euro home and 80% financing, the deposit would be around 18,000 euros plus purchase costs (taxes, notary and registry, roughly an additional 10-12% depending on the ITP rate that applies to you). These are not universal figures: your bank and your tax situation set the final numbers. Ask for a preliminary study at two or three banks: differences in rates and fees exist and can be negotiated.
Step 2: search with criteria
Set three filters before starting: area (with two alternatives), maximum budget and non-negotiable minimums (bedrooms, lift, garage). At Encina Pisos y Casas you can see what the region's agencies have published, with a link to each original listing: province of Badajoz and province of Cáceres. Always visit the chosen home twice, at different times of day, and ask about community fees, special levies and IBI.
Step 3: verify before signing anything
- Land registry extract (nota simple): confirms who the owner is, any charges, mortgages or embargoes, and the registered floor area. It costs a few euros and is the most important check of all.
- Energy certificate: the seller is required to have it and provide it to you (Royal Decree 390/2021), except in specific cases (for example, if you buy for demolition or major renovation).
- Receipts: ask for the latest IBI and community-fee receipts, and confirm there are no debts.
- Legal status in village houses: verify that everything built (annexes, yards, second floors) appears in the registry or the cadastre.
Step 4: deposit contract and completion
The deposit contract (arras) fixes the price, deadlines and conditions; the usual amount is around 10% (customary and negotiable, not a legal requirement). Read it carefully before signing, because it sets out what happens if either party pulls out. The sale is usually formalised in a public deed before a notary; registering it in the Land Registry is voluntary in Spain, but it gives publicity and security against third parties (and if you buy with a mortgage, registration will be necessary). A private contract is already binding between buyer and seller.
The costs, one by one
For a resale home in Extremadura in 2026:
- ITP (property transfer tax): paid by the buyer. According to the Tax Portal of the Junta de Extremadura, the general rate for homes is tiered: 8% up to a taxable base of 360,000 euros, 10% on the part between 360,000 and 600,000 euros and 11% above 600,000. Watch the base: since Law 11/2021, tax is due on the higher of the price and the cadastral reference value. Reduced rates, each with its own conditions: 7% if it is your main residence, does not exceed 200,000 euros and your income (general and savings taxable income for income tax) does not exceed 30,000 euros for individual taxation or 55,000 for joint; 6% for under-36s buying their main residence up to 180,000 euros with an income cap of 28,000/45,000 euros; and 4% for protected housing with a legal maximum price, for certain groups (under-36s, large families, single-parent families and people with disabilities) and for main residences in municipalities of under 3,000 inhabitants (up to 200,000 euros and with the same income caps). Check your specific case before signing the deed: the saving can be thousands of euros.
- Notary: regulated by tariff; as an indicative reference, usually between 600 and 1,000 euros.
- Land Registry: as an indicative reference, between 400 and 700 euros.
- Agency (optional): indicatively 200-400 euros.
- Appraisal (only with a mortgage): indicatively 300-500 euros.
For new-build homes, instead of ITP you pay VAT (10%) plus stamp duty (AJD). As an indicative reference, total purchase costs often come to around 10-12% on top of the price, depending on the tax and tariffs that apply to your case.
Mistakes that repeat themselves
Signing a deposit contract without a registry extract, not counting the costs in the budget, buying without comparing financing and not visiting the home enough. All four are avoided with calm: comparing, verifying and not signing anything lightly is the buyer's best strategy.
Sources: Tax Portal of the Junta de Extremadura (Transmisiones Patrimoniales Onerosas, applicable rate, checked on 21/10/2026): https://portaltributario.juntaex.es/PortalTributario/web/guest/transmisiones-patrimoniales-onerosas . Reduced rates have conditions and maintenance periods: confirm your case with the Junta de Extremadura before signing the deed.