93 455 85 35

Procedures for Selling an Apartment in Barcelona: A Step-by-Step Guide

26 March, 2025
Picture of PUNTO HABITAT
PUNTO HABITAT
PUNTO HABITAT | Inmobiliaria Barcelona | 1995 Servicio personalizado en la gestión de venta y alquiler de inmuebles.

Last updated:

Homeowner’s guide · Barcelona

What you need to sell your flat, how to handle the paperwork and which costs to plan for.

Start with the documents. Then review the price, completion and costs. Each section covers the essentials, with more detail available whenever you need it.

Documents needed to sell a flat in Barcelona

Check the paperwork before committing to a completion date. This will help you identify expired certificates, registered charges or discrepancies in ownership details.

These are the usual documents. The specific list may vary if the property is inherited, jointly owned, subject to a protected housing scheme, let to a tenant or mortgaged.

DNI or NIE and title deed

What it is checked for
To identify the sellers through their Spanish ID (DNI) or foreigner identification number (NIE), and establish how they acquired the property.
Who provides it
The owners. If the deed is missing, a copy can be requested from the relevant notary’s office.

Land Registry extract (nota simple)

What it is checked for
To check the registered property description, ownership and any registered charges.
Who provides it
It is requested from the Land Registry. PUNTO HABITAT can arrange this for you.

Energy performance certificate

What it is checked for
To check the energy rating and obtain the documents required to advertise and sell, unless a legal exemption applies.
Who provides it
It is issued by a qualified professional. PUNTO HABITAT can coordinate the process.

Certificate of habitability

What it is checked for
To confirm that the property is suitable for residential use and that the certificate is valid.
Who provides it
The owner provides it if it is still valid. We can coordinate its renewal where necessary.

Certificate of debts to the owners’ association

What it is checked for
To check outstanding payments and approved expenses that are not yet due.
Who provides it
It is issued by the secretary of the owners’ association. We can request it with your authorisation.

Meeting minutes, ITE and building fitness certificate

What it is checked for
To check decisions, planned works and the status of the building’s technical inspection (ITE), where applicable.
Who provides it
They can be obtained from the owners’ association or its administrator. We can help you gather them.

IBI property tax and utility bills

What it is checked for
To check amounts, account references and details needed for completion and account transfers.
Who provides it
The owner provides them.

Mortgage loan information

What it is checked for
To arrange repayment of the debt and removal of the registered mortgage charge if the property is being sold free of that charge.
Who provides it
The bank provides it. Arrangements are coordinated with the notary’s office and, where involved, the gestoría, an administrative agency handling the paperwork.

Need more information? Open the document you would like to know about.

Title deed and Land Registry extract

Check that the property and any associated spaces, such as a parking space or storage room, are correctly identified and that all owners can take part in the sale. The nota simple is an information extract: it lets you check the registered position but does not replace the deed or an official Land Registry certificate. Obtain recent information and clarify any discrepancies before signing a deposit agreement.

Energy performance certificate (CEE)

The CEE describes the property’s energy characteristics, its rating and possible improvements. Check that it is valid and review the relevant registration documents. It is different from a structural inspection: ICAEN explains what energy certification assesses.

Certificate of habitability

In Catalonia, the certificate of habitability (cèdula d’habitabilitat) confirms that the property meets residential habitability requirements. Before selling, check whether it is valid and whether it needs renewing. Any exemptions must be reviewed for the specific transaction; do not assume that you can complete without it. You can read the Catalan Government’s information on certificates of habitability.

Owners’ association certificate, meeting minutes and ITE

The certificate must show debts owed to the owners’ association and approved expenses that are not yet due. It may confirm that no debt is owed, but it should not be confused with the bank’s certificate confirming that a mortgage loan has been repaid. Also review recent meeting minutes and the ITE inspection documents and building fitness certificate applicable to the building.

IBI property tax and utility bills

Keep recent bills, contract references and proof of payment to hand. They will help with checking costs and transferring the water, electricity and gas accounts. Record in writing how any outstanding amounts will be settled between buyer and seller.

Valuation and asking price

A good asking price reflects both your property’s characteristics and the local market. An advertised price is not necessarily the final sale price.

You can start with our online property valuation and then request a review with our team. Also work out how much you need to receive after costs and debts.

What to consider when valuing your flat

The price should reflect the location, floor area, layout, condition, floor level, lift and characteristics of the building. Associated spaces, outdoor areas and the property’s legal status also matter.

Compare similar properties and distinguish between asking prices and final sale prices. An automated estimate can provide an initial guide; a valuation with a visit can take account of features that a database cannot capture.

Panoramic view of Barcelona with the Sagrada Família and the sea in the background
The location and characteristics of each property should form part of its valuation.

Advertising and marketing

A clear listing should include:

  • Well-taken photographs that help buyers understand the spaces.
  • Accurate details: floor area, aspect, accessibility, condition and fittings.
  • A floor plan, where possible, to explain the layout.
How to prepare and promote the listing

Marketing can combine property portals, your website, social media and a database of interested buyers. Keep the price and information consistent across all channels. Avoid publishing documents containing personal data; a buyer’s checks can be handled individually.

At PUNTO HABITAT, we coordinate the presentation and marketing of your property as part of our selling service.

Viewings and offers

Before welcoming a buyer:

  • Prepare the property and arrange viewings in advance.
  • Have details of the costs to hand, including owners’ association fees, IBI property tax and information about renovations or planned works.
  • Clarify the handover: when the property will be available and when the keys will be handed over.
What to check when you receive an offer

After each viewing, note the buyer’s questions and level of interest. Assess an offer by its price and its terms: financing, deadlines, any reservation arrangements and the handover date.

The deposit agreement (contrato de arras)

Before paying or accepting a deposit, put the following in writing:

  • Price and advance payment: how much is being paid and how much will remain outstanding.
  • Deadline for signing the deed: when it will be signed before the notary.
  • Charges and conditions: what has been agreed in relation to the property.
  • Financing: what happens if the buyer needs a mortgage.

Before signing: review the agreement and adapt its terms to your transaction.

Types of deposit, amount and terms

If Catalan civil law applies, arras penitenciales, a deposit arrangement allowing withdrawal, must be expressly agreed. Article 621-8 distinguishes these from arras confirmatorias, which are paid on account of the price. The right to withdraw and its consequences depend on the agreement and the applicable law.

There is no single percentage that must be applied to every transaction. Review the document before signing and avoid reusing a template without adapting it to the property and the terms agreed.

Reference: Article 621-8 of the Civil Code of Catalonia.

Signing before the notary

Once the terms are agreed, the notary’s office prepares the deed and checks the documents needed for the transaction. Send the documents in advance so that any issues with ownership, representation or charges can be resolved.

Check these five points before signing

  • Identification of all sellers and powers of attorney if a representative is involved.
  • Property and owners’ association documents prepared for this transaction.
  • Price, advance payments and outstanding amounts checked.
  • Payment and discharge of charges coordinated, where applicable.
  • Handover date, keys, inventory and allocation of costs agreed.
What to confirm with the notary’s office

Before signing, confirm the outstanding payment, the agreed payment method, how any mortgage will be dealt with and the property handover terms. Check that the deed reflects what has been agreed and ask for any clause you do not understand to be explained.

Taxes and costs when selling

Calculate the costs before deciding how much room you have to negotiate. The amount you receive for the property is not necessarily the net amount you will keep after taxes, outstanding debt and transaction costs.

Municipal plusvalía tax (IIVTNU)

This relates to the increase in the value of urban land. Check the calculation and filing requirements for your case.

View details and references

This tax relates to the increase in the value of urban land. In a sale, it is generally payable by the seller. If you can demonstrate that there has been no increase in value under the legal rules, the transfer is not subject to the tax; you must still report it and provide supporting evidence.

Review your circumstances and the procedure with the local council. You can find an explanation in our guide to calculating municipal plusvalía tax in Barcelona (in Spanish).

Personal income tax (IRPF) and capital gains or losses

The sale may result in a gain or a loss. Any exemptions depend on your circumstances.

View details and references

If you are subject to Spanish personal income tax (IRPF), the sale may generate a capital gain or loss. The calculation takes account of the acquisition and disposal values and the items allowed under the rules. Some sales of a main residence may qualify for exemptions, for example because of reinvestment or the seller’s age, if the requirements are met.

If you are non-resident for tax purposes, different taxes and obligations apply. Before agreeing the final price, have the calculation for your transaction checked. The Spanish Tax Agency explains how to report the sale of a property.

Notary, Land Registry and other costs

Allow for documents, estate agency fees and, where applicable, mortgage discharge and deed and registration costs.

View details and references

The allocation of deed and registration costs depends on the applicable rules and valid agreements between the parties. Also review estate agency fees, any documents that need to be obtained and mortgage discharge costs, where applicable.

The figure that matters

Sale price − debt − taxes − costs

Work out how much you will keep before committing to a price. Request a breakdown of the amounts you will need to pay.

Mortgage repayment and discharge

If the flat is mortgaged, ask your bank about the outstanding principal and the repayment terms. The sale can be arranged so that repayment of the debt is coordinated with signing the sale deed.

Repay the loan

Settle the outstanding debt with the bank.

Remove the registered charge

Arrange for the mortgage charge to be removed from the Land Registry.

How to coordinate the discharge

These are separate steps. Even when the loan has been repaid, the mortgage may still appear on the register. Check the nota simple and arrange the necessary discharge documents and procedures with the bank, notary’s office and administrative agency, if one is involved.

The bank’s certificate of no outstanding debt confirms that the loan has been repaid. Also agree who will handle removal of the mortgage charge from the register and how the costs will be documented.

Utilities and handing over the keys

When handing over the keys:

  • Record the meter readings for water, electricity and gas.
  • Record the date of the handover.
  • Coordinate the account transfers with the buyer and check the latest bills.
How to coordinate utility account transfers

Provide the necessary details for each account and confirm that the transfer has been completed. Avoid closing an account without first agreeing this with the buyer, as it may interrupt the supply and require a new connection. Also notify the owners’ association administrator of the transfer of ownership.

Registration and final steps

Registration of the purchase is usually handled by the buyer or their administrative agency.

As the seller, keep:

  • The transaction documents.
  • Proof of payments received.
  • The documents you need for your taxes.
What remains to be done after signing

If you have agreed to arrange removal of a mortgage charge from the register, check that this is completed too. Signing the sale deed does not replace your tax obligations or any outstanding tasks you have agreed to carry out.

Frequently asked questions about the process

What should I prepare before putting my flat on the market?

The deed, recent Land Registry information, the energy performance and habitability certificates, together with bills and information from the owners’ association. Check for missing or expired documents from the outset. The list will depend on the property’s circumstances.

How long does it take to complete the paperwork?

There is no single timeframe. It depends on the documents available, any charges, the buyer’s financing and the agreements between the parties. Checking everything before the deposit agreement helps you set a realistic date for signing the deed.

Can I sell if I still have a mortgage?

Yes. The transaction can be coordinated with the bank and notary’s office to settle the debt and arrange the necessary discharge. Before agreeing a completion date, check the outstanding amounts and costs.

Does PUNTO HABITAT handle the documents?

We can help you check and gather the documents and coordinate the paperwork as part of our selling service. You provide your personal documents and any supporting records you have; the relevant professionals, authorities and organisations issue their certificates.

This guide provides general information. The documents and tax position should be reviewed in light of the property, its owners and the terms of the transaction.

Sources and further reading (Spanish and Catalan)
Back to contents ↑

Compare listings

Compare