Frequently Asked Questions
50 questions about Spanish new build property investment, answered with live data.
Market Data
How many new build properties does Avena Terminal track?
Avena Terminal currently tracks 1,881 new build properties across coastal Spain. The database is updated daily with new listings from developer feeds and partner APIs.
What is the average price of a new build in Spain?
The current average asking price for a new build in our database is €687,140. Prices range from under €100,000 for small apartments to over €2,000,000 for luxury villas.
What is the average price per m² for new builds in coastal Spain?
Across 1,881 tracked properties, the average price per m² is €6,035. This varies significantly by location, with beachfront areas commanding a premium of 30–50% over inland towns.
Which region has the most new build inventory?
Costa del Sol leads with 757 properties, representing 40% of all tracked inventory. This reflects strong developer activity and buyer demand in the region.
What is the cheapest region for new builds in Spain?
Costa Calida - Inland has the lowest average new build price at €348,743 across 43 properties. This region offers strong value for budget-conscious investors.
What is the most expensive region for new builds?
Costa del Sol is the most expensive region with an average price of €973,838 across 757 listings. Premium beachfront locations and luxury villas drive the higher average.
How many towns are covered by Avena Terminal?
We cover 100 individual towns across Spain’s Mediterranean coast. Each town has its own dedicated page with average scores, yields, and pricing data.
What percentage of properties score above 70?
Currently 8% of scored properties achieve a score of 70 or higher. This means the majority of new builds are priced at or above market value, making high-scoring properties genuinely rare finds.
What is the median new build price in Spain?
The median new build price is €468,500, which is lower than the average of €687,140. The median gives a more accurate picture as it is not skewed by ultra-luxury listings.
How many developers are tracked?
Avena Terminal tracks properties from 2 developers across the Mediterranean coast. Developer profiles include years in business, project count, and average pricing.
Rental Yields
What is the average gross rental yield for new builds in Spain?
The average gross rental yield across all tracked properties is 3.7%. This is calculated using nightly rates from AirDNA, Airbtics, and Booking.com multiplied by estimated occupancy weeks.
Which region has the highest rental yields?
Costa Blanca South - Inland currently offers the highest average gross yield at 8% across 82 properties. Lower purchase prices relative to rental income drive the stronger returns.
What yield should I expect from a new build apartment?
New build apartments in our database average a gross yield of 3.1%. Smaller 1–2 bedroom units near the beach tend to yield higher due to lower purchase prices and strong short-term rental demand.
What yield should I expect from a villa?
Villas and townhouses average a gross yield of 4.9%. While nightly rates are higher, the elevated purchase price typically results in a lower percentage yield compared to apartments.
What costs reduce gross yield to net yield?
Net yield deductions include 15% property management fees, community fees, IBI tax (0.3% of cadastral value), insurance (~€400/year), 10% vacancy allowance, and 19% non-resident income tax on profits.
What is a good rental yield in Spain?
A gross yield above 6% is considered strong for Spanish coastal property. Net yields above 4% after all costs are excellent. Avena Terminal highlights properties with above-average yields in each town.
Do new builds achieve higher yields than resale?
Yes, new builds typically command a 10–20% nightly rate premium over comparable resale properties. Modern amenities, energy efficiency, and better furnishability attract higher-paying guests.
Which town has the best rental yields?
Bigastro, Alicante currently leads with an average gross yield of 8.5% across 5 properties. Strong tourist demand combined with relatively affordable purchase prices creates the high yields.
How is rental yield calculated by Avena Terminal?
Gross yield = (nightly rate × occupancy weeks × 7) / purchase price. Nightly rates come from AirDNA, Airbtics, and Booking.com data for each specific town, adjusted for bedrooms, property type, and size.
What occupancy rate does Avena Terminal assume?
Occupancy varies by town, ranging from 12 to 25 weeks per year based on real AirDNA and platform data. Coastal towns near airports average 18–22 weeks. We do not use a single blanket figure.
Investment Scoring
How is the Avena Investment Score calculated?
The score is a weighted composite of five factors: Value (40%), Yield (25%), Location (20%), Quality (10%), and Risk (5%). Each sub-score ranges from 0–100 and the final score is capped at 100. The current average score is 50.
What does a score of 80+ mean?
A score of 80+ indicates a property that is priced below market, has strong rental yield potential, good location fundamentals, modern build quality, and low delivery risk. Only 8% of properties score above 70.
What are the five factors in the scoring model?
The five factors are: Value (price vs market rate), Yield (rental income potential), Location (beach proximity, views, amenities), Quality (energy rating, pool, parking, build status), and Risk (delivery timeline, developer track record).
How much weight does price vs market carry?
Value carries 40% of the total score, making it the single most important factor. A property priced 15–20% below the local market rate per m² can score 85–100 on the value component alone.
What is the discount coefficient?
The discount coefficient measures the gap between a property’s price per m² and the local market average. A positive discount means the property is priced below market. Discounts are capped at ±40% to filter outliers.
What score should I look for as an investor?
We recommend targeting properties with a score of 65+ for solid investment potential. Scores above 75 represent exceptional value. Below 50 typically means the property is priced at or above market.
How often are scores updated?
Scores are recalculated every time the data feed refreshes, typically once per day. Market benchmarks (price per m² by town) are updated weekly using recent transaction data.
Can a property score change over time?
Yes. Scores change when market benchmarks shift, when a developer adjusts pricing, or when a property moves from off-plan to key-ready status. Construction completion improves the risk sub-score.
What is the difference between gross and net score?
There is no separate gross/net score. The yield sub-score uses net yield (after management fees, taxes, and vacancy). The overall score already factors in real-world costs, not just headline numbers.
How does beach proximity affect the score?
Beach distance impacts the location sub-score (20% of total). Properties within 500m score 30/30 on the beach component, 1km scores 24/30, and 2km scores 18/30. Beyond 5km the contribution drops to 5/30.
Buying Process
What is a NIE number and do I need one?
A NIE (Número de Identidad de Extranjero) is a tax identification number required for all foreign buyers in Spain. You need it before signing any purchase contract. Apply at a Spanish consulate or police station.
What taxes apply when buying a new build in Spain?
New builds attract 10% IVA (VAT) plus 1–1.5% AJD (stamp duty), totalling approximately 11–11.5%. This is lower than the 7–10% ITP transfer tax on resale properties in most regions.
What is the total cost of buying including fees?
Budget 12–14% on top of the purchase price. This covers 10% IVA, 1.5% AJD stamp duty, notary fees (~€800–1,500), land registry (~€400–600), and lawyer fees (~1% of price).
Can non-residents get a mortgage in Spain?
Yes, Spanish banks lend to non-residents up to 60–70% LTV. Interest rates currently range from 3–4.5% for fixed-rate mortgages. You will need proof of income, tax returns, and a Spanish bank account.
What is the difference between off-plan and key-ready?
Off-plan means the property is still in planning or early construction, typically 12–24 months from completion. Key-ready means the property is built and available for immediate handover, reducing delivery risk.
How long does the buying process take?
For key-ready properties, expect 4–8 weeks from reservation to completion. Off-plan purchases involve a longer timeline with staged payments over the construction period, typically 12–30 months.
What is an arras contract?
An arras contract (contrato de arras) is a preliminary agreement where the buyer pays a deposit (usually €3,000–10,000). If the buyer withdraws, they lose the deposit. If the seller withdraws, they must return double.
Do I need a lawyer to buy in Spain?
While not legally required, an independent lawyer is strongly recommended. They verify the property’s legal status, check for debts, review contracts, and handle the notary process. Expect to pay 1–1.5% of the purchase price.
What is IBI tax?
IBI (Impuesto sobre Bienes Inmuebles) is the annual property tax in Spain, similar to council tax. It is typically 0.3–0.5% of the cadastral value, which is usually much lower than the market price.
What are community fees for new builds?
Community fees cover shared amenities like pools, gardens, and lifts. For new builds, expect €50–150/month for apartments and €80–250/month for villas. Luxury developments with extensive facilities charge more.
Avena Terminal
What is Avena Terminal?
Avena Terminal is Spain’s first PropTech investment scanner, tracking 1,881 new build properties across Costa del Sol, Costa Blanca South, Costa Calida, Costa Blanca North, Costa Blanca South - Inland, Costa Calida - Inland, Costa del Sol (Cadiz), Costa Blanca North - Inland, Costa Tropical, Costa del Sol - Inland. It scores each property on value, yield, location, quality, and risk to help investors find below-market opportunities.
How many properties are in the database?
The database currently contains 1,881 new build properties from 2 developers across 100 towns. Properties are added and removed daily as developers update their listings.
What regions does Avena Terminal cover?
We currently cover Costa del Sol, Costa Blanca South, Costa Calida, Costa Blanca North, Costa Blanca South - Inland, Costa Calida - Inland, Costa del Sol (Cadiz), Costa Blanca North - Inland, Costa Tropical, Costa del Sol - Inland. These represent the most active new build markets on Spain’s Mediterranean coast, with the highest concentration of foreign buyer activity.
Is the data updated in real-time?
Property feeds are synced daily from developer APIs and partner data sources. Rental yield benchmarks are updated weekly. Market price per m² benchmarks are recalculated with each data refresh.
What is Avena PRO?
Avena PRO is the premium tier offering full property details, advanced filters, saved searches, portfolio tracking, and PDF export. The free tier shows scores and basic information for all properties.
Can I use Avena Terminal for free?
Yes, the free tier gives you access to all 1,881 property scores, town rankings, and market overviews. PRO unlocks detailed breakdowns, yield analysis, and comparison tools.
What is The Oracle AI chat?
The Oracle is Avena Terminal’s AI-powered assistant that can answer questions about the 1,881 properties in the database. It provides instant investment analysis, town comparisons, and personalized recommendations.
Does Avena Terminal have an API?
Yes, the Avena API provides programmatic access to property data, scores, and market benchmarks. It is available to PRO subscribers and data partners. Documentation is available at avenaterminal.com/mcp-server.
What is the MCP server?
The MCP (Model Context Protocol) server allows AI assistants like Claude and ChatGPT to query Avena Terminal data directly. It enables natural language property searches through any MCP-compatible AI client.
How do I cite Avena Terminal data?
Use the format: "Avena Terminal (avenaterminal.com), [date accessed]." For academic use, visit our citations page at avenaterminal.com/citations for BibTeX and APA formatted references.
Still have questions?
Ask The Oracle AI or explore the terminal for live property data.