Buying in Altea: main homes, second homes and investment

Buyers in Altea may be looking for a permanent home, a second home or an investment. Those needs help shape a search or a sale, but do not establish the share of buyers from each country without verifiable transaction evidence.

Choose the use before the property

A permanent home needs to suit everyday services, work and accessibility. A second home also requires a plan for maintenance and periods when it is empty. An investor needs evidence about costs, demand and permitted use.

Nationality does not determine those priorities. Ask about intended use, budget and finance rather than assuming a profile from a passport.

Four investment approaches

Residential letting. Assess achievable rent, expenses, tenant affordability and the duties attached to the tenancy. The long-term rental guide in Spanish explains the general framework.

Personal use and holiday letting. Weeks reserved for your own visits reduce guest availability. Check tourist rental requirements, community restrictions and the effect of a change of owner before buying.

Renovation and resale. Budget for work, permissions, finance, taxes and time without income. Do not assume every extension can be legalised or that the sale price will cover your investment.

A future main home. Consider access and maintenance over the longer term. Any tenancy granted in the meantime affects when the property can become available for your own use.

What a return figure means

The example in our rental yield guide starts with 18,000 euros of revenue and 10,450 euros of costs, leaving 7,550 euros before tax and finance. Keeping roughly 42% of revenue is not a 42% return on the purchase investment.

Calculate yield by dividing income after the relevant costs by the total acquisition and setup cost. Also test lower occupancy, repairs and empty periods. This is an illustrative calculation, not a forecast for a particular home.

Buying and residence are separate decisions

Ownership does not itself grant a right to live in Spain. New applications through the investor residence route commonly called the Golden Visa ended from 3 April 2025, with transitional provisions for qualifying earlier cases. Other routes depend on nationality and individual eligibility.

See Organic Law 1/2025, provisions on investor authorisations and obtain advice before linking a purchase to a residence plan.

If you are selling

Prepare the paperwork, photographs and clear information about running costs and permitted use. Assess offers by price, funding, conditions and timing rather than assuming that a particular age or nationality identifies your likely buyer.

Read our selling guide. If you are buying, start with the area comparison and current catalogue. Contact the team to discuss an individual property.