A Full A-Z Glossary of Spanish Property & Legal Terms

Abogado - Lawyer
Adosado - Semi-detached or town house
Aire acondicionado - Air conditioning
Agua/potable - Water /drinking water
Albanil - Bricklayer
Alfombra - Carpet
Amortizacion - Depreciation, Redemption
AntigFCedad(es) / tienda de - Antique/Antique shop
Aparcamiento - Parking
Architecto - Architect
Armario - Cupboard/wardrobe
Assesoria Economica/Contable - Accountant
Balcon - Balcony
Banco/cuenta de/targeta de - Bank/bank account/bank card
Bano - Bath/WC
Barbacoa - Barbecue
Basura - Rubbish bins and rubbish taxes
Bombilla - Light bulb
Buzon - Mailbox
Caja de Ahorros - Savings bank
Calefaccion central - Central heating
Cargas - Land charges registered against the property
Casa unifamiliar - Detached house
Casita - Cottage
Certificado registral - Certificate showing debts attaching to a property
Chalet - Villa
Cocina - Kitchen
Comedor - Dining room
Comunidad de propietarios - Committee of property owners
Contrato de Builder - Constructor Compraventa Private - Property sales contract
Constructor - Builder
Construido - Built area, of property
Construir - Build
Costa del Sol - Sun Coast
Costa del la Luz - Coast of Light
Costa Blanca - White Coast
Corriente or la luz - Electricity
Cortijo - A country property inland with farming roots
Cuarto de Bano - Bathroom

Documento privado - Private document
Documento pablico - Public document
Dormitorio - Bedroom
Ducha - Shower
Duplex - Apartment over two floors

Ebanista /carpintero - Joiner
Edificio - Building
Electrician - Electricista
El campo - The countryside
Escayolista/Yesero - Plasterer
Escritura - Deeds of ownership
Escritura pablica de compraventa - Title Deeds
Euribor - Variable interest rate set by European banks

Fontanero - Plumber
Finca - Farm house or small estate
Fin de Obra - Formal Completion of Works on a new property
Fuente - Fountain

Garaje - Garage
Gas Butano - Butane gas often used for cooking and water heating
Gestores - Specialists used to obtain official authorisations, permits and licences

Habitacion - A Room
Hipoteca - Mortgage

Impuesto extraordinario sobre el patrimonio - Wealth Tax - extraordinary tax on assets
IBI: Impuesto sobre Bienes Inmuebles - Property tax levied yearly
Impuesto sobre el Incremento del Valor de los Terrenos - Tax on the increase of land value
Impuesto sobre el patrimonio - Capital gains tax
Incremento de patrimonio - A Capital gain
ITP - Impuesto sobre Transmisiones Patrionales - Property Transfer Tax of 7% levied on all re-sale property
Inmobiliaria/agente - Estate agent
Inversion en terreno - Land investment in Spain
IVA - VAT

Jardin - Garden

Ladrillo - Brick
Libre de cargas - Debt free
Libro del edificio - Documents from the promoter when building is finished
Licencia de prima ocupacion - Licence to occupy a completed property
Licencia de obra - Building permission
Limpiadora - A Cleaner

Madera - Wood
Marmol - Marble
Martillo - Hammer
Metros cuadrados - Square metres - units floor area is measured in

N.I.E. - Identity Number for Foreigners - required for a property purchase
Notario - Notary - records the legal details of property and land sales
Nota Simple - Certificate from Property Registry

Obra nueva - Document certifying a new building
Oferta vinculante - Bank document specifying mortgage conditions
Ordenador - Computer

Pago en efectivo - Cash payment
Parcela - Lot or plot
Pestillo - Door lock
Pintor - Painter
Piscina - Swimming pool
Piso - Apartment
Playa - Beach
Plusvalia - Municipal Capital gains tax on the sale of property
Poder - Power of Attorney
Pozo - Well
Prestamo/ con techo - Loan/with variable interests with fixed minimum and maximum
Prestamo hipotecario - Mortgage loan
Pueblo - Town or village
Puerta - Door

Registro de la Propiedad - Register of Property Ownership
Representante fiscal - Foreigner's official tax representative
Resale Property - A second hand property, already registered at the property register in Spain
Residencia - Residency permit
Residente - Resident

Sala/salon - Lounge
Se vende or en venta - For sale
Se alquila - For Rent
Sevillana - Electricity company
Seguro de amortizacion de prestamos - Loan repayment insurance
Seguro Multirriesgo Hogar - House insurance
Sena - Deposit or down payment
Solar - Lot for building
Sotano - Basement
Subasta - Auction

Tasacion - Independent valuation of property
Tasa de cambio - Exchange rate
Tasadores - Official Bank Valuers
Techo - Roof
Teja - Roof tile
Terraza - Terrace
Terreno - Land
Terreno en venta - Land for sale
Terreno - Plot of land
Terreno para construir - Building land on the Costa del Sol
Tipo de interes - Rate of interest
Titulo de propiedad - Deeds stating the ownership of property, date of sale etc
Trastero - Storeroom

Valor Catastral - Assessed value of property for tax purposes
Vidriero - Glazier

Yeso - Plaster