this post was submitted on 14 Jan 2025
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Spain has announced plans to impose a tax of up to 100% on real estate bought by non-residents from countries outside the EU, such as the UK, in an aim to tackle the country’s housing crisis.

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[–] tyler 14 points 3 weeks ago (6 children)

Didn’t they just have a government program to sell houses in certain cities to foreigners for 1€ because nobody in their cities would buy them? Only under the condition that they had to fix them up in a certain time period?

[–] [email protected] 30 points 3 weeks ago

Now they are 2€ houses.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Yup, I was told by a Spanish colleague that there are actually houses available in the country, but they are in the rural or less accessible places with little to no opportunities.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Sounds pretty great for remote work.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 weeks ago

or retirement.hell i could probably retire now if I came into a 1eu house and lived in spain

[–] [email protected] 5 points 3 weeks ago

It wouldnt be too difficult to write an exception for that.

The problem is a huge rural/city divide. In many cities you have rents on the level of Germany or Netherlands, but the typical income in Spain is a half to a third of what people make in Germany.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)
[–] tyler 1 points 3 weeks ago

Well it’s both then.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 weeks ago

For the sake of clarity: not a government program but initiatives by certain local goverments.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

That's Italy...not Spain...

[–] tyler 1 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

It is Spain as well, I googled before making the comment. Also my dad’s girlfriend has been looking into it, which is why I knew about it at all.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

So much for my US escape plan

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (2 children)

If you happen to have 500k EUR you can buy your citizenship there and avoid it.

There are cheaper options out there though.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

What 500K "buys" you is residency. You will have to go through the normal citizenship application process after that if you want it.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

You're right, I misread that. Thanks for the correction.

I wonder if they'd do something about that program, since you gotta do 500k and then a 100% tax on a property to live in?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 weeks ago

I went to look it up and just learned that they will be scrapping that next April.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Can I buy a house with that? Or is that literally just the cost of the citizenship

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 weeks ago

I'm not sure, but someone else said the program is being scrapped in April.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 weeks ago

We need that here.