Common Mortgage Mistakes Foreign Buyers Make in Girona

British buyers who fall for a home in Girona often move quickly once they find the right property, and that speed is exactly when avoidable errors creep in. Because a Spanish mortgage is a Spanish loan, arranged under Spanish rules and supervised in Spain rather than by the UK regulator, the paperwork and the timeline are unfamiliar even to buyers who have taken out several mortgages at home.

The mistakes we see most often in Girona are not exotic — they are ordinary oversights: assuming the deposit will match what a friend paid, sending documents a Spanish underwriter cannot read, or leaving the tax number until the last moment. Each one is avoidable with a bit of lead time.

Girona province covers the Costa Brava coastline as well as inland countryside toward the Pyrenees, offering both beach towns and rural stone villages. Its proximity to France draws French, Belgian and Dutch buyers, alongside others wanting a quieter alternative to busier Spanish coasts.

Girona-Costa Brava airport serves the coast directly, with Barcelona airport also within reach for wider connections. Coastal areas see strong summer activity, while inland towns remain calmer, and property types range from apartments and townhouses near the sea to farmhouses further inland.

What follows are measured, dated figures for Girona (province) — who lives there, what homes are advertised for, how to get there and the climate — each one sourced. They help you build a realistic picture of Girona (province) as you work out the budget for a Spanish mortgage.

On 1 January 2025 the INE recorded 830,429 residents across the entire province of Girona, a figure that includes every municipality, not just the capital that shares its name. These official population data set the context for the local market figures below. Across the province of Girona, 181,899 residents carry a foreign nationality, near 22 of every 100. This is a solid but moderate presence, one that differs a great deal from town to town across the province.

On 1 January 2025, the province of Girona had just 3,372 British nationals on its register, a modest figure. Because registration only counts year-round residents, it leaves out second-home owners who spend part of the year in the province. The following table shows the leading foreign nationalities registered in Girona (province) on 1 January 2025, according to the municipal-level data INE makes available.

For nationalities the census groups together rather than listing them individually, such as Germans, Italians, Dutch, Belgians or Scandinavians, we turn to the detailed INE register for Girona province. Unlike the table above, this count dates from 1 January 2022, the most recent detailed edition.

Across the province of Girona, 3,863 homes currently listed carry a median price of €2,910/m² and a median ticket of €299,000. These figures sit mid-range, near the €3,210/m² median recorded across the 127 towns we track nationwide. Listings span a wide spread, but the middle half of the market sits between €2,050 and €3,870 per square metre, leaving room for both lower and higher asking prices.

In Girona (province), the regional transfer tax rate of 10 % applied to the median asking price of €299,000 gives a tax bill of about €29,900, plus roughly €3,600 for notary, registry and gestoría charges. That puts the total near €33,500, money the mortgage will not cover. Bear in mind these are asking prices from adverts live on 2026-10-05, not the prices actually agreed. Negotiation sets the final figure, which depends on the home's condition, exact location and orientation.

The table below brings together the towns we track across Girona (province), listing inhabitants, foreign residents per 100 people and median asking price per square metre, to show how much these markets differ.

INE's experimental statistic, based on listings from the main holiday-rental platforms, counted 20,821 holiday-let homes in Girona (province) in 05/2026 (116,320 bed places), about 25 per 1,000 residents. That is a moderate presence, and tourist letting still requires a regional licence.

Girona has a single commercial airport, Aeropuerto de Girona-Costa Brava (GRO); depending on where exactly in the province your property is located, an airport in a neighbouring province may actually sit closer to your door. The climate figures below were recorded in or near Girona, the provincial capital, and conditions elsewhere in the province, inland, at altitude or on other islands, can differ noticeably. The mean temperature in January is 7.1 °C (average daily minimum 1.1 °C) and in August 23.4 °C (average daily maximum 29.8 °C), a cold winter for this country. Buyers should budget for proper heating and insulation. Annual rainfall reaches about 728 mm on roughly 66 days, well above many Spanish coastal or inland averages. Checking for damp is a sensible part of any viewing here. These figures are the official climate normals (1981-2010) from AEMET, Spain's state weather agency, at its Girona Aeropuerto station, about 9 km away; conditions at the exact property can differ slightly, especially inland or at altitude.

15,293 home sales were registered in the province of Girona in the twelve months to 06/2026, according to INE. A market of this size usually means more comparable sales and a wider choice of homes for buyers. These figures describe the province of Girona as a whole and can change considerably from one town to another, and from one property to the next. Tell us what you are looking for and we will go through the numbers together.

The transfer tax on a resale home is set by each Spanish region. In Girona the general rate is 10 %, and on top of it come notary, land registry and gestoría (roughly one more percent). On a new build you pay 10 % VAT plus stamp duty instead of the transfer tax. This money is not lent by the bank.

Spanish banks lend to non-residents on different terms than to residents, and buyers who plan their budget in Girona around what a resident buyer told them often find the gap larger than expected. The exact share a bank will finance depends on the bank, the buyer's country and their financial profile — there is no fixed number we can quote before a study is done.

The safest approach is to treat the deposit as unknown until a bank has actually looked at the file, and to keep a margin above whatever figure appears in early conversations, since purchase costs sit on top of it and are paid separately.

Spanish banks ask non-resident buyers for proof of income and existing debts from their home country — typically a recent P60 and payslips, the last filed Self Assessment return, bank statements from the last three to six months, and evidence of any existing loans or mortgage commitments. The exact list changes from bank to bank.

A common mistake in Girona is sending these documents in English only, without the sworn translation — and sometimes the apostille — a Spanish bank requires. A file in the wrong format can sit unread for days while the buyer is told, again, what is missing.

Buying in Girona usually moves towards a notary date, and the notary will not complete a sale, nor a bank release a mortgage, without the NIE and a Spanish bank account already in place. Buyers who leave both until the final weeks risk a signing date that has to be pushed back.

Because the loan term is calculated against the borrower's age — Spanish mortgages usually run until the borrower is around 70 to 75 — sorting the numbers early also gives a realistic picture of the term available, rather than a guess made under time pressure near completion.

Spain is a relatively short flight away from most UK airports, making regular visits to a Spanish property straightforward for owners based in Britain. Many British buyers are drawn to Spain for its climate, coastal lifestyle and established expatriate communities. One practical point to bear in mind is that Spanish inheritance law differs from UK rules, so it is worth taking specific advice on how it may affect the property and one's estate. Currency movements between sterling and the euro can also affect the overall cost of purchase and ongoing expenses.

Spain and the United Kingdom have a double taxation agreement in place, and a local tax adviser should confirm how rental income or gains from Spanish property must be declared and reported to HMRC.

As the United Kingdom is no longer an EU member state, British citizens may stay in Spain for up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa, and must apply for a visa or residence permit for longer stays.

Since the United Kingdom uses the pound sterling (GBP) rather than the euro, buyers should factor in exchange-rate movements and currency conversion costs when paying for a property or transferring funds to Spain.