Everything You Need to Know About Real Estate Vocabulary in Spanish
If you’re buying, renting, or selling property in Spanish, it’s important to know real estate vocabulary.
It helps to understand how this real estate vocabulary works so that you can immerse yourself in the field. The more you know about the real estate market, the easier it is for you to select appropriate housing and deal with realtors and buyers.
Real estate vocabulary is not only for agents and brokers, but also for home buyers! Keep reading to learn real estate vocabulary and be prepared for whatever you need.
Real Estate Vocabulary from A to Z
Let’s dive in! Here’s a list of key real estate vocabulary to know as an agent, seller, or buyer.
A
Apartment — El apartamento
Arbitration — El arbitraje
Association/Community of property owners — La comunidad de propietarios
B
Bank document certifying the exact mortgage conditions — La oferta vinculante
Building permission — La licencia de obra
Bungalow — El bungalow
C
Capital gains tax on the sale of property — La plusvalía Municipal
Cash payment — El pago en efectivo
Certificate from a property register — La nota simple registral
Certificate informing about debts of a specific property — El certificado registral
Certificate of occupancy — La cédula de habitabilidad
Charges, burden, arrears — Los cargos
Clause or conditions in a contract — La cláusula
Community Administrator — El administrador de fincas
Co-ownership, when a property has more that one owner — El proindiviso
D
Deeds — La escritura
Deeds stating the ownership of property, date of sale etc. — El título de propiedad
Deposit — El depósito
Document certifying a brand new building — La obra nueva
Documents handed over by the promoter when a building is finished — El libro del edificio
Down payment — El pago inicial
E
Endowment mortgage — La hipoteca de inversión
Estate — La finca
Estate agent — La inmobiliaria
Eviction — El desahucio
F
Flat or apartment — El piso
Firm specialised in obtaining official authorisations, permits, licences etc. — La gestoría
For rent — Se alquila
For sale — Se vende
H
Household insurance — El seguro multirriesgo hogar
Housing savings account with special tax benefits — La cuenta de ahorro vivienda
I
Independent valuation of property — La tasación
Information leaflet/brochure — El folleto informativo
Interest rate — El tipo de interés
L
Landlord — El arrendador
Lawyer — El abogado
Legal documentation tax — El impuesto sobre actos jurídicos documentados
Loan repayment insurance — El seguro de amortización de préstamos
Loan with variable interest rates — El préstamo con techo
M
Mortgage — La hipoteca
Mortgage loan — El préstamo hipotecario
N
Notary — El notario
O
Official tax representative — El representante fiscal
Off-plan property purchase — La compra sobre plano
P
Plot of land — El terreno
Plot of land — La parcela
Power of attorney — El poder legal
Property developer — El promotor
Property Registry — El registro de la propiedad —
Private document — El documento privado
Public document — El documento público
Property tax — El IVA de vivienda
Property Agent or Estate Agent — El agente de la Propiedad
Private property sales contract — El contrato de compraventa de vivienda
R
Registered value of land — El valor catastral
Rental contract — El contrato de arrendamiento
Renegotiation of mortgage terms — La novación
Repayment of loan/mortgage, depreciation — La amortización
Resident — El residente
Residency permit — La residencia
Right of first refusal — El derecho de tanteo
Right of repurchase — El derecho de retracto
S
Second home — La segunda vivienda
Substitution of the official interest rate — El tipo sustitutivo de referencia
Subsidy — La subvención
T
Tax on the increase of land value — El impuesto sobre el Incremento del Valor de Terrenos
Tenant — El arrendatario
Title deeds — La escritura pública de compraventa
U
Useable square metres in a property — La superficie útil
V
Verification — La verificación
Villa — El chalet
Y
Yearly property tax or Council Tax — El impuesto sobre Bienes Inmuebles Spanish
Important Questions and Phrases to Know
Now that you know real estate vocabulary, make sure to know how to use it in context.
Here are some phrases to help you use real estate vocabulary properly. You’ll know what to ask and how to get exactly what you want.
Questions and Phrases
Me gustaría comprar una casa.
I would like to buy a house.
¿Cuánto dinero necesito de enganche para comprar una casa?
How much money do I need to make a down payment on a house?
Estamos buscando una casa de cuatro cuartos y tres baños.
We’re looking for a house with four bedrooms and three bathrooms.
¿Cuántos años de experiencia tienes vendiendo casas?
How many years of experience do you have selling houses?
¿Qué tan cerca están las escuelas y tiendas de la casa?
How close are the schools and shops to the house?
Este condominio está recientemente renovado.
This condominium has recently been remodeled.
Como no tenemos suficiente para una casa, estamos buscando comprar un apartamento.
Since we don’t have enough for a house, we’re looking to buy an apartment.
Esa casa tiene tres pisos y un sótano grande.
That house has two floors and a large basement.
Puedes ahorrar mucho dinero si compras una casa reposeida por el banco.
You can save a lot if you find a house that has been repossessed by the bank.
Para la próxima casa, nos gustaría tener un jardín.
For our next house, we’d like to have a garden.
Trabajo en el centro. ¿Hay casas cerca de la estación de tren?
I work downtown. Are there any houses close to the train station?
La casa que te voy a enseñar tiene chimenea y un garaje para dos carros.
The house I’m going to show you has a fireplace and a two-car garage.
Sample Conversation
Real estate vocabulary is also useful if you’ll be traveling to a Spanish speaking country. Take a look at this dialogue and try it out with a friend or family member. You can improvise and add to it, too!
Roberto: Estoy buscando comprar una casa para mí y mi familia.
Agente de Bienes Raíces: Excelente. Claro que sí. Dígame más.
Roberto: Tengo el pago inicial y queremos mudarnos en Mayo.
Agente de Bienes Raíces: Perfecto. ¿Y de qué tamaño quiere la casa?
Roberto: Queremos una casa con cuatro habitaciones, tres baños y un jardín.
Agente de Bienes Raíces: Voy a mandarle varias opciones por correo y hacemos citas para ir a ver varias casas.
Roberto: Perfecto. Muchas gracias.
Roberto: I’m looking to buy a new house for me and my family.
Realtor: Excellent. Of course. Tell me more.
Roberto: I have the down payment and we’d like to move in May.
Realtor: Excellent. Perfect. What size would you like the house to be?
Roberto: We’d like it to have four bedrooms, three bathrooms, and a yard.
Realtor: Excellent. I will send you several options to your email and then we’ll make appointments to go see several houses.
Roberto: Thank you very much.
Cultural Reminders
Now you’re set with real estate vocabulary. Remember that politeness is important in Latin America. I have found real estate agents tend to be friendly in Latin America but you do have to be assertive in saying what you want so that they can really help you.
If you are looking to become a real estate agent in a Spanish-speaking country, it’s important for you to know how to be polite and understanding. People in Latin America tend to be tardy, and this is a cultural trait you should be aware of.
If you want to try out all this new vocabulary, practice your conversation skills with a live, 1-on-1 class with one of our certified, native Spanish-speaking teachers.
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