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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