05Chapter 05 — Finding property
Idealista is the beginning.Not the strategy.
Madrid's search process rewards preparation, speed and knowing which questions to ask before you set foot in an apartment.
Where properties appear
- Portals — Idealista is dominant, with Fotocasa and others alongside
- Agency websites, sometimes with earlier listings
- The same property listed by several agencies at different prices
- Off-market properties circulated privately before publication
- Building-level word of mouth in established neighborhoods
How the process behaves
- Good properties in demand areas move in days, not weeks
- The listing agent works for the seller, not for you
- Documentation quality varies enormously between agencies
- Viewings are often grouped; be ready to decide quickly
- Prices can be repositioned rather than negotiated at the viewing
Before you visit
Ask these first.
Five minutes of questions before a viewing saves a wasted afternoon and reveals how well the agency knows the property.
- What are the monthly community fees, and what do they include?
- Are there approved or foreseeable derramas?
- What is the status of the building's ITE / IEE?
- Which floor, and is there a lift?
- Orientation and how many façades does the apartment have?
- How long has it been on the market, and has the price moved?
- Is the property free of charges? Can I see the Nota Simple?
- Is the seller resident in Spain, and is the situation clean?
How to read an Idealista listing
Learn to read between the lines.
Example listing
€425,000
Piso en venta · Tetuán, Madrid
- 72 m² construidos
- 2 habitaciones · 1 baño
- Planta 3ª exterior
- Con ascensor
- Orientación sur
- Calefacción individual gas
- Gastos de comunidad: consultar
Illustrative example. Not a real listing.
- Exterior / Interior
- Whether windows face the street or an internal courtyard. It changes light, noise and price.
- Planta
- The floor. Bajo, entreplanta and principal all mean something specific, and affect light and value.
- Ascensor
- Lift. Its absence is common in older Madrid buildings and materially affects resale.
- Orientación
- Orientation. South and west-facing rooms behave very differently in a Madrid summer.
- Gastos de comunidad
- Monthly community fees. Ask what they include and whether they are about to rise.
- IBI
- Annual municipal property tax, based on cadastral value.
- Derramas
- Extraordinary community levies for building works — approved, planned or foreseeable.
- Calefacción
- Heating: central, individual gas, electric. Central systems come with shared costs.
- ITE / IEE
- Mandatory building inspection. Its status tells you a lot about upcoming works.
- Portero
- Concierge. Adds service and cost to the community fee.
- Nota Simple
- Land Registry extract showing ownership, charges and description. Always read it.
The Madrid Property Buyer Guide 2026
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