A 90 m² flat in Xàtiva is listed, on average, at about 114,000 euros in October 2026 — little more than a third of the 3,485 €/m² asked in the city of València, 49 minutes away by train. I’m Salva Palau, a licensed estate agent and court-appointed property appraiser, and Kapitalia, the agency I run, has an office in Xàtiva and sells and values homes across La Costera every week. Buyers from the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, France, the UK and Scandinavia ask us the same questions: what does a house really cost here, which taxes will I pay, how do I get a NIE, and what can go wrong.
This is the guide to buying a house in Xàtiva that I would hand to any European buyer before their first visit: the town, 2026 prices zone by zone, the legal steps from NIE to Land Registry, the taxes and costs after the transfer tax cut of 1 June 2026, and what it costs to own a home here as a non-resident. The figures are orientative and dated; they are a starting point, not a valuation. If you are also looking at the neighbouring valley, I wrote the same guide to buying a house in Ontinyent.
Where is Xàtiva, and why are European buyers looking at it?
Xàtiva (Játiva in Spanish) is a city of about 31,000 people in the province of Valencia, 62 km south of the capital and 115 metres above sea level. It is the capital of La Costera, a comarca of orange groves and small industrial towns at the foot of the Serra Grossa. The castle strung along the ridge above the town, a National Monument since 1931, was considered the strongest fortress in the old Kingdom of Valencia, and the two Borja (Borgia) popes, Callixtus III and Alexander VI, were born in the streets below it. When Philip V burned the city in 1707, Xàtiva answered by hanging his portrait upside down in its museum, where it still hangs that way.
What matters to a buyer is that it is also a real, working city: the Seu collegiate basilica, a tree-lined Albereda, a street market twice a week, schools, a hospital, and one of the largest and best-preserved historic centres in the province. The Fira d’Agost, held from 15 to 20 August under a privilege granted by King Jaume I in 1250, draws up to 250,000 visitors and is the social event of the year.
Connections are the other half of the appeal. The Renfe station, ten minutes’ walk from the old town, is served by the Cercanías C-2 line to València Nord: about 49 minutes, with trains every 15 minutes at peak times and every 20 to 30 minutes otherwise, plus medium-distance trains to Alcoi, Alicante and Albacete and Talgo services to Madrid and Barcelona. By car, Valencia airport (VLC) is about 70 km and 50 minutes away via the A-7, Alicante airport (ALC) about 107 km and 1 hour 15 minutes, and the beaches of Gandia about 40 minutes. Buyers priced out of the coast and the capital get the same sun, a train into the city and a lot more house for the money.
House prices in Xàtiva in 2026, zone by zone
According to the Fotocasa asking-price index, the average home for sale in Xàtiva was listed at 1,264 €/m² in October 2026, up 24.7 % on a year earlier, the fastest rise among the four towns I follow (Ontinyent, Xàtiva, Alcoi and Cocentaina), although the pace is cooling: prices rose 2.3 % over the last quarter and 0.4 % in the last month. Neither Fotocasa nor idealista publishes a breakdown by neighbourhood for Xàtiva, so for my Spanish article on the price of housing in Xàtiva in 2026 I grouped RealAdvisor’s street-level estimates, which combine listings and transactions, into four zones. These are orders of magnitude for a 90 m² flat, not sale prices:
| Zone | Reference streets | Estimated range (€/m²) | 90 m² flat (approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| The avenues and the north of the city | Av. de les Corts Valencianes, Av. de la Murta, Albereda de Jaume I | 1,750 – 2,100 € | 157,500 – 189,000 € |
| Around the railway station | Baixada de l’Estació, Passeig del Ferrocarril, Ausiàs March | 1,500 – 1,670 € | 135,000 – 150,300 € |
| The consolidated Eixample | Av. de Selgas, Gregori Molina, Via Augusta, Pere IV | 1,250 – 1,500 € | 112,500 – 135,000 € |
| Historic centre (Centre Històric) | Plaça del Mercat, Corretgeria, Sant Pere, Montcada, els Hostals | 670 – 1,200 € | 60,300 – 108,000 € |
Two warnings from someone who values these homes for a living. First, these are asking prices: Housfy’s comparison of registered sales puts listings at about 1,270 €/m² and signed deeds at about 1,120 €/m², a gap of around 12 %. Second, the cheap average in the historic centre hides an enormous range: a rehabilitated townhouse and a 1960s building without a lift awaiting a full renovation can stand on the same street and be worth half of each other, because the lift, the installations and the legal situation (unaccepted inheritances, unregistered divisions, surfaces that do not match the registry) move the price far more than the postcode.
Three homes we are selling at Kapitalia as I write this show the market in miniature: a 106 m² flat with lift and parking space in the Doctor Simarro area at 139,900 €; a 166 m² townhouse to rebuild on Calle Fuente Trencada at 60,000 €, with an open municipal conservation file that we state in the listing; and a villa with pool on a 2,342 m² plot in Bixquert, behind the castle, at 360,000 €.
Rents matter too, because many European buyers plan to let the property for part of the year. The average asking rent was 8.7 €/m² per month in September 2026 according to idealista, about 695 € for an 80 m² flat, a gross yield in the region of 8 % before taxes and the 2026 rental rules I describe further down.
Can a foreigner buy a house in Spain? EU and non-EU buyers
Yes, without restriction. Spain does not limit property ownership by nationality or residence, so a Dutch, German, Polish or Swedish citizen buys under exactly the same rules as a Spaniard, and so does a British or Swiss buyer. Two things have changed in the last two years and both are worth knowing. The Golden Visa, which granted residence to non-EU buyers investing 500,000 € or more in property, was abolished with effect from 3 April 2025. And the much-publicised proposal to impose a 100 % tax on purchases by non-EU non-residents has never been debated in Parliament; as of October 2026 it has been left out of every housing package and is widely regarded as dead, although nothing stops a future government from reviving it. If you are a non-EU buyer, that is a reason to keep an eye on the news, not a reason to wait. What does differ between EU and non-EU buyers is how long you may stay and the rate of non-resident income tax you pay; I cover both below.
Step 1: get your NIE (foreigner’s identification number)
The NIE is the tax number every foreigner needs to sign a deed, pay the transfer tax, open a bank account or be registered as the owner at the Land Registry. You cannot complete a purchase without one, so start early. There are three ways to apply:
- At a national police station in Spain, with a prior appointment (cita previa), form EX-15, your passport, the paid fee (form 790, code 012, around 10 €) and a document explaining why you need it, such as a reservation agreement for the property. Xàtiva has its own national police station, and appointments there are usually far easier to get than in Valencia or Alicante.
- At the Spanish consulate in your country, which is convenient but can take anywhere from two weeks to three months depending on the consulate.
- Through a lawyer with a power of attorney, signed before a notary at home and apostilled. You never need to travel for it, and the same power of attorney can later be used to sign the purchase deed on your behalf.
EU citizens who intend to live here will also register as residents (the certificado de registro de ciudadano de la Unión, form EX-18); non-EU buyers who are not moving to Spain simply keep the NIE as non-residents.
Step 2: open a Spanish bank account and prepare proof of funds
A Spanish account is not legally required, but in practice it makes everything easier: the deposit, the bank cheque for the notary, direct debits for the council tax (IBI), community fees, water and electricity, and the annual non-resident tax. Banks are obliged to apply anti-money-laundering checks, so expect to prove the origin of the funds (payslips, a sale deed, savings statements). Do it before you make an offer, not the week of completion.
Step 3: find the property and check it properly
This is where a local agent earns their fee. Xàtiva’s old centre is full of old, divided and sometimes empty housing, and many villas in Bixquert and around the castle hill were built decades ago on rustic land, which brings its own paperwork. The checks matter more than the viewing. Before I let a client sign anything I obtain:
- A fresh nota simple from the Land Registry, showing who owns the property and whether there are mortgages, embargoes or rights of way.
- The cadastral record and a comparison with the registry and with reality: surfaces that do not match, unregistered extensions and old houses divided into flats are common in the centre.
- The latest IBI (council tax) receipt and a certificate from the community of owners showing no unpaid fees, because debts of the last years follow the property.
- The energy performance certificate and, for buildings over fifty years old, the technical inspection report (IEE/ITE).
- A check at the town hall for open conservation or enforcement files, far from rare in the old centre: the council can order the owner to repair a façade or a roof, and the order passes to you with the keys.
- The second-occupation licence or responsible declaration, which in the Valencian Community you will need to contract water and electricity.
- For villas and rustic properties: the planning classification of the land, access, water supply and whether the house is legally registered, because what you can build on non-developable land is strictly limited.
I wrote a Spanish checklist on what to check when buying a second-hand home in Ontinyent, Xàtiva or Alcoy, and if you want a written opinion of value before you negotiate, that is exactly what a court-appointed property appraiser does.
Step 4: the reservation and the arras contract
Once the price is agreed, the usual sequence is a small reservation (often 1,000 to 3,000 €) to take the property off the market for a couple of weeks while the checks are completed, followed by a private contrato de arras with a deposit of around 10 % of the price. In the most common form, arras penitenciales, either side may still walk away: the buyer loses the deposit, the seller must return it doubled. The arras contract fixes the price, the completion date, who pays what and the condition of the property. It is a short document, and it is where most problems are born: I listed the five mistakes I see in the arras contracts that reach my desk. Have it reviewed by someone who reads Spanish legal language before you transfer the deposit.
Step 5: the notary, the deed and the Land Registry
Completion takes place before a notary, who checks the identities, the title, the absence of charges and the payment, and authorises the public deed (escritura). Payment is normally by bank cheque or transfer on the day; cash is not an option for amounts like these. If you cannot attend, the power of attorney mentioned above allows your lawyer or a trusted person to sign for you. After signing, the transfer tax is paid within 30 working days and the deed is presented to the Land Registry of Xàtiva, which registers you as the owner within a few weeks. Only then is the purchase fully protected against third parties.
Taxes and costs of buying a house in Xàtiva in 2026
This is the part that changed most recently. The Valencian Community cut its transfer tax on 1 June 2026 under Ley 5/2025, so the figures you will find in many older guides are out of date.
| Cost | Second-hand home | New build |
|---|---|---|
| Transfer tax (ITP) | 9 % of the price from 1 June 2026 (10 % before; 11 % on the whole value above 1,000,000 €) | — |
| VAT (IVA) | — | 10 % |
| Stamp duty (AJD) | — (the stamp duty on a mortgage deed is paid by the bank) | 1.4 % from 1 June 2026 (1.5 % before) |
| Notary | Roughly 600 to 1,000 € for a typical purchase deed, set by official tariff | |
| Land Registry | Roughly 400 to 700 € | |
| Gestoría (filing taxes and registration) | Roughly 300 to 500 €, optional if you do it yourself or your lawyer does | |
| Independent lawyer | Typically about 1 % of the price plus VAT, optional but recommended for non-Spanish speakers | |
| Mortgage costs | Valuation (about 300 to 500 €) and the bank’s arrangement fee; since 2019 the bank pays the notary, registry and stamp duty of the mortgage deed | |
Worked example: on a 114,000 € second-hand flat, the price of an average 90 m² home in Xàtiva, the transfer tax is 10,260 € and notary, registry and gestoría add roughly 1,500 €, so you should budget about 11,800 € on top of the price, or around 10.3 %, before any lawyer’s fee. Reduced rates exist for buyers under 35 purchasing their first main home (6 % up to 180,000 €, subject to income limits), for large or single-parent families and for people with a recognised disability, but they require the home to be your habitual residence in Spain, so most non-resident buyers pay the general 9 %.
Agency fees are agreed in writing before you make an offer; ask any agent to put them on paper, including VAT, so there are no surprises at the notary.
What it costs to own a home here as a non-resident
- IBI (council tax): a few hundred euros a year for a flat in Xàtiva, charged by the town hall on the cadastral value. A 2026 royal decree also lets councils add a surcharge on homes left empty for more than two years, from 2027 and only if the council adopts it, so a house you buy and lock up could cost more to keep.
- Community fees: from a few hundred to over a thousand euros a year depending on the building, lift and services; many old-town houses have no community at all.
- Non-resident income tax (IRNR) on an empty or personally used home: Spain taxes a notional income of 1.1 % of the cadastral value (2 % where the values have not been revised in the last ten years) at 19 % for residents of the EU, Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein and 24 % for everyone else, including the UK. It is filed once a year on form 210, during the year following the tax year. On a cadastral value of 50,000 € that is 550 € of notional income and about 105 € of tax for an EU resident.
- If you let the property: rental income is taxed at the same 19 % or 24 % rates; EU and EEA residents may deduct expenses, others may not.
- Rental rules in 2026: two royal decrees adopted in 2026 cap the annual update of residential rents at 2 % until the end of 2027, tighten the rules on seasonal and room-by-room lets, and reshape the tax treatment of landlords. Xàtiva has not been declared a «stressed area», so the rent caps of the 2023 Housing Act do not apply here. Tourist lets need the national registration number (NRUA) and, in most buildings, the consent of the community of owners. I explain the local detail in my Spanish article on the 2026 rental decree in Xàtiva.
- Wealth and inheritance: the Valencian Community applies a 99 % relief on inheritance and gift tax between close relatives, and property here is far below the wealth tax threshold for almost every buyer. Ask a tax adviser how your home country treats it too.
Mortgages for non-residents
Spanish banks lend to non-residents, but on stricter terms than to residents: usually 60 to 70 % of the lower of the price and the valuation, over terms that rarely exceed 20 to 25 years, with the loan ending before the borrower turns 75. In practice you should plan to bring at least 30 % of the price plus the purchase costs, so roughly 40 % in cash. Banks will want your last tax return, payslips or accounts and a credit report from your country. At the price levels of Xàtiva, many European buyers simply pay cash.
Living here: residence, healthcare and daily life
Buying a house gives you no right of residence by itself. EU, EEA and Swiss citizens can simply move and register once they decide to stay longer than three months. UK and other non-EU citizens can spend up to 90 days in any 180-day period in the Schengen area without a visa; to live here they need a residence visa, most commonly the non-lucrative visa for people with passive income or the digital nomad visa for remote workers. Healthcare is public and good: the Hospital Lluís Alcanyís is the reference hospital of the Xàtiva–Ontinyent health department, with 266 beds and an expansion programme of more than 75 million euros.
Be honest with yourself about the climate. Winters are mild, which is why Kapitalia’s own page calls Xàtiva a climatic oasis, but the summers are hot even by Valencian standards: the July mean daily maximum is 35 °C and the record stands at 46 °C. Thick walls, shutters and air conditioning are not luxuries here. The city is bilingual in Valencian and Spanish; English is spoken in the estate agencies and banks far less than on the coast, which is part of the charm and the reason you will want a bilingual adviser for the paperwork.
Frequently asked questions about buying a house in Xàtiva
How much does a house in Xàtiva cost in 2026?
The average asking price is 1,264 €/m² (Fotocasa, October 2026), from under 1,000 €/m² in parts of the historic centre to around 2,000 €/m² on the avenues. A 90 m² flat averages around 114,000 €. You can see what is on the market now in Kapitalia’s homes for sale in Xàtiva.
What is the property transfer tax in the Valencian Community in 2026?
9 % of the price for second-hand homes bought from 1 June 2026, down from 10 %. New builds pay 10 % VAT plus 1.4 % stamp duty. The date of the contract determines the rate, not the date you file.
Do I need a lawyer to buy property in Spain?
Legally no; the notary checks the essentials. In practice, if you do not read Spanish, an independent lawyer or a qualified agent who reviews the registry, cadastre, licences and the arras contract for you is money well spent, usually about 1 % of the price.
Can I rent out my house in Xàtiva when I am not there?
Yes. Long-term and seasonal lets are regulated by the 2026 decrees (2 % cap on annual rent updates, limits on seasonal contracts); tourist lets need the NRUA registration number. Rental income is taxed at 19 % for EU residents and 24 % for others.
How far is Xàtiva from València and the airports?
About 49 minutes to València Nord on the Cercanías C-2 train; about 50 minutes by car to Valencia airport and 1 hour 15 minutes to Alicante airport; about 40 minutes to the beaches of Gandia.
Is the 100 % tax on non-EU buyers in force?
No. It was proposed in 2025, has never been debated in Parliament and was left out of the 2026 housing measures. Non-EU buyers pay the same 9 % transfer tax as everyone else today.
My conclusion (and how I can help)
Buying a house in Xàtiva is not complicated, but it is unforgiving of improvisation, more so than elsewhere because of its old centre: the NIE, the bank account, the registry and town-hall checks and a properly drafted arras contract separate a smooth purchase from a stressful one. The reward is a home in one of the most beautiful historic towns of the Valencian interior, with a train to the capital, the sea forty minutes away and prices still a third of València’s. If that sounds like what you are looking for:
- Browse the homes for sale in Xàtiva that we manage at Kapitalia, or the full portfolio across La Costera, the Vall d’Albaida and L’Alcoià, and tell us what you are looking for: we send new listings to our buyers before they reach the portals.
- Already own a property here? Ask for a free valuation at Kapitalia or read my page on property valuation in Xàtiva; if you are selling to buy, tell us what you want to sell.
- Need a signed appraisal report for a purchase, an inheritance or a court, or someone to review an arras contract before you pay a deposit? Write to me at salvadorpalau@kapitalia.net or message me on WhatsApp at @salvapalau. Our offices are in Ontinyent, Xàtiva, Alcoi and Cocentaina, and we work in English.
See also: Buying a house in Ontinyent, Spain (2026).
Also available in Spanish: Requisitos para comprar vivienda en España siendo extranjero.
Sources: Fotocasa asking-price index for Xàtiva, October 2026, idealista reports, September 2026, and Housfy and RealAdvisor estimates, October 2026, as analysed in my Spanish articles; Qué!, València asking prices, July 2026; Ley 5/2025 of the Generalitat Valenciana, summary of the ITP and AJD changes from 1 June 2026; Agencia Tributaria, non-residents manual, imputed income from urban property; The Local, 19 October 2026, on the proposed 100 % tax; Costaluz Lawyers, NIE guide 2026; Wikipedia, Xàtiva; Xàtiva Turisme, how to get to Xàtiva. Tax rates, fees and timings are orientative, dated October 2026, and do not replace individual legal or tax advice.
