Clients buying property in Spain often ask me about "developer condition." And here's the first important difference: what we associate with developer condition in Poland often looks completely different in Spain.
In Poland, many people associate a developer's apartment with a property that still needs finishing. There's plaster, screed, plumbing, windows, and an entrance door, but before moving in, you usually have to install the floors, bathrooms, kitchen, lighting, interior doors, built-ins, and everything else. In other words, you buy a property, but you're still a long way from living there.
In Spain, especially in the primary market on the Costa Blanca and Costa Cálida, new apartments are often delivered to a standard that is quite surprising to Polish buyers. The apartment has finished floors, finished bathrooms, internal doors, woodwork, often fitted wardrobes, a ready-made or fully equipped kitchen, and in many developments, ducted air conditioning, air conditioning, and underfloor heating in the bathrooms.
That's why clients sometimes walk into a new apartment and say, "You can live here.".
And very often you actually can.
Why is this difference so big?
Simply put: in Spain, the standard of finishing of new properties tends to be more "utilitarian." Developers on the coast primarily sell apartments to buyers who buy with a quick intention: for holidays, longer stays, rentals, or as a second home. Such clients don't always live locally, don't know the local crews, and don't want to spend months organizing the finishing work and overseeing every stage of the work.
That's why many investments are prepared so that the buyer can enter the premises after receiving it, furnish it according to their own needs and start using the property much faster than in the classic Polish model.
This, of course, doesn't mean that every property in Spain is delivered identically. There's no single standard for all developments. Differences between developers can be significant. In one development, the kitchen might be fully equipped with appliances, while in another it might be just built-in or ready for installation. In one development, air conditioning will be installed, while in another, only pre-installation. Therefore, it's always important to read the documentation for a specific development.
And here a very important concept appears: memoria de calidades.
Memoria de calidades, or a document that must be read
When purchasing a primary market property in Spain, one of the most important documents is the memoria de calidades (memorandum of general construction). This document describes the standard, materials, installations, and components to be installed in the property and its common areas.
This is where it should be clearly stated what exactly is included in the price. Whether the kitchen has appliances. Whether air conditioning is installed or just ready. What the flooring is like. How the bathrooms are finished. Whether there are built-in wardrobes. What the joinery, insulation, terraces, common areas, and utilities look like.
Therefore, instead of asking generally: "is this a developer's condition?", it is better to ask:
What exactly does the standard of this investment include?
This is a much more practical and safe question.
What does a new property in Spain typically include?
In many new developments on the Costa Blanca and Costa Cálida, customers can expect finished floors, finished bathrooms, installed fixtures, interior doors, windows, often blinds, built-in wardrobes, a terrace, and a ready-made kitchen. Depending on the development, the price may also include ducted air conditioning, air conditioning, underfloor heating in bathrooms, lighting, appliances, a parking space, or a storage unit.
Higher-end developments also offer additional features such as a swimming pool, sauna, gym, coworking space, wellness areas, gardens, paddle tennis, mini golf, and other common areas. All of this is also important, as the client is purchasing not only the apartment itself but also the lifestyle of the entire development.
At the same time, you need to be careful with marketing terms. "Move-in ready," "key ready," "turnkey," or "fully furnished" don't always mean the same thing. "Key ready" can mean the property is already finished and ready for occupancy. "Turnkey" can mean a finished property, but not necessarily with furniture. "Fully furnished" suggests furniture, but you still need to check exactly what's included.
The devil is in the details.
And what does it look like in Poland?
In Poland, the term "developer's finish" is very popular, but in practice, there is no single, rigid definition that always represents the exact same scope of work. What a developer calls "developer's finish" is primarily determined by the contract, information brochure, finishing standard, and documentation for a specific investment.
Most often, however, Polish developer status means a property prepared for further finishing work, not ready for immediate movement. Buyers must factor in the cost of finishing the bathroom, kitchen, flooring, interior doors, lighting, built-ins, furniture, and many other details, which can ultimately significantly increase the total purchase price.
And this is where the surprise of Polish customers in Spain comes from.
Because suddenly it turns out that an apartment from a developer doesn't look like a place to be finished, but like a space that can be actually used much faster.
Does this mean that there are no additional costs in Spain?
No. And this must be said clearly.
Even if the apartment is well finished, the client still has to take into account the costs of purchase, taxes, notary, registration, legal services, any additional equipment, decoration, movable furniture, textiles, small appliances, internet, and, in the case of rentals, also preparing the property for guests.
In practice, however, the difference is that in Spain, we often don't start by completely renovating an apartment from scratch. We rather equip and personalize the space.
This is a completely different level of organization, especially for a client who lives in Poland and does not want to coordinate renovation teams remotely for six months.
What to pay attention to before buying?
First and foremost, it's about documentation. In the primary market, it's worth carefully checking the memorandum of sale, payment schedule, permits, handover date, payment security, developer guarantees, and whether the property will have documents allowing for legal use after construction is completed.
In Spain, a document confirming the property's right to use after completion of the work is also an important element for new buildings. This document is most often referred to as a licencia de primera occupación (license of first occupation) or a corresponding declaration of first occupation, depending on the region and the procedure. This is crucial because without a properly completed administrative process, problems with utilities, use, or subsequent sale may arise.
It's also worth remembering about warranties for new construction. Spanish regulations provide for liability for various types of construction defects, including shorter deadlines for finishing elements and longer ones for issues affecting habitability and structural safety. This is another reason why it's important to have legal advice when purchasing a property and not rely solely on sales materials.
The most important conclusion
The developer's condition in Spain and the developer's condition in Poland are not concepts that can be compared one to one.
In Spain, new properties are often delivered to a standard much closer to everyday use. This doesn't always mean fully furnished, but often includes finished floors, bathrooms, kitchens, wardrobes, utilities, and common areas, ready for immediate use upon delivery.
Therefore, when buying in Spain, the most important question is not: "is it developer-finished?", but:
What exactly is included in the price of this particular property?
And this is the question you need to know the answer to before signing the documents.
