Money and growing your career in Spain

You have learned the rules, the market and the deal. This last lesson is about your own money: what you really take home from a sale, what you owe in tax, how to pick the right agency and how to grow from there.

Commission maths

No law sets sales commission in Spain. HelpMyCash reports that traditional agencies usually charge 3% to 7%, and OCU found an average of 5% in January 2026. 21% VAT goes on top, and VAT is never part of your split: it goes to the Tax Agency.

The splits below are examples. Your own contract decides.

Example 1: a resale flat in Málaga, €400,000, fee 5% plus VAT, your share 40%.

1. Agency fee: 400,000 x 5% = €20,000
2. VAT charged to the seller: 20,000 x 21% = €4,200
3. Your share: 20,000 x 40% = €8,000, before your own taxes

Example 2: a villa in Estepona, €800,000, fee 6%, shared 50/50 with a buyer’s agency, your share 40%.

1. Total fee: 800,000 x 6% = €48,000
2. Your agency’s half: €24,000
3. Your share: 24,000 x 40% = €9,600

Example 3: a long-term rental, €1,300 a month, fee of one month’s rent.

Under the Housing Law 12/2023 the landlord pays: €1,300 plus €273 VAT. With a 40% share, you get €520. Rentals pay less, but they bring landlords who may sell later.

Run your own numbers with the commission calculator.

Tax and Social Security

As an employee, the agency withholds income tax (IRPF) from your salary and commission, and pays your Social Security. You file a yearly income tax return.

As an autónomo, you handle it yourself:

• VAT. You add 21% to every invoice and pay it to the Tax Agency each quarter, minus the VAT on your business costs.
• Quarterly income tax (form 130). Under direct assessment, you pay in advance 20% of your net income for the year to date, minus earlier payments and withholdings (Guía Fiscal). Professionals whose invoices with withholding reached at least 70% of their income the year before are exempt.
• Social Security (RETA). A flat €80 a month for the first 12 months, extendable for a second year if your net income stays below the minimum wage (Billeo). After that, 2026 minimums run from €200 to €590 a month by income band (El Derecho).
• Yearly return. Your income tax is settled each year, with the quarterly payments counted.

Third-year example (autónomo)	Amount
Fees invoiced	€48,000
VAT collected (21%)	€10,080, paid to the Tax Agency less VAT on costs
Business costs	€8,000
Net income before contributions	€40,000
Quarterly advances at 20% (if not exempt)	about €8,000 over the year, before deducting contributions

Get a gestor (tax adviser) from your first month. A missed quarter costs more than their fee.

How to choose an agency

GoWork estimated in 2023 that newcomers earn a fixed salary of €12,800 to €20,000 a year and total earnings of €20,000 to €60,000 with commission. Use these as a starting point, then ask:

1. Employee or autónomo? And who pays your Social Security?
2. What is my split, on my own listings, on agency leads and on shared deals?
3. When am I paid? At the deed, or when the agency is paid?
4. What happens to my deals if I leave before they close?
5. What is your register number in Catalonia, Valencia or Andalusia, and does it cover me?
6. How do you run anti-money laundering checks under Law 10/2010, and who is in charge?
7. What leads, portals and training do you provide, and what do I pay for myself?
8. If I am non-EU: will you apply for my permit before I start?

Get the answers in your contract. Compare employers on CloserPass agencies.

Growing your career

• Specialise. Prime villas, off-plan, a nationality or a language, or rentals for landlords.
• Earn credentials. Training courses that count toward the Valencian 200 hours or the Andalusian 100 hours. The API title and a Colegio are optional, but some clients value them (Consumer).
• Build your own brand with sourced market updates and reviews from happy clients.
• Open your own agency later. In Catalonia that means an office, insurance of at least €100,000 per claim and €600,000 per year, a €60,000 guarantee per office and registration (Generalitat).

Before you start: final checklist

• I know my route to work legally: EU registration, employee permit or self-employment permit.
• I have, or have applied for, my NIE.
• I know whether my region requires a register, and what training it asks for.
• I have decided: employee or autónomo, and I know my Social Security cost.
• I have a template nota de encargo and visit slip.
• I can run ID and source of funds checks and I never take cash.
• I know who pays ITP or VAT plus AJD in my region, and the 3% withholding rule.
• I can check an off-plan guarantee under Law 38/1999.
• I have a 90-day plan and a daily prospecting block.
• I have my split and pay dates in writing.

Rates and rules change, so check the official source before you act.

Take the final quiz

You are ready. Test yourself with the final quiz for Spain: questions from every theme, each corrected with its source. Then look at open roles in Spain and the Spain market page.

This lesson is general information, not tax or legal advice.