New Developments on the Costa del Sol: Where to Buy New in 2026
The smell of fresh paint, keys that nobody has turned before, a terrace with the sea on the horizon and a pool waiting in the garden below. Buying new on the Costa del Sol means starting your Spanish life in a home that has been built for exactly the way you want to live here: light, open, efficient and ready from the first day.
We moved to Estepona from Germany ourselves, and since 2019 we have worked with all the developers from Sotogrande to Marbella. I look after every buyer personally, from the first shortlist to the handover of the keys. This guide shows where the new developments on the Costa del Sol are being built, what they cost town by town according to our own survey, how Spanish law protects your payments and how to choose the development that suits you.
New developments on the Costa del Sol: why buying new is so attractive
A New Build gives you a modern home, a finished community and legal warranties, with nothing to renovate. On the Costa del Sol, where life happens outdoors for most of the year, the way a home is designed makes a big difference, and new developments are designed for exactly this climate.
- Light and space: large windows, open living areas and terraces designed as outdoor rooms.
- Energy efficiency: current insulation standards, modern air conditioning and heating, and lower running costs all year.
- Community facilities: pools, landscaped gardens and, in many developments, gyms, spas or co-working rooms.
- Warranties by law: ten years for the structure, three for habitability, one for finishing.
- Nothing to renovate: no builders to organise from abroad, no surprises behind old walls.
- Your choice of home: off-plan, you pick the floor, the orientation and often the finishes.
There is also the simple pleasure of being first. Your kitchen, your bathroom, your terrace: everything is new, and everything is yours from the start. For buyers who live abroad and visit several times a year, a new home is also the easiest to own, because modern buildings need little maintenance and the owners' community appoints an administrator to look after the common areas.
In Estepona, buying new also costs little more than buying second-hand. On our own survey the New Build median was €5,145 per square metre on 18 September 2026, against a Resale index of €5,000 in August 2026, a difference of 2.9%. For that small premium you get a new building, current standards and the full legal warranties.
Life in a new development: pools, gardens and a community
A new development is more than an apartment: it is a small neighbourhood with its own garden, pool and rhythm. Mornings start with a swim before the day gets warm. In the afternoon, the gardens are shaded by palm trees and olive trees, and in the evening the terrace becomes the dining room.
New developments on the western Costa del Sol are often built as gated communities, with landscaped grounds, one or more pools and private parking in a garage below the building. Many add a gym, a spa, a children's play area or a residents' lounge, and some of the newer projects include co-working rooms for people who work remotely. The exact facilities differ from project to project, and they are one of the most important points to compare.
The community is organised as a comunidad de propietarios, the owners' association, which maintains the common areas and shares the costs among the owners. In a new development, the rules and the budget are set from the start, which makes the running costs clear before you buy. Ask the developer for the estimated community fees for the unit you are interested in; they are part of every sensible comparison.
And then there is the view. Many new developments on the Costa del Sol are built on gentle hillsides a short distance from the beach, so the upper floors look over the gardens to the sea, with the mountains of the Sierra Bermeja or the Rock of Gibraltar on the horizon.
Where the new developments on the Costa del Sol are being built
Between Sotogrande and Marbella, Estepona has by far the most new developments and the lowest price per square metre. Our own survey of 18 September 2026 recorded the priced New Build units of all developers in six towns on the western Costa del Sol:
| Town | New Build per m² | Priced units |
|---|---|---|
| Estepona | €5,145 | 840 |
| Sotogrande | €5,215 | 47 |
| Manilva | €5,266 | 256 |
| Benahavís | €6,548 | 186 |
| Casares | €6,969 | 228 |
| Marbella | €7,491 | 244 |
The difference is easy to see in square metres. For €500,000, the median price buys around 97 square metres of New Build in Estepona and around 67 in Marbella. That is a whole extra bedroom, or a much larger terrace, for the same budget and the same sea.
Estepona: the largest choice on the coast
With 840 priced units in 118 projects, Estepona offers more than three times as many New Builds as any other of the six towns. Apartments make up most of the supply, alongside townhouses and villas, spread across the whole municipality from the New Golden Mile in the east to Costa Natura in the west. The new developments in Estepona show the current projects.
Marbella and Benahavís: prime locations at prime prices
Marbella's New Builds are concentrated in its most sought-after areas, such as Nueva Andalucía, the Golden Mile and San Pedro de Alcántara, and many of them are individual villas. Benahavís, in the hills behind Marbella and Estepona, is dominated by villas in golf valleys. Both are beautiful, and both sit at a clearly higher price level. The new developments in Marbella are listed separately.
Manilva, Casares and Sotogrande: the quieter west
West of Estepona, Manilva and Casares combine beaches, marinas and golf with a calmer pace, and Sotogrande is known for its polo, its marina and its large plots. Their New Build supply is much smaller than Estepona's, and in Casares a single luxury project lifts the average considerably. For a first look, all new developments on our site can be filtered by town.
Why Estepona has the most new developments on the Costa del Sol
Estepona is growing, investing and building, and buyers benefit from all three. The town has almost 80,000 residents, a restored old town full of flowers, 21 kilometres of coastline and a long seafront promenade, and it lives all year rather than only in summer.
Its population grew from around 67,000 in 2016 to almost 80,000 in 2025, an increase of 19.4%. Every new resident needs a home for the whole year, which is why developers have chosen Estepona for so many projects. According to the town hall, Estepona has repaid its inherited debt, has funded its own hospital, has almost completed a coastal path of more than 21 kilometres and is investing around €27 million in its 2026 budget, while property tax for households registered in the town is falling.
Values have followed. On our own analysis, the Resale index for Estepona rose by 194.1% in ten years to August 2026, and by 17.4% in the last year. Where so many projects sell at the same time, developers price competitively, which keeps New Builds close to the Resale level and gives buyers a wide choice at fair prices.
The location does the rest. Málaga airport is 84 kilometres away and Gibraltar 45, Marbella is half an hour up the coast, and Sotogrande is a short drive to the west. From Estepona, the whole western Costa del Sol is on your doorstep.
Six neighbourhoods: where in Estepona the new developments are
Each part of Estepona has its own character, and the new developments are spread across all of them. On our survey of 21 September 2026, these were the neighbourhoods with the most priced New Build units:
- Benamara–Atalaya, in the east towards Marbella: 253 units in 38 projects, the largest supply in town, close to beaches, golf and the New Golden Mile.
- Playa Bahía Dorada, in the west: 174 units in 23 projects, quiet developments with pools and gardens near the beach.
- Costa Natura, further west: 131 units in 19 projects, calm and green, with quick access to Sotogrande and Gibraltar.
- Selwo, on the New Golden Mile: 126 units in 15 projects, green and family-friendly, next to the Selwo Aventura wildlife park.
- Estepona Pueblo, the centre: 97 units in 15 projects, within walking distance of the old town, the promenade and the harbour.
- Punta Plata, on the New Golden Mile: 54 units in 5 projects, right by the beach of Punta Plata.
Which neighbourhood suits you depends on how you want to live. If you want to walk to the café, the market and the beach, the centre is hard to beat. If you prefer space, gardens and quiet, the developments in the east and west offer more of both. And if you play golf, several courses are within a few minutes of Benamara–Atalaya, Selwo and Costa Natura.
The best way to find out is to see them. On a single day, I can show you three or four neighbourhoods and the developments that match your wishes, so you get a feeling for the whole town before you decide.
Apartments, townhouses or villas: what new builds cost in Estepona
In Estepona a New Build townhouse costs less per square metre than a New Build apartment. On our survey of 18 September 2026 the three property types compared like this:
| Property type | New Build per m² | Priced units |
|---|---|---|
| Townhouses | €4,927 | 84 |
| Apartments | €5,130 | 645 |
| Villas | €5,753 | 115 |
Apartments are the heart of the market, with 645 of the 840 units. They range from compact homes with one or two bedrooms to large penthouses with roof terraces, and most are in developments with pools and gardens. The new-build apartments and penthouses are listed on our site.
Townhouses give you your own front door, often with a private garden or roof terrace, and in Estepona they cost 4% less per square metre than apartments. Supply is smaller, 84 units in six projects, so the right one is worth securing early. Villas, with 115 units in 44 projects, offer the most privacy and space, from contemporary villas in gated communities to individual homes with sea views. All houses are shown in the overview of New Build houses and villas.
Off-plan, under construction or ready to move in
New developments are sold at three stages, and each one suits a different plan. The new developments on the Costa del Sol include projects at every stage, so you can choose the timing that fits your life.
Off-plan is attractive for a simple reason: you get the pick of the development. The best orientations, the top floors and the garden apartments are chosen first, and you spread the payments over the construction period instead of paying everything at once. For buyers who are planning a move, the construction time also runs in parallel with the preparation: visas, the sale of a home abroad or the end of a working life.
A completed home is the right choice if you want to move in now or start renting straight away. You see exactly what you buy, down to the view from the terrace and the morning light in the kitchen. In Estepona, completed developments and projects in every phase of construction are available at the same time, so you do not have to compromise on timing.
How your payments are protected when you buy new in Spain
Spanish law protects every payment made to a developer during construction, once the building licence is granted. The rules are set out in the first additional provision of the Building Act 38/1999, and they are among the clearest buyer protections in Europe.
From the moment the building licence is granted, the developer must guarantee your payments through a bank guarantee or an insurance policy issued in your name, covering the amounts paid plus taxes and legal interest. The money must be paid into a special account, kept separate from the developer's other funds. The name of the bank or insurer and the account must appear in your contract, and you receive your individual guarantee document when you sign.
If construction does not start or is not completed on time, you can choose between terminating the contract with a full refund, including taxes and interest, or agreeing a new completion date. The guarantee ends when the home is completed, handed over and cleared for occupation, which in Andalusia is done through a declaración responsable de ocupación under the regional land law. Our guide to buying off-plan in Spain sets out every step in detail.
One tip: if you pay a reservation fee before the building licence is granted, ask specifically how it is protected. Your lawyer checks the licence, the guarantee and the account before you pay the first stage payment, and with those three documents in place you can enjoy the construction period with complete peace of mind.
What buying a new-build home costs on top of the price
On a new home bought from the developer, the main taxes are 10% VAT and, in Andalusia, 1.2% stamp duty. These replace the 7% transfer tax that applies to Resales, and they are paid at completion together with the other costs of the purchase.
- VAT (IVA): 10% of the price of a new home, paid to the developer with each payment
- Stamp duty (AJD): 1.2% in Andalusia, on the deed of sale
- Notary and land registry fees, set by official scales
- Legal fees for your independent lawyer
- Mortgage costs, if you finance part of the price
- Utility connections, sometimes charged separately; check your contract
VAT is paid in instalments, together with each stage payment, so it is spread over the construction period. Stamp duty, notary and registry fees are due when you sign the deed at completion. Ask for a written cost estimate at the start, so the total is clear before you reserve. Our complete guide to buying property in Spain covers the whole purchase, and our guide to Spanish mortgages explains how banks finance New Builds for buyers from abroad.
If you plan to finance part of the price, speak to a bank early. Spanish banks lend to residents and non-residents alike, and an approval in principle before you reserve tells you exactly how much you can spend. For an off-plan purchase, the mortgage is normally signed at completion, when the home exists and can be valued, so the stage payments during construction come from your own funds.
After completion, the running costs are the community fees, the annual property tax (IBI), insurance and utilities. As a new building, your home starts with low maintenance costs and a high energy standard, which keeps the monthly budget pleasantly predictable.
How to choose between two new developments
The best development is the one that fits your life, and a few questions make the choice clear. When two projects look equally beautiful in the brochure, this checklist helps you compare them properly:
- Location: walk to the beach, the shops and a café? How far to the motorway and the airport?
- Orientation and view: south or west for sun, and what will stand in front of your terrace in ten years?
- Floor plan: terrace size, storage, a second bathroom, parking and storeroom included?
- Community: which facilities, how many units, and what are the estimated community fees?
- Developer: completed projects nearby that you can visit, and the building licence granted?
- Specifications: insulation, air conditioning, kitchen, flooring and energy rating in writing
- Timing: expected completion date and payment schedule
- Use: own use, family visits or rental, and does the community allow what you plan?
The most useful single step is to visit a completed development by the same developer. You see the quality of the finishes after a few years, the state of the gardens and the way the community is run, and you can talk to people who already live there.
Because we work with all developers from Sotogrande to Marbella, I can put projects side by side for you without favouring any of them, and show you the ones that fit your wishes rather than the ones someone needs to sell.
Buying a new build on the Costa del Sol, step by step
Buying new follows a clear sequence, and most of it can be done while you still live abroad. Here is the order that works:
- Define your wishes: budget, property type, bedrooms, area and how you will use the home.
- Get your NIE number and open a Spanish bank account; both are needed to buy.
- Shortlist developments and visit them, ideally including a completed project by the same developer.
- Reserve your unit with a reservation agreement and a reservation payment.
- Let your lawyer check the licence, the guarantee, the plans, the specifications and the contract.
- Sign the purchase contract and make the first stage payment, receiving your individual guarantee.
- Follow the construction with regular updates and pay the stages as agreed.
- Inspect and complete: handover inspection, deed at the notary, keys in your hand.
The NIE number is the first practical step and can be requested at a Spanish consulate or in Spain. A power of attorney lets your lawyer sign on your behalf if you cannot attend in person, so a buyer who lives abroad can complete the whole purchase with only the visits they want to make.
Buying new from abroad: how it works at a distance
You can buy a new home on the Costa del Sol without living here, and the construction period makes it especially easy. Most of the steps are paperwork that your lawyer handles, and the rest fits into a few visits that you can plan around the milestones of the building.
The first visit is for choosing: the town, the neighbourhoods and the developments. After the reservation, your lawyer checks the documents and prepares the contract, which you can sign in person or through a power of attorney granted at a Spanish notary or, abroad, at a Spanish consulate or a local notary with an apostille. Stage payments are bank transfers from your Spanish account into the developer's special account, each one covered by your guarantee.
During construction, ask the developer how progress is reported, with updates and photos, and plan a visit or two to see your home take shape and choose finishes where the project allows it. The final visit is for the handover inspection and the deed at the notary, and if you cannot travel, your lawyer can sign for you and a surveyor can carry out the inspection.
I look after every buyer personally along the way, answer questions in between the visits and keep in touch with the developer, so the distance never feels like a gap. For buyers moving to Spain at the same time, our guides to moving to Spain from the UK and moving to Spain from the USA cover residence, healthcare and the practical side of the move.
Handover and warranties: the one, three and ten years
When the keys arrive, the legal warranties begin, and they cover your home for up to ten years. Article 17 of the Building Act sets three periods, counted from the formal acceptance of the building work:
- Handover Inspection of the home with the developer and a list of any finishing points.
- 1 year Finishing defects, such as surfaces, fittings and paintwork.
- 3 years Defects in elements and installations that affect habitability.
- 10 years The structure: foundations, columns, beams, slabs and load-bearing walls.
The handover inspection is the moment to look at everything calmly: doors and windows, tiles and joints, taps and drains, air conditioning, electrics and the terrace. Any point you note is recorded and put right by the developer. You can bring an independent surveyor to the inspection, and if you cannot be there, your lawyer or a trusted person can attend for you.
After that, the new home simply works. And for the next ten years, the structure is covered by law, a peace of mind that no Resale can offer.
Renting out a new build on the Costa del Sol
New Builds rent well, because tenants and guests look for exactly what they offer: modern homes with pools, gardens and terraces. Whether you rent out long-term or for holidays, a new home is easier to let and cheaper to maintain.
On our own analysis, long-term rents in Estepona averaged €21 per square metre a month in August 2026, and the gross rental yield on Resales was 5.05%. Holiday rental needs registration with the Andalusian tourism register and the consent of the owners' association where its rules require it; a good letting agency handles the registration, the guests and the cleaning for you.
You can also combine both: your own weeks in spring and autumn, and rentals in the months you are away. A development with good facilities, close to the beach or the old town, is the best starting point for that plan.
New developments in Estepona
New developments on the Costa del Sol: from your wishes to your home
Start with your wishes, then the town, then the development. Decide how you want to live, whether by the beach, in the old town or in a green development with views, and set your budget with the costs on top. Compare the towns with the figures above: for the same budget, Estepona gives you the most space and the widest choice of new developments on the Costa del Sol.
Then come and see them. A few days on the coast, three or four neighbourhoods and a handful of carefully chosen developments are usually enough to know which one feels like home. Bring your questions about guarantees, payments and taxes, and look at a completed project by the developer you like. From there, the reservation, the contract and the construction follow a clear path, and one day the keys to a home nobody has lived in before are in your hand.
Frequently asked questions
Where are the most new developments on the Costa del Sol?
In Estepona. Our survey of 18 September 2026 counted 840 priced New Build units in 118 projects there, more than three times as many as in any other town between Sotogrande and Marbella.
What do new developments on the Costa del Sol cost per square metre?
On our survey of 18 September 2026 the New Build median was €5,145 per square metre in Estepona, €5,215 in Sotogrande, €5,266 in Manilva, €6,548 in Benahavís, €6,969 in Casares and €7,491 in our Marbella market area.
Why buy a New Build instead of a Resale?
A New Build gives you current energy standards, modern design, community facilities such as pools and gardens, legal warranties of one, three and ten years, and nothing to renovate. In Estepona the price difference to Resales is small: 2.9% in September 2026.
How are payments during construction protected?
Spanish law requires developers to guarantee every payment made once the building licence is granted, through a bank guarantee or an insurance policy in your name, and to hold the money in a special account. If the building is not completed, you get your payments back with interest.
What taxes do I pay on a new-build home?
On a new home bought from the developer you pay 10% VAT (IVA) and, in Andalusia, 1.2% stamp duty (AJD), plus notary, land registry and legal fees. Resales pay 7% transfer tax instead of VAT and stamp duty.
Can foreigners buy new developments on the Costa del Sol?
Yes. Buyers from any country can buy new developments on the Costa del Sol on the same terms as Spanish buyers. You need an NIE number and a Spanish bank account, and Spanish banks also lend to non-residents.
Is it better to buy off-plan or ready to move in?
Both have their advantages. Off-plan gives you the widest choice of floor plans and pays in stages during construction; a completed home lets you move in straight away. The new developments on the Costa del Sol offer both.
What warranties come with a new-build home?
Under the Spanish Building Act: ten years for the structure, three years for defects affecting habitability and one year for finishing defects, all counted from the formal acceptance of the building work.
Which part of Estepona has the most new developments?
Benamara–Atalaya in the east of the town, with 253 priced units in 38 projects on 21 September 2026, followed by Playa Bahía Dorada, Costa Natura and Selwo.
Are townhouses in Estepona more expensive than apartments?
No. On 18 September 2026 New Build townhouses in Estepona had a median of €4,927 per square metre, 4% below apartments at €5,130. Villas were at €5,753.
Sources & official links
- BOE – Building Act 38/1999 (LOE), first additional provision and Article 17 (checked 21.09.2026)
- BOE – Andalusian Land Sustainability Act 7/2021 (LISTA), Article 138 (checked 21.09.2026)
- BOE – VAT Act 37/1992 (checked 21.09.2026)
- Junta de Andalucía – General ITPAJD tax rate (checked 21.09.2026)
- Ayuntamiento de Estepona – 2026 budget (checked 21.09.2026)
