In the Canary Islands we represent German buyers exclusively in their own interest, from the choice of island and location through the review of permit and rental status to the notary appointment, independent of agent or seller.
We first clarify which island and which location suit your plans. A year-round residence, winter stays, a holiday home or a capital investment place very different demands on Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura.
Through our partners on the ground you gain access to properties that are not publicly advertised, and an independent assessment of what is on offer on the portals.
Before any offer, we check building permits, plot status, protected-area location and, if planned, the requirements for holiday letting under Canarian law.
We negotiate price and terms exclusively in your interest and, together with your lawyer, coordinate the process through to the execution of the deed.
For German buyers the Canary Islands are a year-round market: the mild climate allows use and letting in winter too, flight connections from Germany are dense, and a large proportion of purchasers already know the islands from many years of holidays. Unlike in the Balearics, demand is not concentrated on a single island but spread across an archipelago of seven inhabited main islands of very different character.
For our advisory we concentrate on three islands: Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura. The Canary Islands also have their own tax regime within Spain and, since the end of 2025, a new law regulating tourist residential use. Both directly affect the calculation of a purchase, and both differ from mainland Spain and the Balearics.
We support buyers on the three islands with the greatest demand from German-speaking purchasers. Each island has its own micro-markets, its own permit issues and its own buyer structure.
The largest island of the archipelago, with a clear contrast between the sunny south and the green north. Central themes: coastal location, nature reserves and permit status.
Buyer Advisory TenerifeWith Las Palmas the most urban island of the Canaries, plus an extensive south around Maspalomas and Mogán. Central theme: the choice between city, coastal and inland locations.
Buyer Advisory Gran CanariaWide beaches, dunes and steady wind, sparsely populated and protected as a UNESCO biosphere reserve. Central themes: protected status, water supply and infrastructure connection.
Buyer Advisory FuerteventuraThe three focus islands differ markedly in character, buyer structure and everyday life.
| Location / micro-market | Character | Suited to | Distinguishing feature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tenerife | Largest island, contrast between sunny south and green north, Teide as landmark | Buyers seeking variety, good connections and a broad choice of properties | Wide range between coastal locations in the south and quiet locations in the north |
| Gran Canaria | Urban island with Las Palmas, plus dunes and resorts in the south | Buyers who value urban infrastructure and year-round living | City, south coast and island interior as three separate sub-markets |
| Fuerteventura | Wide beaches, dunes, wind and little development | Buyers who prioritise peace, nature and water sports | Biosphere reserve, infrastructure and water issues shape the purchase |
Tenerife offers the broadest choice in the archipelago, from the southwest around Costa Adeje to the wine-growing areas in the north. Details on the micro-markets can be found on our page on Tenerife.
Gran Canaria combines a genuine major city with expansive coastal resorts and a rural hinterland. The locations are described on our page on Gran Canaria.
Fuerteventura is the quietest of the three islands and strongly shaped by nature and coastal protection. More on our page on Fuerteventura.
Within Spain, the Canary Islands have their own indirect tax system. In place of value-added tax (IVA), the Canary Islands consumption tax IGIC applies. According to publicly available information, the purchase of a used property from a private seller attracts transfer tax (ITP), with a general rate of 6.5%. The purchase of a new build from a developer, by contrast, attracts IGIC, with a general rate of 7%, plus stamp duty (AJD). Reduced rates apply in certain constellations.
For buyers this means that transaction costs cannot be transferred from the Balearics or the mainland. Which tax event applies in a given case depends on the seller and the property, and should be clarified before the arras contract is signed. For an overview of how acquisition costs are structured, see our article on transaction costs when buying in Spain (in German); we classify the Canarian rates case by case with your tax advisor.
For holiday letting, Ley 6/2025 on the sustainable regulation of tourist residential use has applied in the Canary Islands since December 2025. It ties the letting to holiday guests more closely to planning law and municipal requirements, so whether a property may be used for tourism under the rules of the respective municipality is a separate review. In addition, homeowners’ associations can exclude tourist use by resolution. Anyone planning to let should clarify these points before submitting an offer.
As of November 2026. The information is based on publicly available sources (including Gobierno de Canarias, BOE, idealista). This article is for general information only and does not replace legal or tax advice in an individual case. The legal position at the time of purchase is decisive.
Property prices in the Canary Islands have risen markedly in recent years, most recently to new highs according to market observations by idealista. The province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Tenerife) is on average above the province of Las Palmas (Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, Lanzarote). The range within the islands is nevertheless wide: between expensive coastal locations in the south and municipalities in the island interior lies a multiple.
A blanket “Canary Islands price” is therefore of little use as a guide. What matters are the island, the municipality, proximity to the coast and the legal status of the property. An independent price plausibility check before the offer helps separate premiums in tourist-oriented locations from real value.
In the Canary Islands we first check in every mandate whether island and location match your intended use. Next come the building-law status including coastal and nature-conservation requirements, the rules of the homeowners’ association and, if planned, the permissibility of holiday letting. We clarify the tax classification before the arras contract. Details of our full process can be found on the page for our Acquisition Service.
That depends on the plan. Tenerife offers the greatest variety, Gran Canaria the strongest urban infrastructure, Fuerteventura the most peace and nature. We first clarify intended use and budget and, on that basis, recommend an island and location.
No. The Canary Islands have their own indirect tax system with IGIC instead of VAT and their own rates for transfer tax. The ancillary costs therefore have to be calculated separately.
Not automatically. Since December 2025, Ley 6/2025 ties tourist residential use more closely to planning law and municipal requirements. In addition, homeowners’ associations may exclude tourist use. We check both before the offer.
Our focus is on Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura. For enquiries about the remaining islands, please get in touch; we assess case by case whether meaningful support is possible.
NIE, lawyer, arras contract, notary and taxes follow a common basic sequence across Spain. We describe the full process in our guide to buying property in Spain (in German).
Let us discuss which island and which location suit your plans, discreetly and without obligation.