Private Wealth and Real Estate Lawyers for International Clients
Mallorca and Ibiza are among Europe’s most coveted —and most intricate— real estate markets. Beneath their Mediterranean charm lies a legal and tax environment that rewards preparation and precision. For discerning investors, acquiring property here is never a casual purchase; it is a strategic act of capital allocation, one that touches residence, tax exposure, family governance and succession.
At Lullius Partners, we approach real estate from within our Private Wealth practice — not as a transactional service, but as part of a broader architecture of wealth protection. We advise international individuals, family offices and private investment vehicles who value judgment, continuity and discretion. What they seek from counsel is not merely execution, but foresight.
One Integrated Advisory Team
Every property acquisition in Spain sits at the intersection of civil law, planning law and taxation.
When the buyer is an international principal or a family office, additional layers of complexity arise — from cross-border reporting to wealth structuring, residence planning and regulatory alignment.
Our clients work with one integrated advisory team, combining real estate, tax, corporate and private client lawyers under a unified strategy. This means a single point of coordination and responsibility — from pre-acquisition modelling and contract negotiation to long-term ownership and eventual divestment.
Through our US Desk and UK Desk, we also bridge the regulatory and tax frameworks of the world’s most demanding jurisdictions. We understand the interplay between the Spanish system and the US Internal Revenue Code, or the UK’s non-dom, remittance and trust regimes.
This cross-jurisdictional fluency allows us to structure property ownership seamlessly across continents, ensuring that each asset aligns with the client’s global wealth strategy.
Acquisition Strategy and Due Diligence
Our process begins long before an offer is made. Each property is analysed through four complementary lenses:
- Legal integrity — full verification of title, liens, easements, pre-emption rights, planning restrictions and ownership history.
- Urban and technical compliance — ensuring that the property’s physical reality matches its licences, occupancy certificates and registry data.
- Fiscal efficiency — scenario modelling for ITP, VAT, AJD and municipal plusvalía, including holding and exit taxation.
- Structural alignment — confirming that the chosen ownership vehicle (personal, corporate, trust or hybrid) supports the client’s broader wealth architecture.
Our due diligence goes beyond confirming legality. It defines negotiating strategy, highlights opportunities for optimisation and quantifies future exposure. In essence, it transforms information into leverage — giving our clients clarity and control at every stage of the process.
Quality and Value Preservation
Balearic properties often blend old and new — centuries-old structures adapted to modern living, sometimes with undocumented alterations or unlicensed works.
Our legal and technical review identifies these vulnerabilities early, combining architectural insight with legal enforceability. We assess build quality, planning compliance, energy performance and maintenance risks that may affect long-term value or insurability.
Protecting value is not only about acquiring well; it is about owning wisely. The clauses we draft and the conditions we negotiate ensure that your property remains an asset — never a liability.
Ownership and Governance
Owning property in Spain requires consistency and discipline. Taxes, filings and regulatory obligations must be coordinated across jurisdictions.
Our Private Wealth desk integrates each property into the client’s governance ecosystem, ensuring compliance, transparency and alignment with the family’s or entity’s reporting framework.
We manage:
- Annual tax filings (including Models 210, 714, 720 and wealth tax equivalents).
- Coordination with international tax advisers for credit recognition and treaty relief.
- Implementation of ownership protocols and cross-border succession planning.
- Monitoring of local obligations — insurance, utilities, municipal contributions and community governance.
For families or investment groups with multiple holdings, we deliver consolidated reporting and a clear calendar of obligations.
This guarantees that every property remains fully compliant, administratively sound and strategically positioned.
Use, Leasing and Exit Scenarios
How a property is used —and for how long— determines its fiscal and regulatory treatment. We advise on all three pillars of ownership strategy:
- Private use: We calculate and report the deemed income tax that applies to non-resident owners, integrating it into global wealth reporting.
- Leasing: For long-term rentals, we determine when the activity qualifies as a regulated commercial operation, triggering accounting, VAT and registration requirements.
- Tourist letting: Balearic regulation is exceptionally strict. We verify existing licences, assess the feasibility of new applications, and design compliant operational structures.
- Disposal: On exit, we coordinate the 3 % notarial withholding, calculate capital gains and align Spanish and foreign tax treatment to prevent double taxation.
We view these not as isolated events but as phases within the lifecycle of ownership — each requiring anticipation rather than reaction.
Our Philosophy and Approach
Our work in real estate follows the same principles that define our Private Wealth practice: strategic clarity, technical depth and unshakable discretion. We do not compete with property brokers or conventional conveyancers; we act as long-term advisors to international principals — individuals and families whose decisions carry both financial and personal weight.
Each engagement is led by a partner or senior counsel, supported by compact, multidisciplinary teams that combine technical precision with the responsiveness and personal attention expected from a true boutique. What sets us apart is not scale, but intent: we integrate legal craftsmanship with strategic foresight, anticipate regulation rather than react to it, and measure success in continuity, not volume.
Our philosophy is rooted in the conviction that real estate, when properly structured, becomes a durable instrument of wealth preservation — one capable of withstanding time, tax reform and generational transition.
Lullius Partners stands at the intersection of Private Wealth and Real Estate, representing a level of expertise and client service rarely found in southern Europe. Our reputation rests on technical excellence, trusted relationships and an unwavering commitment to discretion — values that have positioned us as counsel of choice for international families investing in the Balearic Islands.
Lullius Partners — Real Estate, Tax and Private Wealth Lawyers in Mallorca and Ibiza
Trusted counsel for the acquisition, structuring and long-term stewardship of property assets in the Balearic Islands.
