Key Takeaway for US Buyers: In the Mallorcan luxury market, the standard legal baseline is that properties are sold completely unfurnished. However, high-end designer furniture can frequently be negotiated into the final deal via a separate inventory agreement. Buying the furniture saves US investors massive logistical headaches. Our VIP Dedicated Buyer’s Agent Service expertly negotiates these inventory lists and legally structures the contracts to ensure you acquire a turnkey estate while legally minimizing your tax exposure.
The Spanish real estate baseline
When high-net-worth American buyers tour luxury real estate in the United States—particularly in secondary vacation markets like Aspen or Miami—it is highly common for spectacular, multi-million dollar homes to be sold fully «turnkey.» The buyer pays the asking price, and every piece of custom furniture, the artwork, and the high-end electronics are included in the sale.
When transitioning to the Mallorcan market, US buyers must adjust their expectations regarding what is actually included in the purchase price. Under standard Spanish real estate practices, a property is legally sold entirely unfurnished.
The baseline rule is that any fixture permanently attached to the walls or the floor remains with the house. This includes the fully fitted kitchen cabinetry, the integrated appliances (ovens, built-in refrigerators), bathroom fixtures, integrated lighting systems, and built-in wardrobes. However, anything that can be physically picked up and moved—such as the dining tables, the Italian leather sofas, the outdoor terrace loungers, the televisions, and the artwork—will be removed by the seller before the final closing date unless explicitly negotiated otherwise.
The modern luxury exception: Turnkey projects
While the unfurnished baseline remains true for most traditional resale properties and historic country fincas, there is a rapidly growing exception at the absolute pinnacle of the market.
In elite enclaves like Son Vida, Port d’Andratx, and Bendinat, many ultra-modern, newly constructed architectural masterpieces are built by high-end international developers specifically to target the affluent foreign buyer. These properties are often presented as «lifestyle concepts.» They are sold completely turnkey, meticulously styled by renowned interior designers. Every element, down to the bespoke bed linens, the curated library books, and the designer cutlery, is included in the asking price. For the American CEO who simply wants to arrive with a suitcase and immediately enjoy the Mediterranean, these turnkey developer projects offer unparalleled convenience.
The art of negotiating the inventory (El Inventario)
If you fall in love with a traditional resale villa and you want to keep the spectacular furniture that perfectly fits the space, everything is negotiable. However, you cannot rely on verbal agreements or a gentleman’s handshake with the seller.
If the furniture is to be included in the sale, your legal team must draft a highly specific, legally binding document known as «El Inventario» (The Inventory). This is a comprehensive, room-by-room photographic list detailing exactly which items are remaining. This document must be formally attached as an annex to the binding Contrato de Arras (the private purchase contract) when you pay your 10 percent deposit. If an item is not explicitly listed and photographed in the inventory annex, the seller is legally entitled to take it.
The critical tax strategy of separating furniture
This is where elite representation provides massive financial value. If you agree to buy the villa and the furniture for a combined total of €5,000,000, and that single figure is printed on the public Title Deed at the Notary, you are making a severe tax error.
As discussed in previous guides, the Balearic Islands apply a progressive Property Transfer Tax (ITP) that peaks at 13 percent for luxury real estate. If you lump the furniture into the property price, you are effectively paying a 13 percent tax on a used sofa and a second-hand dining table.
To optimize your tax exposure, your legal team should structure the transaction to separate the assets. The real estate is sold via the public Notary deed subject to the ITP. Simultaneously, the furniture is sold via a separate, private contract between you and the seller. The transfer tax on second-hand movable goods (Transmisiones Patrimoniales Onerosas para bienes muebles) is typically a flat, drastically lower rate of 4 percent. By intelligently separating the furniture from the bricks and mortar, you legally save thousands of euros in unnecessary taxation.
Turnkey acquisition with VIP representation
Securing the perfect property and outfitting it for your arrival should be an exciting process, not a logistical nightmare of international shipping and tax errors.
At Villas y Fincas Mallorca, our VIP Dedicated Buyer’s Agent Service handles the entire complexity of the inventory. Because our fiduciary loyalty is exclusively to you, our independent lawyers draft the photographic inventory with ruthless precision, ensuring the seller does not swap out the high-end designer television for a cheap replacement before closing. We aggressively negotiate the separation of the furniture contract to legally minimize your tax burden. If the property is entirely unfurnished, we plug you into our network of the island’s premier interior design firms, overseeing the decoration process while you remain in the United States, delivering a flawless, turnkey Mediterranean home.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or tax advice. Real estate laws and regulations in Spain are complex and subject to change. Villas y Fincas Mallorca strongly recommends consulting with independent, qualified legal and financial professionals in Spain before making any property purchase decisions.