For less than the cost of dinner, residents in Spain can enter a draw for one of two newly built homes near Ronda. But anyone whose number is chosen on October 2 could face a complicated decision, as accepting the keys may also produce a substantial Spanish income-tax bill.

How a €10 Málaga house could leave the winner needing thousands in cash

For thousands of people unable to afford a deposit in Spain, the offer is impossible to ignore: a newly built three-bedroom home in Málaga province for the price of a €10 raffle ticket.

Two properties in Cuevas del Becerro, around 20 minutes from Ronda, are being offered through a government-authorised raffle. Both are finished, free of mortgages and ready to occupy, with a €20,000 furniture voucher included.

But the winning ticket would not make the house entirely free. The property and furniture would count as taxable income, potentially leaving the recipient with a bill running into tens of thousands of euros.

Why the €10 winning ticket may not mean a free home

The two properties have official prize values of €205,146.73 and €202,726.69, including their respective furniture vouchers. Each home has just over 100 square metres of constructed space, three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen-living area and an outside patio.

Organiser Arkipromo will pay the property transfer tax, notary costs and Land Registry fees. It will also make the advance income-tax payment required for a non-cash prize. However, the winner must declare the full prize as a capital gain in their annual Spanish income-tax return, known as Impuesto sobre la Renta de las Personas Físicas (IRPF).

The company will pay an advance calculated at 19 per cent of the prize’s acquisition value, increased by 20 per cent for tax purposes. Any further amount due will depend on the winner’s income and personal circumstances.

The Union of Technicians at Spain’s Ministry of Finance, known as Gestha, told El País that the tax generated by a prize of this size could be around €70,000 to €90,000 for someone earning a net €23,000 without family allowances. The precise amount would vary, and the advance paid by the organiser would form part of the final calculation.

That could mean a very bittersweet moment and a serious issue for a winner who has no savings and can’t easily borrow against the property.

Who can enter the Málaga house raffle

A total of 200,000 digital tickets, numbered from 000000 to 199999, are being sold for €10 each. The published rules restrict entry to individual adults who live in Spain and hold a valid Spanish identity card, residence card or passport. Companies and group syndicates cannot enter jointly. Eligible British residents in Spain can therefore participate.

Ticket sales officially close at noon on October 1, 2026. Anyone entering should keep the purchase confirmation and ensure that the name and identification details supplied are correct, as the winner must prove that they match the raffle’s electronic register. 

Participants should think of it as if they’re buying a regular lottery ticket. Each ticket has a rough chance of one in 100,000 of winning either house, based on two different winning numbers being selected from the 200,000 issued. Not bad odds if you compare it to something like the Euromillions or The National Lottery.

How the Málaga homes will be awarded

The draw will take place at 11am on October 2 at a notary’s office in Málaga, with two numbers selected manually under notarial supervision. Each winning number will receive one of the houses. If the same number is drawn twice, the second draw will be repeated so that one ticket cannot win both properties.

There is another important and sneaky condition. The draw includes all 200,000 numbers, whether their tickets have been purchased or not. If an unsold number is selected, that house will remain unclaimed and there will be no replacement draw.

Winners will need tax advice before accepting the keys

The result and notarial record are due to be published on the raffle website. Arkipromo plans to hand over the properties on October 5, although the legal rules give winners six months to claim their prize before it expires on April 2, 2027.

A winning resident should seek independent tax advice immediately, rather than assuming the organiser’s advance payment covers the entire liability. Selling or mortgaging the home to meet the bill may be possible, but its achievable sale value, timescale and associated costs would need to be examined first. For everyone else, the €10 entry remains a gamble offering an extraordinary prize, but not a very affordable route to home ownership.

Renfe has set aside €1,200,000 to work on improving five stations on the C1 Cercanías line from Malaga, including Plaza Mayor, Victoria Kent, Malaga Centro Alameda, Torreblanca and Montemar Alto. The projects are planned to deliver stations with better comfort, accessibility, safety and functionality for the over 28,500 daily passengers who use the 104 services on the line.

Upgrades progress at five Costa del Sol stations

Works already started at Plaza Mayor on July 6. Victoria Kent station activity is planned to begin in mid-July; Malaga Centro Alameda improvements follow later in July. Torreblanca and Montemar Alto will see works start progressively through the month. All sites stay operational during construction.

Focus on accessibility at Victoria Kent and Alameda stations

Victoria Kent is to receive attention to accessibility, lighting and safety in the concourse and on the platforms. There will be long-awaited works to replace damaged lights and glass, add better grip on paths, renew handrails with double grips and fit anti-slip strips on steps. Malaga Centro Alameda sees renewal of finishes; LED lighting, signage improvements, damp control and anti-slip stair features are also included in the plans.

Additional C1 route improvements underway or planned

Plans will eventually extend to other stations on the C1 route. Five halts are adapted for 100-metre trains, including Los Boliches, Carvajal, El Pinillo, Plaza Mayor and Centro Alameda. Benalmadena station platforms extend to 200 metres. Duplication of the track between the airport and Campamento Benitez is hoped to be better reliability. Other studies cover duplications in Torremolinos to El Pinillo and Benalmadena to Campo de Golf sections.

Capacity increase targets 60 per cent and 15-minute intervals

Ministry of Transport plans seek to raise C1 capacity by 60 per cent and cut train intervals from 20 to 15 minutes. Signalling and control system renewals are going ahead, and it is hoped that more than 14 million users will benefit from Malaga Cercanias improvements.

Alora double track restoration to increase capacity

Double track working returns in the Alora area from July 17 after repairs to February storm damage. One track reopened in April. Remaining tasks are to complete electrification, safety and drainage elements.

Malaga City Council has confirmed one of the city’s biggest housing reforms in years, approving new planning rules that changes the future of tourist accommodation. Officials say the move is designed to protect residential housing, but the decision could also have lasting consequences for property owners, investors and anyone hoping to buy in the city.

Final approval ends months of uncertainty

Months of consultation have now come to an end after councillors officially voted to approve the change. Final approval means a blanket three-year moratorium will block all new holiday rentals (VUTs), tourist apartments, hostels, and hotels of any category on land designated for residential use across the entire city.

This new comprehensive ban steps up the city’s previous restrictions, which had already blocked new holiday rental registrations in 43 specific neighbourhoods where tourist properties accounted for more than 8 per cent of the housing stock. Existing licensed holiday rentals can continue operating under current regulations, but no additional licences will be issued on residential plots. City planners argue the measures are proportionate, legally justified and necessary to protect homes for permanent residents.

Protecting residential housing

Final approval also builds on Malaga’s hopes to reshape tourism-led development. By formally modifying the city’s General Urban Plan (PGOU), Malaga has completely eliminated the rule that previously allowed tourist accommodation as a “compatible and alternative use” on residential plots. The three-year suspension on new hotels, hostels and tourist apartment projects in these areas signals a broader, permanent effort to protect housing for permanent residents rather than expanding visitor accommodation.

The decision made by Malaga City Council is part of the bigger picture addressing growing pressure on the local housing market. Although these wider restrictions were being prepared, a final “last-minute rush” of applications was submitted to the council registry in the days leading up to the final vote, prompting a race by developers to obtain permission before the official deadline.

Housing pressures still an ongoing concern

Malaga has experienced one of Spain’s fastest increases in tourist accommodation during recent years, and rental prices have continued to climb. National figures place the city among Spain’s leading tourist destinations, with rapid growth in visitor accommodation since 2019 adding to concerns over housing affordability for local residents.

City leaders believe the restrictions will help preserve residential neighbourhoods and improve access to long-term housing. Critics, however, argue that further action may still be needed to make homes more affordable. Legal backing from the Andalucian High Court has also strengthened the council’s position, ruling that limits on tourist accommodation can be justified where residential housing is under pressure.