Buying a home in a town can be more affordable thanks to the public aid aimed at facilitating the emancipation of young people and combating depopulation. The State Housing Plan 2026-2030 includes a line of grants of up to 15,000 euros to buy or build a house in municipalities of small size, a measure intended to favor access to home ownership outside of large cities.
However, there is a fundamental difference among the various available aids: the 15,000 euros are a grant which, in principle, does not have to be repaid, while public loans and mortgages must be reimbursed, even if they come with favorable conditions or with backing from the State.
The program is regulated by the Royal Decree 326/2026, of 22 April, published in the Official State Gazette (BOE), which sets out the general requirements to access these aids. Its implementation corresponds to the autonomous communities, which are responsible for publishing the calls for applications, processing applications, and granting the amounts from the funds available.
Therefore, it is not enough to find a home in a town to automatically receive 15,000 euros. The applicant must meet certain age, income, purchase price, and residency requirements, and also check that the aid is available in their autonomous community.
Who can apply for the 15,000 euros to buy a home
The program is aimed mainly at people up to 35 years old, included, who want to acquire or build a home intended for usual and permanent residence.
One of the fundamental requirements is that the house be located in a municipality or population center of 10,000 inhabitants or fewer. The regulations allow this limit to be exceptionally extended up to 20,000 inhabitants when certain circumstances related to the demographic and economic evolution of the territory occur and the corresponding administrative agreement exists.
Economic limits are also established. The applicant’s annual income may not exceed, in general, five times the Public Indicator of Multiple Effects Income (IPREM). This threshold increases to 5.5 times the IPREM for persons with a recognized disability of at least 33% and up to six times for those who can prove a disability equal to or greater than 65%.
In addition, the beneficiary cannot be the owner or usufructuary of another home in Spain, except for certain exceptions. These include cases in which a hereditary share in a property is held or when the previous home cannot be used for reasons of separation, divorce, disability or other circumstances beyond the applicant’s will.
The price of the house is also limited. The State Housing Plan establishes different maximum acquisition amounts depending on the autonomous community, so an operation that meets the requirements in one region could exceed the permitted limit in another.
How much money you can receive depending on the price of the house
Although the aid is announced as a grant of up to 15,000 euros, its amount cannot exceed 20% of the acquisition price or the construction cost.
This means that not all beneficiaries will receive the maximum amount.
| Price of the home | Maximum possible aid |
|---|---|
| 50.000 € | 10.000 € |
| 60.000 € | 12.000 € |
| 75.000 € | 15.000 € |
| 100.000 € | 15.000 € |
| 150.000 € | 15.000 € |
Indicative amounts calculated by applying a maximum grant of 20% of the price of the home, with a limit of 15,000 euros. The granting is subject to compliance with the requirements, the autonomous price limits and budget availability.
Thus, a person who buys a house for 60,000 euros could receive up to 12,000 euros, while another person who acquires a home of 100,000 euros could be eligible for the maximum aid of 15,000 euros, provided they meet the other conditions.
The grant can also be allocated to the self-promotion of a home, that is, to build one’s own house on a plot of land of which the applicant is the owner or usufructuary, respecting the established planning requirements and execution time limits.
The regulations allow the home to be acquired by a maximum of two natural persons. In that case, the 15,000 euros constitute the limit per home, not a figure that each buyer can receive in full. The aid is shared according to each person’s share.
Do you have to return the 15,000 euros if you sell the house?
Aid of up to 15,000 euros is a non-repayable grant, so the beneficiary does not have to return it if they comply with all the established obligations.
The main condition consists of allocating the home as the usual and permanent residence for a minimum of five years from the time it is acquired. In addition, the owner must occupy it within the three months following its delivery.
This implies that assistance may not be requested to buy a second residence, to use the home exclusively as holiday accommodation, or to acquire it with the intention of selling it immediately.
However, the regulations provide exceptions to the minimum five-year period. For example, when a change of address occurs for work-related reasons or when the owner sells the home and reinvests the entire amount obtained in another habitual residence that adapts to their new family circumstances.
Outside the permitted scenarios, failing to meet the conditions may require returning the subsidy received, together with the corresponding interest. A reimbursement procedure may also be initiated if relevant changes in the circumstances that entitled the person to the aid are concealed.
There is also a fiscal matter: subsidies to acquire a home may be considered capital gain subject to the IRPF, unless a rule expressly establishes its exemption. Therefore, not having to return the 15,000 euros does not necessarily mean that the aid is tax-free.
What money has to be returned: TU CASA loans and mortgages
The rural subsidy must be distinguished from other financing mechanisms for the purchase. One of them is TU CASA, the new state line managed by the Instituto de Crédito Oficial (ICO), created to facilitate access to the first mortgaged habitual home. The mechanism includes loans of up to 20% of the value of the property, with a maximum of 50,000 euros, at an interest rate of 0% and with no fees.
Unlike the 15,000-euro subsidy, the money received through TU CASA must be repaid. The regulation provides for a grace period linked to the duration of the mortgage, with a maximum of 30 years, and a subsequent repayment period of up to ten years.
For example, for a home worth 150,000 euros, TU CASA financing could reach 30,000 euros. Those 30,000 euros would not be an outright grant, but a debt that the buyer would have to reimburse according to the program’s conditions.
The line also establishes limitations on the future sale price of the financed homes, so it is advisable to study its effects before requesting it. Its specific operation also depends on the administrative development of the access conditions.
Another different option is the public guarantees for the acquisition of the first home. In these cases, the State backs a portion of the mortgage loan to make it easier for the bank to grant financing for a higher percentage than usual.
However, the guarantee is also not a subsidy that the buyer receives into their account. The borrowed money comes from the mortgage transaction and must be repaid to the financial entity, with the agreed interest. The guarantee serves to back the loan, not to cancel that debt.
How to apply for the 15,000 euro aids and where to check the deadlines
The administration of the subsidies corresponds to the autonomous communities and the cities of Ceuta and Melilla, which must establish the calls and determine the submission procedures.
State regulations recommend that these calls remain open on a continuous basis, although the dates, the documentation required, and the availability of funds may vary depending on the territory.
Among the documents that are usually requested are the buyer’s identification, proof of their income, documentation related to the home, the purchase contract, and the supporting documents necessary to verify that the conditions are met.
The plan allows the inclusion of acquisition transactions formalized from January 1, 2026, provided that the corresponding requirements are met. In addition, it establishes that once the aid has been granted, the beneficiary has six months to provide the public deed or the private purchase contract, in accordance with the conditions set out.
The subsidy is paid in a single installment and, in certain cases, it can be applied directly to payment to the seller.
Therefore, before signing a reservation contract or committing to a purchase, it is recommended to consult the autonomous call and check that the transaction complies with the required limits.
In short, the 15,000 euros to buy a home in a town are not a loan and do not have to be paid back if the terms of the grant are met. The obligation to repay arises when the buyer fails to meet their requirements or when they use financing instruments such as TU CASA or a mortgage, which work differently and generate a debt that must be paid.