Buying property in another country is one of the larger financial decisions most people make, and the person guiding you matters as much as the property itself. This guide explains how estate agents are licensed in Spain, what the REALTOR® Code of Ethics adds on top, and the practical questions worth asking before you instruct anyone in Sitges.
Start with the licence: API and AICAT
In Catalonia, estate agents are regulated. Anyone marketing property must be entered on the AICAT register (Agents Immobiliaris de Catalunya), the official Catalan register of estate agents, and most qualified agents also belong to API (Agent de la Propietat Immobiliària), the long-established professional college. Registration is not a formality: it calls for proof of qualification, professional indemnity insurance and a guarantee that protects client money, and it gives you a regulated complaints route if something goes wrong. Your first question to any Sitges agent can be a simple one — what is your AICAT number? — and you can confirm it on the official register.
What a REALTOR® adds: the NAR Code of Ethics
REALTOR® is not a synonym for estate agent. It is a trademark of the US National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), and only NAR members may use it. It is an American designation: NAR is the United States body, and in Spain the REALTOR® affiliation is held through SIRA (the Spanish International Realty Alliance), NAR’s official partner for Spain and Portugal since 2014. A Spanish REALTOR® is therefore a member of the American association, recognised by NAR in both the United States and Spain — held on top of the local API/AICAT licence, not instead of it. What it signifies is a binding commitment to NAR’s Code of Ethics — a detailed, enforceable standard, first adopted in 1913, that goes beyond what the law strictly requires. For an international buyer that is the point: a REALTOR® has voluntarily agreed to a recognised code of conduct, on top of the local licence, and can be held to it. REALTOR® membership is rare in Spain — and rarer still in Sitges, where only a handful of agents appear in NAR’s member directory. You can confirm any agent’s membership there.
The Code runs to seventeen Articles. In plain English, the parts that protect you as a buyer come down to this:
| The duty | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| Put the client first | A REALTOR® must protect and promote their client’s interests — while still treating every party honestly. |
| Tell the truth | No misrepresentation, and no concealing material facts about a property. |
| Disclose conflicts | Any personal interest, or acting for both sides, must be disclosed to you up front. |
| Handle money properly | Client funds are kept separate and fully accounted for. |
| Cooperate with other agents | When it serves the client — not to protect a commission. |
| Stand behind their words | Advertising and claims must be truthful and not misleading. |
REALTOR® vs API/AICAT — what’s the difference?
The two are often confused, but they answer different questions. One is a legal licence to operate; the other is a voluntary ethical standard.
| API / AICAT | REALTOR® (NAR) | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Spanish / Catalan estate-agent registration | Membership of the US National Association of REALTORS® |
| Where it applies | Required to operate in Catalonia | Voluntary, recognised internationally |
| What it guarantees | Qualification, insurance, client-money protection, complaints route | Adherence to the NAR Code of Ethics |
| How to verify | AICAT register / API membership number | NAR public member directory |
| Think of it as | The licence to operate | An added ethical standard on top |
In short, API/AICAT is the local licence; REALTOR® is an additional, voluntary commitment to a recognised code of conduct. For an international buyer, the strongest position is an agent who holds both.
How to choose an estate agent in Sitges: a checklist
Confirm the licence. Ask for the AICAT registration number, and the API number, and check them. A registered agent carries professional indemnity insurance and a client-money guarantee.
Ask who you will actually deal with. The principal who knows the market, or a junior who inherits your file? In a boutique agency you get senior attention from first viewing to completion.
Clarify representation and conflicts. Are they acting for you, the seller, or both? Representing both sides is permitted in Spain but should be disclosed; if you want someone solely on your side, use a dedicated buyer’s agent.
Get the fee in writing. Who pays, how much, and what it covers. In Spain the seller customarily pays the selling commission, in the region of 3–5% plus IVA; a buyer’s-agent fee is agreed separately.
Test local depth. A good Sitges agent knows the difference between Terramar, Vinyet and the Old Town, and hears about the right homes before they reach the portals. See our guide to the best neighbourhoods in Sitges.
Check the standard they hold themselves to. Membership of a professional body — and a code of ethics such as NAR’s — is a fair guide to how an agent behaves when no one is watching.
Where Barleigh Ellis fits
Barleigh Ellis was built to give international buyers exactly this combination. Founder Ronei Kolesny is a registered Spanish estate agent — API No. 1190 and AICAT No. 12717 — and a REALTOR® (NAR member No. 061327620) — one of only a handful in Sitges — bound by the NAR Code of Ethics; the membership is verifiable in NAR’s public directory. It is a boutique, founder-led practice, so you deal with the principal throughout, and for buyers who want someone solely on their side we offer a dedicated, conflict-free buyer’s-agent service. If you are weighing up agents in the town, our page on estate agents in Sitges sets out how we work, and living in Sitges covers the market itself.
Spotted an error or have a suggestion? Let us know here — we keep this guide up to date.
Frequently asked questions
Is a REALTOR® the same as an estate agent?
Not quite. In Catalonia anyone marketing property must be a registered estate agent — entered on the AICAT register, usually as an API member. “REALTOR®” is something separate: a US trademark that means a member of the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), who has agreed to be bound by NAR’s Code of Ethics. An agent can be a licensed Spanish estate agent, a REALTOR®, or — like Barleigh Ellis — both.
Do I need a licensed estate agent to buy property in Sitges?
You are not legally obliged to use one, but in Catalonia estate agents must be registered (AICAT), and using a registered agent gives you a regulated, insured professional, protection for client money, and a clear complaints route. Given how much Sitges property trades off-market, and how unfamiliar the process (NIE, arras contract, notary, taxes) is to most international buyers, a licensed local agent is well worth it.
What is the difference between API/AICAT and REALTOR®?
API (Agent de la Propietat Immobiliària) is a Spanish professional credential; in Catalonia agents also register with AICAT, the official register of estate agents. REALTOR® is membership of the US National Association of REALTORS® and its Code of Ethics. API/AICAT is the licence to operate locally; REALTOR® is an additional, voluntary ethical standard recognised internationally. They are complementary, not interchangeable — and the strongest position for a buyer is an agent who holds both.
How does REALTOR® membership work in Spain?
REALTOR® is the designation of the US National Association of REALTORS® (NAR). In Spain it is held through SIRA (the Spanish International Realty Alliance), NAR’s official partner for Spain and Portugal since 2014, which runs the REALTOR® designation and Code of Ethics locally. A Spanish REALTOR® is a member of the American association, recognised by NAR in both the United States and Spain — held on top of the local API/AICAT licence, not instead of it.
How do I check an estate agent is licensed in Spain?
Ask for the agent’s AICAT registration number (in Catalonia) and their API membership number, and confirm them on the official registers. You can also verify REALTOR® membership in NAR’s public member directory. A reputable agent gives you these numbers without hesitation — Barleigh Ellis publishes them: REALTOR® No. 061327620, API No. 1190, AICAT No. 12717.
Is Barleigh Ellis a REALTOR®?
Yes. Founder Ronei Kolesny is a REALTOR® (NAR member No. 061327620), bound by the NAR Code of Ethics, and a registered Spanish estate agent — API No. 1190 and AICAT No. 12717. The REALTOR® membership is verifiable in NAR’s public directory. It means you get both the local licence and an internationally recognised ethical standard.