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Buying a Property in Spain

Buying property in Spain is straight forward and "safe" if some simple procedures are followed. The majority of Spanish Property disasters seen in newspapers and on TV happened because these  guidelines were not followed. Hundreds of thousands of non residents have bought and sold property in Spain without significant problems over several decades.

Because you're considering spending a large sum of money, you'll surely need a comprehensive tour of the area  to feel confident that your choice of property and location will be the right one and the organisation you buy through, will continue to support you throughout the process and beyond!  SMALLER CAN BE SIGNIFICANTLY BETTER more personal and more responsive than large organisations can possibly be in this respect!

We are a registered UK Limited company that has been established since 2000. The owners of Aberdeen Overseas Properties Ltd. also own an associate Spanish Estate Agency Office (AOP) which provides a free, personal and independent service to direct clients and referrals from sub-agents, looking to buy property in Spain. We are a totally independent agent with agency contracts with many approved builders, developers and promoters in the region. There's a lot to see and understand before parting with your hard earned savings in a foreign land!

 

If you're not familiar with the Costa Blanca or Costa Calida, we'll show you around the various areas so you can  decide on the location you'd prefer. It may take up to 2 -3 days to find the right location, then another 2 - 3 days to find a suitable property!  Filling out our enquiry form helps us to provide you with information about  areas and properties of possible interest to you in advance of your visit.

 

We provide transport in a new air conditioned Renault Scenic, together with the services of our experienced property guide's  FREE OF CHARGE for up to 7 days , meaning you're in control not rushed or "obliged"  into making a decision as you could be on a cheap fast track  subsidised inspection visit!  There's normally time to visit banks, solicitors , foreign exchange agents and perhaps apply for your NIE number if you find the right property. We have a large range of new, and off-plan properties at builders list prices, also re-sales, in all areas to suit all budgets from our own stock in La Marina and through our approved network of agents in the region. We're sure we can help you  find your ideal home in the sun at the right price, as we have for our previous customers over the last 8 years.

 

We are a family run company and we guarantee there's absolutely no pressure to buy at any time during your time with us, that's why we don't subsidise viewing trips in advance because we don't consider you as part of a high turnover numbers game.  We know that if you're serious about finding a suitable property and receiving a free bespoke service in Spain, you'll   pay for your own flights and accommodation up front.  Flights with budget airlines are so competitively priced these days, that cheap subsidised inspection visits don't really offer you good value in the short OR the long term! We can assist with arranging flights and accommodation to suit your individual taste and budget.

 

If you should find a suitable property which you go on to  purchase, we offer a £300 / €450 refund on most new or off plan properties. This generally covers your travelling expenses. We also look after you during the purchase procedure and long after with our after sales care.  With some constructors, there are often special incentive offers of furniture packs or possibly cash back on some new developments.

 

If you don't find a suitable property during your visit, we can continue to look for you and keep you informed of opportunities as they arise.

 

We hope to be collecting you from Alicante or Murcia airport soon!

 

 

NB: The following information is only intended as a very brief  guide. Each case can be significantly different depending on individual buyers and sellers circumstances. We can assist with most conveyancing needs in Spain but for total peace of mind you should  seek the services of an INDEPENDENT SOLICITOR  i.e. a solicitor who is not directly employed by or connected  with the builder, or developer, especially in the case of a new or off-plan property.  Buying property in Spain is quite straightforward and by using an independent solicitor, you can avoid major problems that you may have seen in the press and on TV.

 

Hundreds of thousands of  British and other nationalities  have bought property in Spain without problems over several decades.  Your solicitor (and your bank / mortgage company, if taking out a mortgage) should ensure that the property and or land is totally legal (or can be legalised) that it is registered correctly at the land registry. They can also enquire at the town hall about any existing plans to develop or change the use of the land near to or around your intended property ( e.g. new railways, roads, urbanisations ,land fill sites etc). In addition they should check that  there are no outstanding debts and the status of any mortgages on the property. Building licences should be approved by the Provincial Authority (e.g. Valencia in the case of the Costa Blanca area, Murcia in the case of Costa Calida) to ensure that any new developments or new builds are approved and legal. Local Town Hall approval is not sufficient for new properties being built upon land that is classified as Rustic.

 

Beware of Guaranteed Rental Income claims and read any small print very carefully !! These schemes may only last a year or so and you could be left stranded if your budget includes rental income.  Also remember that you will be liable to pay tax on profits of any rental income generated.

 

Please read the related topics on the  LRAU Law / Land Grab Law situation. and Illegally built properties. As a general rule, If you buy a property in an area that has already been urbanised, you should not be subject to the application of this law. Your solicitor will be able to verify accordingly.  If you buy country property on rustic land, you could be subject to the land grab law at some time in the future UNLESS this unfair law is abolished by the European courts.

 

In general allow about 10% over the title deed value of the property to cover taxes and legal fees.

 

You should be able to raise approximately 20-30% of your property price as mortgages in Spain for Non Residents are normally 70% - 80% of the property valuation.

 

BUYING A RESALE PROPERTY

1.Open a Spanish bank account and check / arrange a mortgage / insurances etc.

2. Select the area and property which suits your requirements and budget.

3. Engage  the services of an INDEPENDENT solicitor at this stage to check for potential  problems.

4. Arrange power of attorney (if required) with your solicitor or agent and obtain your NIE numbers.   (The NIE number enables you to pay the appropriate taxes in Spain.)

5.  Make the reservation to secure the property (normally € 3000 euros) have your solicitor check the reservation contract before paying any money.

6. Pay deposit of around 10% within about a month of reservation (possibly transferred to Spain via an FX company)

7Arrange a date and time visit the public notary to sign the deeds.

8. Transfer funds if required (via an FX company to save you money on exchange rates) SEE Foreign Exchange Links 

9Attend the Notary appointment with funds to pay for the property and sign the deeds.

10.  Arrange for for insurances and transfer of utility services into your name.

11. Your solicitor should also take care of other issues such as land registry entries and paying appropriate taxes.

BUYING OFF PLAN OR NEW PROPERTY

1.  Find the property that you want to buy.

2. Open a Spanish bank account.

3. Reserve the property  normally  3,000 by cash, bankers draft or bank transfer.

4. Engage the services of a solicitor to check for potential problems, planning permissions, land registry, building licences, bank guarantees etc. and arrange NIE numbers.

5Sign the purchase contract and pay the agreed deposit – within about 4 weeks

6During construction you will normally make pre-agreed stage payments.

7Your builder or will notify you of the proposed completion date.

8Your mortgage fund should be in place if you should require one.

9. Transfer stage payments (using a Foreign Exchange company perhaps) 

10. Request that your agent checks on progress and FINAL completion of the property

11. Agree a date and time with the builder to inspect the property for completeness .

11. Organise insurances.

12Arrange Notary visit  to pay for the property and sign the deeds.

13. Your solicitor should also take care of other issues such as land registry and paying appropriate taxes and utility connections.

 

       

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