You can book a viewing trip with us safe in the knowledge that we are an approved member of AIPP guaranteeing you professional and efficient service, for more details click here 

VIEWING TRIPS

We firmly believe that major financial (and often life changing) decisions are best taken without pressure in a relaxed environment and so we do not offer herded or over-crowded viewing trips.  We want you to enjoy some of our lifestyle while you are here and we happily devote our time to you alone for half a day to several days, as you wish!   We meet you at your local hotel, an easy to find location, or our office, spend a day showing you properties and locations that meet your requirements, perhaps introduce you to a local hostelry or two, all at the easy-going (yet efficient) spanish pace of life!  We find it is best for you to organise in advance and to make your viewing appointments and arrangements before you leave the UK so please do let us know about your planned trip in advance (early booking of Saturday viewings is enormously appreciated!). If your time with us so much that you sign a binding contract to buy a property from us within one month of your viewing trip we refund the cost of your budget flight (from any EU airport) and 2 nights hotel accommodation for 2 people!  This is in addition to any of our current special promotions 

For details of comfortable and reasonably priced accommodation during your stay please click on the images and links below;

Accomodation in Murcia

 

 

 

 

(For the more liberal minded...!!)

 

Accomodation in Almeria

Coming Soon...

1. The Buying Process for Spanish property

Stage 1 – Purpose of your purchase
Are you purchasing for permanent residence, for retirement or simply to relocate?  Or will it be a holiday home or for investment?  Identify the areas that offer what you specifically need such as distance from airport, proximity to nearest health/shopping facilities, beach, public transport (very limited in some areas although longer distance travel by train, plane and coach is widely available). We live and work in the areas we represent so we can help you select the regions, areas and property types that meet your needs so please feel free to consult with us at any time.


Stage 2  - Budget and source of funds
How much capital are you investing in your property?  Have you considered crucial issues such as a mortgage to offset inheritance tax (depending on price a small mortgage can mitigate against these keeping you above the threshold for residents in Spain)?  We can refer you to English-speaking bank staff or independent advisers to help with this as it is a lot more cost effective to consider this before purchase than afterwards!  Please click here to visit our financial information page

Stage 3  - timescale and readiness
What is your time scale for purchasing your property in southern Spain? Are funds fully available now or do you have partial funds now, a timescale for moving in which case off-plan builds may suit your needs more? Despite negative publicity about this legal off plan builds are almost always completed on time, early or within one month of the completion date stated on the contract.

Stage 4  - identifying the areas and potential properties for you
Contact us by e-mail or ´phone (or use our helpful property enquiry form to clarify your property requirements) to talk through your property specifications, budget and requirements.

Stage 5  - be informed!!
It is a good idea to make a visit to the towns/areas of interest to you first without making any arrangements to view any properties at all!!  Then when you have identified potential locations and are in a position to purchase your new property arrange a targeted and comprehensive viewing trip with us.  We do not offer pre-paid inspection trips as we believe these adversely affect your freedom to choose the right place for you but we do offer flight refunds once you purchase through us (up to a maximum of 1000 euros per couple).
 
Stage 6  - protecting yourself
Having chosen your ideal property it is essential to consult with an independent bi-lingual or multi-lingual) solicitor. It is part of our job to ensure your solicitor is provided with all relevant paperwork, title deeds, recent IBI receipt etc so that he/she can confirm legal ownership, plus any debts or mortgage registered against the property.  Your solicitor will then write the contract of purchase ensuring it is relevant to your needs and purchase situation and, most importantly, complies with current spanish law. We have published a list of solicitors that our clients have previously used, available to you on our solicitors page.
 
Land registry property search (nota simple)
Using the registration details (Inscripcion) from the title deeds (Escritura), your solicitor will arrange for a property search and a copy of the Nota Simple from the Land Registry (Registro de la Propiedad). This search will show the history of the property, along with any mortgage charges, debts or any other encumbrances that may be registered and attached to the property. The nota simple is usually applied for when you pay the 10% deposit and again immediately before signing the new contract changing the property ownership title at the notary (completion).
 
Stage 7 – making the most of your money
Using a foreign exchange specialist to transfer sterling to euros and your bank account in Spain can save you literally hundreds of euros plus you have the added peace of mind of guaranteed 24/7 tracking and the knowledge that the people you are dealing with are based in and registered in the UK. Click here for info on recommended forex specialists:
 
Stage 8 - NIE numbers and Spanish bank accounts
It is compulsory to have an NIE number (this is equivalent to a tax reference number) before you can legally own property or land within Spain.  This is a simple process and we can advise on how to organise this but unfortunately, due to a change in national law, it is something you have to do in person although we can arrange collection for you. Alternatively you can do it yourselves at the Spanish consulate in the UK. You can sign a compraventa (private purchase contract) and pay a 10% deposit using your passport but you cannot sign any title deeds at the Notary without this vital document. 
Most spanish banks have at least one member of staff who speaks fluent english and we can advise on the best bank for your needs (especially in terms of current mortgage offers).

Costs associated with buying property
The costs of buying a property in Spain are relatively high, mainly due to the 7% sales tax (6% in some autonomous regions) or 7% IVA (VAT). It is generally advisable to budget for an additional 10% to cover these (legal and notary fees) plus a little more if you need a mortgage.

Stage 9 - NOTARY - Signing the title deeds (escritura)
Completion is a more personal process here in Spain as both buyers and sellers (or their representative via official power of attorney) both attend to sign the title deed contract in front of the Public Notary and pay the balance of monies outstanding.  If a mortgage is involved there are two separate documents signed and this requires the attendance of an official bank representative also.  The Notary is the official witness to the sale and is responsible for ensuring that each party has proper legal authority to buy or sell the property. He/she will also inform you of the actual situation in respect of any debts, charges or encumbrances. This information is supplied to the Notary directly from the Land Registry. The fees charged by the Notary depend on the complexity of the Title Deed and the price declared.

Sale taxes
You are required to pay taxes on the transfer of the ownership. If the property is a re-sale and privately owned, you are required to pay 6% or 7% tax (according to region). If you purchase a newly built property, or property owned by a Spanish company you will pay 7% I.V.A. plus 0.5% to 1%duty. For resale property, the payment will be on completion, for new property it may be necessary to pay the IVA in line with the stage payments throughout the build process.

Stage 10 - Land registry
After the new deeds are issued by the Notary and the relevant taxes paid, these are taken or sent to the Land Registry (Registro de la Propiedad) for registration. This process could take anything from one to a few months, depending on which Property Registry covers the area your property is within. This means that the title deeds are then registered in to your name and any subsequent search or nota simple would show you as the current registered title owner to that property. 

                                        
We strongly recommend you obtain independent legal advice prior to irrevocably committing to a purchase contract and paying a final deposit. Any property can be held off the market with a refundable reservation contract to allow time for relevant checks to be made. Similarly, whilst we strive to ensure the accuracy of the content of our site, you should verify any information before acting on it, since Andalucia & Murcia Select CB cannot be held liable for any loss, damage or breach of contract you might suffer by placing reliance upon that information. This also applies to the content of any linked pages supplied by separate organisations. For new developments some images are used for illustrative purposes.
Copyright 2007 - Andalucia and Murcia Select, web by the Spanish Property Network