Buyers Guide

VIEWING TRIPS

Our viewing trips are not designed for hard sell but offer a relaxed and informative introduction to the local area, properties and facilities. Each viewing trip is personally tailored to your budget, wishes and needs in terms of property and area information. We are happy to collect you at your hotel or accommodation or meet at a convenient (and easy to find) location close to the properties and area of interest to you. We take all the time you need with no pressure to purchase, although that would be nice!

Experience has shown that we can offer you the best possible service by organising appointments and making arrangements in advance. We know the area really well so if a particular town does not suit you once you´ve visited in reality its no problem, just tell us what you don´t like and we will find properties and areas that do tick your boxes. If you sign a binding contract (via your solicitor) to buy a property from us within 4 weeks of your viewing appointment we refund the cost of 2 nights hotel accommodation for 2 people and 2 budget flights! To benefit from this please quote reference VT-VIP when booking your viewing with us and we will send full details. This is in addition to any of our current special promotions but it does not apply to re-possessed property purchases.

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

Accomodation in Murcia

Accomodation in Almeria

Contact us to ask about a wide range of self catering accommodation available for short and longer visits

1. The Buying Process for Spanish property

Stage 1 – Purpose of your purchase
Holiday home? Investment? Relocation? Retired and want warmer winters? Tell us what really matters to you and we can help you identify the places meet your specific needs such as distances to nearest airport, nearest health/shopping facilities, beaches, public transport, leisure facilities. Please do feel free to ask any questions and 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 inheritance tax, foreign exchange transfer of funds and so on? We can refer you to English-speaking bank staff or independent advisers to help with these 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, and a timescale for moving in which case off-plan builds may suit your needs more? Despite negative publicity there are 100% legal off plan or part constructed villas and apartments available, which allow you to individualise the accommodation to your own wishes.

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.

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 these days 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.