Last updated on October 28th, 2019 at 04:10 pm.
You don’t need to be a legal expert to find your way round the buying procedure in Spain, but it is useful to have a few handy hints to follow. Handbooks and legal advice can be full of the official information but good tips for buying a house in Spain can make all the difference.
With our customer care department we’ve compiled our own ten tips. Customer care have listened to hundreds of people who are looking to purchase a property here. This list reflects the conversations they have had and the problems they know that people have encountered.
Some of these tips for buying a house in Spain might seem to be common sense. And they are. But in the excitement of buying a property you’ve fallen in love with it’s surprising how quickly you can suspend your better judgement. So, keep our ten tips by your side as a ready reference, just in case you’re tempted to cut corners and leave your common sense at the airport.
Buying a property in Spain -Tip 1
Do some research before you come over. Find out what you can about the area and get a basic understanding of the buying process. However, don’t get too bogged down in the detail. If you employ a good lawyer then you don’t need to know all the ins and outs, but a general understanding can be useful.
Buying a property in Spain -Tip 2
Be clear about how much you can afford to spend. Don’t push your limit too high. Make sure you allow for the added costs that there can be and allow another 15%, as a general rule, on top of what the house costs itself.
Buying a property in Spain -Tip 3
Be clear about the running costs. You will have IBI (rates) to pay and either rental income tax or imputed income tax. You also need to take account of electricity charges, water and waste. Most properties are part of a community and have community fees. These can be quite expensive, depending on the facilities available, and you must make sure that you have budgeted for them too.
Buying a property in Spain -Tip 4
How will the property serve your needs now and in the future? Do you need to be near the shops or will a rural retreat always be your ideal? Think practically as well as from the heart when it comes to the properties you view
Buying a property in Spain -Tip 5
Don’t be put under pressure. Hard sell is not as evident as it used to be but remember that it is a buyers’ market and do not allow yourself to be rushed if you are not too sure. Ask to see the property again, at different times of the day and on different days of the week, if you can.
Buying a property in Spain -Tip 6
Most important of all of our tips for buying a house in Spain is not to sign anything or pay anything until you have had a comprehensive legal check carried out on the property and the purchase contract. This is so important and people can be easily persuaded that it’s not necessary. It is.
Buying a property in Spain -Tip 7
This tip is perhaps along the same lines. Invest in a good, independent lawyer. If you are going to buy a property here you want to do it right. It really is worth making sure you employ someone, who knows what they’re doing, to serve your interests.
Buying a property in Spain -Tip 8
If you are planning to make changes to the property, remember that you will need planning permission. It may not look as though you do from other properties around but the authorities are getting stricter about this.
Buying a property in Spain -Tip 9
If you are planning to rent out your property check what the arrangements are in the region where you are buying. There are big differences between regions from those where you must do little other than to register and those that have strict criteria for rentals. Don’t get caught out.
Buying a property in Spain -Tip 10
Plan for very hot summers and cold winters. It might not be freezing in Spain on a daily basis but the months of December, January and February have a distinct chill to them. You should consider how you will keep warm in the winter as well as how you’ll keep cool in the summer.
Spain is a wonderful country with a rich heritage and lots of lovely sunny days. Buying a house here is a dream for many people and with the fall in house prices, it’s a possibility for more people than ever before.
Use our tips for buying a house in Spain to make sure that the whole process, from start to finish, is the experience you always hoped it would be.
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