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.

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.

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)

7. Arrange 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 

9. Attend 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.