Buying resale property in Spain is different to what you are used to in the UK and can be full of danger.

Here are a few summary tips:

1. Agree your short and long term aims with all those involved in the buy
2. Agree your area and amount to spend
3. Agree what will be your financing requirements
4. Find a good lawyer, find out about Spanish inheritance and capital gains tax
implications
5. Find an estate agent
6. Start looking for a property
7. You need to agree with everyone what your objectives are.
8. Finalise the amount and sourcing of the mortgage (most foreigner people can only get 70% on a Spanish Property and in reality most offers are at 50%)

Estate Agents.
The main difference in the real estate market in Spain is that anybody with the right
amount of money can take out a license to sell property . You don’t need
qualifications or experience.

There are thousands of Spanish Estate Agents and there is no regulation of what they do.
So you have no one to help you with a problem other than a lawyer and by then it
may be too late. So choose an experienced agent who is a member of GIFE or API
who are the recognized professional associations.

Countryside Property
Most legal and planning problems appear when buying a Spanish property off the
beaten track. If you are looking for an old ruin or a plot of land, ask your agent to
show you only those that are 100% legal. You just don’t want to be wrapped up in
buying an illegal Spanish Property. It could take you take months and you could lose
a lot of money.

Check with your Lawyer.
Until your legal representative is 100% sure of the answers to all your questions and checks, you should not sign a sales contract or pay any deposit.

Buyer Beware.
As you complete the process of Buying a Property in Spain it is very different from
what you are used to it is far more important to learn about the procedures
beforehand, “Buyer Beware” is a citizen’s responsibility in Spain and unfortunately
ignorance is no defence.