In order to answer some concerns people have about buying property in Spain we set up an intereview with our practising English Spanish lawyer based in Spain, Des Sparkes.

Click here:
Spanish lawyer conversation
Runs for approx 30 minutes

Des answers questions such as:
How can I stop my property being grabbed back by the authorities?
How can I know for sure I am dealing with a fully qualified lawyer?
How do I avoid all the sales pressure and take time to make my decision?
Are there things I should watch out for when I go on an inspection trip?

Des recently took part in a BBC program so we thought you’d like the benefit of
some of his knowledge.
Des is available at www.sparkeslawyers.com

There are a number of quality UK property developers for new builds in the south coast of Spain.

Their names will be very familair to you as a british citizen and will give you the confidence of working with a British company.

Here’s TaylorWoodrow and how they list their services:

QUALITY

• Taking great care in providing, as as they put it, meticulous care in house construction.
• A large range of features and finishes
• A team of reps to take you to all potential homes
• Finance plans and mortgages for your home

Pearloverseas on the other hand list their services as an easy to use online property developer service available in English and developed to help British clients looking to buy property in Spain.

Pearloverseas also work hand in hand with Barclays bank for mortgages that may be required by clients.
So you can have a completey UK based serivce for buying, developing and providing your mortgage.
This may suit if the thought of working with foreign bank and property developers does not fill you with confidence.

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.