Buying a home in Spain is actually a pretty straightforward and transparent process, and as always, it’s easy when you’ve taken the effort to inform yourself and be well prepared in advance. A good estate agent, lawyer/gestor or experienced friend can help out, but thankfully a lot of information is also available online these days. Here is a brief overview of the main steps in the process.
1. Reservation agreement
Having found a property that is right for you, the first step is to secure your property. This document confirms the rights of both parties in relation to the intended transaction, and on a practical level takes the home off the market and reserves it for you against an agreed upon deposit payable by yourself while you arrange payment or financing.
2. Appoint a lawyer
The next step is to appoint a lawyer. He or she will be the person to check the documentation and ensure that all is in order, a situation that is a lot more straightforward in the case of a new off-plan home than it is with so-called resale homes that have already been inhabited and can have outstanding debts against them. The lawyer will study the developer’s contract on your behalf, checking the property descriptions, specifications and delivery times, as well as the fact that the land is in the name of the developer and that the relevant licences are in place.
