Don"t Buy Property In Spain Without A Good Real-Estate Lawyer!
There is no doubt however that most people reading this page are seeking the services of real estate lawyers or real estate lawyer in Costa Blanca, Spain because they are in the process of buying property in Spain. You really have to be very careful when buying property in Spain because the laws are considerably different to other countries and there have been problems recently with disputes over ownership of land.
Amazingly many people buying property in Spain decide to do without the services of a real estate lawyer and instead rely on the estate agent or deal directly with the developer. To say these people are biased is an understatement!
Some of the more extreme horror stories are things like finding you don't really own the land you have bought, finding out there are debts from the previous owner and you are now liable, finding out much later that the house didn't have the correct permissions from the local council and that it is to be demolished, finding out that an urbanisation is being built around you and that you are liable to be 'land-grabbed'.
Remember that buying a property in Spain is one of the biggest financial decisions of your life and remember that you are buying in a foreign country where things work differently.
Don't let the horror stories scare you off - done properly the transaction in Spain is much simpler than in the UK and is safe. Thousands have been successful before you - but they probably used a real estate lawyer in Costa Blanca and so must you.
We would generally recommend the local Spanish Costa Blanca real estate lawyers as they are completely familiar with the local regulations and laws, they are fluent in the language and most importantly, they might have insider knowledge of situations that may be in the pipeline that may affect your purchase.
If you are buying a property your lawyers in Costa Blanca will carry out a local land registry search to establish who owns the property, whether there are any charges or debts and whether there are any plans for developments that would affect you.
At this point it would also be a good idea to consider the services of a surveyor/architect based in Spain.
When your Spanish real estate lawyer has conducted all the searches for you and is satisfied you can proceed they will draw up preliminary contracts. The final contract will be signed at a later date upon completion and if you cannot be in Spain you can grant your lawyer power of attorney to act on your behalf in your absence.
Make sure that you are sure of your Costa Blanca lawyer and that they will always act with your best interests in mind and not act without phoning you before they make any inportant decisions.
If you are buying an apartment in Spain get your real estate lawyers in Costa Blanca to spell out exactly what your responsibilities are. This is because typically all the other owners and yourself will be responsible for the communal areas such as the stairs, gardens, pool, security, lifts etc.
In Spain there tends to be a charge which everyone has to contribute towards. There can be peculiar local laws so get your lawyer to find these out BEFORE you buy.
If you are happy to proceed your lawyer will draw up a contact between you and the seller. You would then pay a deposit - typically 10% of the purchase price. This deposit is non-returnable so you need to be aware you are committing yourself at this point.
You then fix a date for completion. This could be months later or almost immediately - it is up to you and the seller to arrange.
The next step is for your real estate lawyer to take you to the notary (a person who witnesses and authorises sales) to sign the escritura. This is your legal title to the property. Of course at this point you must pay the balance you owe.
Mark Eastwood now lives in Spain. If you need more help on using a lawyer to help with your Spanish property purchase then click this link - Costa Blanca Lawyers
Copyright Mark Eastwood. Feel free to use this article online and in your email newsletters as long as you leave it intact and do not alter it in anyway. The byline and biography must remain in the article.
Amazingly many people buying property in Spain decide to do without the services of a real estate lawyer and instead rely on the estate agent or deal directly with the developer. To say these people are biased is an understatement!
Some of the more extreme horror stories are things like finding you don't really own the land you have bought, finding out there are debts from the previous owner and you are now liable, finding out much later that the house didn't have the correct permissions from the local council and that it is to be demolished, finding out that an urbanisation is being built around you and that you are liable to be 'land-grabbed'.
Remember that buying a property in Spain is one of the biggest financial decisions of your life and remember that you are buying in a foreign country where things work differently.
Don't let the horror stories scare you off - done properly the transaction in Spain is much simpler than in the UK and is safe. Thousands have been successful before you - but they probably used a real estate lawyer in Costa Blanca and so must you.
We would generally recommend the local Spanish Costa Blanca real estate lawyers as they are completely familiar with the local regulations and laws, they are fluent in the language and most importantly, they might have insider knowledge of situations that may be in the pipeline that may affect your purchase.
If you are buying a property your lawyers in Costa Blanca will carry out a local land registry search to establish who owns the property, whether there are any charges or debts and whether there are any plans for developments that would affect you.
At this point it would also be a good idea to consider the services of a surveyor/architect based in Spain.
When your Spanish real estate lawyer has conducted all the searches for you and is satisfied you can proceed they will draw up preliminary contracts. The final contract will be signed at a later date upon completion and if you cannot be in Spain you can grant your lawyer power of attorney to act on your behalf in your absence.
Make sure that you are sure of your Costa Blanca lawyer and that they will always act with your best interests in mind and not act without phoning you before they make any inportant decisions.
If you are buying an apartment in Spain get your real estate lawyers in Costa Blanca to spell out exactly what your responsibilities are. This is because typically all the other owners and yourself will be responsible for the communal areas such as the stairs, gardens, pool, security, lifts etc.
In Spain there tends to be a charge which everyone has to contribute towards. There can be peculiar local laws so get your lawyer to find these out BEFORE you buy.
If you are happy to proceed your lawyer will draw up a contact between you and the seller. You would then pay a deposit - typically 10% of the purchase price. This deposit is non-returnable so you need to be aware you are committing yourself at this point.
You then fix a date for completion. This could be months later or almost immediately - it is up to you and the seller to arrange.
The next step is for your real estate lawyer to take you to the notary (a person who witnesses and authorises sales) to sign the escritura. This is your legal title to the property. Of course at this point you must pay the balance you owe.
Mark Eastwood now lives in Spain. If you need more help on using a lawyer to help with your Spanish property purchase then click this link - Costa Blanca Lawyers
Copyright Mark Eastwood. Feel free to use this article online and in your email newsletters as long as you leave it intact and do not alter it in anyway. The byline and biography must remain in the article.
