How do you buy a house in Spain?
Buying a house is a lengthy process with lots of official hoops to jump through - use this comprehensive checklist to tick things off as you go.
- Check with the local authorities that the transaction is legal i.e. that the property has been legally built on the land with all the requisite certification. If you are building your own home, be sure to have all your paperwork in order.
- Assess the value of the property with an assessor to determine the cadastral value of the place and know how much tax you will be liable to pay.
What paperwork you will need
- Get a nota simple from the Land Registry Office (Colegio de Registradores) and make sure all the details are correct and that they match up with the cadastral land registry certificate. Have it translated into English if needs be. Check the current owner’s receipts to check if all outstanding bills and taxes have been paid.
- Get the Certificate of Occupancy or Licence of First Occupation (known variously as Cédula de Habitabilidad and Licencia de Primera Ocupación) which certifies the correct installation of all light fittings, plumbing, cables etc., effectively making the property habitable.
- Get the Energy Performance Certificate.
- If you’re looking to buy a property with shared expenses, be sure to get a signed form from the president of the community stating that there are no debts leftover from the previous owner in the last two years that you will be made to take on as the new owner.
- Once the final contract has been signed, register the property in your name with the Land Registry Office (Colegio de Registradores).
It should be noted that although this checklist can be of great help, it's still advisable to contract the services of an experienced estate agent who can take care of all this for you.