Are you buying your dream property in Spain?

Since we started to invest in Spain in 2012, we have built a network of local real estate experts in Spain and became the one stop shop solution for foreigners looking for help to buy a property in Spain.

Foreigners ourselves, we have built this network first to find the solution for ourselves… then we wanted to share our network and our experience with other foreigners.

In two years, our readership grew to more than 140,000 and are coming from more than 210 countries around the world! We are really pleased with that.

It is cheap and easy to buy a property in Spain if you are assisted by the local experts speaking your language. Check our interesting articles:

• Why do you need independent legal and tax partners for your property acquisition in Spain?
• 6 reasons why a personal real estate shopper in Spain will be very helpful for your property search
• Our top 10 pieces of advice for buying your property in Spain
• Top 8 tips for not wasting money when you buy in Spain

The experts from our network are active in ten fields:

1. Property finders
2. B&B
3. Lawyers
4. Tax
5. Architects
6. Money Transfer
7. Mortgage
8. Insure your Spanish property
9. Property survey
10. Renovation

We get many requests flowing in every week as 130.000 foreigners bought a property in Spain in 2022 and the growth is continuing.

Check the feedback we have received lately from our customers:

“Thank you for your help.”

“Your website is really a very interesting source of information.”

“We found the help we wanted for purchasing our property.”

“Thanks to your website, I got the ins and outs of buying a property in Spain.”

How did we help our customers during the last months?

Our activity is strong and we can’t update this page regularly as we have to manage the requests coming in. We receive the most requests from England but actually they really come from all over the world. This is why we love it so much.

What are the services people are looking for? Property finders in Spain, mortgage financing thanks to our partnership with a mortgage broker negotiating with all the biggest banks in Spain, legal and tax advice and currency hedging. We started our partnership for your holiday home insurance in Spain in 2019. Last but not least, we have a survey partner if you need any technical review of a property before buying it.

Review some of the last properties bought by our local property hunters everywhere in Spain (at the bottom of the article).

Here is a quick overview of some requests we got in during the last months:

We got close to 300 Requests in 2022!

Here are a few samples of how we helped our customers in 2022:

• A couple from America is looking to invest in Valencia or Barcelona and find their future retirement home

Region: Valencia / Barcelona

Requests:

-Get in touch with our property hunter in the region of Valencia and our property hunter in the region of Barcelona

–Find a lawyer in Valencia and a property lawyer in Barcelona speaking English to assist with the purchase of the property in Spain. May I buy a property in Spain?

–How to finance my Spanish property? as I want to keep my current property for 5 more years before retiring.

–How to hedge currency risk while I purchase my property in Spain as I am American?

• A young manager from Soudan is looking for a new life in Spain.

Region: no precise idea: Valencia / Barcelona ?

Requests:

–How to get a Golden Visa for Spain?

–Find a lawyer in Valencia and a property lawyer in Barcelona speaking English to assist with my Visa application the purchase of the property in Spain

• A couple from Belgium is looking to buy a family house in the Costa Brava

Region: Costa Brava

Requests:

-Get in touch with our property hunter in the Costa Brava region

• A couple from South Africa is looking to invest in Barcelona and find their future home

Region: Barcelona

Requests:

-Get in touch with our property hunter in the region of Barcelona

– Find a property lawyer in Barcelona speaking English to assist with the purchase of the property in Spain.

– A tax adviser in Barcelona to review my tax situation with the property

–How to finance my Spanish property? as I want to keep my current property for 5 more years before retiring.

–How to hedge currency risk while I purchase my property in Spain as I am Not European?

• A Dutch couple is looking to invest in Valencia for a holiday home close to the beach

Region: Valencia

Requests:

-Get in touch with our property hunter in the region of Valencia

–Find a lawyer in Valencia speaking English to assist with the purchase of the property in Spain.

–How to finance my Spanish property?

• A Luxembourg real estate investor is looking to invest in Madrid for rental income.

Region: Madrid

Requests:

-Get in touch with our property hunter in the region of Madrid.

-Get in contact with a local partner for a mortgage in Spain, get a better understanding of the minimum down payment needed to buy a property in Spain.

Example of customers’ other requests:

• A customer from Belgium found his holiday home in Andalusia and wanted to make an official bid with a lawyer

Our tip: never make an offer or sign before your lawyer saw the offer.

Region: Andalusia, Costa de Almeria

Requests:

-Get in touch with our property lawyer in the region of Costa de Almeria

-Check all the paperwork

• A couple from America looking to retire in the Valencian Community in 2019

Region: Valencia, Valencian Community

Requests:

-Get in touch with our property hunter in the region of Valencia

–Find a lawyer in Valencia speaking English to assist with the purchase of the property in Spain.

–How to get a mortgage in Spain as a foreigner?

–How to hedge currency risk while I purchase my property in Spain?

• An Australian couple looking to get the Golden Visa in Spain and buy a property in Barcelona

Region: Barcelona, Catalonia

Requests:

-Get in touch with our property hunter in Barcelona

–Find a lawyer to assist with the property purchase and with the Visa procedure.

–Money Transfer/currency risk: the purchaser needs to exchange Australia Dollars into Euros

• An English couple looking to know how to proceed to get a mortgage in the Valencian Community

Region: Valencia, Valencian Community

Requests:

-Understand how to get a mortgage in Spain as a foreigner

• A customer from England toured Spain during a full month looking for a horse-property to retire in Spain and found it in the region of Tarragona.

Region: Tarragona, Costa Daurada

Requests:

-Get in touch with our property lawyer in the region of Tarragona

-Find an architect in the Costa Daurada for assisting with a first survey of the property

–Money Transfer and currency hedging: the purchaser is from England and needs to exchange Sterlings into Euros

• A customer from Denmark is looking to buy a luxury property in Barcelona as a second home

Region: Barcelona, Costa de Barcelona

Requests:

-Get in touch with our property hunter in Barcelona

-Learn more about the legal and tax aspects of purchasing a property in Spain as a foreigner

• A Saudi investor had a budget to invest in a property in Madrid for rental income.

Region: Madrid

Requests:

-Get in touch with our property hunter in the region of Madrid.

-Get in contact with a local partner for a mortgage in Spain, get a better understanding of the minimum down payment needed to buy a property in Spain.

• A Dutch looking to retire in Alicante

Region: Alicante, Costa Blanca

Requests:

-Get in touch with our local property lawyer in the region of Denia

-Get in contact with a local partner for a mortgage, get a better understanding of the minimum down payment needed to buy a property in Spain.

• An institutional investor looking to invest in Madrid and Barcelona

• A Dutch looking to retire in Barcelona

Region: Barcelona, Costa de Barcelona

Requests:

-Get in touch with our local property lawyer in the region of Barcelona

-Understand the aspects regarding the Spanish NIE, why do I need it as a foreigner?

• A Brittish looking to retire in 6 months in Spain

Region: Many regions

Requests:

-Where can I find the most for my money?

-Rent my property 6 months per year to get some revenue

• A customer from Switzerland looking to buy in Andalusia

Region: Andalusia, Mijas

Requests:

-Get in touch with our local property lawyer in Andalusia

-Get in touch with our property hunter in the Andalusia

-Get in contact with a local partner in Spain for a mortgage

• Another customer from Switzerland looking to buy a second home in the old city centre of Girona

Region: Girona, Costa Brava

Request:

-Get in touch with our property hunter in the Costa Brava

So don’t hesitate, ask us, ask our property experts in Spain.

5 Reasons why you should work with our experts?

1. We work with the best local professionals having the highest standards and speaking your language!
2. We do the follow-up with our customers. We want to be sure that they are happy with the service provided.
3. We ask our partners to provide the best service at a competitive price.
4. Our partners are part of our network and want to stay partners with us: they will continue to do everything to remain part of our network.
5. We confirm every year if the partners remain members of our network.

Looking for a property lawyer in Spain? Follow the link and get one of our local lawyer.

Looking for another real estate expert in Spain: Mortgage, Insurance, Survey of property, Property hunting, …? Ask us directly one of our 100+ local partner!

Stéphane

Senior analyst and strategist at HTBIS

Check the full HTBIS team here

The post Buying your property in Spain? appeared first on How to buy in Spain.

Congratulations, you found your Spanish dream property!

What is the cost of buying a property in Spain?

First question is:

• Is it a new-build property?
• Is it a resale?

Depending on your answer the cost will be slightly different but a good rule of thumb is 14%.

1. The cost of buying a New-build property in Spain: +/- 14%

   • VAT =10%
   • Property registration fees = 1.5%
   • Lawyer between 1 and 2%:
   • Other costs: Notary, stamps,…

    

   

   The cost of buying a new build property in Spain

    

    

2. The cost of buying a Resale property in Spain: will be between 10 and 14%

   • Transfer Tax = 6 to 10% at the general tax rate (but you have reduced rates in certain cases). This amount depends on which Spanish region this property is located.
   • Property registration fees = 1.5%
   • Lawyer between 1 and 2%
   • Other costs: Notary, stamps,…

    

   

   The cost of buying a resale property in Spain

   Don’t miss What is the legal due diligence for your Spanish property?

   Do you need a property lawyer or a tax advisor to assist you in Spain? Find a Spanish property lawyer in our network.

    

3. Other costs to take into account

   • Banking costs: Usually a percentage of the amount wired + cost of holding an account
     • This could be very important if you don’t have a Euro account and need to convert your currency like Pound, Dolar, Yuan, Shekel, Ruble,… up to 3%
     • Our Tip: You have companies specialized in wiring funds internationally working with segregated accounts at the major international banks:

    

   1. You can lock a currency level

   => you will know the commission BEFORE wiring the money

   => you will know the level at which you will convert your currency in Euros BEFORE wiring the money

   => you will know the exact amount you need to wire in your local currency BEFORE wiring the funds

   2. You wire the money in your currency

   3. The company will wire the money in Euros in Spain on your Spanish account (Don’t forget your NIE, read our earlier paper on that) , your lawyer account,…

    

   

    

   • Mortgage costs:
     • Bank valuation of the property = +/- 750€
     • Mortgage deed = +/- 750€

If you want to check the monthly cost of your mortgage, or what is your purchasing power for a Spanish property, check our ultimate mortgage calculator!

Related Your definitive guide to your Spanish mortgage. How to get the best rates?

Do you want to find the best Spanish mortgage rates? Fill this quick form and ask our partner for a quote

• Real Estate agent fee: Here is the good news you were waiting for: the seller is paying this one 😉 in general.

Before buying, you want to know what is the annual cost of owning a property in Spain? Read our paper on this subject.

All those information are from reliable sources. We advise you to check those with your fiscal and legal agent in order to get all those costs up to date and adjusted to your specific situation.

Is the cost of living in Spain higher than in your home country?

Have a look at our detailed article and study on the subject.

If you are living in UK, here is our dedicated article: Cost of living in Spain vs UK.

Have a look at our detailed property buyers guides custom made for any nationality

Here are our FREE pdf property buyers’ guides written for all the foreign nationalities looking to buy in Spain: Click on your country flag, you will find your pdf report at the end of each article. Get most of our tips there.

Do you want to start searching immediately?

Discover the best new build projects in Spain available right now

Don’t know where to buy? Start with our general article: Everything you ever wanted to know about the top 20 Spanish real estate markets

1. Best Professionals 2. Follow up 3. Competitive pricing 4. Partners 5. Qualitative Check

Get your insights right to your mailbox? Register for our newsletter!

Our Tip: Don’t forget all our checklists before buying your property:

Finally, if you want more, check our very useful infographic: The 9 legal steps to your Spanish property

FAQ on the Cost of buying a property in Spain

The post What is the real cost of buying a Property in Spain in 2023? appeared first on How to buy in Spain.

What are the first questions you should ask to your future Architect?

You could need an architect to renovate your property or for building your new build villa.

Let’s check the case of the new build villa but many of these questions would be the same for a renovation case.

The questions for your new build architect

We could regroup the questions into 3 different sections:

1. The Architect

The first questions are related to the experience of the architect:

• Could you provide some references with your last realization?
• Have you done similar projects?
• Describe a recent project? With costs experienced vs budgeted? What about the timing for the realization?

Don’t forget to ask about his style?

• What is your design philosophy?

Finally, check if he is insured.

• Are you insured against claims?

Review this wonderful villa in Calpe created by one of our partner architect: House on a cliff

2. Your Project

• How do you collaborate with your customers?
• Who will be my contact within your company?
• How documented is your project?
• Do you have ideas for this project?
• What are the challenges for this project?
• What potential do you see in this project?
• What is the expected budget?
• Do you help to find / negotiate with contractors?
• Do you do the on site follow up?
• Environment and building efficiency?
• How difficult is it to get the building permit?
• When should I get the building permit?
• How long will it take to build my project?

Another wonderful design villa in Spain, follow the link to discover it

3. The contract

• Fees: What are the items covered? Are there items not covered? For any item not covered, what is the hourly rate?
• What is the schedule for the architect work? For the building?
• What materials will I receive on the property?

Ask us to be put in contact with our partner architects in Spain.

You don’t have time to wait to enjoy the Spanish sun but you like new build?

Discover the best new build projects in Spain available right now

Further reading?

• We wrote another article on a similar subject: Buy a new build property in Spain
• Discover wonderful new build projects build in Spain and find all our news in our Architect news category
• Read our legal article on the same subject: Do you want to build your own villa in Spain?

Looking for an expert in Spain? Ask us directly!

Stéphane

Senior analyst and strategist at HTBIS

Check the full HTBIS team here

The post The first questions for your future Architect? appeared first on How to buy in Spain.

House on the Cliff

A wonderful realization respecting its wonderful environment

We like the virtue of architecture which makes possible constructing a house on air, walking on water…

An abrupt plot of land overlooking the sea, where what is best is to do nothing. It invites to stay.

A piece that respects the land’s natural contour is set in it.

Above, a shadow, the house itself, looking calmly at the Mediterranean.

Under the sun, the swimming-pool brings us closer to the sea, it becomes a quiet cove.

In the inflection point, the stairway proposes a evocative path, a garden in the basement…

Due to the steepness of the plot and the desire to contain the house in just one level, a three-dimensional structure of reinforced concrete slabs and screens adapting to the plot’s topography was chosen, thus minimizing the earthwork. This monolithic, stone-anchored structure generates a horizontal platform from the accessing level, where the house itself is located. The swimming-pool is placed on a lower level, on an already flat area of the site. The concrete structure is insulated from the outside and then covered by a flexible and smooth white lime stucco. The rest of materials, walls, pavements, the gravel on the roof… all maintain the same colour, respecting the traditional architecture of the area, emphasizing it and simultaneously underlining the unity of the house.

Have a look at all the pictures of this project

Fran Silvestre Arquitectos is working everywhere in Spain and in some parts of the world, ask us to be put in touch with them and benefit from the strength of our network.

The good news is that it is affordable for everybody.

Why wait to live your dream?

Are you looking for a lawyer, an architect, a property hunter anywhere in Spain?

Ask us directly an access to our network of local experts!

Stéphane

Senior analyst and strategist at HTBIS

The post House on a Cliff appeared first on How to buy in Spain.

Aluminium house – Madrid

A consolidated landscape surrounded by gardens with big trees within the metropolis of Madrid is the fortunate starting point of this house.
The piece, of metallic and horizontal nature, produces the effect of having just one storey. With its proportions and materiality, it both contrasts and blends with the tall trees of its environment.
The scale of the house is moderated through the understanding of the day area as a base emerging from the same natural stone which paves part of the plot. The night zone is placed on it and focuses the view to the north and south while protecting itself from the eyes of the neighbours and generating shaded terraces in which to enjoy the exterior.
The substantially square plan is designed to unite the program in a compact way. The staircase and central inner atrium distribute the rooms, establishing a functional hierarchy in which all spaces open up to the garden.

Twenty-one plateaus and seven volumes tell the story of this house.

The aim of the project is to give a new and even identity to a house belonging to the same family for several generations. The original house formed by the aggregation of different interventions at different times, with different construction systems. Each of the rooms in the house describes a moment in the life of this family story. Thus it was essential to maintain the structure, spaces, uses, garden and memories, presenting them in a new way.

The further layer built in the history of this place employs new volumes used for new parts of the program. In this way leisure areas are projected, containing always the scale of the building and are presented as a sort of aggregation of small parts, which draws courtyards and narrows areas, as the traditional Mediterranean architecture does.

Have a look at all the pictures of this project:

Fran Silvestre Arquitectos is working everywhere in Spain and in some parts of the world, ask us to be put in touch with them and benefit from the strength of our network.

The good news is that it is affordable for everybody.

Why wait to live your dream?

Are you looking for a lawyer, an architect, a property hunter anywhere in Spain?

Ask us directly an access to our network of local experts!

Stéphane

Senior analyst and strategist at HTBIS

Check the full HTBIS team here

The post An architect house in the region of Madrid appeared first on How to buy in Spain.

How to protect yourself against Hidden defects on a Spanish Property? Why a property survey could be useful?

The legal analysis from our local partner Juan Carlos, covering the Valencian Community

In the property buying process in Spain, it is very important to take into account the responsibilities assumed by sellers and builders. Hidden defects could come from instance from construction defects that have not been detected before the sale.

What are the rights and obligations of the sellers, the builders, as well as the buyers who acquire properties in Spain?

That is the objective of this paper: clarify the concepts and the procedures linked to visual and hidden defects.

First, let’s identify what we understand by “defects”

We understand by defects or more precisely construction defects any type of deficiency that we find in a construction and that reduces its quality. This defect must result in such a way that the owner cannot enjoy and use the property in a normal way.

Here is the definition provided by businessdictionary.com for a latent defect: target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer”>Hidden defect in material and/or workmanship of an item which may cause failure or malfunction, but is not discoverable through general inspection. Also called a hidden defect.

In addition, we can identify that a construction defect can be considered as “serious” or “grave” in the event that, if the buyer had discovered it before the sale, he would have rejected the purchase, or would have at least renegotiated the price with the seller.

There are two types of defects: Visible and Hidden

Visible defects are those that are easily detectable by means of a visual inspection, either in the construction process of the building or through a visual inspection by the buyer. That is, they are easily detectable by anyone without building knowledge or preparation.

These visible defects are not the responsibility of the seller.
Therefore, the seller has no responsibility for visible defects that could have been discovered in this way by the buyer, especially if they do not affect or vary the price of the property.

Hidden defects, for instance, are those that have not been possible to detect by the construction process, because they are not easily visible. In the case of new constructions, these defects have not been detected by the different professionals, such as architects, inspectors, etc. during the construction process.

Not all defects can create responsibilities

For this to be the case, the effect must meet these conditions:

1. That it was not easily detectable
2. That the buyer did not know about it
3. That it existed before finalizing the purchase

As an example, we are going to list which are the most repeated hidden defects in the casuistry:

• Damages that affect the structure of the building. These are work defects that substantially affect the stability and structure of the building.
• Problems of leaks, waterproofing, which cause leaks in the house.
• Problems of the settlement of the building. Once a building is constructed, it can present some cracks, fissures, etc that appear due to a bad settlement of the building, and produced by a bad basement.

Responsibilities

When considering responsibility for hidden defects, it is necessary to distinguish between newbuild houses and home for resale.

The case of newbuild homes

the guarantee and the right of the buyer to claim for hidden defects are divided into three types:

1. A one year guarantee:
   This is the case for problems in finishing as interior pavements, exteriors, carpentry, new appliances, etc. It is one year starting from the date of the construction, or six months from the date of purchase/completion.
2. A three-year guarantee:
   For defects produced at the property and that directly affect and degrade their habitability In this case, it is a matter of problems that affect hygiene, health, health, water tightness, healthiness, etc.
3. The decennial liability as in many other countries:
   covering problems that affect the structure of the building such as the foundation, pillars, beams, floors, etc… These defects must be such that they must compromise the stability of the building.
   Interesting to know: For newly built properties, it is mandatory in Spain for promoters to have a decennial insurance.
4. The decennial liability with the specific case of Self-promotion:

If you are building your own property as a “Self-promoter” or “Autopromocion” in Spanish, this insurance is not mandatory but voluntary.

A construction is in self-promotion when the final consumer of the building is the same owner of the plot and hires the builder only for the purpose of building the house. In this way, the owner of the plot assumes the position of “promoter” of the works, and he is the one that performs the hiring of different professionals such as architects, builders, etc. If the owner decides to sell the property during the guarantee period of 10 years, he must inform the eventual buyers that the house does not have such insurance, and the buyers must expressly accept this situation.

The case of home resales

Do sellers have any responsibility for hidden defects?
The answer is affirmative.
Sellers who sell resale homes are also responsible for hidden defects that these properties may have.
This responsibility is about the hidden defects that exist in the property and that, during six months, the seller will be responsible for any type of the defects mentioned above, and that could be detected before within six months.

The buyer may exercise his right to claim responsibility for hidden defects if those three conditions are met:
1. The defect must be detected.
2. The seller must be notified in writing: usually by certified mail, making him aware of the defects, explaining what the causes may be, and what could be the solution to repair the problem.
3. In the event that the seller does not recognise his responsibility, the buyer must obtain a written report from an independent professional, if possible an expert, who determines the problem, the defect, and which are the repair costs in an official report.
If the seller, received the report and does not take charge of the issue, then the buyer must be advised by a lawyer in order to see what are the legal ways that exist to solve the problem.

In conclusion

Usually, tribunal claims derived from hidden defects of small consideration are expensive and long. Therefore, always advisable to try to reach an out-of-court settlement with the seller.

For serious cases, in which there is a real problem that affects the habitability, or the structure of the building, it will be necessary to defend the position of the buyer in the best possible way, always considering the possibility of going to Courts if not finding an agreement with the seller.

Read the paper Juan Carlos wrote on a related subject: What should you pay attention to when buying a property in Spain?

Check our three infographics with useful tips if you are considering buying a property in Spain:
Our top 10 pieces of advice for buying your property in Spain
The 8 legal steps to your Spanish Property
Top 8 tips for not wasting money when you buy in Spain

This article is written by one of our independent partners in Spain, Juan Carlos, who is one of our Lawyer in the region of Alicante. Check his profile.

Do you want to get in touch with him? Ask us for an introduction and benefit from the power of our network.

Juan Carlos

Looking for a real estate lawyer in Spain? Follow the link and get one of our local lawyer.

Looking for another real estate expert in Spain: Mortgage, Insurance, Survey of property, Property hunting, …? Ask us directly one of our 100+ local partner!

The post How to protect yourself against Hidden defects on a Spanish Property? Property survey in Spain appeared first on How to buy in Spain.

A quick feedback on our Real estate city trip to Valencia

We had a lot of requests on Valencia, the third biggest city in Spain, and that’s why we organised a “reality check” city trip.

Bernard, our local property hunter and architect, and Sophie, our local legal adviser, both confirmed that the market is buoyant. The real estate market was slow to start but it looks like activity and prices are confirming the real estate market recovery since September last year. At the same time, prices are close to 50% lower than in Madrid and Barcelona while being at 90 minutes with the fast train from Madrid…

Valencia is really a nice city with peace in it. You have a lot going on but at the same time, you can enjoy your time and life.

Life is very efficient, 15 minutes to the airport, an efficient metro network,… what else…

“Museu de les Ciències Príncipe Felipe”

Before checking all the opportunities we saw, we want to thank Bernard, our local property hunter (and architect) in the region of Valencia for organising those 2 days of visits inside and outside Valencia. We want to thank him as well for his insights and tips on the region,… you win 6 months a least and a lot of appreciable insights on this market. If you want to find a property in Valencia or in the neighbourhood, just ask us to put you in contact with Bernard.

Last but not least, we want to thank Sophie, our local legal and tax adviser for attending our evening lunch and giving detailed answers to the questions of the participants.

The goal of the real estate city trip?

Discover the city and learn if you want to invest or to live in Valencia.

The goal was NOT to invest in two days!

Here is the heavy program our lucky participants had the chance to attend:

Thursday 19th of April

• 10.00: Visit of 3 properties in the old city:

-138m², 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, to be renovated, €240.000

-143m², 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, to be renovated, €235.000

-120m², 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, renovated, €280.000

• 13.00: Lunch at the restaurant “Puerta del Mar” in the city centre
• 15.00: Visit of 2 properties in the old city:

-Duplex, 120m², 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, to be renovated, €240.000

-80m²+ 20 m² terrace, 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, €190.000

• 17.00: Meeting with the team of a local real estate promoter. Check of the newbuild market and investment opportunities (yes there are many, ask us) in Valencia.
• 20.00: Dinner with our property hunter in Valencia, Bernard, and our local tax and legal adviser in Valencia, Sophie, at the “Panorama restaurant” with sea view in Valencia, as you all know, Valencia is where the fishermen invented the Paella.

Friday 20th of April

• 9.00: Meeting with a local bank: How to get the best rates while being a foreigner?
• 10.00: Visit of 2 properties in the city, a few meters from the beach, check the Video of one of those below.

-80m² + terrace, community pool, 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, to be renovated, €340.000

-80m² + terrace, direct access to community pool, 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, to be renovated, €390.000

• 13.00: Lunch at the restaurant of the “Hotel El Chalet” in Cullera (50km south of Valencia)
• 14.00: Visit a promotion with 7 villas to be renovated soon
• 17.00: Visit of lands in Benicassim (80km north of Valencia)
• 21.00: Well deserved Diner

If you want to discover Valencia, here is what we wrote last year: Valencia real estate market receives a lot of interest from foreigners.

If you want to check the monthly weather statistics of Valencia, read our infographic on that.

A few more pictures from our trip: The market: “The Mercat central”, many pictures of the old part of the city, the beach and the fountains of the Modernisme Plaza of the City Hall of Valencia

If you want to read more on the region, have a quick read at our article on the Valencian Costa: Everything you ever wanted to know about the Costa de Valencia.

Two other useful articles are the one on the Costa Azahar, the region just in the north of Valencia where we visited the city of Benicassim: Everything you ever wanted to know about the Costa Azahar and the region in the South of Valencia, of course, the Costa Blanca: Everything you ever wanted to know about the Costa Blanca.

Looking for a property expert in Spain? Property hunter, Lawyer,… Ask us directly!

Thank you again Bernard and Sophie, our team of local experts in Valencia (follow the link to find our other local partners)

The post Real estate market Valencia Citytrip feedback – April 2018 appeared first on How to buy in Spain.

A beautiful renovation of a 1905 building in Valencia

There is a distinct pleasure in restoring an old object. Let’s take for instance an old flexo, one of those that were used in the drawing tables of the technical offices. First, to understand it, disassemble it with care, clean the rusted parts, repaint it, chrome the elements that require so, replace the old cable with one that resists the new voltage and do the same with the lamp holder and the switch, search in unexpected places for a new coil to replace a damaged one. Intervening only where is necessary provides the object with a new life, thus displaying itself, a hundred years later, ready, as newly manufactured.

The same attitude was assumed in this building, which dates from 1905 and is a sample of the Valencian architecture of the early twentieth century. Located in the first expansion district of the city a, it was designed by the architect Antonio Martorell, considered as one of the most distinguished architects of his time. The objective was to transform the headquarters of a historic Valencian company that sought to renovate its facilities in order to adequate them to the technological changes experienced in recent years. The building was initially conceived as a residential building, although it was used as the headquarters of this company from the beginning.

It was fundamental to understand the functioning of the building, which is located in a characteristic chamfer of the expansion district. Martorell skillfully solved it by placing the humid areas and service patios next to the dividing wall. In the central part of the plan were arranged the staircase and the central patio. The façade is composed by three straight elements, while the curved areas in the corner were solved by the architect using carpentry elements, a solution that he had already used in some well-known buildings in Calle de la Paz, or even in the same Gran Vía de Valencia. In the section, the ground floor and the first floor were considered noble, much more comfortable in a building that lacked an elevator and with greater clearance height. Following, there were three more floors with the same characteristics and finally the last floor that was used mainly for storage. Over time and with the need to expand the space, the building grew, incorporating parts of neighbour buildings.

Respecting this distribution are the closed offices and the wet nuclei attached to the medians. The rest of the space is used as a landscape office, distributing the departments in the different floors. The central courtyard is partially used to locate the necessary elevator. The protected ladder is completely rehabilitated to return it to its original state. The entrance of carriages on the ground floor is used to locate the reception and on the main floor address offices are located. On the fifth floor, there is an outdoor terrace that is enjoyed by the representative floor of the building. At this level, the facade spaces are redefined with greater freedom to take advantage of the sunlight, while the facade of the building is maintained with the original composition, improving the technical conditions of the glazing. In this way the building has a renewed vision and a new useful life more in line with its use, integrating itself in the plot in which it was projected. It allows us to imagine the city in which it was built over one hundred years ago. As in the case of the old flexo, it brings us closer to thinking about how we lived at that time and to assuming the future changes and transformations that are to come to keep the city and the building active.

Fran Silvestre Arquitectos is working everywhere in Spain and in some parts of the world, ask us to be put in touch with them and benefit from the strength of our network.

We wrote about a newbuild project of the same architect a few months ago: “Your design dream architect home in Spain“.

The good news is that it is affordable for everybody.

Why wait to live your dream?

Do you want to discover more on Valencia? Have a look at our feedback from our April 2018 real estate city trip to Valencia.

Looking for an architect in Spain? Ask us directly!

Stéphane

Senior analyst and strategist at HTBIS

Check the full team at HTBIS here
div>

The post A beautiful renovation of a 1905 building in Valencia appeared first on How to buy in Spain.

Do you want to build your own villa in Spain?

1. Let’s start with your plot of land

Most of the time, you may construct on a certain proportion of the plot, let’s say 20%… so if you want a big villa, you’ll need a big plot.

• Check the spatial planning of the plot and of the adjacent plots.
• Think about the views.
• Check the format of the properties you may build: High? Large?
• Style? Check what you may or may not do in that region / that city: Mediterranean style, Modern style,…
• Is the area already developed or not? If not, you will have to install utilities, street lighting, sewage,… and it could mean extra costs.
• Is your plot of land precise? What about its measures? If any doubt, a professional will double check it. (about €400)

2. Buy the land

You will have to pay VAT on that and a local tax to register the plot and create the legal act to the local authorities of about 2%.

3. Find an architect

If you want an excellent architect, you could have a good one here: Don’t search further, we found it! Your architect design dream house in Spain! This architect works all over Spain and even started to work in Europe on a few different projects.

Your architect will:

• create a first draft of the project
• ask for the authorisation for building the project with the local authorities
• The tax for the authorisation is about 2-3% of the price of the works and varies between the different
• check the authorisation

In general, the cost of the architect is about 10% of the construction costs.

4. Contractor

Your architect could help you with this step. You will have to compare between contractors. Check the financial health of those companies… and of course negotiate to get the best all-in price. Check for warranties and ask for a precise schedule of payments. You will have to pay the VAT of course on the works of 10%.

5. Follow up of the works

This is the job of the architect. At the end, you should get a technical control of the site as well.

6. Get the delivery of your villa

You will receive a certificate of conformity. You will need as well the license of the first occupation on which you will have to pay a tax. The local authorities will control the property then finally the Contractor will deliver the property.

Last but not least, you will get a bunch of Certificates for your utilities.

You will need to go to the notary to get the “Escritura de Obra Nueva” which is a precise description of the new build property with a valuation of the property. It will be registered in the Register of properties. For this act you will have to pay a tax of 1.5% to 2%.

The contractor should have a insurance for his responsibility for the next 10 years. If not maybe you should ask for an insurance.

Do you think that it’s too much work to build your own property but you really want a new build property?

Picture Credit of the “featured image” at the top of this article, follow this link to review the full project: Fran Silvestre Arquitectos working everywhere in Spain and in some parts of the world, ask us to be put in touch with them and benefit from the strength of our network.

Discover the best new build projects in Spain available right now

New build for sale in Spain € 320,000

2 beds 1 bath 61.3 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 313,000

2 beds 2 baths 61.3 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 540,000

3 beds 3 baths 191 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 520,000

3 beds 2 baths 109 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 345,000

2 beds 2 baths 97 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 435,000

3 beds 2 baths 114 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 350,000

3 beds 2 baths 106 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 273,000

2 beds 2 baths 83 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 368,000

3 beds 2 baths 103 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 315,000

2 beds 2 baths 90 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 245,000

2 beds 2 baths 83 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 335,000

3 beds 2 baths 98 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 250,000

2 beds 2 baths 90 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 420,000

2 beds 2 baths 81.7 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 475,000

3 beds 2 baths 101.9 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 490,000

3 beds 2 baths 119.8 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 540,000

3 beds 2 baths 129.2 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 530,000

3 beds 2 baths 106.9 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 370,000

2 beds 2 baths 88.9 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 440,000

3 beds 2 baths 106.9 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 367,000

3 beds 3 baths 177 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 262,000

3 beds 2 baths 84 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 242,000

2 beds 2 baths 72 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 277,000

2 beds 2 baths 73 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 255,000

3 beds 2 baths 85 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 220,000

2 beds 2 baths 71 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 240,000

2 beds 2 baths 80 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 280,000

3 beds 2 baths 88 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 585,000

3 beds 3 baths 162 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 348,000

3 beds 2 baths 220 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 355,000

3 beds 2 baths 100 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 385,000

2 beds 2 baths 76 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 325,000

3 beds 2 baths 97 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 269,000

2 beds 2 baths 81 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 631,000

3 beds 2 baths 123 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 345,000

2 beds 2 baths 154 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 430,000

3 beds 2 baths 116 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 730,000

3 beds 2 baths 149 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 529,000

3 beds 2 baths 133 m²

New build for sale in Spain € 319,000

2 beds 2 baths 87 m²

Have a look at our paper on buying an apartment in Spain off Plan.

Looking for an expert in Spain? Ask us directly!

Stéphane

Senior Analyst and Strategist at HTBIS

Check the full team of HTBIS here

The post Do you want to build your own villa in Spain? appeared first on How to buy in Spain.

Buying a new build property off plan in Spain?

You may buy a property off plan, or you may want to build it with your architect.

If you want an excellent architect, remember this article we wrote about a beautiful project in the Valencian region: Don’t search further, we found it! Your architect design dream house in Spain! This architect works all over Spain and even started to work in Europe on a few different projects.

What should you pay attention to?

• Check the pictures you received representing the project.
• What about spatial planning in the plot of lands adjacent to your new property?
• Is there a valid building permit for your new property?
• Check the building permit
• Check if the contractor has an insurance or a bank warranty (see next point)

Please note that you have to pay VAT on the total amount: the value of the land AND the building costs. You have to pay a local tax for creating the legal act of between 1 and 2% to the local authorities.

Bank Guarantees in Spain: Law 57/68

Check the warranty from the contractor, before doing your first downpayment, it is a legal obligation.

• Either a Bank warranty or insurance
• The law forces banks (or the insurance) to refund payments for unfinished properties.
• The payments’ dates for all the different payments should be clear and it should be clearly stated what works should be done for each of those.

What should your purchase contract mention?

• The delivery date
• The payments’ dates for all the different payments
• Detailed plans for the property
• Check the square meters build vs the usable square meters in a condominium
• The standard set of specifications
• If the building permit was not yet given to the developer:
  • it is important to add a clause that the contract will start AFTER the building permit is granted!
  • Make the first payment, ONLY AFTER the building permit is granted.

Delivery of your new build property

• Snagging the property
• Check the property act
• Sign at the notary

You have a 3-year warranty on the building works from the contractor and a 10-year warranty from the architect on design faults and the main parts of the structure but pay attention, not everything is covered so you could need to take an insurance for that.

Discover the best new build projects in Spain available right now

If you prefer to build your own villa in Spain, read our paper on that.

Have a look at one of our most read paper with more on that: What is the real cost of buying your Spanish Property? and read the paper written by one of our local legal partner: What should you pay attention to when buying a property in Spain?

We listed more than 30.000 plot of lands from bank repossessions, have a look at our last paper on that: Spanish bank repossessions: Your ultimate guide to 120.000 properties or at our main page with all the real estate bank portals in Spain. We are quite proud to say that our paper was read more than 300 times in its first week.

Even if it looks quite simple, in order to avoid any bad surprise … that will cost you much more than the cost of an excellent lawyer. Find a local independent lawyer speaking your language in our network.

Looking for an expert in Spain? Ask us directly!

Stéphane

Senior Analyst and Strategist at HTBIS

Check the full team of HTBIS here

The post Buy a new build property in Spain appeared first on How to buy in Spain.