property is bought in Spain, a check must be made with the local Land Registry to ascertain if the person selling the property, is the rightful owner and whether there are any outstanding debts, liens or mortgages attached to the property. This is known as the title search, (Nota Simple - Local Search), which must always be done prior to purchase.

the search, a Private Purchase Contract, (Contrato Privado de Compraventa - Private Purchase Contract), must be prepared and if this is in Spanish, I will translate it for you as well. Then the formal Title Deed, (Escritura de Compraventa) is to be signed in front of a Notary

the Deed of Conveyance is signed, there is the matter of due taxes which take the various forms as:-
Impuesto de Transmisiones Patrimoniales (purchaser) - Transfer Tax.
Impuesto sobre Bienes Inmuebles (purchaser) - Sales Tax
Plusvalia - Capital Gains Tax
Impuesto sobre el Valor Anadido (purchaser) - Value Added Tax
Actos Juridicos Documentados (purchaser) - Title Registry

confirmation that the appropriate taxes have been paid, the Deed of Conveyance is then lodged at Land Registry.

are all sorts of after effects to any purchase of property, services like water, electricity and telephone must be contracted; and if the property is in an urbanization or block of flats, the community of owners must be informed of the new owner's name and standing orders organized to pay the community charges.

can do all that for you, whether you are here or live abroad and before you sign any documents I'll translate them for you.

on Community issues, AGMs, Statutes, voting, minutes, debtors, rights and obligations of owners.

you buy a flat or a villa in an Urbanization or Residential Complex in Spain, you are buying into a Community of Owners. Your property is part of that Community.
What does this mean? Well, you will have an additional monthly bill to pay for the maintenance of the common shared elements such as swimming pool, tennis court, gardens, community employees etc.

you will have a say on how the money is spent at the Annual General Meetings of the Community, where you have the right to speak and to vote.

if you don't pay your community quotas you could be facing an expensive lawsuit which could result in the sale of your property in public auction.

before you buy, as your solicitor I would also check that the seller is up to date on the payment of his quotas so you don't inherit his debt.

what about the Statutes? These are the rules of the Community and are based on Spanish Law. I would be happy to translate and explain them to you.

Larger images can be found, click photo's

Angela Ruiz-Cortina Sierra    spanishlawyer.net

Larger images can be found, click photo's

Larger images can be found, click photo's