 Buying
Property in
Spain
3. Must
I use an agent to handle my Spanish property purchase?
The answer is no!
At least that's my opinion and one which is shared by many
fellow property owners in Spain.
I successfully bought a villa directly from the owners and
saved myself several thousands of pounds worth of commission.
So have thousands of other buyers.
By all means by-pass the middleman if you've got the time and
inclination to seek out your dream home by your own efforts.
But whatever you do, DON'T by-pass a lawyer once you've found
it.
As long as you take good legal advice (more on this in my
next tip) you don't actually need an agent. Of course there
are many good and helpful agents around (they're known as "inmobiliaria" in
Spain); the obvious advantages of using one is that they have
a ready stock of properties available and will escort you to
view them, often supplying much helpful advice and information
along the way.
The great disadvantage is that average commissions are about
6% of the purchase price and in some cases much higher. Agents
use the complexities of Spanish property law and the time and
effort involved in dealing with overseas buyers in order to
justify what are often extortionate fees.
If you have the luxury of being able to spend some weeks in
your chosen area hunting for suitable properties, you'll find
plenty of villas and apartments advertised as private sales.
Look out for "se vende" (for sale) signs which vendors
stick on walls, hedges and gates. Properties are also advertised
privately in the local Spanish and English language newspapers
and the free guides which you find in supermarkets, bars and
hotels.
If you do decide to use an agent, hunt around for a firm with
a good reputation and low commissions.
Then get yourself a good lawyer - more on that subject next!
4.
Must I use a lawyer to handle my Spanish property purchase?
Content for these pages is © Ann Knight, all rights reserved.
Related Links
Andalucia Real
Estate - Property for sale in Andalucia.
Buying
a property in Spain - Ann's own site promting her book.
Properties
In Europe - European property portal with a searchable
database of properties to buy and rent in France, Spain,
Italy and Portugal. Includes for French, Spanish, Italian
and Portuguese properties.
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