Banker's Draft

We paid our Solicitor who then drew up a 'cheque' to be paid at Notary

Unfortunately, our solicitor doesn't do that........

It's in your option to follow other's advice or not. Conveniently, such payments should be made in a way the money flow is recorded, which doesn't mean that it's safe. Your solicitor (hopefully not appointed or even recommended by the seller or an agent) should take care that you get what you pay for including a "certificado de eficiencia energetica", "certificado/cedula de habitabilidad", boletin electrico" to name just the most important. Have you had a look in the "Plan de actuacion urbanistica" for possible future restrictions/affections. In everything "built" duly included in the land register? Last not least there is a special tax "Impuesto sobre el incremento del valor de los terrenos" which according to Law has to be born by the seller, but is in many cases and due to lack of knowledge charged in the deed to the buyer - you should not accept this. When signing the deed, the notary will ask you whether he shall take care of the official matters (taxes, fees, registry etc.) or you will take care of this on your own. It is not very compliacted and you can save bunch. Otherwise ask for a binding estimate.

Thanks, yeah, all that side of things is well under control and I am happy with my solicitor who seems very thorough, and is nothing to do with the estate agent.

It's the actual hand over of the money I'm interested in..... and am wondering if there's an alternative to a Banker's Draft. Apart from taking a bag of cash to the notary.

We had to pay for our house by bankers draft.

Just beware that the cost of the draft varies from bank to bank. They charge a varying percentage of the amount of the draft. Even paying a 0.5 % fee  of your purchase price can be a horrendous sum to exchange for the banks time to issue a small piece of paper.

If you need to open another account to complete your house purchase,  explain you are opening it for a house purchase and negotiate a fee in writing.

Also confirm the maximum amount that you can deposit in a single transaction without being charged. You may have to make three of four separate transfers  into the account to avoid banking charges. 
Will your N26 bank allow you to draw out enough cash to pay all the legal fees, which have to be handed over on the day of purchase.

But to be honest your solicitor should have mentioned all of this to you.

Lynn

She has! But she didn't know if we could get a banker's draft from N26- and neither did we. 

I agree with Jayne62.  I don't know whether Spanish lawyers get a kick-back from the banks for all these Banker's Drafts, or whether individual Notaries need to be dragged into the 21st Century, but when my husband sold his parents' house in La Marina 3 years ago, payment at the Notary in Guardamar was made by electronic transfer.

Kind regards, 

Kim