Posted: Sat Apr 18, 2020 10:48am
Click on the "Jim's Guides" tab at the top of the page, it gives all the information you will need.
Find your ideal area first, then look for the house. Assuming you are retiring, think of where your closest supermarket, bar, restaurant, pharmacy, doctor etc are as there may come a day when you can no longer drive. Those beautiful views mostly come with hills.
Research flash flooding as this is a regular occurrence here but the September 2019 flooding was unprecedented, it is the more regular localised heavy rainstorms that you need to consider.
Spanish homes are not generally built to the same standards as UK ones and have single skin walls and little in the way of heating, insulation or soundproofing. For a smallish apartment, air conditioning should suffice and is cheaper than for cooling in summer but the forum is usually full of questions about heating once the temperatures drop in the Autumn.
Flat roofs leak! Large picture windows will spend most of the time with curtains closed to keep out the sun and then let in the cold in the winter. Solariums can become far too hot to use in the height of the summer.
Think noise. Noise will travel between adjoining properties. See the area in August and say, February before committing. Communal pools will get very noisy in Summer and some areas will be very quiet in winter.
Dogs. I have two of my own and love them dearly but they bark like most other dogs. Some dogs are left on their own all day and possibly most of the week in some cases and it is a regular subject on here. They also need to go to the toilet and the evidence is everywhere.
If you will have a car it would be best to have a garage, off road parking or an allocated space. It is advisable to buy a car here although 2nd hand prices are much higher and don't be tempted to buy a bargain 2nd hand Spanish registered car in the UK (see Jim's Guides).
Most estate agents work together so plump for the one you feel gives the best service and deal just with them. Another poster suggested e-mailing a few to build up a relationship, see how fast and well they answer your queries etc. Casas Manuel, amongst others, get good reviews. NEVER use their recommended Abogado and never give a deposit to the agent. I can personally recommend Uma at getlegalinspain.com for conveyancing, NIE; Residencia, Spanish driving licence, tax etc. You can do it all yourself by following Jim's Guides or the agent may offer some of these services or you can go to a one-stop shop like Uma, just spend this time making contacts and comparing prices.
Bank accounts. Many, many posts on here re bank charges as banking in Spain is not free. Some charge very high fees for the banker's draft when you purchase your property and you can only withdraw cash for free at your own bank's ATMs.
Complimentary Tax. On top of the 10% Purchase tax and then another 3-5% for other costs, beware of bargains and I imagine there will be a lot once this is all over. Much like with the council tax banding in the UK, Spanish properties all have a listed value which doesn't seem to have changed for many years and if the taxman, a couple of years down the line, notices you have paid less than the listed value, you will be sent a demand with very limited appeal time given. Always ask your abogado for this value and factor in this extra tax or get the valuation appealed before you buy.
Deeds. Make sure that the property is exactly as described, so pack a tape measure. If something is described as an Almacen, or storage, or garage and it is now a bedroom with en-suite, or an open terrace has been glazed in or the swimming pool is not mentioned then this needs to be rectified at the seller's cost.
Habitacion Certificate. A whole other subject which may have the potential to cause huge problems.
Photocopies. Make sure you have a printer and plenty of paper, you will need it.
Feel free to ask further questions as there is a wealth of knowledge on here including a handy guide by Jim on how to search for existing info.
Edit: A gestor will be cheaper than an abogado to sort out NIE, transferring utilities etc.