What most people interested in Spanish property want is clear unbiased advice, after hearing many clients ask similar questions we have decided to publish the answers to our most commonly asked questions as an easy reference source for anyone who is thinking of moving to Spain

Q: How much will I have to pay for a property?
A: Spanish property prices generally start from as little as £75,000 for a freehold apartment. A good 2 or 3 bedroom apartment or semi in a nice location would start from around £85,000 and quality villas these days command prices starting from around £140,000. With the very low cost of Spanish mortgages Spanish Resale property is now very affordable.

Q: What are the hidden costs I should expect to pay above and beyond the agreed purchase price of a Spanish property?
A:We normally recommend you allow about 10% of the purchase price to cover
Spanish IVA tax and legal and notary fees (IVA is the Spanish version of UK Vat and is 7% on most properties).

Q: How much does it actually cost to live in Spain?
A: Living costs are considerably less than Britain. A typical 2 bedroom household generally costs less than £1000 per annum to run. This includes Electricity, Water, Social rates, Community Fees and House & Contents Insurance.

Q: Where in Spain are the properties available?
A: We have numerous Resale Spanish property across the East and South of Spain in both coastal and inland locations. We have offices in Costa Blanca, Costa Calida, Costa Almeria and the Costa del Sol and source properties across these areas.

Q:How good are the Spanish Health Facilities ?
A:UK citizens are fully covered by the Spanish health care services whilst in Spain. The Spanish healthcare services, set up in 1986, are amongst the best in Europe, with a standard of care said to be at least as good as in the UK.

Q: What is the property market like in Spain?
A: For the past few years Spanish property prices have been seeing very strong growth. This has been forecast to continue for the foreseeable future. Buying a Spanish property has proved to be an excellent investment for many of our clients.

Q: I’d like to buy a Resale Spanish property but am unsure how to go about it and what happens afterwards, Do you help?
A: We provide an ongoing service which lasts long after we have found the right property for you. We provide a full after care service covering all areas of buying Spanish property. This includes help with banking, legal matters residence issues, help with furnishing and all of the small details that need to be looked after.

If you are planning to let out your property then we can introduce you to reputable English speaking letting agents and property maintenance companies who can look after your interests when you are in the UK.

Q: What are the main benefits of buying a Resale property?
A: Resale Properties sales are usually completed within 6 — 10 weeks giving you the chance to enjoy your new property very quickly indeed. In Spain it is also normal to sell properties fully furnished so you will not have to rush around spending time and money fitting out a whole house.

Q: I can’t speak Spanish how will I get on?
A:Spain now has a very large English speaking population. In the coastal areas most shopkeepers, restaurant staff and indeed many Spanish people in general have a basic knowledge of English. Many menus, signs and prices are in English as well as Spanish. There are now numerous English language newspapers published in Spain. In rural and traditional Spanish areas you may find English is less frequently spoken.

Q: Can I drive in Spain on my ordinary UK Driving Licence ?
A:Yes, a UK driving licence entitles you to drive in any European union country including Spain.

Q: I have heard that there are many people who own a Spanish home and rent it out for a few weeks a year to cover their mortgage costs is this easy to do?
A:There are many English speaking letting agents based in Spain who will, for a percentage of the rent charged, handle every aspect of renting out your Spanish property. At Spain the easy way we can recommend reputable Spanish property agents, please do contact us for a copy of our free letting guide which explains the process and gives you example rents.

Q: Can I get a mortgage to buy a Spanish property ?
A:UK citizens can, subject to status, take out a Spanish mortgage. Currently due to lower interest rates Spanish mortgages are considerably cheaper than UK mortgages, this probably accounts for the large number of UK citizens who are now taking on a Spanish mortgage. Once again please do contact us for written details and example payments.

Q: What do we do now?
A: The best way of getting information tailored to you is to apply for one of our unique and free personal property packs which will contain information and properties based on your particular requirements, if you like what you see you could then consider going on one of our industry leading inspection tours. If you are seeking an answer to a particular question you can, of course, always contact us by email or telephone.

Q: What is an inspection tour?
A: An Inspection tour is a no obligation chance to view Spanish property, as our guests, over 4 or 5 days in Spain. Please see our inspection tour page for more details of our comprehensive and well respected tours.

Q: Do we have to buy on an inspection tour? Will we be put under pressure to make a decision there and then?
A: Not at all, we guarantee clients are under no obligation to buy at any time. In fact our service is so good that some non-buyers have gone on to recommend us to their friends because of our professionalism, knowledge and total lack of any pressure. The areas and properties are a dream and usually sell themselves, but the final choice is always made by you as you are the only one who can decided what is right for your family.

This is just a brief selection of some of our most common questions, please do not hesitate to contact us if you have a question of your own.

For more information why not request your free “no obligation personal property pack, alternatively if you have a particular question you can contact us direct for an informal chat.