Complimentary Services

The Property Emporium is proud to be able to offer you the best in pre and post sales assistance. The Directors, Karen and John, have spent a total of 17 years both living and working on the Coast and are happy to share their knowledge and useful contacts with you. Here listed below are just some of the helpful, if not, essential services they can offer you but please do Contact Us for more information regarding these subjects or, indeed, anything else you may need help with.

BUYING / LEGAL PROCEDURES

With the obvious exception of the vendor of a property , the key people involved in the procedure of buying a property are...

YOU: Firstly, you have to decide on the size and type of property you require and, indeed, the location you prefer. You should then calculate your budget, bearing in mind you will have to allow, approximately, an additional 10% for related costs (see later). Don’t lose heart if, at this stage, you don’t think you can afford what you want, many people are now taking advantage of the many mortgage and equity release schemes available.

Now it is time to start looking at suitable properties. Our Properties section will show you full details of what is on offer, enabling you to shortlist those of interest. Then, all you have to do is get on a plane and view them personally.

Having selected the property of your choice and agreed price, terms and conditions with the vendor, it is time to appoint a lawyer.

LAWYER:
Your lawyer should fluently speak your language – we can help you here of course. At this stage, you will usually have left a small holding deposit with your agent who will hold this safely whilst your lawyer conducts his legal searches to ensure the property has full legal title, is correctly registered and has no debt attached to it. He will also require copies of the utility bills and other outgoings related to the property to ensure all is paid up to date and enabling him to notify all parties of the change of ownership after completion.

Once the above is satisfactorily concluded and you and the vendor have agreed a completion date, you must pay a 10% deposit and sign the Contract of sale.

On the agreed completion date, your lawyer will accompany you to the Notary’s office to sign the Escritura (title deed) and any other relevant documentation. The balance of the purchase price is also paid. The deed is notarised and then sent to the Land Registry.

Your lawyer will account fully to you and deal with the payment of all taxes and costs related with your purchase. He will also set up standing orders for the future payment of utilities, rates, community fees etc.

Usually your purchase costs can be broken down as;

Purchase Tax - 7% of purchase price
Lawyer’s Fee - 1% of purchase price
Notary’s Fee - 1% of purchase price
Land Registry Fee - 1% of purchase price

You should allow a further 1-2% more if taking mortgage finance.

Plus Valia is another tax payable at completion but, unless otherwise agreed, this is normally paid by the seller.

ESTATE AGENT:
A reputable estate agent on the Coast will do so much more than merely show you properties. Based on our years of experience, we at The Property Emporium will have compiled a detailed file of all information relevant to each property we have listed and can, usually, answer any query you may have. We will guide you through each stage of the transaction and accompany you personally to banks, lawyers offices etc. Once completion has taken place, as you will read below, we will assist you in a number of ways, making the whole process as simple and stress-free as possible for you. And, we will still be here months and years later to help you too, just Contact Us.

Many people nowadays are taking advantage of Spain’s low interest rates and obtaining mortgage finance to buy property. Mortgages can be taken in euros or in sterling, over varying periods of time and with flexible terms and conditions. Mortgages can also be ‘taken over’ by the purchaser of a property with an existing mortgage already in place – it can even be reduced or ‘topped up’.

We deal directly with Spain’s high street banks and also with mortgage brokers who will ‘shop around’ on your behalf for the deal that best suits you. Contact Us for further information.

When you own a property in Spain you will, of course, require a bank account. Your utilities such as electricity, rates, water etc will be paid by standing order and you may also wish to transfer funds from home to meet other expenses such as building works, installation of a new kitchen etc. We will be happy to introduce you to a helpful bank local to you. Most bank staff speak very good English and will provide regular bank statements in English too. ‘On-line’ banking is also available. Contact Us for further information.

For all your insurance needs, our agent will be happy to discuss your requirements with you. The types of policies are numerous but range from building and contents, motor, life and medical as well as professional insurances for those of you perhaps wanting to set up in business. Contact Us for further information.

FURNITURE AND DECORATION

The Coast offers a wide range of furniture and DIY shops to suit all pockets. We will happily point you in the right direction and, if you would like us to, we will gladly accompany you.

Alternatively, we are pleased to be able to offer you our first class ‘furniture pack’ service. From the comfort of your own home, you can browse through a superb selection of furniture and soft furnishings and, once you have made your choices, we do the rest.

The ‘pack’ also includes many other essentials, for example, kitchen utensils, crockery and cookware, pictures, television and DVD players, bathroom fittings, bedding and towels, patio furniture etc. Perfect, perhaps, if you are buying an investment property for rental or, perhaps, you just don’t have the time. We buy it all for you and oversee its safe delivery and installation. Contact Us for further information.

MAINTENANCE AND BUILDING

If you are buying a property which, perhaps, requires some modernisation or merely you just want to make some changes, our team of experts are at your disposal. From painters and decoraters, plumbers, tilers and electricians to master builders, we will happily obtain quotes on your behalf and, if you cannot do so yourself, we will oversee all works carried out, reporting fully to you at all times.

If you are buying or have already bought a plot of land and wish to build a property, we can also help you. We can advise you on the necessary steps you need to take, put you in touch with architects and obtain quotes from builders for you. Once you are ready to build, we will assist you to oversee the whole project from digging out the foundations to the installation of the very last plug socket. As already mentioned, we can also help you with all the finishing touches too from swimming pools and gardens to kitchens and satellite television systems. Contact Us for further information.

MANAGEMENT AND RENTALS

If you are buying a holiday home here rather than a permanent residence, your property may remain empty for long periods of time.

Our Property Management service allows you to leave any worry that this may cause you with us. We will visit your property regularly and ensure that all is well, dealing with any problems which may occur, reporting fully to you at all times. You may also wish for us to organise for your property to be cleaned before and/or after your visits and all laundry dealt with. Perhaps even arrive to a grocery pack in the fridge? Contact Us for further information.

Again, if you are buying a property for holidays only or merely as an investment, you may wish to consider rentals. Our Rental service is straight forward and reliable. Tenants are found via magazine and newspaper advertising as well as via the internet and, of course, word of mouth and recommendations. Incoming tenants pay a holding deposit when booking in advance and will also pay a security bond, refunded only when vacating the property which they have left in perfect order. Any accidental damage caused by them will be sorted out by us and the cost deducted from the security deposit. Incidentally, damage is very rare and is not a cause for concern at all. The property is cleaned and fresh laundry left for the next tenant.

You are, of course, always able to rent the property out yourself aswell. We will keep you fully up to date with all bookings taken enabling you, at a glance, to ascertain dates still available. Just let us know as soon as you make a booking and we will do the rest. Contact Us for further information.

So, as you can see, The Property Emporium is much more than just a real estate agency.