Buying on the Costa Brava, with complete peace of mind

Key points, step by step

1. Unlike an agency, we don't sell anything: we defend your interests as a buyer and nothing else.
2. We search the whole market in the area, not just a portfolio of properties for sale.
3. We support you up to the signing at the notary, and beyond, so you can settle in smoothly.

Key points, step by step

1. An agency offers its own listings; we search the whole market, including other agencies' listings.
2. An agency highlights a property's strengths; we also point out its weaknesses.
3. An agency negotiates for its seller client; we negotiate for you, to bring the price down.

Key points, step by step

1. You contact us by phone, WhatsApp or email, and we arrange a first meeting, often by video call.
2. We talk about your project: type of property, areas, budget, timing and how you plan to use it.
3. You get our frank view on feasibility, then a clear support proposal if you want to go ahead.

Key points, step by step

1. The fees are set out in black and white in the search agreement, before we start.
2. Most of our fee depends on success: no property found and bought, no success fee.
3. A good negotiation often covers a large part of the fees: we know the real market prices.

Key points, step by step

1. We do the first viewings for you and send you photos, videos and an honest report on each property.
2. Viewings worth doing can take place by video call, live with us on site.
3. You only travel for the final shortlist, or not at all: buying by power of attorney is possible.

Key points, step by step

1. Our core area: the Costa Brava, from Blanes to Portbou, coast and inland.
2. Also covered: the Maresme, Barcelona and the Costa Dorada, through our partner network.
3. Torn between several areas? We help you compare them objectively for your project.

Key points, step by step

1. Search and viewings: a few weeks to three months, depending on your criteria and the market.
2. From accepted offer to preliminary contract (arras contract): one to three weeks.
3. From preliminary contract to signing at the notary: one to three months, longer with a mortgage.

Key points, step by step

1. We handle every discussion with sellers, agencies and authorities in Spanish or Catalan.
2. At viewings and important meetings, we act as your interpreter.
3. At the notary, the law requires you to understand the deed: translation and explanations are part of our support.

Key points, step by step

1. Second home: priority on lifestyle, access from France and ease of upkeep.
2. Buy-to-let: analysis of rental potential, local tourist-letting rules and the real return.
3. Moving or retiring: special attention to year-round life, services, healthcare and the off-season atmosphere.

Key points, step by step

1. Start from your total capacity: available deposit plus any financing.
2. Subtract around 12% to 14% for purchase costs (transfer tax, notary, registry, formalities).
3. Keep a reserve for initial work, furniture and the unexpected.

Key points, step by step

1. Preparation: NIE, confirmed budget and, if needed, a Spanish bank account.
2. Search, viewings, offer and negotiation, followed by the legal checks on the property.
3. Signing the arras contract (the preliminary contract) with a deposit, then the escritura (deed of sale) at the notary.

Key points, step by step

1. We visit first: we check on site that the property matches the listing and your criteria.
2. An honest report with photos and videos, weak points included.
3. Viewing with you, in person or by video call, with translation and a critical eye: condition, surroundings, potential, real price.

Key points, step by step

1. It sets the final price, the deadline for signing at the notary and any special conditions.
2. In its most common form (arras penitenciales), a buyer who withdraws loses the deposit; a seller who withdraws must pay back double.
3. It is only signed after full legal checks on the property: that is our non-negotiable condition.

Key points, step by step

1. We estimate the property's real value from actual sales in the area, not asking prices.
2. We look into the context: how long the property has been on the market, why it is for sale, and how much room the seller has.
3. We make a well-argued offer and lead the negotiation in Spanish, calmly and without rushing.

Key points, step by step

1. The nota simple from the land registry: who really owns the property, and what charges it carries (mortgages, easements, seizures).
2. Debts attached to the property: community fees and IBI (property tax), which can follow the property after the sale.
3. The planning situation: whether the buildings comply, and whether extensions were declared, especially for houses.

Key points, step by step

1. Accepted offer then arras contract: one to three weeks, the time needed for the checks.
2. Arras contract then deed of sale: four to twelve weeks, depending on financing, power of attorney and availability.
3. Cash purchase and a simple file: the signing can happen very quickly, sometimes in under a month overall.

Key points, step by step

1. The notary checks identities, reads the deed (escritura) and makes sure you understand its contents.
2. The balance of the price is paid, usually by Spanish banker's cheque or secure transfer, and the keys are handed over.
3. After the signing: paying the taxes, registering at the land registry and transferring the utility contracts, which we oversee.

Key points, step by step

1. With standard arras penitenciales: you can withdraw, but the deposit (often 10%) stays with the seller.
2. If the seller withdraws, they must pay you back double the deposit.
3. Well-drafted conditions (for example, getting a mortgage) let you recover the deposit in the situations they cover.

Key points, step by step

1. Taxes: resale properties pay property transfer tax (ITP); new-builds pay 10% VAT plus stamp duty.
2. Guarantees: new-builds come with builder's guarantees; resale properties are bought as seen, hence the importance of checks.
3. Timing: buying off-plan involves stage payments and a delivery date that must be secured in the contract.

Key points, step by step

1. The power of attorney is signed before a notary in Spain, at the Spanish consulate in France, or before a French notary with an apostille and certified translation.
2. It defines exactly the powers given: signing the deed, paying, and handling the related formalities.
3. On the day, your representative signs for you at the notary; you follow everything remotely.

Key points, step by step

1. From France: apply at a Spanish consulate (Paris, Lyon, Marseille…), by appointment, with form EX-15 and proof of your purchase plans.
2. In Spain: apply to the National Police or the oficina de extranjería. It is often quicker, but appointments are in high demand in season.
3. Allow a few days to several weeks depending on the route you choose: start early in your search.

Key points, step by step

1. For the signing: payment is very often made by Spanish banker's cheque, which is hard to get without a local account.
2. For running the property: water and electricity bills and community fees are paid by direct debit from a Spanish account.
3. Opening one is simple for a non-resident: passport, NIE, proof of income; some banks have French-speaking advisers.

Key points, step by step

1. They check the identity of the parties, the seller's capacity to sell, the property's status at the registry and the legality of the deed.
2. They read the deed to the parties and make sure they give informed consent before signing.
3. They do not carry out a thorough investigation of the property on your behalf: the prior checks remain the buyer's responsibility.

Key points, step by step

1. The law does not require a lawyer to buy property; the notary is enough to authenticate the sale.
2. However, the legal check on the property before the arras contract is vital: title, charges, planning, debts.
3. Our support includes a review of the transaction by our partner lawyer: these checks are included in our fees.

Key points, step by step

1. The seller should in principle provide a valid cédula at the time of the sale.
2. Without a valid cédula, it is impossible or very difficult to put the meters in your name.
3. We check that it exists and is valid as soon as we analyse the property, together with the energy certificate.

Key points, step by step

1. Each property has an entry (finca) showing its owner, its description and any registered charges.
2. The nota simple, an extract from the registry, is easy to request and reveals mortgages, easements and seizures.
3. After your purchase, registering the deed makes your ownership official and protects it.

Key points, step by step

1. For everyone: a valid passport or identity card, and an NIE for each buyer.
2. For payment: proof of the source of funds (the bank and notary ask for it under anti-money-laundering rules).
3. Depending on your situation: bank file for a mortgage, notarised power of attorney for a remote purchase, marriage certificate if your marital property regime needs to be stated.

Key points, step by step

1. Ask how much the fees are, what they cover (pool, lift, caretaker) and for the certificate confirming that the seller is up to date with payments.
2. Read the minutes of the latest general meetings: work voted on, ongoing disputes, exemptions.
3. Check the reserve fund and any major work coming up: facade, roof, lift.

Key points, step by step

1. Buying as a couple: the shares are stated in the deed and should reflect your marital property regime and your contributions.
2. Buying through a company: rarely worthwhile for a simple second home, sometimes relevant for structured rental or wealth-planning projects.
3. Passing the property on (inheritance, gifts) should be considered from the moment you buy: Spanish and French law will both come into play.

Key points, step by step

1. The seller must provide it as soon as the property is put on the market, and it is attached to the deed of sale.
2. It rates the property from A to G; many older properties on the Costa Brava are rated E, F or G.
3. A poor rating is not a deal-breaker, but it sheds light on running costs and possible improvement work.

Key points, step by step

1. ITP (property transfer tax): around 10% of the price for most resale properties, with a progressive scale above €600,000.
2. Notary and land registry: allow around 1% to 1.5% of the price for both together.
3. Other costs: gestoría (formalities), any mortgage with its valuation fees, translations and paperwork.

Key points, step by step

1. Loan-to-value: generally 60% to 70% of the price or the valuation (whichever is lower) for a non-resident.
2. Deposit needed: 30% to 40% of the price, plus the 12% to 14% in costs, so often around 45% of the price in cash.
3. Your file: stable, documented income, tax returns, bank statements; banks look at your overall debt ratio.

Key points, step by step

1. It is calculated on the sale price, with a floor: the official reference value (valor de referencia) if that is higher.
2. Progressive Catalan scale: around 10% up to €600,000, higher rates above that; check the scale currently in force.
3. It is declared and paid within a month of signing; in practice the gestoría handles it.

Key points, step by step

1. IBI: municipal property tax, from a few hundred to over a thousand euros a year depending on the town and the property.
2. IRNR: non-resident tax on deemed income, due even if the property is not let; calculated on the cadastral value.
3. If you let the property: rental income is declared in Spain, and the property also becomes part of your French tax reporting.

Key points, step by step

1. Plan ahead: tell your French bank the amounts and dates, and have your transfer limits raised in advance.
2. Prepare proof of the source of funds: banks and the notary require it (sale, savings, gift, loan).
3. On the day, payment is made by Spanish banker's cheque or secure transfer: the funds must arrive several days beforehand.

Key points, step by step

1. The Spanish bank account is declared every year with your French income tax return (on the form for foreign accounts).
2. Rent received in Spain is also declared in France; the tax treaty removes double taxation through a tax credit.
3. The property counts towards IFI if your worldwide property assets exceed the threshold.

Key points, step by step

1. Spanish bank financing: 60% to 70% of the price or the valuation for a non-resident.
2. Purchase costs (ITP, notary, registry): paid in cash, never covered by the loan.
3. Add the costs of the loan itself: valuation, arrangement fee, any insurance.

Key points, step by step

1. The most sought-after areas (Begur, Calella de Palafrugell, Llafranc, Cadaqués) have the highest prices on the coast.
2. Towns such as Roses, L'Escala, Sant Feliu or Palamós offer better value for money, with real year-round services.
3. Inland (especially the Baix Empordà) has lovely village houses at much gentler prices than by the sea.

Key points, step by step

1. Fixed costs: IBI, non-resident tax, home insurance, water and electricity standing charges.
2. Flat: add community fees, noticeably higher with a pool, lift and caretaker.
3. House: add the garden and pool (maintenance, products, a maintenance company), in practice the biggest item.

Key points, step by step

1. Comprehensive home insurance: fire, water damage, third-party liability; check cover for periods when the property is empty.
2. With a Spanish mortgage: the bank requires at least fire insurance on the property.
3. If you let it out: declare the rental use to your insurer, and consider landlord's liability cover.

Key points, step by step

1. Within the month: settling the ITP and lodging the deed at the land registry, handled by the gestoría.
2. Transfers: water, electricity, gas, community fees and IBI are put in your name with payment by direct debit.
3. Notifications: town hall, owners' association, insurance; and setting up access (alarm, remote controls, letterboxes).

Key points, step by step

1. Standard case: a simple change of name on the existing contract, with no interruption, effective within a few days.
2. Documents required: deed or cadastral reference, NIE, Spanish IBAN, cédula de habitabilidad and sometimes the energy certificate.
3. Special case: if the supply was cut off or the contract cancelled long ago, reconnection may require a recent electrical installation certificate.

Key points, step by step

1. Holiday lets (short term): an HUT registration number is compulsory; many towns no longer issue them or restrict their number.
2. A property that already has a licence has real added value: in principle the licence transfers with the property, to be checked case by case.
3. Long-term lets: no tourist licence is needed, but there is a legal framework for tenancies and, in some areas, rent controls.

Key points, step by step

1. Before buying: we have the planned work costed so it can be built into the budget and the negotiation.
2. We put you in touch with our network of tradespeople and professionals who speak French or are used to French clients.
3. During the work: compared quotes, checked permits, regular photo updates and sign-off of each stage before every payment.

Key points, step by step

1. To live all year round: favour towns with permanent services such as Roses, Palamós, Sant Feliu de Guíxols or Palafrugell.
2. For charm and prestige: Begur, Calella de Palafrugell, Llafranc, Tamariu or Cadaqués, with budgets to match.
3. For value for money: L'Escala, Torroella de Montgrí-L'Estartit, or the inland villages of the Baix Empordà.

Key points, step by step

1. If you move here for good: registering is compulsory and gives access to municipal services and public healthcare.
2. If the property remains a second home: no empadronamiento, your residence stays in France.
3. Careful: registering as a resident has potential tax implications; resident status is not something you can pick and choose.

Key points, step by step

1. A local contact: a concierge company, a trusted neighbour or our partner network, for keys, emergencies and regular checks.
2. Admin on autopilot: all contracts paid by direct debit from the Spanish account, post forwarded or scanned.
3. Useful technology: a connected alarm, water-leak detector, remote-controlled thermostat, outdoor camera as needed.

Key points, step by step

1. Check fibre coverage at the exact address: excellent on most of the coast, patchier in remote inland areas.
2. Providers offer fibre + mobile packages without long contracts; your NIE and a Spanish IBAN are all you need.
3. For French TV: an internet box, the channels' apps or streaming services cover most needs.

Key points, step by step

1. Temporary stays: the EHIC (free, request it from your health insurance fund) gives access to the Spanish public system for unexpected care.
2. Moving or retiring here: European arrangements allow French retirees to join the Spanish health system.
3. Private care: private consultations and health insurance remain affordable and widely used, with French-speaking practitioners on the coast.

Key points, step by step

1. The main criterion: more than 183 days of physical presence in Spain in the calendar year.
2. Additional criteria: the centre of your economic interests, and where your spouse and minor children live.
3. The consequences: taxation in Spain on your worldwide income, and specific reporting obligations for assets abroad.