Every UK buyer asks this, used to a conveyancing solicitor handling the legal side of a purchase. In Spain, the honest answer comes in two parts: a lawyer is not compulsory, but their work is.
What happens in practice in Spain
Nothing obliges a buyer to use a lawyer (abogado). Many Spaniards buy without one. But they know the system, read the documents in their own language and know which traps to look out for. For a foreign buyer, going it alone means signing contracts you only half understand, in a legal framework you don't know.
The checks that must be done, in every case
- Analysis of the nota simple: ownership, mortgages, easements, seizures.
- Checking debts attached to the property: community fees, property tax.
- Planning checks: permits, whether surface areas and extensions comply.
- Reviewing and negotiating the arras contract before signing.
- Preparing and checking the deed of sale.
How we have organised it
At Acheter Malin Costa Brava, a review of the transaction by our partner lawyer is an integral part of our support: it is included in our fees. You don't have to find an English-speaking Spanish lawyer, compare quotes or coordinate everyone: the process is in place, well-tested, and every property goes through the same filter before you sign anything.
Legal certainty is not a luxury extra; it is the foundation of a stress-free purchase. That is why we put it at the heart of the process, not as an add-on.
