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SPAIN  |
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| Q: |
What’s the weather
like in the winter? |
| A: |
Much, much warmer than Northern
Europe with a lot less rainfall. Most people on the
Costa del Sol don’t even feel the need for central
heating and with over 320 days of sunshine every year,
overcoats are a rare sight even in December and January.
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| Q: |
What if the builders run into major
problems and can’t finish the property? |
| A: |
As described above your money is bank
guaranteed. However the days when this kind of thing used
to occasionally happen is very much a thing of the past.
New Spanish and EU laws have been in place for many years
now to protect the interests of the purchaser. |
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| Q: |
Should I use a solicitor from my own
country? |
| A: |
This is not at all necessary, as your
lawyer back home would still have to use a local Spanish
lawyer resulting in you receiving two sets of legal bills.
All communications from your Spanish lawyer will be in
your own language. |
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| Q: |
What other costs on top of the purchase
price can I expect? |
| A: |
Normally you should allow an additional
10% on top of the purchase price for legal and notary
fees, Land Registry, VAT or Transfer Tax and Stamp Duty.
Your lawyer will give you a detailed estimate as part
of his quotation. If you’re considering a mortgage,
the bank may charge an arrangement fee and the cost of
a survey. |
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| Q: |
Is there a building guarantee with
a new property? |
| A: |
New properties have a 10-year guarantee
very similar to the NHBC guarantee in the UK. Although
this type of guarantee has been compulsory in many Northern
European counties for many years, it only became compulsory
in Spain within the last 2 years. Most things we buy in
this world have a guarantee, so it obviously makes sense
to have a guarantee on such a large investment as a property. |
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| Q: |
What are community fees? |
| A: |
Community fees apply for properties
that have the benefit of services such as a swimming pool,
24hr security, up-keep of gardens and general maintenance.
As part of the Golden Promise we will ensure you have
all this information before you make your final decision. |
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| Q: |
Is the property freehold? |
| A: |
Yes. |
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| Q: |
Can I get a mortgage? |
| A: |
Yes, they are readily available and
mortgage rates in Spain are generally lower than most
European Countries. |
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| Q: |
I’m buying a new property, will
I be able to inspect it before I complete? |
| A: |
Absolutely! With a new property, before
you instruct your lawyer to complete the purchase, we
will inspect the property with you and detail anything
that might need putting right. Once rectified to your
satisfaction, the title deeds can be signed. |
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| Q: |
Do I have to be here for each stage
of the legal process? |
| A: |
No. You can instruct your lawyer to
act on your behalf, even for the final completion. |
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| Q: |
What if I change my mind before completion?
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| A: |
You are committed to the Private Purchase
Contract but some people do sell their new property before
completion and can benefit from profits of up to 30% or
more on the money they initially invested! |
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| Q: |
Should we learn the language? |
| A: |
If you’re planning to work in
the Spanish community it is advisable. Otherwise you’ll
soon be getting by in Spanglish and picking up the useful
phrases which add to the quality and fun of life. Spanish
is regarded as one of the easier lan-guages to learn and
many people get started using a phrase book or basic cassette
tape. For the more serious there are dozens of low cost
language schools that cater for students of all ages and
ability! And for the less serious there are probably more
English speaking establishments on the Costa del Sol than
anywhere else in Spain. |
ARIZONA
