Some Of The Things To Note When Considering Retiring To Spain

Many Britons go to Southern Spain or Portugal for their holidays, and it is hardly surprising. The sun shines almost all the time and it is warm. That Mediterranean climate is just so different from ours here in the UK, the food is great, and there are plenty of fun things to do, especially for those who are golfers. Hardly surprising then that many Britons getting towards retirement age look to buy their own place in the sun and spend the rest of their lives there.

Nobody seems to know exactly how many Britons there are living in Spain, although one figure quoted from 2014 was 236,000. Another website stated that in some towns and villages there are actually more Britons than Spaniards. Whatever the figures, there is no doubt that a lot of people have retired to Spain, and – Brexit or not – will continue to do so.

If you are thinking of joining them, there are some things to look out for when purchasing property in Spain, especially if you decide to do it on your own. In the recession, property prices in Spain fell drastically, by almost 30%, but in the last couple of years they are beginning to recover, so now would be as good a time as any if you are thinking of making the move.

There are no restrictions on foreigners buying property in Spain. Indeed, it is rather the opposite, as the Spanish government encourages foreigners to invest. You will need an NIE number, which is a foreigner’s identification number, which you can obtain at a Spanish police station, or which a lawyer can obtain for you if you appoint one.

As it is easy for foreigners to purchase Spanish property, there are websites and estate agents in Spain that cater to just about every language you can think of. There are also many British estate agents, but these are aimed primarily at holiday homes as opposed to retirees who intend to live there permanently. If you are considering using a Spanish estate agent, whether you are looking at villas for sale in Dona Pepa or apartments to buy in Fuengirola, it is worth noting that some dodgy estate agents do exist. It is also worth noting that, in Spanish law, any debt tied to a property, such as a mortgage or property tax for example, is transferred to the new owner, so you need to be very careful about that one.

Sometimes, developers or estate agents have offered properties for sale which are not legitimate – i.e. they may have been built without planning permission, or they may be properties in which the quality is not as indicated in the sale offer, resulting in expensive repairs – so that is another thing to take into consideration.

The Foreign Office has issued warnings to expats looking to buy Spanish properties and recommends as a minimum checking the credentials of any lawyers or estate agents used; the land registry (Registro de la Propriedad); that appropriate planning permission has been obtained; that there are no outstanding debts attached to the property, such as a mortgage; and that the property is as described and structurally sound.

Another thing worth noting is that the seller is liable for any hidden defects in a property, even if they were not aware of them. However, in practice, getting money back later can prove very difficult and expensive.

There are a few British agents who handle Spanish properties for retirees, so it may well be worth talking to them.

BeckettHanlon is a company that deals in Spanish properties and has hundreds of villas including villas for sale in Dona Pepa and apartments for sale in Southern Spain and also in Portugal. The company is a member of the Association of International Property Professionals Ltd (AIPP) and has been marketing Spanish and Portuguese properties for over 30 years.

BeckettHanlon is an international estate agent with a special interest in Southern Spain and has many contacts with local agents in this part of the country. This means that it can often find villas and apartments, including Mijas apartments for sale