2014 has been an encouraging year for the property markets on the Costas. We have slowly come out of the recession ahead of the rest of Spain, property prices are rising once again and there is an unprecedented interest and demand from overseas buyers and expats, all keen to ‘snap up a bargain before the prices go through the roof’.
From luxury villas and exclusive apartments to traditional country fincas and terraced townhouses, the Costa del Sol is rich in resale properties with deals to be had – but remember, if it seems like too much of a good deal, it often is.
From structural problems and hidden damp to paperwork discrepancies and boundary disputes, things are not always as they appear to be. And you must remember that the value that the agent says it is 50% less than, is the value that they couldn’t sell it at when the market was strong! Spain – and in particular Marbella – has been in the media for all the wrong reasons in the past and as such it is prudent to always employ an experienced, conscientious surveyor to inspect any property before purchase.
With house prices stabilising and, for the better ones, on the rise; a busy international property market full of ‘foreigners’; negotiations, paperwork and jargon all in Spanish; and overly eager estate agents encouraging you to sign on the dotted line – it can be daunting to know if you are making the right decision. “There are three other people all ready to sign on this deal. It’s a steal; you’d be out of your mind not to go for it! Put down a deposit now to secure this property!”
Now wait! Put down your pen and think a moment. ‘Act in haste and repent at leisure’. Would you be out of your mind to sign anything or to part with any money until you have got a RICS regulated and experienced building surveyor to give the property a thorough inspection?
Survey Spain Network is ethically and professionally governed by RICS in London, and has 12 UK trained and qualified, experienced, independent surveyors living and working around the country, who work with integrity only for you. They have no conflicting loyalty to brothers, mothers, banks, developers, contractors, owners, estate agents, lawyers or town halls.
With a full understanding of the Spanish property market, the law – and of course the language, including all of the complicated legal terms and conventions that can leave you baffled and confused − the team at Survey Spain will work thoroughly and tirelessly to answer the questions you don’t know how to ask; and ensure that you receive the most complete and extensive building survey and/or valuation to give you complete peace of mind before making the irrevocable decision.
Survey Spain concentrates on noting the positive and negative features of a property, its surroundings and legal rights and duties. We check the accommodation, character and quality of facilities, layout, design and decoration, and all matters that can influence the value of a property. In addition, we also record any significant defects, the remediation of which is likely to be a major cost and/or inconvenience to an occupier.
Survey Spain will also research other properties being offered for sale nearby and in comparable locations that are likely to compete in the same buyer/rental market, as well as keeping up to date with proposed changes that might affect the desirability of an area and the value of a property.
The company has over 11 years’ experience in Spain and many of the surveyors have been living and working here for over 20 years. We are working on valuations and building surveys every day and so have thought through most situations. We’ve gained a thorough knowledge and understanding of the pitfalls and discrepancies of the market here. Survey Spain offers the most reliable and trusted surveys, so that your imagined ‘dream home’ does not become your reality nightmare.
