The roll of the Notary in Spain.

If you intend buying a property in Spain, whether this be an apartment with sea views, a Villa in town, a plot of land or country estate, as soon as you find your property, STOP, don't sign anything. THE FIRST THING YOU SHOULD DO IS GO AND SEE A NOTARY.

Do not sign any private contract without first consulting with a Notary. As soon as an agreement on the price is reached with the seller, a Notary handle the paper work for you. The Notary will draw up the deed, find the best balance of interests
and provide appropreiate advice on your purchase. He will control the legality of the purchase and demand the necessary licences and authorisations.

In this way the buyer can always be sure he is buying in accordance with the Law and the Notary will undertake to check the ownershipof the property.

In most cases, the Notary can be asked to handle the question of paying your taxes, reporting your investment as non-resident to the Spanish Authorities, handle the question of filing the deed at the respective official bodies and at the Land Registry, etc.

Expect to pay your lawyer approximately 1% of the sale price although this can vary depending on whether any complications arise. Agree the fee in advance and be clear about what legal services you'll be getting for your money (local council searches, checks for debts on the property, property registration etc are all standard services which should be included in your lawyer's fee). There's also a property registration fee to pay - this is usually about 40-50% of the notary's fee.

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