Buying a home

Buying in Torre del Mar means choosing between seafront, centre and the residential areas, with prices highest next to the sea. It is a resort market with a large international buyer base, which is why twenty estate agencies operate in a town this size.

The number nobody puts in the asking price

Purchase costs run to roughly 10 to 12 per cent on top of the price, between transfer tax, notary, land registry and legal fees. Budget for it from the start, because it is the difference between a purchase that works and one that does not.

Four things to check before signing anything

• The nota simple from the land registry. It states who owns it and what charges or mortgages are on it.
• The community of owners. Ask for the certificate showing fees are up to date, because unpaid fees follow the property, and read the last minutes: they tell you about the levy that is coming.
• The planning status. That the property is what the deeds say it is, and that any extension or terrace enclosure was legally done.
• Independent legal advice. The agency is not your lawyer. This is the cost people skip and the one that saves the money.

You need a Spanish tax number

An NIE is required to buy and to open the bank account the purchase runs through. Start that early: it is the step that delays completions.