Buying with OceanHome

How buying with OceanHome works

OceanHome is a Torrevieja estate agency for Northern European buyers on the Costa Blanca South. This page tells you exactly what happens after you get in touch, and answers the eight questions you should ask any agency before you reserve.

Buying in Spain follows a fixed legal sequence: reservation, private contract, notary. What varies between agencies is who does the checking in between and how much of it you see. Below is our sequence, with typical timings, and plain answers to the questions buyers ask us most.

Nothing here replaces independent legal advice. You are always free to appoint your own Spanish lawyer, and we work with whoever you choose.

The eight questions

What every buyer should ask an agency, answered for OceanHome

1

Who checks the nota simple?

The lawyer acting for you requests an up-to-date nota simple from the Land Registry before any private contract is drafted. It confirms who owns the property and lists mortgages, embargoes and other charges; you receive a copy and a plain-language summary.
2

Who checks community fees, IBI and other charges?

Before the private contract we obtain the community administrator’s certificate of debts, the latest IBI receipt and the standing of the utility contracts. Arrears are paid by the seller at completion or deducted from the price.
3

Who checks that extensions and renovations are legal?

We compare the Land Registry description, the Catastro record and what you see on site. Where they disagree, an architect’s or lawyer’s check happens before the private contract, not after.
4

Who represents me, the buyer?

On a resale the listing agency is instructed by the seller, and on our own listings that is us. Your protection is the independent lawyer who acts only for you: we recommend one, you can choose another, and every document passes through them before you sign.
5

What does your fee include, and who pays it?

Buyers do not pay OceanHome a fee on our listings; the seller pays the commission, which is the normal arrangement in Spain. If a fee ever applied to you as a buyer, it would be written into the reservation document before you pay anything.
6

Will an independent lawyer review everything?

Yes. We work with independent Spanish lawyers who act for you, not for the seller, and you can bring your own. The lawyer reviews the reservation document, the private contract and the notary deed.
7

Who handles the NIE, bank account, tax registration and utilities?

We book the NIE appointment, or arrange a power of attorney so your lawyer can obtain it, come with you to open the bank account, and after completion switch the utilities and community contact details into your name.
8

Who manages the property when I am back home?

Our rentals team manages holiday and long-term lets in-house, from photography and pricing to check-in and maintenance. If you do not want to rent, we remain your local contact for keys, bills and community matters.

The sequence

From enquiry to keys, with typical timings

Timings are typical for a resale on the Costa Blanca South. New builds follow the developer’s schedule and add a bank guarantee on every stage payment.

  1. 1

    Enquiry

    Same working day

    Tell us your budget, the areas you are considering and how you will use the property. A named person replies the same working day with honest advice on where your budget goes furthest.

  2. 2

    Shortlist

    Within a week

    We send a shortlist of properties that match, with the questions we have already put to each seller. You cut it down before spending money on flights.

  3. 3

    Viewing trip

    2 to 4 days

    Marco or Maya accompanies every viewing. We plan the route so you see each area at different times of day, and we tell you what we would not buy and why.

  4. 4

    Offer and negotiation

    Days

    We put your offer to the seller in writing and negotiate price and conditions: furniture, completion date, what stays. You decide every step.

  5. 5

    Reservation

    On acceptance

    A reservation document fixes the price and takes the property off the market, against a deposit that is typically €3,000 to €6,000 and counts towards the price. Your lawyer reviews it before you pay. The document states what happens to the deposit if the legal checks fail.

  6. 6

    Legal checks

    2 to 3 weeks

    Nota simple, community certificate, IBI, Catastro record, licences and, for a new build, the bank guarantee on stage payments. You see every document and the lawyer’s summary of it.

  7. 7

    Private purchase contract

    Weeks 3 to 4

    The contrato privado de compraventa, usually with a 10 percent deposit paid to the seller and a fixed completion date. Penalties for either side pulling out are written in.

  8. 8

    Notary and completion

    4 to 8 weeks after the private contract

    The deed is signed at a notary in Spain, the balance is paid and the keys change hands. If you cannot attend, your lawyer signs by power of attorney.

  9. 9

    Keys and after-sales

    Ongoing

    Utilities, community, insurance and tax registration are switched into your name. Then we either manage the property for you or stay your local contact.

What it costs on top of the price

For a resale in the Valencia region budget roughly 10 to 13 percent on top of the price: 10 percent transfer tax (ITP), plus notary, registry and lawyer fees. A new build pays 10 percent VAT and 1.5 percent stamp duty (AJD) instead of ITP.

Buyers financing with a Spanish mortgage add a valuation fee and an arrangement fee, and non-residents can usually borrow 60 to 70 percent of the price.

Questions buyers ask before they start

Read next

Ready to start?

Tell us your budget and must-haves. A named person replies the same working day.

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