The search for the right property can often be a long exhausting process, full of ups and downs, excitement and sometimes disappointments – and the same can be said from the seller’s perspective as well. So what can we do to make the journey of selling and buying an easier one?
Solutions 4 U is an established office, the proprietor, Julie Wilkins, having been here for more than two decades can offer good advice and reliable and efficient services. We have plenty of experience and a wealth of knowledge to help our customers.
Firstly, for the seller, it is imperative that your paperwork is fully up-to-date and everything that is built is on the Title Deed (Escritura), the plot number is correct and so are the boundaries. There’s nothing worse and more stressful than finally finding a buyer for your property only to realise that the extension you built years ago isn’t on the Deed, the boundaries are registered in the wrong place, or the Catastro register still has the previous owner’s name on its records. These inconsistencies can often jeopardize a sale if not attended to quickly as many buyers nowadays are very sensitive to what might be viewed as ‘illegal’ construction. In the past this has at times been neglected but nowadays, make no mistake; your property will not sell if it isn’t. A purchaser is going to scrutinize the paperwork of any property he might be interested in, and rightly so. A person’s most costly investment is normally his home. Solutions 4 U partners with a Lawyer of many years’ experience whose speciality is sorting out these issues. We explain every step of the process; give you a written estimate of all the costs involved, including the Notary Fees, Property Registry Fees, Taxes to be paid, Certificates/Edicts, and a time scale to carry out the work. We never ask for all the money to be paid up front, but in stages, as you can see the work being done. At the end of the process you will have an appointment to collect all your papers, which are fully explained and you are shown where the corrections have been made – in native English.
Secondly, for the buyer, regarding the paperwork as mentioned above, we will tell you what the Deed actually says, rather than just that the property has a Deed. We’ll listen to your wish list and take you to view suitable properties rather than a whistle-stop tour of every property we want to sell. Solutions 4 U also has Interior Design qualifications and has worked with an excellent quality constructor for many years, so could help you with ideas and also with what the local authority will allow you to do. Most people find they ultimately have to compromise on something, as the perfect property hardly ever exists. But with some good ideas and the right people to carry them out, adaptations might be able to be made to turn the property into your dream home. However remember, unless the property falls within town boundaries, in most country areas, extensions are now prohibited and that includes new swimming pools. You can reform what exists but you can’t extend.
Good advice for both the seller and the buyer would be to deal with someone established, contactable – apart from just a mobile phone number, who comes recommended, and who has an office you can call at to find them again should you need to. In your home country, you would never purchase a property or hand over your Deeds to someone you meet on the street or in a bar would you, so why do it here where you don’t know the language or understand the law! As a matter of course, do always use a Lawyer (Abogado). Don’t confuse an Asesor or Gestor with a Lawyer. In our experience of this work over the past ten years, a large proportion of the cases we have dealt with have been to correct mistakes or omissions where people have been ill advised. It’s cheaper to do the job the once properly, than to have to do it twice.
We invite any potential client to our office to discuss their needs in privacy, without obligation and without charge. We also deal with properties without Deeds, Legalisations, Boundary Disputes, Court Cases, Wills & Inheritances, and we are happy to carry out independent Sales Conveyancing for the purchase of a property from another Agent. We have an office in Competa and Velez-Malaga, just call 952 55 38 07 or out of office hours on 660 51 01 34.
