BUY A HOUSE IN ALTEA AS A FOREIGN

If you are a foreigner and are considering to buy a house in Altea, we are your real estate agency. Buying a home in a foreign country may seem challenging, but with the right information and guidance, the process can be rewarding. Here is a step-by-step guide to help you:

1- Preliminary Investigation:

Spend time researching the regions or areas that interest you most. Spain offers a wide variety of climates and lifestyles. Define your preferences and needs to find the perfect location.

2- Hire a Real Estate Advisor to help you:

Hire a real estate advisor to guide you throughout the entire process, it will prevent you from traveling and will help you with all the procedures. In this sense, at Altea Life we are in charge of managing all the necessary documentation and contracts.

3- Request a NIE:

The foreigner identity number will help you identify yourself in Spain. Altea Life can take care of the necessary procedures to request the NIE. There are different types of NIE:
a.- NIE as a non-resident, in case you are going to buy a home but are not going to live in Spain; and you are non-EU citizens.
b.- NIE of resident, if you are going to be there more than 183 days a year (it will be indifferent whether you are a community member or not.
c.- Temporary NIE, if you are from the European Union and you will only be in the country for the duration of the sale.

4- Open a Bank Account:

Having your bank account in Spain will speed up the transaction, since all notary fees and taxes associated with the purchase of the house must be paid through it. Altea Life will be able to carry out this management. If you cannot do it in person, you can do it without disrespect from your country of origin, using a power of attorney that allows another person to go to the bank office on your behalf.

5- Negotiate with the Seller:

Once the house has been found, it is time to agree on the price with the seller. At this point, it is important to have a real estate advisor who knows the market, as he will speed up the process and negotiate for you.

6- Deposit Agreement:

We will reserve the property through a deposit contract, normally providing a 10% deposit. Therefore, if the sale is not finally completed for reasons beyond the control of the seller, we would lose said signal. On the contrary, if the selling party decides not to continue, they must compensate you with double the amount given as a deposit.

7- Assess if we need a mortgage:

If you need a mortgage, we must gather all the necessary documents that allow the bank to analyze your financial situation.

8- Valuation of the property:

The valuation of the property is very important since the total amount that the bank will lend you is based on the results of the appraisal.

9- Prepare the Necessary Documentation:

We will have to prepare all the necessary documents for the signature at the notary. At this point it is important to ensure that the property does not have any defects. To do this, it will be important to have a simple note of the property, which will provide us with all the details, if the property has sanctions, outstanding debts or mortgages.

10- Signing of the Purchase at the notar´s office:

All parties involved in the transaction will have to attend to sign the purchase of your house (and the mortgage if necessary). The notary will help you understand all the conditions of the contract so that you know what you are signing. Once signed, you will receive the keys to the property.

With these steps, you will be well on your way to buy your house in Altea. Remember that we are here to help you every step of the purchasing process.