Property survey in Spain

Our senior manager in Barcelona is an architect and urban planner. This outlook gives us a unique ability to provide property surveys in Barcelona, Sitges, Costa Brava, and Costa Dorada. Typically when you buy a property in Spain with a mortgage, the bank requires a property appraisal. Many UK citizens accustomed to buying properties in the UK prefer the safety of a property survey, a service that goes beyond the standard property appraisal in Spain. While a standard real estate appraisal will be accurate in determining the value of a house, a property survey/home inspection at the level that is done in the UK or USA is a good idea. A survey can determine any problems that are developing due to age, material defects, as well as what does not follow current building codes.

FAQs:

How does your property appraisal service work?

Our appraisal service works as follows:

First we gather the data we can from the following sources:

• Nota simple from the Property Registry
• Town halls
• Direccion General de Urbanismo
• Catastro (Official Land Register)

An architect will then visit the property and check everything related to the property:

• urban characteristics
• possible encumbrances
• matching of the building and the urban planning
• building characteristics
• possible pathologies
• age of the building
• finish, and installations

We then make a preliminary study of the actual market values corresponding to at least three recent transactions of comparable properties. Based on the information from all these sources, we apply the appropriate appraising method or methods to determine the property's value. You will receive:

• An appraisal listing the property's value, and the relevant data that was used to arrive at this figure (in Spanish)
• The nota simple (in Spanish)
• A summary in English indicating the key conclusions of the appraisal and nota simple.
• A floor plan.
• A report on what kind of renovation can be done to the building, based on how the building has been classified.

How does your property survey service work?

The architect visiting the property will also make sure there are no material defects or problems that are developing due to age and disrepair.

The architect will inspect:

• The quality of materials used in construction.
• Possible dampness and evidence of water seepage.
• Settling of structural elements, including the foundation.
• The plumbing system: checking drainage and all fixtures and faucets.
• The electrical system: checking the number of circuits, the fusebox, and the electrical meter.
• The gas water heater.
• The heating, air conditioning systems.
• Whether the above systems all conform to current regulations.
• The condition of the roof, and the rainwater fittings and drainage.
• Adequacy of retaining walls.
• Termites or other forms of infestation.
• The quality of carpentry of the doors and windows.