| |
| |
|
Real Estate Information |
|
|
|
Estate Agents on the Costa Blanca Spain
Properties for sale or to rent on the Costa Blanca As a general rule of thumb, newly built properties on the Costa Blanca are generally cheaper than existing or re-sale properties - cheaper still if you buy 'off plan' (before the house has been started). Property prices have rocketed here over the last five - ten years and many fortunate people have found that their properties have grown in value enormously even before they had moved in! Even though the market is now leveling out, a property in Spain is still an extremely good investment. Visit www.villa-angels.com for the latest properties on offer all over the Costa Blanca from Mar Menor to Valencia. If you prefer a more traditional Spanish style country house called a 'finca', or one of the quaint village houses, the first thing you need to do is check the wiring. Spain has the highest percentage of unsafe wiring in Europe with over 78% of all installations over ten years old in a near lethal state of repair. There are good electricians to be found - as well as some bad ones. Ask to see their qualifications and check to see if they have the appropriate testing equipment. You may have to pay a little extra, but better that than the alternative. Not many houses are built to include a damp proof course and people often find that after the first winter - and we do have winters here - the paintwork starts peeling and bubbling along the bottom of internal walls. Check with the builder that it is included and if not ask that it be included as an extra. Older houses will not have one, so you may have problems that need to be rectified by a competent builder. There is no such thing on the Costa Blanca as mains gas. You will need to set up a contract with the local Butane gas company to have it delivered to you. A lorry will then pass by your house once or twice a week to bring you full bottles and collect the empties to be re-filled. You will need to supply the company with a copy of your escritura (deeds) or rental contract plus a copy of your N.I.E. certificate. Obviously, it should go without saying, when buying a property DO NOT SIGN ANYTHING BEFORE YOU FIRST CHECK IT WITH A LAWYER. So many people have been fleeced by sharks acting as 'estate agents' who have demanded a deposit on a property that either was never for sale in the first place or has so many debts outstanding on it to make it worthless. In Spain all credit is guaranteed against property so if the debt is not paid, a charge is put against the property not the owner. In other words, the owner can disappear with your money and leave all the debts waiting to be settled by the you as the new owner of the property. Ask to see a copy of the 'nota simple', this will tell you if there any large debts lodged against the property as well as the legal size of the dwelling if any illegal extensions have been made to it. It's also a good idea to visit the local town hall (ayuntamiento) to ask if there are any taxes outstanding on the property. Almost half of all business in Spain is conducted 'under the table' so don't be surprised to find that the amount you are paying for a property is not the amount written in the escritura (title deeds). This is nothing to be concerned about as it is done to save you and the seller significant tax bills. Duty on property sales currently stands at 7% which can add a large chunk to your investment, so it makes sense to declare a smaller amount on all the legal paperwork. Everyone does it and the authorities turn a blind eye as they would rather have some money than none at all if the whole deal were done in cash. In any case, you need to budget for 10% above the property price to cover you for taxes, legal fees and paperwork. Happy hunting! If you would like more information on this topic or any other related to the Costa Blanca visit Costa Blanca World. Karen Milacic is a graphic and web designer living as a British expat on the Costa Blanca for the past five years. Visit her other web sites at: http://www.villa-angels.com; http://www.thedesignbusiness.co.uk; http://www.costablanca-webhosting.com
MORE RESOURCES:
Real-Estate - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Where Does Your Real Estate Commission Fee Go - Why is The Commission so HIGH? Many who have bought and sold properties through Realtors numerous times; even many real estate agents themselves, don't know where the commission money goes. After all, when a property sells for hundreds of thousands of dollars and the commission is tens of thousands of dollars, it seems like there is a terrific amount of money charged as commission -- and there is. Planning for Real Estate with Estate Planning One of the most important considerations you will need to make in regards to your real estate holdings and your estate includes tax planning. If not handled properly, your estate could end up getting hit with significant losses due to taxes after your demise. Real Estate Investing - The Job Escape Real estate investing is pretty unusual in lots of ways. Real estate investing is creative. Do You Know What Design/Construct (or Design/Build ) Means? I Think You Should! These real questions on 'How To' build are answered by a US Master Builder and myself from the development viewpoint, after I received them from readers of my e-book, "Residential Development Made Easy."Question 1. Rental Properties: 10 Ways To Increase Income What if you want better cash flow from your rental properties? You can't just raise the rents arbitrarily. If tenants leave, income goes down, not up. How to Make Money from the California Real Estate Gold Rush What do the Californians know that we don't?What is so special about California? Why is the average price of a house there five times higher than nationwide? Why on a salary of $100,000 per year, you can hardly afford to rent a decent apartment in the large cities there?It is true, Californians have a nice looking Pacific coastline. They also have a pleasant climate. How To Buy Property in Spain Safely Buying property abroad is not an undertaking one should embark upon lightly! It is not wise to assume that the entire purchase process will follow the rules we're used to 'back home' and generally speaking there are usually a whole new set of rules and regulations, traditions and traps to learn, understand and watch out for.Spain is absolutely no exception and has a tangled web of laws and legislation seemingly designed to trip up an unwary real estate buyer. Home Hunting and the Internet So, it's home hunting time. Where do you start? Who do you contact? Well, home hunting has been made much easier with the advent of the Internet. Tax Assessment/Appraisal: How Do I Know What My Home is Worth? If you are in the home buying or selling market, it's important to understand the difference between tax assessment and appraisal value. Concentrate on the appraisal value because this determines your asking price. Do I Need A Real Estate Survey? Getting a survey before you close on any real estate is very important.Some people actually buy real estate without having a survey done. Buy or Sell First? When it comes to home buying, the ideal situation would be to find a new home, just as you receive an offer on your existing home. You would then be able to close concurrently and move into your new home a few days prior to closing on your previous home. Safe, Scenic & Secure Sussex County Delaware As I write this, there is a considerable concern about the dangers of urban life, triggered by the terrorist attacks on the USA. As some of you know, I have been a student of disaster preparations and a real estate consultant for those seeking "secluded and survival properties" for over thirty years. Secrets of Making Money from Real Estate - Part 2 Leverage: With real estate, people and companies will lend you money to invest. How much real estate can you buy with $20,000? Probably between $100,000-$300,000, depending on the lender. The Sadness of Old Buildings From the book No Smooshing!For years, I've carried on a not-so-friendly debate with some of my artist friends from the West Coast about their ideas of what constitutes a good subject. We seem to be able to agree on certain things, like apples and oranges-and even certain landscapes. Real Estate Growth: How Long Will It Last? There has been speculation in the media recently about the fact that real estate will begin to fail and implode as it can only handle so much growth. In my humble opinion these theories don't hold a lot of merit and here is why. Law & Logic of Homeowner Association Capital Reserves In October 1999, Oregon was one of the first states that enacted a significant improvement to its Condominium and Planned Community regarding capital reserve planning, a process by which homeowner associations plan and fund future repairs and replacements. For many associations, the process became mandatory although there was an "escape clause" for pre-October 99 Oregon communities. Will a 1031 Property Exchange Solve Your Problems? If your problem is listed below, a 1031 exchange may or may not be your solution.1. Good Tenants - Learn Twelve Ways Landlords Keep Them Happy, Long-term Good Tenants Paying On Time How to Create a Win-Win Relationship for the Both of You!After you've found your tenants, how do you keep them? Establish a friendly, pleasant, business-like relationship with your tenants, so they'll want to renew again each year. By using one or a few ideas below, you will learn how to keep good tenants. What To Expect From Your House Appraisal Having your house appraised can be a scary step in the moving process, especially if you don't know what to expect. Will your house pass muster or will they find some hidden defects and problems lurking in the basement and attic? Should you scrub the house clean?Don't worry - this isn't a test of how clean you keep your house or even if your house has problems (that will be for the home inspector to find out). A Difference Between Appraisal, Assessment, Home Inspection Every one should have a home inspection before purchasing any property, including new construction. You may think that's rediculous but there are too many cases that prove otherwise.
|
 Home  Contact
|
| Real Estate Information © 2006 |
