​What questions to ask when buying a house in Sotogrande

What questions to ask when buying a house in Sotogrande

You might imagine that in some ways, you could scarcely go wrong when purchasing from the broad range of houses for sale in Sotogrande. But in truth, even our own experts in the Costa del Sol property market here at Property Sotogrande wouldn’t wish to give that impression.

After all, it isn’t in anyone’s interests for you to commit to a Spanish property purchase that you might regret, due to not asking certain all-important questions earlier.

Some of the questions that you are advised to ask prior to committing to buying a house in Sotogrande, might be ones that you ask yourself. Other questions, meanwhile, may be ones that you present to other important parties, such as the current property owner.

The most crucial thing of all, is to ensure you definitely ask such questions. So, what might some of them be?

“Who owns the property?”

Yes, this is sadly a question that does need to be asked with particular vigilance when someone is purchasing a property in Spain, due to some of the pitfalls and risks that can arise.

For example, not everyone perusing the latest available houses for sale in Sotogrande, will necessarily be aware that if a Spanish property is owned jointly, all owners of the property will need to sign the documentation in order for it to be sold.

Fortunately, prospective buyers can simply check the local property register to determine whether the person claiming to be selling the property is, indeed, the registered owner.

“Was the property built with planning permission?”

If you have your eye on a specific resale dwelling in Sotogrande, you should also be checking with the local town hall whether either the original property, or for that matter any subsequent construction works, have any pending planning enquiries or fines outstanding.

In the event that there does turn out to be something outstanding, you will need to find out what needs to be done in order for the matter to be settled.

It should be the current owner who takes responsibility for anything outstanding, and certainly any payments that still need to be made.

“What is the property’s total plot size, and where are its boundaries?”

It can be easy to presume that everything you see on a given property – for example, a driveway or parking space – will be yours when you buy the property; in reality, certain areas and facilities might be owned by a neighbour.

So, it is well worth seeking clarification on exactly where the borders of the property are, as this could inform your buying decision.

“Would it be a good idea for me to arrange a property survey?”

The short answer to this question is… yes! Arranging for a survey on a Spanish property that you are considering buying isn’t a legal requirement, but it is certainly strongly recommended.

After all, the surveying process will enable you to benefit from the view of an actual professional, before you commit to a property purchase. Even if any issues do come up from this process, it might not mean that you decide against buying the property, but it will certainly help ensure you are fully aware of all the risks the given property might present.

Are you eager to start taking the steps to making your Spanish property dream come true? If so, the listings of houses for sale in Sotogrande that we make available here at Property Sotogrande could greatly help ensure that you identify – and take advantage of – the very best opportunities to become a property owner in this sought-after part of southern Spain.