Buying a home in another country always raises the same question: what exactly happens, and in which order? Buying a new-build villa in Spain is quite straightforward once you know the steps. Here is the process as we see it with our own buyers in Ciudad Quesada, on the Costa Blanca, after hundreds of sales.
The most important point first: your money is always held by your own lawyer or by the notary. We, as the developer, never have access to it.
1. Choose the villa and ask for the documentation
Start by looking at what is available: plot size, floors, basement, orientation and price. Before you decide, ask the developer for the plans, the specification of materials, the building licence and the payment schedule. A serious developer will hand these over without any fuss.
You can see the current villas and prices in our availability page.
2. Appoint your lawyer in Spain
The first step for the buyer is to name a lawyer in Spain. You give them a power of attorney so that they can open a bank account on your behalf, handle your money and sign for you when needed. This also means you do not have to travel for every step.
You can choose your own lawyer, or we can introduce you to the independent lawyers we trust and have worked with for years.
3. Pay the reservation to your lawyer
When you decide to buy, you pay a reservation of 10,000 euros to your lawyer, not to us. Your lawyer holds this money until they have read the contract and agree with what it says. Once you have made this payment, we know you intend to buy, and we prepare the contract with all the details.
4. Sign the purchase contract
The contract states the 10,000 euro reservation and, in addition to it, a payment of 20% of the price within one month. The contract also sets the delivery date, the specification of the villa and the rest of the payment schedule. Your lawyer reviews all of it before you sign.
5. How your payment is protected
As a developer we have an obligation to guarantee the payments our clients make, and this is how we do it:
Once your lawyer has received the 20%, they issue a bank cheque on your behalf and meet us at the notary. There we sign a document called a deposit deed (acta de depósito). The notary keeps the cheque in their safe until the villa is finished and you sign the final deed of sale. The money goes from you to your lawyer, and from your lawyer to the notary. It never passes through our hands.
6. Follow the construction
While the villa is being built, you are welcome to visit the site. Once the structure is finished, we go through the house with you and mark the interior partition walls together. Most buyers want a few small changes, and it is much easier to make them while the work is under way, so you can see how your home evolves.
7. Sign the deed at the notary
When the villa is complete, the public deed of sale is signed before a notary. This is when the cheque held by the notary is released and you pay the remaining balance. Before signing, your lawyer checks that the villa has its first occupation licence and the energy certificate. If you cannot travel, your lawyer can sign for you with the power of attorney.
8. Registry, taxes and utilities
After the deed, the property is registered in your name in the land registry and the purchase taxes are settled. Then you connect electricity and water in your name. We will cover the taxes and costs in detail in a separate article.
Questions about a specific villa?
If you are considering Aura I or Aura II, we are happy to walk you through the steps for your case. We will send you prices, plans and availability.
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