Your inspection visit
You will need to see selected properties in Spain before agreeing to buy. Packing dozens of property viewings into a few days will only serve to confuse you. Try to come up with a shortlist of properties that interest you and arrange to see them. For each property you select choose an alternative as well in case your original choice is sold before you visit.
Do not forget to let the estate agents know your visit dates. They need notice to be able to contact key-holders or allocate somebody to bring you to the property.
Shortly before you travel, contact your chosen agents to make sure the selected properties are still available. If not, arrange to view alternative properties. Try to avoid the situation where you are relying on an agent to come up with something for you at short notice. The more time you have to examine the ins and outs of a property in advance, the better prepared you are to decide if the property is right for you.
We also recommend using the inspection visit to open a Spanish bank account (you need only your passport to do this) and hiring a lawyer. You could also use this opportunity to apply for an NIE number (see Legal Matters)
Bring your brain as well as your bankroll
The biggest problem with short inspection visits is that the buyer feels an irresistible urge to make an offer. Act in haste, repent in leisure. Unless you are 100% certain that a property is just right for you, do not proceed. Better to suffer the cost of another inspection visit than to end up with something you do not really want.
Bring a digital camera or your smartphone, and take lots of pictures of the properties you view, remembering to identify each one, and then review them each evening in the comfort of your accommodation.
Buying property in Spain - First Steps - Choose your area
Decide on the type of property you want and see what is available
Calculate your budget and arrange finance
Arrange an inspection visit to see available Spanish properties
Arranging a mortgage on your Spanish property
Tax considerations when buying Spanish property