1. Work with professionals
Work only with real estate agencies or agents) registered with the Official College of Real Estate Agents (Colegio Oficial de Agentes de la Propiedad Inmobiliaria).
While the profession was deregulated in Spain several years ago and now anyone is able to act as a real estate agent without being a member of the official body, it is best to work with those businesses and professionals that have the approval of the Official College of Real Estate Agents.
Among other concerns, the processing of malpractice complaints can be done with greater agility and confidence through the Official College than with a non-affiliated agency or agent.
2. Become a cooperative member
Be well-informed about housing cooperatives (cooperativas de viviendas).
Any person wishing to acquire a cooperative-sponsored home can become a cooperative member by contributing the required fees. When the purchase plan is done, it is the cooperative that is responsible for construction.
This eliminates developer costs so the members can obtain their housing at a lower price. This, however, is not without risks, as some projects have been paralyzed over time due to a lack of funding or due to obstacles set by the local government. Therefore, before deciding to enter into a housing cooperative, it is advisable to be well-informed about the project before signing the contract.
3. Verify the absence of debts or liens
Check that the home is free of charges.
In the case of second-hand housing, it is advisable to verify that the property has no outstanding debts or liens. For this, it is only necessary to request a simple note about the property from the Land Registry (Registro de la Propiedad). This procedure can be completed by any person in Spain, and can be easily done by a real estate agency, agent, or administrator.