Completion in Spain

Hello to everybody,

How long does it take to complete in Spain and what is a normal expectation?

I know things can go wrong but how long should it realistically take.

If straightforward, with everything legal, cash buyer, no chain,  planning permissions etc, should only take a few weeks

some complete in 2-3 weeks, average about 6 weeks

with issues about legality, problems obtaining mortgages etc can go on for many months

If straightforward, with everything legal, cash buyer, no chain,  planning permissions etc, should only take a few weeks

some complete in 2-3 weeks, average about 6 weeks

I have not bourght or sold in the past 15 years, but if as Campo said, then it should be possible within a few days, as long as you do not use a lawyer who will drag it out to try and justfy their fees. In the past I have never taken more than a month, but always without a lawyer.

I bought one of my houses on the 21st November, (Thur)  came back to England that same night, the next day, (Fri)  when I was driving to the bank to transfer the money over my Spanish solicitor phoned me to say everything was correct and in order, and when will I come back to complete, I went back the following Thursday and all was completed, her costs came to about 500€, if memory serves me right. This included a translator, Notary meeting, all paperwork, and a good few bits more.

Have no doubt costs have risen somewhat, but not enough to stop me using a solicitor.

My reason for not using a solicitor has never been to save money.  I have just always considered it not necessary.   Of course,  if one is not confident, has any doubts in their ability to get it right, or language problems, as Baz says, I too would usually recommend  using a solicitor.

My reason for not using a solicitor has never been to save money.  I have just always considered it not necessary.   Of course,  if one is not confident, has any doubts in their ability to get it right, or language problems, as Baz says, I too would usually recommend  using a solicitor.

Nothing to do about saving money, more to do with not knowing fully the legal side of house purchase in Spain, and having 3 houses in Spain you would have thought I would know, but I am not to big to admit I don't know.

I have tons of ability to get things right, in my own world of business, never have been one that professed to know everything about everything, prefer to leave that to the correct persons chosen profession.

I have no Language problems either, so thats not the problem, thanks to Grannie being Spanish and making us six speak only Spanish with and to her.

Just find it a bit weird when things go wrong, in lets say a house purchase, and you get asked did you take professional advice.......'What you didn't...So what do you expect then' and as the housing market in Spain is, to say the least a little different, to perhaps the home country, could be a little money well spent, of course some don't get these problems which get reported on here all the time...Maybe the one's that have got bad advice.

Just my view on it, others tend to differ, which is good.

Whenever we see these questions on here asked we get round to the same thing 

My advice is simple use a solictor for any house purchase anyhwere

Do not know why those who say they didn't use a solictor have to keep on stating and repeating it is beyond me and may give others the wrong impression.

It is not as easy as people think and for what? Save a few quid or so you can try and show off to others?

As for the OP a lengthy handover does not necessarliy mean increased legal costs and many firms give fixed costs so "dragging out" by lawyers is one of those strange myths you hear about on forums etc.

One property I bought took 2 weeks to complete but another took 3 months and the legal costs were the same in both purchases

As campo says 2 to 3 weeks is the norm