Posted: Wed Sep 15, 2021 9:16am
Hi Alex. We recently bought an apartment in Playa Honda. We had a great agent over in Lanzarote who visited the properties we liked and did a WhatsApp video to get a better idea plus her knowledge of the island and fluent Spanish and English helped greatly.
We shortlisted 3 and came over last October 2020 and viewed all 3, settling on one which we put an offer on at 5% below asking. We got agreement and paid the owner €1000 to remove from the market.
When over we organised our dual language solicitor and set up a Spanish Bank account and gave him power of Attorney to act on our behalf. We didn’t want to be flying back and forth signing documents and we also needed to have money on the island for all the outgoings. Hence the bank account being set up well in advance
Missives we’re concluded on the 24th Dec just before bloody Brexit After that there are various notary and deeds issues etc to file, but technically we owned it within 3 months.
We refurbished the property using the same agent as we didn’t know the system over there even to buy furniture and get it delivered. It was simple in hindsight but a minefield when you arrive over with Hola as your only Spanish
We could have moved over in January but took till June to complete the refurb and moved into a perfect property rather than live in a guddle which would have tested our 40 year marriage to extremes
Your Lawyer will organise all your electricity, water, rates and rubbish charges and you will get to know a network of tradesmen by meeting and talking to others who have made the move. It’s exciting and worth every bit of effort
If you need any contacts just email me privately. Best of luck