Spain

'Spain is diverse in its climate, yet reknowned for its wines, bull fights, Siestas and Fiestas ' 

 Buying & Selling:  For some the dream of owning a Spanish villa has turned into a nightmare. But it shouldn’t. Choose a good lawyer, if possible whom someone who has already bought a property in Spain has recommended. Spanish property law is complex, so make sure you have a good local lawyer to look after you interests. Spanish lawyers will usually charge 1% of the sale price of the property but this is an excellent investment for your own peace of mind. Under Spanish law, only the person named on the title deed has the right to sell the property.

Once you have found the property you want, you will need to agree the price and conditions. Do not make an offer unless you have the finances in place. Once your offer is accepted and the deposit paid, the next stage in the buying process is to exchange private contracts, 'Contrato privado de compraventa'. This contract stipulates the agreed price and what is to be included in the sale. Contracts should usually be signed within two weeks from the offer being accepted. Now your lawyer has the responsibility to conduct property searches and making sure that there are no outstanding debts attached to the property, for which you may be liable. This is confirmed in a document called a "Nota Simple". At this point, you will now be required to pay a non-refundable deposit of around 10% of the purchase price.

The final completion on your property in Spain takes place when the title deeds are signed before a Spanish notary and you pay the remaining balance of the purchase price. The signed deed will be lodged with the land registrar and your lawyer will take care of the remaining formalities such as payment of the relevant transfer taxes etc.

Your lawyer has the responsibility to conduct property searches and make sure that there are no outstanding debts attached to the property, for which you may be liable.

Currency:  €uro

Getting To or Through:  When in Spain you will be spoilt for innumerable choices of transportation. However, you can travel by either bus or car when in Spain since the roadways of Spain are well-maintained and signposted. Buses also operate quite efficiently. There are lots of short route buses in Spain, which travel fast and you can reach your destination city within minutes. However, if you want to visit any village in Spain then also you can take a bus. Spain has more than 50 airports connecting its islands and difficult-to-reach places with the country’s large urban centres and the rest of the world. Spain has a comprehensive and cheap public transport network, while reasonably priced air tickets make air travel within the country popular. Madrid Barajas International Airport is Spain’s busiest, with more than 25-million people passing through its gates to worldwide destinations each year.  High-speed trains to connect Madrid and Barcelona to major cities throughout Spain and the rest of Europe. Most of your journeys between cities will be with Renfe. The trains vary from luxury long-distance trains with buffet cars and first and second class (which require you to book your seat in advance) to the medium-distance trains where you might be lucky to get a seat.

Culture:  When people visualize Spain they often picture fantastic beaches, bull-fights, Corridas, Spanish Classical guitar, mid day siestas, Flamenco dance, and lots of sunshine. It’s actually one of the cultural centers of Europe. It has beautiful cities and towns, offering old monuments as well as modernistic architecture. Its various regions are all different one to each other, geographically, climatically and even in personality. The Spanish typically feature dishes of lamb, fish and veal and are reknowned for paella and local wines including the sparkling wine ‘Cava’

Geography:  Spain is located in southwestern Europe. The Cantabrian Sea (Bay of Biscay) is to the north, the Mediterranean Sea and the Balearic Sea to the south-southeast, Portugal and the North Atlantic Ocean to the west, and France and Andorra to the northeast along the Pyrenees Mountains.

Seasonal Climate:  Due to its size and geographical situation which exposes only its northern part to the Jet Stream's typical path and its orographic conditions, the climate in Spain is extremely diverse. In the Southeasternmost part of Spain (covering most of Alicante, Murcia and Almería provinces). Summers here are hot to very hot and winters mild to cool. Very dry, virtually sub-desertic, rainfall as low as 150 mm (5.9 in) a year in the Cabo de Gata which is reported to be the driest place in Europe.

Population:  40,500,000 (Est 2007)

Capital City:  Madrid

Language:  Castilian Spanish

Religion:  Mainly Roman Catholic

General: Whether your weakness is food, wines, water sports, shopping or clubbing or just lying lazy on the beaches, there'll be something in Spain that will allure you. Ideas for things to do in Spain, include visiting monuments and buildings, cycling and trekking tours, and anything else to satisfy your specific interests, not to mention 4,964 km of coastline. 

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