Purchasing property in Spain (whether a home, investment, or land) requires precise legal, administrative, and practical guidance. With more than 20 years of experience working in Spain’s legal landscape and a strong network of specialized professionals, Austen & Partners provides a complete, personalised, and hands-on service throughout the entire acquisition process.
Our method is rooted in mutual trust, coordination of specialist knowledge, and tailored guidance at the client’s preferred location, often directly at the property itself.
Verification and adaptation of the property description
A correct property description is essential: it forms the basis of legality, taxation, registries, and future rights.
We:
- Check the property’s official descriptions in all relevant documents (title deed, cadastre, planning documents, and registry entries).
- Advise on necessary adaptations to ensure the description accurately reflects reality.
- Explain the legal implications of each detail and how discrepancies can affect ownership, legality, and future use.
Thanks to Austen & Partners’ long-established practice of working directly on-site with clients to “go straight to the point,” reviews and explanations can take place at the property whenever most helpful.
Legality assessment & guidance on legalization procedures
Understanding the relationship between a property’s description and its legality is crucial. We clarify:
- Which elements of the property are legal, non-legal, or require additional verification.
- What documentation must be obtained from local, regional, or national authorities.
- What steps are required to legalize irregular constructions or outdated descriptions.
We also explain the risks of not legalizing, such as problems with utilities, sales complications, administrative sanctions, or obstacles in future renovations or rentals.
Our approach is always concrete and oriented toward finding the balance between costs and benefits, in line with our firm’s philosophy.
Contact with authorities & official confirmation of legal status
Austen & Partners acts as your interface with Spanish authorities, using the experience and patience often required when dealing with public institutions, something explicitly highlighted in the firm’s background and professional ethos.
We request and obtain:
- Confirmations of zoning and planning status
- Certificates of legality
- Regional requirements for legalization
- Any additional records required for due diligence
Utilities feasibility: Electricity, water & wastewater
Before purchasing, it is essential to know whether the property can be legally and technically supplied with electricity, water, and wastewater solutions.
We:
- Investigate existing connections and their legality
- Determine the feasibility of new connections
- Explore compliant alternatives where public services are not available
Negotiation & drafting of reservation and earnest money contracts
Reservation agreements and “arras” (earnest money contracts) are binding instruments in Spain. We provide:
- Legal advice on terms, obligations, liabilities, and financial implications
- Negotiation of clauses to protect your interests
- Clarification of cross-border or multilingual implications, drawing on our background in private international law
Arrangements & intermediation throughout the entire process
Faithful to our philosophy of offering personalised, direct, and efficient service, we coordinate all parties involved (agents, notaries, architects, surveyors, and public authorities) to remove stress from your purchase journey.
Preparation & assistance at the public deed of sale
Austen & Partners:
- Prepares all documentation prior to signing
- Attends the signing for translation, negotiation, and legal/security verification
- Ensures that any additional conditions are properly drafted and agreed upon
This aligns with our firm’s principle of guiding clients personally, even when the location is away from the office, to ensure maximum clarity and comfort.
Tax & registry procedures after purchase
After the deed is signed, we handle all mandatory procedures, including:
- Tax settlements
- Submission and registration of the deed at the Land Registry
- Following up on administrative updates or corrections
Additional deeds & private contracts
Beyond property purchases, our expertise includes assistance, advice, and intermediation in numerous related legal instruments, as aligned with the broader scope of our services in contracts, real estate, and administration:
- Sale contracts for payment of debt
- Mortgage loan deeds
- Rental agreements (including tourist rentals)
- Construction and renovation contracts
- Other private agreements connected to property use or ownership
Why Choose Austen & Partners?
- 20+ years of international legal consulting experience in Spain
- Strong network of coordinated specialists, offering complete support across legal, tax, estate, and management consults
- Personalised, on-site, and client-focused approach
- Commitment to accessible, honest pricing, based on service quality rather than appearance
- Expert navigation of complex or “unsolvable” situations, one of the firm’s guiding mottos