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Buying Property in the Region 5

Glossary of Spanish Terms about Property Purchase

• Abogado: a lawyer, solicitor.
  It is recommended that prospective buyers employ an Abogado to ensure that the registration deeds are correct and that there are no charges on the property. He/she will guide you through the legal process of purchase.
• Adosada: semi-detached or terraced
• Agencia inmobiliaria: estate agency
• Amueblado/a: furnished
• Arrendamiento, alquiler: renting, letting
• Ático: top-floor apartment, (ático de lujo: penthouse)
• Ayuntamiento: town hall
• Azotea: flat roof, rooftop terrace
• Chalet: villa, usually detached but not always
• Comisaría: national police station where you can obtain your NIE
• Contrato de Opción de Compra, contrato privado: preliminary agreement to purchase signed by both parties. Accompanied by a non-refundable deposit.
• Dúplex: apartment on two floors; maisonette
• En primera línea: used to describe property on the sea front or having an uninterrupted view of the sea.
• Escritura de comapraventa: notarized deed of sale
• Hipoteca: mortgage
• IBI (Impuesto sobre Bienes Inmuebles): annual municipal property tax
• Impuesto sobre Actos Juridícos Documentados: stamp duty (0.5%)
• ITP (Impuesto sobre Transmisiones Patrimoniales):property transfer tax
• IVA (Impuesto sobre el Valor Añadido): Value added tax
• NIE: Número de Identificación de Extranjeros: tax identification number. Necessary for all foreign property owners in Spain.
• Nota Simple: extract from the Property Register giving property details including any charges
• Notario: notary, a government official who authorizes legal documents. A contract of purchase, a mortgage contract, a will etc must be signed before the notary.
• Parcela: a building plot
• Pareada: semi detached
• Patrimonio (Impuesto sobre el Patrimonio): wealth tax
• Terraza: patio, balcony
• Piscina (comunitaria): swimming pool (shared)
• Piso: an apartment
• Piso bajo: ground floor flat
• Plus valía (Impuesto Municipal sobre el Incremento del Valor de los Terrenos): municipal tax on the increase in land value
• Registro de la Propiedad: property registry
• Testamento: will
• Unifamiliar: literally a family home. Usually refers to a townhouse or semi-detached property, a house as opposed to a flat or apartment.
• Urbanización: a private development which may consist of apartments and/or townhouses.
  Usually built around communal gardens, pool and/or tennis or padel courts. You have to pay a regular contribution to the Comunidad, the owners association which is responsible for the upkeep of the communal areas and the general administration of the development.

If you would like more information about renting holiday accommodation or purchasing a property in Cádiz province, please phone me on: 01269 598 462 (outside UK 00 44 1269 598 462)

or send an email to: joy@costadelaluz.biz