Gecko Towers
Ask my kids and they will tell you that I have several favorite expressions. One, attributed to the Athenian philosopher Plato’s in a translated extract from his work “Republic” is a real beauty: “Necessity is the Mother of Invention.” The very idea that without a certain hardship or difficulty the thing that is created would not have come into being.
I have many contacts in the Marbella region’s real estate community. They are all pretty decent people, dedicated to delivering an excellent level of service to their many clients and seeking to set themselves apart from their competition. The various Lockdown regimes in Northern Europe, or as they are referred to in Spain, “States of Alarm”, combined with local municipal edicts have resulted in a real estate market that has had to adapt and evolved to survive.
You may be familiar with the usual model where a visitor on a inspection trip, following some independent online searching, catches a plane to Malaga’s Costa del Sol airport and arrives in their chosen location to be presented by a real estate agent with an array of potential properties that approximate to their requirements. Well, during these unusual times what was the regular model has fundamentally changed leaving those on the ground in Spain to do one of two things – whither and die – or seek to blossom through innovation.
Otherwise than in the case where the potential buying client is already here and is looking to trade up or to downsize to a more suitable property, technology has had to fill the void between the interested yet distant property seeker and the local property market. The result has been for members of the local real estate community to add further to their already varied skills base. Without the benefit of much formal training, their ability to undertake a FaceTime viewing or to film a walk through Virtual Tour of a property for those interested to purchase have become finely honed.
There are many new developments that have sprung up all along the Costa del Sol in recent years but those who may be subjected to enforced stays in London, The Hague or Berlin are often already quite familiar with specific locations. They may know the locality, amenities and even the qualities of a particular urbanisation. However, their final choice, will be substantially assisted by a Virtual Tour, as they will be able see where the apartment, villa or townhouse that is being marketed is in relation to their preferred location. This may be further complemented by their understanding of whether the property, for example, is in an already familiar block or whether its orientation is what they are seeking.
It is perhaps a little surprising that an important decision such as the purchase of a valuable property asset can be made without an inspection visit but I have been told of many successful purchases that have progressed without the client ever having visited the precise property.
Having made the all important decision that the property is right and in the right location, the purchaser will need to progress their acquisition with confidence that they are being comprehensively and independently represented by an able and honest professional. This is where your choice of bi-lingual Abogado (Lawyer) is vitally important.
In order to progress with a purchase at distance the buyer will need to grant to their chosen legal advisor a Power of Attorney which is a legally enforceable document that is completed with some formality. It will enable their Abogado to proceed, under the buyer’s instructions, to complete all the necessary paperwork in the buyer’s name to effect the buyer’s ownership of the property.
As would be usual in such circumstances there is the necessity to conduct all relevant enquiries and to ask and receive all required information concerning the buyer, the source of his/her financial resources and their residency status. Questions will be asked which at first impression may be perceived as being either impertinent or unnecessarily inquisitive but its just the Abogado doing their job and they are not intended to be objectionable.
The Abogado will need to dovetail with any mortgage application and will manage the process up to and after completion with the transfer of utility accounts etc. From the buyer’s perspective I can only assume that there may be a little frustration as they may not yet be free to travel to enjoy their new acquisition. This will change in time but it may be, as with many standard practices, that post-Pandemic, the Virtual Tour will be a more regular part of the property buying process.
Should you be interested in discussing the processes involved in buying a property in the Marbella region, we would be delighted to assist you. Our team of bi-lingual, highly experienced and wholly independent team of Abogados are ready to help you.
Please call me, Mark FR Wilkins, during usual business hours on +34 600 343 917 or, if you prefer, please e-mail me at mark@roslegal.es
Please note that our posts are for general interest. They are no substitute for proper legal advice tailored to your specific circumstances as provided by a qualified Abogado who is experienced in the application of the Spanish Law.
© Mark FR Wilkins 2021 All rights reserved.