Viewing property in Spain: a buyer's checklist

A good property viewing in Spain ends not with the impression ‘I liked the apartment’, but with a list of verified facts and questions still to resolve. At the first viewing, a buyer can identify reasons for further checks, but cannot establish structural safety or the legality of alterations. Below is a route for viewing a completed apartment or house that helps ensure important points are not missed.

What to request and prepare before the viewing

Ask for the floor plan, available floor-area information, a list of spaces and equipment included in the price, the energy certificate and details of recent repairs. Clarify whether water and electricity will be on and whether parking, storage, communal areas and technical rooms can be inspected. Mark closed or inaccessible parts as unchecked.

Bring a phone for notes and photographs with the owner's permission, a tape measure, a small torch and a list of questions. A viewing is best carried out in daylight. For a property that passes the initial shortlist, plan a second visit at a different time: noise and parking may differ significantly.

Start with the street, entrance and communal parts

• Approach to the building: gradient, steps, lighting, pushchair access and the actual route from parking to the door.
• Façade and balconies: visible cracks, flaking finishes, water marks and corrosion. Do not conclude from a photograph that something is dangerous: record the location for a specialist.
• Entrance and lift: condition, access to the required floor, signs of leaks and regular maintenance.
• Communal grounds: the actual condition of the pool, gates, paths and garage; which parts belong to the comunidad and who maintains them.
• Surroundings: noise from roads, venues, equipment and construction; smells and the availability of necessary services outside the tourist season.

Ask for owners' meeting minutes, the current budget and information on agreed additional contributions — derramas. No repairs today does not mean there is no decision to pay for them tomorrow. On sale, the law provides for a seller's declaration of debts to the comunidad and a corresponding certificate, unless the buyer expressly releases the seller from that obligation. Do not automatically waive the document. Ley de Propiedad Horizontal, Article 9.

Inside the apartment: follow the same route in each room

Ceilings, walls and potential leak locations

Inspect corners, areas below windows, around pipes, walls adjoining the bathroom and kitchen, and the ceiling beneath an upper-floor terrace. Look for stains, blistering paint, efflorescence, mould and a damp smell. Ask when the problem arose, what was done and whether repair documents exist. Fresh paint alone proves neither the presence of a defect nor its resolution.

If cracks are visible, photograph the overall view and a close-up with a scale. A competent construction specialist should determine their cause and significance. A reading from a household moisture meter likewise does not replace an investigation into the source of moisture.

Windows, doors and comfort

With the owner's permission, open and close window sashes, shutters and doors, and check visible seals and signs of leaks. Listen inside with the window open and closed. Check room orientation, actual shadows from neighbouring buildings and ventilation possibilities. A sea view does not answer questions about summer overheating or feeling cold in winter.

Water, electricity and climate-control equipment

Ask the owner to demonstrate water pressure, water heating, drainage and air-conditioning operation. Inspect accessible connections for leaks, and ask about equipment age and the last maintenance date. Record anything that could not be tested, such as heating when the power is off. Do not open electrical panels, sockets, boilers or gas equipment yourself; leave safety checks to the appropriate specialists.

Request the energy certificate and compare its address with the property. For an existing home being sold, the registered certificate and energy label are attached to the contract. The document is not a survey of all structures and utility systems. Official explanation of the certificate.

For a villa, add the plot, roof and pool

Check where rainwater drains and whether there are visible signs of flooding near entrances, the basement and retaining walls. The roof and hard-to-reach areas should be inspected by a specialist with safe access: do not climb up there yourself. Clarify the water supply and wastewater arrangements, maintenance of the pool and equipment, and access to plot boundaries.

Have a lawyer and technical specialist compare extensions, glazed terraces, outdoor kitchens and the pool with the documents. The presence of a structure on the plot or in the cadastral description should not by itself be taken as proof of all necessary permits.

Check exactly what is being sold separately

The apartment, garage and storage room may have different land registry details. Request a current nota simple and check the owner, description and registered encumbrances. This is an informational Land Registry document, not a technical opinion. The difference between a nota simple and a certifying registry certificate is explained by the Spanish Association of Registrars.

Clarify which floor areas are stated in the listing: usable, built, or including a share of communal parts; and whether terraces are included. List furniture, appliances and fixed equipment separately. Refer differences between the plan and actual layout to specialists before committing to buy.

How to record the findings and decide whether a second viewing is needed

For each observation, complete five fields: location, observation, photograph, required check and person responsible for the answer. For example: ‘bedroom by the window — stain on the reveal — photo 07 — establish the cause and verify its resolution — technical specialist’. Do not record a suspected diagnosis as an established fact.

• Fixable everyday defects: request a quotation and decide who will carry out the work.
• Unclear technical signs: a second inspection with a specialist before making commitments.
• Document discrepancies: a written legal review, not a verbal promise to fix them later.
• Inaccessible areas or refusal to provide documents: leave the question open; do not consider the property fully checked.

If the seller promises to remedy defects, agree the list of works, deadline, evidence of completion and reinspection arrangements in the transaction documents with a lawyer. A technical report, quotation and verified documents provide more negotiating value than an arbitrary discount ‘for possible repairs’.

See also: comparison of new builds and resale homes.