Conveyancing is the legal transfer of a property from one owner to another. The process involves a conveyancing solicitor or licensed conveyancer who acts on behalf of the buyer to ensure their client receives the title deeds to the property and the land it sits on. Conveyancing encapsulates the entirety of the legal and administrative work required to ensure a house purchase is valid under law.

Both the seller and the buyer have to meet their obligations. It is advisable to seek counsel from a Spanish attorney if you need to be provided with conveyancing services.

When a property is purchased, there will be an ‘exchange of contracts’. This exchange between the buyer and the seller will be carried out via each party’s conveyancer or consultant, and this is what legally commits both parties to the sale of the property. 

The property should first be analysed, as well as the land and the construction itself. You should also discuss the property's aspects with inspectors and architects of the area.

A property report should be completed so as to know the exact legal situation of your future property and the costs and taxes of the transaction. Obtain a mortgage loan, if required, in order to finance the purchase of the property.

Sooner or later you will hear your conveyancer or mortgage lender referring to “exchange of contracts”. The exchange of signed contracts between the buyer and the seller – carried our via each party’s conveyancer – is what legally commits both parties to the sale of the property.

A house purchase is not legally binding until contracts are exchanged between the buyer and the seller – this gives freedom to both parties prior to the exchange of contracts. A deposit is required at the exchange of contracts.

In the phase prior to exchanging contracts either party can cancel the transaction, with no obligations to the other party. This can potentially increase the risk of gazumping if you are part of a lengthy moving chain.

Upon the exchange of contracts, the buyer and seller are both legally committed to the purchase and the agreed terms of the sale. If you decide to pull out of the agreement at this stage you may automatically lose the deposit you paid upon exchange.

The process can involve a conveyancing solicitor, licensed conveyancer or lawyer who acts on behalf of the buyer to ensure their client receives the title deeds to the property and the land it sits on.

We act on behalf of a client when purchasing or selling a property in Spain, we do all the legal and tax work in realising the completion of a sale.

We make sure that all documents are in order, that the property is free of liens and encumbrances, aiding in paying the appropriate transfer taxes and properly registering the property in the client's name.

Furthermore, we help with, legal and tax advice, using Power of Attorney, obtain an Identification Fiscal Number (NIE), Liaise with your Spanish bank, schedule appointments for bank and Notary, fill and pay all appropriate taxes, fill & pay Land Registry with Notary payments, transfer contracts with electric and water suppliers and organise IBI tax payment.

With our conveyancing service, we require all the relevant documentation to ensure that we make the necessary checks on the status of the property. As standard, we ensure that the property being bought or sold has no outstanding debt, such as a mortgage or unpaid local town hall tax.

Our Spanish solicitors have a wide expertise in conveyancing legal matters. We always maintain contact with clients throughout the sale or purchase of a property, while providing recommendations that better suit your needs.

Utilising PSI Consultants to help fulfil a sale or purchase of a property will be an effective solution for you, as we use the vast experiences and practices that we have developed over 15 years.

We have firm connections and work closely with local estate agencies in and around the Costa Blanca area. Allowing us to help you discover relevant properties that suit your needs and streamlining the real estate selling process.

Over the many years that we have provided this service, we have had to adapt for current buying & selling trends in the local competitive market. This further aids our clients in deciding how best to act. We also help with mortgages acquisitions and searching for cash only properties.

Furthermore, we help with, legal and tax advice, using Power of Attorney, obtain an Identification Fiscal Number (NIE), Liaise with your Spanish bank, schedule appointments for bank and Notary, fill and pay all appropriate taxes, fill & pay Land Registry with Notary payments, transfer contracts with electric and water suppliers and organise IBI tax payment.

Residing in Spain for more than 183 days in one calendar year will class you as a full-time resident and therefore you will be liable to pay Spanish tax on any worldwide income and gains.

For clients planning to reside in Spain, you will need to register as a resident through the Spanish immigrant office or a local designated Spanish police station.

A long-term residence permit allows you to stay in Spain indefinitely working or otherwise, under the same conditions as Spanish citizens. The Spanish tax system does not allow property owners in Spain to have both resident statuses, you are either a resident or non-resident for a whole tax year.

Becoming a Spanish tax resident involves:

1). Holding a base of economic or professional activities in Spain. Therefore, if you earn the most of your worldwide income in Spain, you will be deemed as a Spanish tax resident.

2). Holding a centre of vital interest in Spain, such as your spouse and/or your dependent minor children living in Spain. Regardless of how many days you spend in Spain, you will be considered a Spanish tax resident, unless you hold a tax residency certificate issued by another country.

The Spanish authorities will issue you with a credit-card sized residence certificate once you have successfully applied for Spanish residency. In order to receive the residency, you must provide:

• The full name of applicant(s),
• The Spanish property address,
• Stated nationality,
• NIE number(s),
• The date of registration.

We have helped clients who have just moved to Spain or who have been non-residents become full-time Spanish residents, by investigating whether the clients need to acquire a property, obtain an NIE(s) and double check that they are financial capable of sustaining themselves.

Furthermore, new Spanish residents will need to own at least one year private or public Spanish healthcare in order to be eligible for full-time residency.

The legal department from PSI Consultants will maintain regular contact with clients who need Spanish residency and update them of the application process from the beginning until completion.

We help to direct clients who are subject to personal income tax and would have to declare yearly, including, clients who become habitual residents in any Spanish territory, also if the main centre or base of the taxpayer's business or professional activities or economic interests are in Spain, either directly or indirectly.

The 15 plus years of helping many clients obtain Spanish residency and fulfilling their tax duties has enabled us to provide a highly proficient and strongly communication resident application, with tax management services.

We maintain stress-free compliance with clients and offer reliable contact with support throughout the working week, while guiding you step-by-step in moving to Spain, collecting NIE(s), and becoming tax-residents. Also, our consultants can arrange appointment bookings for obtaining Spanish residency.

The Spanish Government created a legislation in 2013 that provides residency permits to non-EU investors known as the ‘Investors Residency’, but also as the ‘Golden Visa’. This investment is a great and quick route to obtaining the privileged Spanish residency with a work permit for the investor and their family.

The Golden Visa allows non-EU investors to invest in a range of modes and in turn receive residency over a period of time spent in Spain. Residents from former Spanish colonies may only require two years of residency in Spain in order to receive Spanish nationality, meanwhile investors from other non-EU countries require ten years of residency.

In order to qualify for the Golden Visa scheme, you need to invest:
• A minimum of 2 million euros on Spanish treasury bonds.
• 1 million euros in stocks or deposits in Spain.
• A property, or multiple properties, valued at more than 500,000 euros.
• Business projects that generate jobs, have a wider positive impact on an area, or contribute to technological or scientific innovation.

Typically, property investments tend to be the most utilise method of Golden Visa acquirement. To apply for residency, proof of the investment(s) must be provided with a Property Registry filing (certificate). Finally, the estate can be rural land, developed land, buildings under construction, garage & parking spaces, individual chalets, houses and apartments and flats.

To become a successful golden visa applicant and thereby be granted residency & nationality in Spain, you must fulfil the requirements set fourth by the Spanish government. There are five major requirements that must be met in order to obtain a successful golden visa. These are:
• You cannot have entered or resided illegally in any Spanish territory at any point.
• You must not have been refused entry in any of the Schengen countries.
• It is mandatory to have public or private health insurance, which must be authorised to operate in Spain.
• You must provide evidence of sufficient economic means for personal & family living expenses.
• Finally, you must provide proof of the property investment, by providing the original deeds with the registry of property attesting ownership.

Obtaining Golden Visa residency for an investor and the investor’s family is a straight forward process that PSI Consultants has a breadth of experience with and our service typically requires surveying investment opportunities for investors with minimum property thresholds of at least 500,000 Euros (before taxes).

Furthermore, Residencia for the investor, including the family, will need to be obtained. For this, you will need:
• A passport of yourself and each of your family members.
• The title deeds of the purchased property/properties.
• Public or private health insurance, from a legal insurance company operating in Spain.
• Provide proof of no criminal record in your home country, for yourself and your family.
• Provide proof of legitimate source of the funds for the property investment.
• These documents will be needed to open a bank account in Spain.

The legal & fiscal consultants at PSI Consultants will guide Golden Visa investors throughout the process of searching for property investment opportunities, residency applications and acquisition of Spanish nationality during the investment period.

We provide complete & comprehensive advice to our investor clients for all aspects of Golden Visas in Spain, along with confirming that they are eligible for the application. Furthermore, our consultants will maintain contact with clients for the success of an application or the unlikely rejection, to which we will help to resolve the circumstance.

With the PSI Consultants Golden Visa application service, you will receive many perks that a normal resident visa cannot provide, including:
• You can live, work, study & retire in Spain.
• Acquire residency in Spain quickly.
• No requirement to live in Spain in order to maintain the residency.
• You and your family are allowed to freely explore Europe, without restrictions in the Schengen Area.
• You have the right to live in Spain for an unlimited period of time, this is the most convenient path to becoming a Spanish national.
• Your partner and children, up to 17 years old or below, are included in the Golden Visa application and can obtain residency permits.