Once the Spanish purchase deed is signed, you are the owner of your new home. However, moving into a property in Spain after the deed of purchase is usually not possible or advisable. So staying overnight from day 1 is not always feasible. And this is due to a number of practical reasons. You will find more information in this post.
For a property in resale
From the moment you sign the purchase deed at the notary in Spain, you are the owner. Within a few months of purchase, your title will also be registered with the Registration office. Thus, you are also a registered owner.
Immediately after deed of sale, you can also occupy the property in resale. Indeed, in most sales contracts, the parties agree that the seller will let the existing connections run until +/- 14 days after deed. In principle, in resale, the day of deed is also the day of occupation. In other words: you can stay in your Spanish home from day 1.
Read more about the practicalities of buying a property in Spain.
When buying on plan or new construction
With a purchase on plan or when buying a newly built property in Spain, you are also the owner from deed, but the immediate move-in is often practically a bit more difficult. There are two reasons for this.
The first cause relates to the residual items. In Spain, the promoter still has time until after the deed to put the remaining items in order. There is no fixed legal deadline for this, but obviously the promoter should act as quickly as possible. So there is a reasonable time limit that depends on the filing of the snagging list, delivery times of materials, holidays, work required, etc. Practice shows that any outstanding residual items are usually resolved within a month. The residual points obviously do not affect the warranty.
The second reason consists of the connection of utilities. For newly built houses, we will apply for the contracts for water and electricity for the first time. Often, the company will also still come to install the meters. Count on about 14 days after deed for the connection of water. For electricity please allow 14 to 30 days after deed. In exceptional cases, the promoter still provides its own temporary supply of water and electricity.
So although you are the owner from deed and you can enter the property, it is advisable to wait for the first overnight stay. The same goes for the removal or delivery of contents.
Note that the common parts do not necessarily have to be finished at the time of the deed.
Learn more about the completion of a new building in Spain here.
Decision: moving into a property in Spain
In a resale, you will usually be able to use your new home at will immediately after deed. So you can stay there from day 1.
In the case of a sale on plan or a new building however, it is advisable to take a few more waiting for the remaining items to be finished and connections provided. In general, it is best to take into account 30 days after deed before you start planning. Therefore, book a hotel before your stay. We can also sign the deed of sale for you via a notarial proxy. So you can travel to Spain and stay in the property for the first time if all points are in order.
Do you have questions about buying a new building in Spain? Here you can find the buying process explained in five steps or feel free to get in touch.
