The most common pitfalls when buying property in Spain are physical and legal problems that do not show in the listing: damp, cracks, extensions without a licence and differences between the land registry, the cadastre and what is actually built. An architect’s survey before you sign finds them while you can still negotiate or walk away.
Why problems appear after you buy
In Spain the notary checks identities and documents, not the condition of the property. The bank’s valuation estimates what the property is worth for the mortgage; it does not look for defects. And the estate agent works for the sale. Nobody in the usual process is paid to look at the house the way you would want.
That is why the problems below are usually discovered after completion, when they are already yours.
1. Damp and coastal wear
On the coast, salt air, humidity and strong sun wear buildings faster. The typical signs are damp at the base of walls on ground floors, condensation and mould in poorly ventilated rooms, and balconies or terraces where the concrete has cracked and the steel inside has started to rust.
Fresh paint can hide all of this for a viewing. A hygrometer and a thermal camera show what paint hides.
2. Cracks and structural movement
Not every crack is serious. Hairline cracks in plaster are common; diagonal cracks near doors and windows, cracks that cross the whole wall or that reappear after painting deserve a closer look. On sloping plots, retaining walls and terraces are a frequent source of expensive repairs.
3. Extensions, pools and outbuildings without a licence
Closed porches, an extra bedroom, a pool, a garage converted into living space: on the Costa Blanca many properties have works that were never licensed. Some can be legalised and some cannot, depending on the planning rules of each town.
An unlicensed extension can affect the mortgage, the insurance and your ability to sell later. The Premium level of the survey checks the planning status of what has been built.
4. Registry, cadastre and reality do not match
The land registry extract (nota simple), the cadastre and the property itself often describe three different houses: different floor areas, a pool that is not recorded, a plot boundary that does not match. Comparing the three before you sign tells you what you are really buying and what may need to be regularised.
5. Homes on rural land
Country houses (fincas) on rural land have stricter rules: what can be built, extended or legalised is limited, and some situations can only be regularised through specific procedures. If the house you like is on rural land, check its status before you commit. More information (in Spanish): Vivienda en suelo rústico.
6. Installations nobody tests
Electrics, plumbing, drainage, air conditioning, the water tank (aljibe) and the septic tank or treatment plant in properties that are not connected to the sewer: they are expensive to replace and rarely tested at a viewing. A survey checks what is visible and accessible and tells you what should be inspected by an installer.
7. Missing certificates
To sell, the owner needs a registered energy certificate. To connect or transfer water and electricity in the Valencia region you will usually need the habitability certificate (second occupancy declaration). Check who provides them and when.
What an architect checks, level by level
There are four levels and each one answers a different question. Prices + VAT; travel included up to 30 km from Dénia, then €0.30/km.
| Level | Answers | Flat | House |
|---|---|---|---|
| 00 · Accompaniment | Is this house worth pursuing? | €295 | €395 |
| 01 · Basic | What does this house have? | €395 | €495 |
| 02 · Standard | What will it cost me? | €645 | €795 |
| 03 · Premium | Is it legal and what margin does it leave? | €1,195 | On request |
Frequently asked questions
Is a building survey mandatory in Spain?
No. It is not required by law, which is exactly why many buyers skip it. It is common sense when you are about to spend hundreds of thousands of euros.
When should I order it?
Before you sign the reservation contract (arras), or make the arras conditional on a favourable report.
Doesn’t my lawyer check all this?
Your lawyer checks the legal side: ownership, charges and the contract. Most lawyers do not inspect the property. See Conveyancing in Spain: what your lawyer doesn’t check.
In which language is the report?
In Spanish and English, at no extra cost.
Rafael Soriano de Prado, registered architect, COACV no. 15561