Before you buy, Buysafe.es
MINISTERIO / AYTO.ES

EX-15

Solicitud de NIE

SELLO
OFICIAL
MINISTERIO / AYTO.ES

MODELO 600

Impuesto de Transmisiones

SELLO
OFICIAL
MINISTERIO / AYTO.ES

EMPADRONAMIENTO

Certificado · Ayuntamiento

SELLO
OFICIAL
MINISTERIO / AYTO.ES

LICENCIA DE OBRAS

Permiso Municipal

SELLO
OFICIAL
MINISTERIO / AYTO.ES

IBI

Recibo Anual

SELLO
OFICIAL
MINISTERIO / AYTO.ES

CÉDULA DE HABITABILIDAD

Certificado de Vivienda

SELLO
OFICIAL

Why We AreBuilding ThisPlatform

Buying property in Spain comes with a thousand answers — from agents, lawyers, builders and forums. Scattered. Outdated. Contradictory. We are bringing them together in one place.

MINISTERIO / AYTO.ES

EX-15

Solicitud de NIE

SELLO
OFICIAL
MINISTERIO / AYTO.ES

MODELO 600

Impuesto de Transmisiones

SELLO
OFICIAL

The Information Is Out There. Everywhere.

Anyone who seriously considers buying a property in Spain eventually notices the same thing: there is an enormous amount of information available.

Estate agents tell their side of the story, lawyers focus on the legal aspects, contractors look at the condition of the building, and installers concentrate on technical matters. Add hundreds of websites, forums, Facebook groups and videos — and yet one problem remains.

The information is scattered. Often incomplete. Frequently outdated. And sometimes contradictory or simply wrong.

Not because buyers are careless — but because most naturally focus on the property itself, and far less on everything that comes with it. The issues that receive the least attention during a viewing often turn out to be the biggest challenges later on.

“I love the extension. Should I buy this house?”
“It’s all legal and proper, no worries.”
“The extension is not registered at catastro.”
“Don’t worry, this is Spain. Just buy it!”
“The roof is leaking, and the wiring needs to be replaced.”
A confused buyer asks about a Spanish house extension while an estate agent, a lawyer, a Facebook-group commenter and a builder give four different answers
Buyer Estate Agent Lawyer FB Group Builder

One question. Three professionals. Four different answers.

The Same Questions Keep Coming Back

In conversations with property buyers, homeowners and future expats, we hear the same questions time and time again.

Often because the property — or part of it — is not correctly registered. Spanish banks only finance what legally exists on paper, so an unregistered extension or an unclear cadastral situation can block a mortgage entirely.

Most likely your contracted power (potencia) is low — many Spanish homes still run on 3.3 kW connections — or the charger shares a limited single-phase supply. An upgrade is usually possible, but it needs checking first.

Heat pumps draw a high starting current. If the contracted power or the installation is undersized — common in older Spanish homes — the main breaker (ICP) trips. Often solvable with a power upgrade or a soft-starter.

Rural and older properties often rely on deposits, pressure groups or ageing municipal lines. Pressure that is too low usually points to pump or supply issues; too high can damage appliances and needs a reducing valve.

Sometimes. It depends on the region, the age of the construction and the classification of the land. Some extensions can be regularised through a legalisation procedure; others never can. Always check before buying.

Because the real condition of electrics, plumbing, structure and permits is usually discovered only after work starts. A technical inspection before purchase reveals most of these costs in advance.

Each professional views the property through the lens of their own trade — and their own interest in the transaction. Independent, cross-discipline advice is the only way to get one coherent answer.

None of these are particularly complicated questions. What is remarkable is that they are often only asked after the property has already been purchased. And that is usually when mistakes become expensive.

Spain Works Differently Than Many People Expect

Many foreign buyers assume that life in Spain works more or less the same way as it does in the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Netherlands, Belgium or Germany. In practice, that is often not the case.

Regulations can vary significantly between regions, provinces and municipalities. What is perfectly acceptable in one municipality may be treated very differently just a few kilometres away. And while some properties are equipped with modern systems, others still rely on installations that are several decades old.

Building methods differ

Construction techniques and materials follow a different logic than in Northern Europe.

Electrical installations differ

Contracted power, wiring standards and grid connections are a world of their own.

Water systems differ

Mains, deposits, wells and pressure groups — each with its own rules and quirks.

Permit procedures differ

Every region, province and municipality plays by its own book.

A Place in the Sun: The Dream Versus Reality

Many UK viewers know programmes like A Place in the Sun or New Life in the Sun. As viewers, we spot the problems long before the participants do — has anyone checked the paperwork, the utility connections, the renovation costs? Yet the participants only discover these challenges once they are already committed.

We see exactly the same among real buyers. People fall in love with a stunning view, a charming finca, a property that ticks every box. Completely understandable. But excitement shifts attention away from the practical realities — until the dream property turns out to be not quite as straightforward as it first appeared.

What buyers look at

  • The space and the layout
  • The spectacular view
  • The location and the beach
  • The attractive asking price

What decides the outcome

  • Electricity supply & contracted power
  • Water connections & permits
  • Insulation & construction methods
  • Future maintenance costs

Why This Platform Was Created

After having the same conversations over and over again, that thought kept returning. There are excellent estate agents, highly qualified lawyers, skilled contractors and experienced installers. The problem: almost everyone views a property through the lens of their own profession — and buyers are left piecing together information from dozens of sources.

That is exactly why this platform was created.

  • Not as an estate agency website
  • Not as a legal portal
  • Not as a sales platform for a specific service
  • But as a central place where practical, technical and administrative information comes together

Think You're Ready? Prove It.

0

Built on Real-World Experience

Everything published on this platform originates from situations we have encountered in real life. Questions that keep returning. Problems that repeatedly arise. Misunderstandings that many buyers seem to share.

That is why we focus not only on buying property, but also on technical inspections, electrical installations and grid upgrades, water supply and sewerage, renovations and renovation costs, rules & regulations, NIE applications, car import — and the common mistakes buyers keep making, so you don’t have to repeat them.

Our mission is simple: to help people make better-informed decisions before problems arise.

Just the Beginning

This platform is still very much under development. Over time, new articles, guides, real-world examples, warnings, checklists and practical resources will continue to be added.

The more often we encountered the same questions and the same problems, the stronger our conviction became: all of this knowledge should live in one central place.

That is why BuySafe.es exists.

BuySafe.es
© 2026 BuySafe.es — Practical, technical and administrative knowledge for buying property in Spain.