Monthly Wrap: Moving to Spain: Which property terms do you need to know?

If you’re not fluent in Español entering the Spanish property market can be a little daunting.
All is not lost, however, as we’ve put together a handy guide to the Spanish property terms that might pop up in your search for a new casa…

The importance of where – Types of Spanish property

Before you jump into your Spanish property search by finding out what is se vende (for sale), you’ll need to have a good idea of what type of home you’re looking for.
If you want to stay connected to an urban area then it might be worth looking for an apartment, or piso.
These can be relatively basic dwellings, featuring a dormitorio (bedroom), cuarto de baño (bathroom) and cocina/salón (kitchen/living room) combination. Pisos are often centrally located in urban areas, so the focus is on convenience for residents and there might be communal perks like a piscina (swimming pool), jardín (garden) or sporting facilities.
A piso, which is often found in an urban area, is distinguished from an apartamento (apartment), which is the name given to the same kind of residence in a coastal area or one frequented by tourists.
If you’d like to live in a Spanish city but dream bigger than a piso, there’s always the option of a casa adosada (townhouse). A form of terraced house, casas adosadas are more often found within their own housing estates or on the outskirts of towns.
Spanish townhouses can rise to three or four floors and have an open rooftop area for catching some rays.
If you’d like to stay connected to the community, looking for a casa de pueblo (village house) can be a good idea. While these properties might need a bit of fixing up to start with, they provide immediate access to immersion in village life.
Casas de pueblos can be within walking distance of local amenities and often feature their own gardens at the rear of the property, at the expense of little greenery out front.
Getting further out into the campo (countryside), you might consider buying up a cortijo or finca, which usually refers to a farmhouse with attached land. It is worth noting that finca can refer to any number of countryside properties, ranging from a stone hut to a sprawling estate.
Spain’s villas (or chalets, in some areas) are perhaps the most recognisable property option for UK expats and are often spacious homes with swimming pools and gardens.
Getting back to basics, if you want to build your own home in Spain then square one is a terreno, or plot of land. Checking which land you’re actually buying is essential, as is making sure that you have permission to build (budding homebuilders have been caught out in the past by suspect land sales).

It’s what’s inside that counts – Spanish property interiors

Once you’ve homed in on a Spanish property that takes your fancy, it’s time to see what’s going on behind the walls.
Finding out the number of cuartos (rooms) will likely be your first point of research, followed by seeing how many dormitorios (bedrooms) and cuarto de baños (bathrooms) there are.
Not all facilities are created equal, so checking whether the property has a baño (bath) or ducha (shower) is a good call.
If the property is furnished, you might want to check if armarios (wardrobes or cupboards) are included, and if the alfombras (carpets) are in a good condition – if there are any.
For countryside properties that need a bit of doing up, it helps to know who to call on to make your renovation dream come alive. If major repairs are needed, a constructor (builder) could be handy, as could an architecto (architect) to help you plan out necessary alterations.
Many fincas are truly rustic in their setup, so they utilise gas butano (butane gas) instead of electricidad (electricity).
On the other end of the scale, added extras that could come with a property include a garaje (garage), fuente (fountain) and close proximity to a playa (beach).

Sealing the deal – Buying Spanish property

When it comes to buying or selling a property in Spain, inmobiliairas (estate agents) play a big part.
The usual process of buying a Spanish property is to make an offer through the seller’s estate agent. If this is accepted, then a contrato compra vende (buying/selling contract) can be drawn up.
You’ll be expected to put down a depósito (deposit) at this stage and after sorting out any hipoteca (mortgage) requirements, you’ll sign the escritura de compravento (contract of sale) in the presence of a notario (notary).
Finally, after a lot of paperwork, you’ll be granted the escritura (deeds) and llaves (keys) to your new home!