Buying a Property in Lanzarote

Living the "Vida Loca" in Lanzarote...

The following information is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice but a brief indication of how to proceed with the purchase of a property.

The most important point is to find the property that you really like. For all the necessary steps from this point on until you become an owner of a property in the Canary Islands, be guided by professional advice.

Once you have found the property you wish to purchase, the first step is to make sure that the title deeds are in order and all documents are correct, these checks will be carried out by your lawyer in the corresponding Land Registry and Town Hall. When everything has been checked to be in order, the preparation and signing of a private contract is the next step. This private contract will reflect the conditions, terms and date when the purchase will be formalised and also the deposit which has to be paid, which is normally 10% and is part of the final price. If it is a purchase of a property in construction the conditions of payment established between the two parties will also be set out in the private contract.

In the Public Notary’s office and on the date of completion of purchase, the pending amount to be paid and the transfer of ownership to the buyer will take place, this can be done personally or through your lawyer with a corresponding Power of Attorney. At the same time the receipts for the water, electricity will be checked and land searches carried out once more to make sure there are no outstanding debts against the property. If the property is a new construction then at the time of signing you will also need to pay the 5% IGIC (a tax which is equivalent to VAT).If the property is not new and it is a resale then the buyer has 30 days to pay the necessary purchase tax, present the deeds in order to register the property in the buyers name in the corresponding Land Registry and pay all the expenses and fees involved. All costs expenses and taxes will be approximately 10% of the sale price.

Nowadays, purchasing a property in the Canary Islands is an investment both from an economic point and quality of life point of view. Seek professional guidance and just enjoy your investment.

Gorka Centeno
Lawyer
Calle Fajardo 1, 2ºD
Arrecife De Lanzarote
pcabogados@icam.es
Tel – +34 928 813 775
Fax – +34 928 806 049