Buying a flat in Madrid as a foreigner: the eight documents

Buying a flat in Madrid from abroad is not complicated, but it is sequential. Each step needs a document from the one before, and the seller’s agent will expect you to produce yours on time. This is the list we give every client at the first meeting, in the order it is usually needed.

The eight documents

• The NIE, your Spanish tax identification number, without which no contract or bank account is possible.

• A Spanish bank account, or a non-resident account at a Spanish bank, to pay the deposit and the taxes.

• The nota simple from the land registry, which shows who owns the property and what debts are attached to it.

• The reservation and private purchase contracts, which fix the price and the completion date.

• The energy certificate and the certificate from the community of owners confirming that fees are paid.

• Proof of the origin of your funds, which the notary and the bank are required to check.

• A power of attorney, if you will not be in Spain for the signing.

• The public deed signed at the notary, which is then registered in your name.

Who issues what

The NIE comes from the police or a Spanish consulate, the nota simple from the land registry, the energy certificate from a registered technician and the community certificate from its administrator. Your lawyer obtains most of them for you; the seller provides the rest, and we check each one before you pay anything.

What to do now

Apply for the NIE as soon as you are serious about buying, since it takes weeks and everything waits for it. Then send us the nota simple of any property you are considering before you make an offer. It costs nine euros and it is the document most likely to change your mind.