Below are some examples of how Property Consultancy has helped Spanish property buyers avoid and resolve problems with the buying process

Example 1

Paul came to me late in his buying process. He had already found the property had made a reservation on it and had come to me to find him mortgage finance to complete the purchase

I explained to him that until we had his finance approved, he should not make a private exchange contract but the estate agent put him under constant pressure and he eventually caved in, signed an exchange contract and paid 50,000 euros which was 10% of the price

As I suspected his financial circumstances were not sufficient for him to get mortgage finance for the property and we worked with private finance companies and other financial instruments to find him a non-mortgage loan the very short period agreed on the Private exchange contract elapsed

Faced with losing his 50,000-euro deposit with not help from his lawyer and only threats from his estate agent, we were able to use our legal team to find and contact the seller directly side stepping the agendas of the real estate agent and the sellers lawyer and agree a solution which provide him an extension on the deadline to complete on the property.

Example 2

Jeremy and Gemma contacted me after reading my book ‘How to buy a property in Spain’

They had found a property which they were interested in buying but as it was their 1st purchase in Spain had decided to use my services to ensure that no unexpected problems arose.

After contacting all parties involved in the sale to explain that I would be working on their behalf I entered into a negotiation with the seller and the selling agent securing a 10,000-euro discount on the property.

I also worked against the wishes of their lawyer and the sellers lawyer to insist that the property was reserved and did not go straight to exchange at private contract

Due to their specific circumstances an international power of attorney was required. Keeping in contact with my client I worked on alongside the lawyer to ensure that the apostille was completed and the power of attorney generated

I additionally worked on their behalf contacting both their Spanish bank and UK bank to progress their mortgage application

As the Pandemic hit due to an unfortunate turn of circumstances, they were unable to continue with the purchase.

It was at this point that they contacted me and thanked me for my work insisting that they followed the process of reserving the property before signing a private contract as if they had followed the advice of their lawyer they would have lost twice as much money when their change of circumstance forced them to pull out of the purchase.

Example 3

Dr Ayman was an American citizen who wanted to buy a property in Spain as an investment and personal use to visit his family members who lived in Europe

He was a surgeon so of good financial standing but had been unhappy with the performance of previous estate agents and so had been recommended to talk to us

After our usual detailed clients’ needs analysis, we agreed that a bank repossession in Marbella would be the best option for his needs

After a few near misses in central Marbella and Elvira, we finally found him his perfect property, a small villa in Cabopino, Marbella

But this was just the beginning of our work. As an American citizen the bank who owned the repossession (A new bank created out of the amalgamation of failed banks and the government intervention by the recession of 2008) had not frame of reference for assessing the financial documents of American nationals.

This led to a grueling period of working with his Accountant in the US to provide detailed information of his numerous investments and pension plans and well as the American equivalents Spanish financial and legal documentation much of which needed to be translated before it could be explained

We spent a lot of time keeping all parties onboard when exasperation took hold and either the buyer threatened to pull out of the deal, or the lending bank threatened to cancel the mortgage process because it was too complicated and finally, we were able to provide Dr Ayman with the fiancé he needed to buy the property and enjoy his European holidays whilst visiting his family

Example 4

John came to us looking for a bank repossession. He has previously tried to buy a property in Spain and just like Paul had been pressured into signing an exchange contract before he had his mortgage finance approved but unlike Paul was unlucky enough to contact us after the deadline for completion on that property had passed and he had lost his 40,000-euro deposit.

Left with less than half his original budget he was forced to try to find a bank repossession which are usually cheaper to keep his Spanish property dream alive

We worked with him finding him deals but none of them were right for his specific plans

Then after many months he found a property which was exactly what he wanted but was too expensive for him to buy

We contacted the seller on his behalf, they had been messed around by several previous buyers who had pulled out at the last minute and were very skeptical of his interest

We spent some time with the seller explaining exactly what we do, convincing them to give our client a chance and negotiating a price that worked for him.

We also used creative property strategies which were needed if we were to enable the sale

Both seller and our client were skeptical when we explained how the deal would have to be done. The seller was so skeptical that they called their lawyer and bank both of whom confirmed that our solution was little known but perfectly legal, the bank even told her that they welcomed the approach.

As such we were able to take John from the position of having lost his deposit and fearing that he could no longer buy in Spain to having a deal available on the property of his choosing which was agreed by the seller, the sellers bank, and the lawyers.

Testimonials

Nigel & Irene

In the fast paced digital age in which we live, people’s attention span becomes increasingly shorter- so from the outset, let me just “cut to the chase”.

DO NOT BUY A SPANISH PROPERTY WITHOUT SPEAKING TO FELIX FIRST!

I’ll now give some context to this bold statement.

We were introduced to Felix through a mutual friend and after a 5 minute FaceTime conversation we knew he was the right fit for us. Our initial confidence was not misplaced.

Whatever you think you know about buying property in the UK counts for nothing when you decide to buy a property in Spain. You need someone who is experienced, has in depth knowledge of Spain’s legal and financial systems, is professional, attentive and persistent... and most of all trustworthy. Add to that a great sense of humour and a dogged determination to overcome any obstacle (and there will be obstacles!) You need Felix Joseph, who has these qualities in abundance.

Due to travel restrictions, Felix liaised with the vendors of the property, arranged our Spanish Bank account, organised our NIE numbers (essential in order to do anything in Spain) and introduced us to an excellent Spanish solicitor. Felix was involved in the whole process.

We could not have done this without him.

Buying a Spanish property is a serious financial commitment so you need someone who you can trust. Felix Joseph is that person.

If you have got this far down this testimonial without falling into a coma, then you are serious about buying a Spanish property. Contact Felix- it will be the smartest move you could make to securing your dream home in Spain!

Jeremy and Gemma

"You are 100% in good hand in every financial & legal step along the way!"

After reading Felix’s book ‘How to buy a property in Spain’ I contacted him directly to deal with our intended purchase in Murcia. Felix replied and we arranged a call. He instantly put us at ease, explained the process, potential pitfalls and understood our concerns immediately.

This was our first non UK purchase and we had heard so many horror stories... We engaged Felix who was always on hand to answer any queries, took a lot of the stress out of the process and advised us soundly. He was invaluable in guiding us through dealing with Spanish lawyers and kept us informed and protected. He even took part in the negotiations, securing the price we wanted to pay, and not the asking price. It was so nice to have someone purely concerned with our interests.

His fees were extremely competitive and we would not hesitate to use his services again. We cannot recommend Felix highly enough.

Val

After deciding that I wanted an apartment in Spain I got in touch with Property Under One Roof. My agent, Felix, gave brilliant advice as to which type of property would best suit my needs, and sourced a beautiful repossessed apartment within my meagre price range, Their services included invaluable advise in such matters as transferring funds and finding a good solicitors. Even after the purchase Felix was always on the other end of the telephone line to answer my questions, recommend reliable trades men and generally made getting my property up and running as stress free as possible. Properties Under one Roof have enabled me to make my dream of owning a Spanish property come true. Thanks Felix.