How many flats did you see before you bought one? Around 40

How was your experience with the real estate agents? The real estate was also the owner of the flat so things went pretty smoothly.

Did you encounter any problems with the purchase? Not really because I had the support of Spain Advisors.

Do you have advice for someone looking for a flat now? Unless the buyer is local, always ask support of an Advisor who will be always at your side.

How did Spain Advisors help you? For example, did they help you negotiate the price? Spain advisors helped me in the whole purchase process after I chosen and reserved the apartment, I am very happy of the services provided. Mark, who is very responsive, managed all communications between me and agency/owner, he personally checked the apartment to verify its status, checked owner paid all community bills as well as city taxes, helped in the drafting of arras and the final contract at notary, managed to pay all the taxes after the deed has been signed.

Are you happy with the flat you purchased? Yes

Would you recommend Spain Advisors to a friend: definitely

Frédéric and his friend bought a newly-renovated flat in the Barcelona neighborhood of Poble Sec.

“We looked for a flat remotely for about 9 months, to understand the market trends, and visited about 12 flats with local agents. We bought in Poble Sec for its original flair. It’s a multi-cultural barrio close to the Barcelona center, well connected by public transportation, and close to Montjuic, a large park with sporting activities. And it is not too touristy!

Our search advice is to first study the market to understand its trends. While Barcelona may appear to be an easy place to buy a nice flat, you soon realize that it’s vendor-driven. The rare buying opportunities that appeal to foreign investors is difficult to understand. In my country the real estate agent is an intermediate between the seller and the buyer for their common benefit. We feel that Spanish agents are primarily working for the benefit of the seller. So that a buyer should get proper advice.

We did not encounter any major issues during the purchase process. We had the chance to be accompanied by Mark of Spain Advisors from the early stages which proved very useful. Be aware of the time constraints when buying, especially if you need a mortgage.

Mark was instrumental in our purchase. Since we were living abroad, we needed someone local and accustomed to Spanish laws and regulations. He was very pro-active, responsive and easily available. He managed the whole purchase process for us in a smooth way. He has a good understanding of local market practices, which helps in negotiations. Indeed, Mark helped us to obtain a discount on the purchase price. We would recommend Mark of Spain Advisors for anyone buying a flat in Barcelona!”

Tanya hired Spain Advisors to recover inheritance proceeds in the custody of a law firm located in Philadelphia, USA.
“Advice for people with a legal matter pending in the USA: find a lawyer you trust, who prioritizes your case, and is clear with you from the start. We had some inheritance funds held in the USA. We needed a licensed USA attorney with knowledge of Spanish law to write an opinion letter in order to obtain the funds. After searching, we found no such attorney with the required skill set in the USA, so we looked into international firms, and found Spain Advisors online.

Overall, our experience with Mark and with Spain Advisors was excellent. Mark Carr called me back within 24 hours of our first request (despite it being a Sunday) and resolved the matter as efficiently and helpfully as possible, in very good time. They were entirely professional, responsive, and quick, providing advice beyond what was required and informing us every step of the way, despite the complications we met (not their fault). They worked day, night and weekends to wrap our case up as soon as possible and we were very grateful for this. We would absolutely recommend Spain Advisors to a friend. 10/10.” Tanya Hart.

My wife and I saw about ten flats and met several real estate agents. Their goal, obviously, is to show the property’s positive aspects and persuade you to buy for the listed price. It’s important to remember that they earn a commission of the sale’s price. When we expressed an interest in a flat, they applied some pressure on us to force to a decision. Sometimes after only one visit.

Mark’s service removed a lot of this stress and made things significantly easier. He explained to the agent that we were interested in the flat, but wanted to research the property first, then make a decision. Remember, as the buyer, take your time and conduct due diligence on the property, then decide. I would definitely recommend Spain Advisors to friends who were planning to buy property here. So far everything seems great with the flat.

Daniel and his spouse bought a flat in Hospitalet, a town just south of Barcelona.

“My experience with Spain Advisors was great and I had no problems at all. I searched for about two months for a flat and saw about 30. I advise you to buy soon as prices are going up and good flats are selling fast. But check all aspects of the property very carefully first, there may be hidden problems without a solution. I am very happy with the property I bought, it was well below my budget and renovations were already done so no headache of buying materials/looking for contractors. The purchase went smooth. I would recommend Spain Advisors to a friend, definitely.

Odd and his spouse bought in the Gothic Quarter, Born area.

I began my search in Italy and Portugal, but decided to buy in Barcelona. It’s vibrant and full of life like London, but small enough not to be stressful. After searching online, I decided to visit Barcelona to get to know the city. I saw about 100 flats. Probably too many, but I wanted to explore Barcelona to decide where to live. Each neighborhood is diverse; with its own character and vibe.

I met several real estate agents along the way. I would say 30% were very good; 20% were not reliable at all and the other 40% were OK but had to be watched closely. One word of caution: Always measure the flat’s floor size yourself; agents like to embellish this.

Regarding the purchase, things can happen very quickly. If you find a good deal, you’ll have to move fast or lose it. Have the advisor lined up, make an offer and close the deal. I lost a flat because another buyer got their first. Prices are hard to judge. I compared the price per square meter in the neighborhood and offered the average or lower, unless the flat has a unique feature like spectacular views or abundance of light. And don’t get taken for a ride. Do the homework. Learn the process and what documents the Seller must show you. Don’t argue instead be polite, brief and firm. It will be appreciated. Knowing some basic Spanish helps.

I was very pleased with Mark’s services. He gave me frank, tough advice while I searched and explained how I could offset legal costs by doing things myself. Much appreciated. I always felt like I was making informed decisions.

I bought a 112 square meter flat for about 40% less than the price in London. I bought in the Born area. It’s trendy with mostly young people and a lot of innovative ‘designer’ stores. Park Ciutadella and the beach are nearby. They’re renovating several buildings in the area which should increase property values. I believe it’s a good investment.

About the different areas of Barcelona I saw:
Poble Nou. If I bought now I might buy in Poble Nou. It’s more industrial; but it’s spacious with wide streets, plenty of natural light and it’s near the beach. It’s an up-and-coming area with several renovation projects; a good investment.
Poble Sec is a traditional part of Barcelona with a central location and a lot of families. There are some nice pedestrian streets and it’s also being renovated.
Gracia is a very traditional Catalan area with trendy stores, lively streets, and good restaurants; very popular.
Eixample is a general mix of urban city life, more conservative with families.

The Saltelli’s bought very close to the city center on calle Balmes with calle Mallorca.

“We relocated from a small town in Italy. We wanted to live in a vibrant city that offers a high quality of life and more opportunities for our sons ages 21 and 23. We wanted a flat on the top floor of a building with natural light, a terrace and near the city centre. After searching for two weeks we found the flat with a real estate agent. Then I searched for legal assistance. I didn’t want to do this myself. It was a large purchase with a lot at stake. I wanted an experienced advisor who spoke fluent English. We were referred to Mark.

One problem arose: When we bought they were making repairs to the facade of the building. These were approved and paid for by the previous owners. However, as work progressed they found more damage that required additional, expensive repairs. The question was, who would pay for these additional repairs? The previous owner or us? I was quite nervous as buildings are expensive to repair.

We had a meeting with the flat owners, building administrator and construction company. We discussed these new repairs and who would be responsible to pay for them. Mark attended the meeting and argued that since these repairs were for damage closely related to the pre-existing damage, the previous owners should pay them. Fortunately, it was agreed they would indeed pay them. A big relief for us.

We’re glad we bought in Barcelona and enjoy living here: the weather, the sea, the wide range of restaurants and street fairs and the airport is easy to access. This is important as we travel frequently.”