Understanding Real Estate Surveys

If you're about to buy a property in Spain, then you'll likely be arranging a mortgage/home loan for the new place. Any operation from a bank or caja is likely to insist on a survey being carried out on the property, in order to corroborate the value of the loan being offered by the bank - i.e. so they know the place you're buying is at least worth what they're willing to lend you.


This survey - known as "una tasación" in Spanish - is almost always paid for by the buyer of the property, and is taken as part of the costs involved in arranging a new mortgage. The financial entity that is financing the loan will either have their own branch of surveyors, or use a third party company who has ties with them. The actual surveyors themselves are usually architects with official and the price of these surveys range from around 200 - 400 Euros.

So What does the Actual Process Involve?

Well, from your part pretty much nothing. You'll have to let the surveyor into your home so they can measure (usually with a laser contraption) and they may take some photos. They then prepare a report, which gives the real market value of your property. The way this is calculated is a little more complicated and can include some or all of the following criteria.

Firstly, the surveyor looks at other property sales within an 800m radius of the property and then takes an average floor price. The minimum requirement of properties to consider is four - usually no problem in a city like Barcelona. If this is not possible, they take the last known floor price and compare that to the floor price of a new building, subtracting the normal devaluation of a second hand building.

Other factors are taken into consideration, such as the proximity of public transport, motorways, local commerce and schooling, etc. The building itself plays a big part, too, with communal spaces such as patios, garages and storage spaces (trasteros) being included in the price reflection.

Unfortunately, you cannot influence the surveyor the survey and its outcome. It has been known in the past for surveyors to receive a fat envelope to over-price the survey, and this way buyers who are struggling to make the budget of the price plus the usual 10% banks fees, have no problem. This is a little more difficult to find nowadays, however, and you usually have to rely on the results from the survey.

One way to find out if a property is valued correctly at the point of enquiry, is to let the professionals find one for you. A Barcelona Real Estate Agency such as Modus Vivendi are the perfect people to ask about a property, and if it's on the market at the right price. This can save you a great deal of time (and money) for over-valued properties where they have much more of an inkling that the surveyor is going to value the property lower. They also have a clear and concise list of guidelines for buying a property in Spain.

Sunny Spain Remains Top Choice for UK Investors

For many people, the dream of a place in the sun is often just that - a dream, although for the fortunate few who are able to realise that dream, it seems the Spain maintains itself as top of the list in a recent survey, especially for those living in thr UK.

Given the terrible weather experienced this year so far in the whole of the UK, it's no surprise that many people are looking for a second home in warmer climates. According to the survey, the Spanish lifestyle beat near rivals France, Portugal, Turkey and Bulgaria as preferred destination for investors looking for their home away from home. The study cites the possibility of tumbling real estate prices as a possible reason for the ranking as number one, in comparison to its sunny neighbouring countries.

This is perhaps an interesting find - while it's true that in the past the peseta and even the introduction of the Euro, made Spain a relatively cheap destination for other european countries with stronger currencies such as Germany and the UK, the current exchange rate of the GBPound against the Euro is almost equal.



Within Spain, it's likely that the favoured destinations will be the Spanish "costas" and the islands in the Mediterranean, assuming you can afford the prices. However, it's important to remember that Barcelona was also voted 5th best city in the world in 2009. There are many great real estate opportunities in Barcelona, and the best way to discover the gems is to contact a Barcelona Real Estate Agency such as Modus Vivendi. With over 5 years experience in Barcelona and the surrounding area, they also offer some secure and transparent guidelines to buying a property in Spain so rest assured you'll be in good hands.

Great Ideas for Decorating Your New Home in Barcelona

So you've found your dream home in Barcelona? Maybe it's a brand new building with apartments "a estrenar", or maybe you've decided to go for an older, second hand property and to do it up yourself, bit by bit. Either way, there can be some big decisions involved, and if it's a brand new but bare apartment - or an older property where nothing matches, it can be difficult if you dive in with both feet, and often things end up getting left half-finished while you move on to another job (we've all done it!).

So this month in Barcelona, Expohogar comes to the rescue! Forget IKEA and Habitat - this is the place for all of the cutting edge technology and decorations to spruce up your home or make it the most modern apartment in your block! In it's 42nd edition and still going strong, the ExpoHogar (home exposition, literally translated) is taking place at the Fira de Barcelona at Plaça Espanya, at the foot of Montjüic, from the 22nd to 25th January. Expect to see the new trends for 2010 from anything as small as knives and forks through lamps and prints all the way to the coolest garden furniture for this coming summer. The exposition showcases goods and designs from all over northern Spain and even from France, and despite the current financial downturn is expected to fare well yet again this year!

Are you having trouble deciding on whether to get a new place or refurbish an old classic with character? Modus Vivendi Barcelona Real Estate Agency has over 8 years experience, and also offer some secure and transparent guidelines to buying a property in Spain. Don't make any mistakes with your monay, give them a call or visit their website at www.mvbarcelona.com

Council Cencus Reveals High Numbers of "Macro Pisos" in Barcelona

Barcelona Council has released some interesting figures about the ownership of properties within the high rises of Barcelona. The local newspaper 20minutos, reported the news story which revealed that more than 27,000 properties in the Catalan Capital have less than 30m2. The council census includes 73 different neighbourhoods and a total of 805,739 individual properties. The average occupancy of a Barcelona apartment is the surprisingly low figure of 3.



Perhaps the biggest surprise is the number of small properties in the city. The Old Town neighbourhoods of Raval, Borne and Poble Sec had the highest concentration of these often dubbed "macro-pisos". The minimum requirement in Madrid for the issue of the civil licence of living quarters - known as a "cedula de habitabilidad" - is 30m2, and funnily enough, in Barcelona it's an incredible 20m2.

What also seems to surprise is the gulf between some of the properties in such a relatively small city. You can pass from the fairly squashed 20-30m2 in the Raval or Borne to almost 2000 properties which have OVER 250m2 - no surprise to hear that these lie in the Eixample Dreta and the uptown neighbourhood of Pedralbes.

The statistics also shed light on the number of foreign owners in the city with more than 15,400 properties registered to foreign owners - not to mention the number of rentals within the city - being a considerably high number. Again, it's no surprise to discover that the majority of those are located in the Old Town, a hub of immigration, where the highest concentration of old buildings are found. More than 84,000 buildings were built before 1901.

Are you looking to invest in proprty in Barcelona? Or are you thinking of moving here? Modus Vivendi is a Barcelona Real Estate Agency with over 8 years experience, and always on hand to find a solution to your needs - large or small. They also offer some secure and transparent guidelines to buying a property in Spain.

The Most Expensive Houses in Spain

According to a an article today in the online newspaper ABC, Europa Press published a study from Pisos.com (confused yet?) about the most expensive second-hand properties on sale at the moment. The results are pretty staggering in my opinion! Sitges, the seaside town close to Barcelona tops the list with a house on the market a massive 10 million Euros! We're talking about a plot of 2000m2 and the house itself is 400m2, with outdoor gardens a swimming pool, 5 double bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. It's also up for rent at a cool 15,000 Euros a month.



Now, nobody for a minute is suggesting that Sitges is not a playground for the rich and famous around Barcelona. The small town feel is an ideal getaway from the bustling streets of Barcelona, and many of the FC Barcelona football players have houses here, but what surprises me is the apparent quality on show. If you have a look at the images on show, you'll see a pretty 80's style looking house in my opinion, with a poorly kept garden, and save some amazing views from the balcony windows (what more would you want for your 10 million?) nothing really leaps out to shout quality - take the kitchen for example?!

The second most expensive house is located in Marbella, and is on the market for 9 Million Euros. Again, there is nothing here which screams luxury from the images online, and with 8 bedrooms and 10 bathrooms, this is a huge mother of a house RIGHT on the beach itself. To me, though, it looks like it needs a lot of work doing to it, especially taking out the pink 80s jacuzzi overlooking the beachfront!

Third on the list is a chalet located in Palma de Mallorca, and is going for a snip at 8,800000 Euros. With 3 bedrooms and a baffling 9 bathrooms, this is a huge property, too, with 1000m2.



Considering the amount of properties out there at the moment, both new and used, I'm sure there can be plenty of bargains to be had. These three properties seem well over-priced to me, and although the images on the sites are doing it no favours, consider this one published in the New york Times last year at only 1,45 Million Euros. I say only in comparison to the other three mentioned here above!

Are you looking to invest in Barcelona? Luxury Barcelona Real Estate Agents, Modus Vivendi, have an outstanding selection of properties for sale in Barcelona as well as an ample portfolio of long term rentals in Barcelona, too.

The Pros and Cons of living high and low in barcelona

When deciding on an apartment to move into in Barcelona, there are various things to take into consideration: how close the apartment will be to your work, shops, public transport, parks, the beach, etc. etc. All of these things can have a massive effect on your decision making, but there's another aspect which can lead to happiness and harmony within your new apartment, or dispair and disaster - height.



You may have found the ideal neighbourhood in Barcelona, and have your heart set on living in the old town, for example. All good, except for the fact that you can't find anything within your budget that isn't an old converted shop, or a backward facing bat-cave with no daylight. Here are a few tips to get you started when thinking about any typical apartment block within the city:

As mentioned, bajos/locales are the ground floor properties usually destined towards shops or cafes, etc. They are often noisy, with little to separate the actual building from the street, and are rarely triple-glazed or insulated to the max, meaning traffic noise and people noise can be a problem. There is no garden or patio - the street is literally behind the front window/door, which offer the added risk of flooding when there is heavy rain, etc. especially if the actual apartment is a step down, which is often the case. Lower floors tend to have poor natural light, so dependence on artificial light is a must, almost all day and will hike your electricity bill up, too.

On the flip side, many ground level apartments have have terraces, meaning you can maximise your use of the sunshine before you go to work/when you come back, and why stay indoors if you have a terrace?! You have easier access to the street (almost direct), and have no dependance on lift/elevator, for example. You'll also likely only have one neighbour - those people above you, meaning that noise levels from people within the building will be at a minimum, and you won't annoy anyone else apart from them, either!

Moving up a few floors to the middle height of a building can sometimes solve those natural light problems, although most apartments will only receive light during certain parts of the day - when the sun hits the street. Looking for an apartment which faces the sea is a great benefit in this respect. A possible downside is that you will likely have neighbours on all sides - be it within your own building or those adjoining buildings in the same street as you. Again, noise levels can be a tricky subject, if the neighbours are not within your own community.

Finally the high floors, attics and the like, generally tend to be smaller than the apartments within the same block, but with a terrace or big blacony to compensate. You obviously are heavily reliant on the building's lift/elevator, and in some places the narrow staircases can be a royal pain in the backside. However, the pros in these situations generally outweigh the cons - the vantage and views you will have for such evenings as Sant Joan, Barça games, La Merce, New Year, etc.), and the bake of natural light you'll receive almost all day will surely compensate!


If you're looking for an attic to rent, or an apartment within Barcelona and the surrounding area, then Luxury Barcelona Real Estate Agency Modus Vivendi have a selection of the best properties for sale in Barcelona as well as an ample portfolio of long term rentals in Barcelona.

Spanish Real Estate Terms For Out of Town

We've previously tackled a few terms you need to jot down in your diary/iPhone with regards to looking for a property within the city of Barcelona, but what about if you're sick of city life and are moving to the Mediterranean coast for something a little different. With such a lush countryside, inland Catalonia has much to offer, and those people who are used to commuting 45 minutes to an hour to get to work may find the benefits of living out of the hustle and bustle of the city outweigh the proximity to work, for example.

Any property which is not attached to another, and is spread over more than one floor is generally labelled a "casa" or as we all know it a house. Houses are usually detached and it's rare to find a semi-detached house as you would find in the UK, for example. Semi-detached properties are often on more than one floor, and include a subterranean garage and often a rooftop terrace, too.



The literal translation of "Torre" is Tower, although this can refer to any property within a plot of land and does not necessarily refer to the height of the property. A "casa" within it's own plot of land can equally be referred to as a "Torre" with maybe a slight inkling towards rural properties in this sense of the word.

Elaborating on the idea of plots of land, this would be known as either a "Terreno" or a "Parcela". The main difference between these two barren pieces of land ready for construction is that a "parcela" refers to a plot of land within an urbanisation which has been divided into separate individual plots, each representing an order. Some of these urbanisation's may be without proper roads and road markings or street lamps, but can be a real steal if bought as an investment. On the other hand, a "terreno" suggests a much more ample terrain, which has many possibilities for construction, although planning permission is likely required before any work can commence.

A "Masia" is one surely reserved for those with a big wallet, and refers to an old farmhouse or vineyard with a construction fit for living. Masias usually come with a hectare or two to manage and are few and far between, being very desired properties in the immediate Barcelona region. Areas such as the Penedes - famous for it's cava production - are very sought after areas for those looking to purchase a Masia.

Mention a "Chalé" or "chalet" and you'd be forgiven for thinking of springs Alpine mountains and Wooden Swiss huts, but in Spain you'll be talking about a small house with a small division between the adjoining dwelling and of similar dimensions to a studio apartment. Chalets are often in seaside towns, and many Spanish residents have chalets as holiday homes.

For an outstanding valuation on Luxury Barcelona Real Estate property, don't doubt in contacting Modus Vivendi, who have an outstanding selection of properties for sale in Barcelona as well as an ample portfolio of long term rentals in Barcelona, too.