Spanish Real Estate Glossary - The Legal Stuff

OK, so you've found your dream home, and are ready to take the leap and commit yourself to a new home in the sun - either that, or a hefty mortgage for the next 30 years! After mulling over the various ways a property can be described, it's time for the formal part of the dealings to commence, so here's where you might need another few tips on widening your vocabulary.



Any property up for sale must be "libre de cargas" which literally means "free of charges" but can imply an unencumbered property or that which has no outstanding debts from the seller. A notary will always draw attention to this point, having checked over the deeds to previous sales of a property or the deeds of a new dwelling.

Often, a rental or indeed a purchase of a property will require an "aval bancario" which can mean two different things.In the case of a rental property, this means that the renter can deposit a said amount (which is usually one month's rent, but can be more) into a bank account which cannot be touched for the duration of the rental period. This acts as a safeguard to any landlord who may have invested a fair amount of money on a new property to ensure deadlines are met, but can equally be used by any owner as a legal practice.

In a property sale, the term means something altogether different. An aval in a sale means that a person or persons, literally "vouches" for you in that you will make any repayments on a mortgage and has to offer either a cash sum , or another fully unencumbered property or part of said property as a guarantee in case payments are missed. This typically happens with first time buyers, and is standard practice if a first time buyer (or often second, or third) has little or no down payment towards their desired property purchase.

As mentioned, a "deposito" refers tom a down-payment that a potential buyer has to offer in exchange for a home loan/mortgage on a property.

When you hear the word "arras" this refers to an amount of money which is given to an owner of a property from an individual or group who has the intention of buying a property as an initial commitment for the sale. This is typically a percentage of the total price of the property and is used as a measure of trust, severity and commitment towards the sale of a property. Once "arras" are given, a property is taken off the market and each party establishes a given time to which the sale must materialise - to the contrary, the seller is legally entitles to retain the amount given in arras. This is a serious part of any sale and must not be taken lightly. Both parties sign a "contrato de arras" which is a legally binding document.



The "fecha de firma" of the "date of the signing" is the date programmed for the signing over of the deeds as a legal procedure and is when the potential buyer becomes the new owner. This date is usually set in the "contrato de arras" (see above) and cannot be exceeded without penalty. If both parties agree, this date can be extended without penalty.


Finally, on the day you will receive the keys to your new home, you will stand before a notary or "Notario" who will (very quickly) review the past deeds to a property (known as the "escrituras", share details of the general "compra-venta" (sale of a property) and then detail separately, the conditions of any home loan/mortgage which is to be initiated by an accompanying financial entity. This process can take place either in the notary's offices or the offices of the bank/building society ("caja") depending on each preference/proximity. After a week or two, and after application of the deeds within the property registry "registro de propiedad" is complete, the buyer and seller can collect a "copia simple" (draft copy) of the deeds which are often necessary to begin life in a new property such as signing up for utility bills, etc., accrediting change of address, etc.

It is very important to have documentation on the day of a signing over of deeds, and often is better to have local documentation if possible. For example, in Spain a national identification document (DNI, or NIE for foreigners) is proof of identification. Be aware that although a Passport is also a widely accepted form of identification, the document does not necessarily retain the same serial number upon renewal, which may present problems of identification within documents later in life. NIE or DNI is always the same for a person for the duration of their life under Spanish law, meaning this is easily the preferred option, if at all possible.


If you don't fancy your chances against such possible complications, and would rather a proessional take care of things fro you, then contact Luxury Barcelona Real Estate Agency, Modus Vivendi, who have an outstanding selection of the best properties for sale in Barcelona as well as an ample portfolio of long term rentals in Barcelona. Their professional service will ensure you are always in the know about the process of buying or selling, and will not have the wool pulled over your eyes.

Spanish Real Estate Terms You Need to Know

Moving to a new country and a new city is a great experience. Nerves and excitement often come in equal packages, and it's completely normal to worry about such things as housing - especially if it's up to you to find the place you're going to be staying in for the foreseeable future. The language barrier can often pose a problem when you start your search for a new home, and sometimes a Spanish-English dictionary will be of little use when embarking on the Real Estate world in Barcelona.

Coupled with the fact that the city is the capital of Catalonia - so therefore has two official languages; Catalan and Castillian Spanish - many Real Estate terms have nothing to do with the literal meaning of the word you might find in a dictionary. Here's a little list to help you decipher those all-important terms within the city centre itself.



First up is a simple one. Moving into the metropolis that is Barcelona, it's likely you'll be staying in an apartment or a flat. This is translated into "Apartamento" or "Piso" - no major issues there. Apartments are found in blocks which can vary in size and age - old town properties can bare little resemblance to brand new properties, with installations and communal areas such as stairwells in need of repair. However, history is on your side, and an authentic apartment in an old town block oozes character and charm, whereas new blocks can be bare and empty. Apartments can vary in size and "Studios" are those on the smaller size, often with one bedroom, sometimes in open plan and rarely reaching above 35m2.

If you see a "Duplex" advertised, this refers to a property which has one entrance, but is distributed over two floors - more often than not by an internal staircase. Many upper floors in apartment blocks are constructed with higher ceilings than those floors which prop them up, meaning it's easy to add another level - be it for a bedroom, a living room or simply an "internal balcony". The difference between a two-storey property and a duplex is basically that it occupies the same floor space as an apartment, whereas a two storey property allows for the construction of the staircase.

Spanish "Lofts" are contrary to the English translation and are not a space directly below the roof of a house with sloping walls! Quite the opposite. Lending itself from 1950s New York a "loft" is a very open space with large windows, very few partitions and generally very little has been done to a somewhat industrial construction (such as a warehouse) to make it hospitable. Think old factories and warehouses converted into large, open dwellings, with ceiling to floor windows. The term is abused slightly in Barcelona to refer to any space which has few partitions - and on any level within a block, so that's something to be aware of.

"Local" refers to the space on the ground floor of a building which is typically destined for commerce - be it a shop, restaurant, bar or cafe. It's the street-level front to the building - most typically having one either side of the apartment block's main entrance. Locales are usually large, open spaces, but often have difficulty in obtaining a legal living permit, known as a "cedula de habitabilidad" - given the fact that they are destined towards retail or hospitality. If you fancy looking for one of these properties, ensure you ask for an up to date permit.

Finally, we come to "Bajos" which literally translates as Ground Floor, but can differ from a "Local" as there can be many bajos within an apartment block - some interior some exterior - whereas locales generally occupy either half or whole of the ground floor of an apartment block. Bajos are also usually accessed from the same main apartment building door, rather than an exclusive entrance, as locales are. Bajos tend to be a little darker in terms of natural sunlight given the proximity of buildings within the city centre, but can often make up for this deficit with fantastic terraces which stretch the same length and breadth of the living space itself.

If you're having trouble deciding on your favourite type of living space, or fancy checking out a few of each, then contact Luxury Barcelona Real Estate Agency, Modus Vivendi, who have an outstanding selection of the best properties for sale in Barcelona as well as an ample portfolio of long term rentals in Barcelona.

Success at Barcelona Meeting Point 2009

Last weekend saw the closing of the Barcelona Meeting Point Real Estate Event, and the organisers have praised attendances and labelled it a success. Enrique LaCalle, the event organiser and president, announced that over 150,000 people attended the event, which - perhaps surprisingly - is 20,000 more than last year. Meeting Point showcases many public and private companies in the construction sector, and LaCalle also added that negotiations between businesses and the public are expected to reach a value of around 2100 million Euros.



Attendances were high for both the professional and public parts of the event, with many people eager to hunt for a bargain. The Real Estate Process has changed dramatically in the past few years, with the market swaying over in the buyer's favour. Such was demand around 4 years ago, that apartments were snapped up by everyone and no reservations could be made, for example. Nowadays, both the buyers and sellers know that there is no queue of people after one property with the market being saturated with both brand new properties as well as those which come up for sale and are occupied previously. It's certainly a great time to be looking for a property in Barcelona.

Barcelona Real Estate agency Modus Vivendi have a selection of Properties for sale in their portfolio, and also offerLong Term rentals in Barcelona too.

Average Rental Prices in Barcelona 2009

This week, the Institut Catala del Sol released figures regarding the average rental prices in Barcelona's various neighbourhoods. The good news is that the rental prices have fallen again, compared to the first quarter of 2009.



Average rental prices in the city are now at 1034 Euros per calendar month. Each neighbourhood represents a different price bracket, and it may come as no surprise that the high-end neighbourhood of Sarria leads the way, with an average rental setting you back 1259 Euros. There is little difference between the rest of the neighbourhoods close to Sarria, with Les Corts following with an average rental of 1270 Euros.

If you want to save yourself a hundred Euros a month, then skip down to Eixample, where the average price is 1170 Euros. The small-town feel of Gracia has no small town price tag, with average monthly rentals here 1018 Euros.

Moving to either side of the city will save you a little amount, with Horta, Sants-Montjüic and Nou Barris being the cheapest rentals - 917 Euros, 935 Euros and 855 Euros respectively. It's worth noting that these average prices are purely for rentals, and anyone moving to Barcelona also needs to consider any utility bills, or communal charges that a building may have. Such buildings with a porter/caretaker can add a hefty sum onto any rental, too, so it's always worth checking the extras that might influence your decision in looking.

In addition, it's also a great idea to contact a Barcelona Real Estate agent for ideas and suggestions. Modus Vivendi Real Estate has a selection of Long Term rentals in Barcelona, and will be happy to personally run through any requirements and questions you might have. You can contact them for a chat anytime.

Barcelona Neighbourhoods: Gracia

Long before Barcelona was the sprawling Metropolis that it is today, the area around the old Roman Citadel of Barcino had plenty of countryside. The oldest church in Barcelona, "Sant Pau del Camp" literally translates as Saint Paul of the Countryside. This church now lies in the old town district of El Raval - considered to be the city centre.



In this vein, many of the adjoining neighbourhoods were small towns themselves, and one such neighbourhood perhaps keeping it's small town feel is Gracia. Gracia lies just above Eixample - it was joined seamlessly to Barcelona with Ildefons Cerdà's expansion of Eixample itself. Barcelona's most popular boulevard, Passeig de Gracia, bears the name - as literally a passage to Gracia. Access to the city centre is fantastic, just a short stroll south, and you will arrive to Plaça Catalunya, the city's main square. Gracia also houses Casa Vicens - one of Antonin Gaudi's masterpieces often overlooked by travellers too caught up with two of the UNESCO World Heritage sites on nearby Paseeig de Gracia; Casa Mila and Casa Battlo.

Gracia is a fairly small neighbourhood, with many plaças dotted around the tiny streets. Buildings here are a far cry from the tall storey buildings in neighbouring Eixample, and are generally only two or three stories high. The neighbourhood has a high student population, and is a favourite spot for alternative Spanish nightlife, with Plaça del Sol full of bars and terraces. The area has plenty of shops and local commercial outlets, as well as supermarket chains, fast food restaurants and famous eateries, too, such as Moncho Neira's Botafumeiro - which used to have a Michelin Star.

Each Ausgust, the neighbourhood transforms itself in the week-long festival celebrations, with the narrow streets decorated to the maximum with fantastic models and murals which line the streets wide and high - it has the unofficial title of throwing the best neighbourhood party in Barcelona. Locals complain about the noise and sleepless nights, but that's all part of the fun at hosting the best party in the city!

Gracia residents, like many Barcelona neighbourhoods, are a mix of locals, immigrants, expats and foreign students who live in harmony with one another, giving the neighbourhood an international, yet local feel about it.

Are you looking to move into the Gracia neighbourhood? Luxury Barcelona Real Estate Agents Modus Vivendi can help. They have various properties for sale, and also Long Term Rentals in Barcelona, within all districts.

Barcelona Business Capital

Cushman and Wakefield have this week released their European Cities Monitor for 2009, detailing the leading business cities in Europe. This year, Barcelona has leapfrogged "the Capital of Europe", Brussels, to 4th position - moving up from 5th in 2008.



Compiled by over 500 executives and external agencies, the study takes into account several factors when ranking, and Barcelona receives a special mention for promoting and marketing itself - leading the list of cities as doing the most to improve. Companies were asked to consider a number of factors when deciding on the location of their business, such as ease of access to markets, customers or clients, Availability of qualified staff, quality of telecommunications, transport links, cost of office space, etc. etc.

Barcelona is a business capital. Chosen over many destinations for it's excellent transport links, the Fira de Barcelona hosts many important conferences and trade fairs throughout the year, such as the annual 3GSM Mobile Telephone Congress and the Barcelona Meeting Point Real Estate Conference.

The Barcelona CCIB (International Convention Centre) is one of the biggest Congress spaces in Europe. Many new companies are relocating their central offices to Barcelona's Zona Franca, or the new 22@ area across town in Poble Nou.

Perhaps most notable from the report's findings is that Barcelona is Number 1 for quality of life for employees in the whole of Europe for 2009.

Are you thinking about moving to Barcelona? Have your company suggested a relocation? Modus Vivendi Luxury Barcelona Real Estate Agency can help. They can provide a long or short term solution for accommodation in and around Barcelona, and have plenty of Long Term Rentals in Barcelona to browse.

Barcelona Meeting Point

The month of October sees the biggest real estate trade fair in Spain come to Barcelona. The 13th edition of Barcelona Meeting Point is held in the Fira de Barcelona from the 27th October to 1st November, and despite the current financial downturn, the fair seems well on the way to being another good show, with many stands and exhibitions spaces already fully booked.

In 5 days, the exhibition is a must for networking and keeping up with industry trends, and this year will also promote to some extent the low-cost Madrid show, following on the success of the Barcelona Low cost fair in June of this year. Meeting Point is divided into three main sections; The Professional Exhibition, the General Attendance Exhibition and the International Symposium.

This year's International Symposium sees a high attendance level from Arab countries, with speakers on Wednesday morning forming the first "Euro Arab Real Estate Conference". There is also to be some speeches and presentations on learning from the current financial crisis. If you're thinking of attending you can sign up here.

For your Luxury Barcelona Real Estate needs, or Long Term Rentals in Barcelona, don't hesitate to contact Modus Vivendi directly for a tailor made solution to your problem.