Our front line apartment, with two bedrooms and two terraces and all amenities and services, set in beautiful gardens on the prestigious Casares del Mar urbanisation, south west of Estepona, built in 2001 by well renowned builders and developers from Madrid, is offered for private sale at 270,000 euros (approx £183,000 at 1.475 euros to the £). Contents avaible by negotiation.

You can send your enquiries to casaresdelmar@googlemail.com or telephone 07970974814 (UK mobile) and we will be happy to provide any further details you require or arrange attended viewing at a date and time convenient to you (normally mornings only, between 10am and 2pm).

If you want time to assess the apartment and the area, we will be pleased to arrange a week's stay at discount rental rates, plus flight costs, subject to availability. We strongly recommend that you arrange to hire a car for your stay and the best deals can normally be found on www.carjet.com.

FAQ's
1. How do I purchase your apartment?
The first thing to do, once you're sure and have agreed the price with us, is to appoint a Spanish Lawyer (Abogado) to act on your behalf. Make sure you employ a lawyer that can speak English, if you have only a little Spanish. He will protect your interests and ensure the purchase is made correctly and that all the legal aspects are dealt with. We can recommend several multi-lingual lawyers to you, but by all means select your own. It is generally wiser to select a lawyer in the general area who will have regular personal contact with the local officials and can arrange for the minimum of delay. It is normal once you have met your lawyer and are happy with your choice to sign a power of attorney to allow him to deal with all the small details associated with a purchase.

2. What Next?
The next step is to register in Spain as a foreign national, which you must do before you can purchase a property, that involves a visit with your lawyer to a Notary Public in the local area or at least within the province. They will want to see your passport and other forms of identity and complete a N.I.E. registration for you, which officially recognises you under Spanish law. It is wise to setup a bank account in Spain in a local bank within easy reach at this stage. Your lawyer will assist if you are unhappy to do this on your own.

3. Is there a deposit?
It is normal to make a deposit of 10% of the agreed price once you have decided to buy, to make a contract for sale. The lawyers for both parties agree the terms of the contract, much as they do in the UK. This deposit is forfeit if you subsequently decide not to proceed with the sale, but the sellers must return it if they suddenly decide not to sell plus pay you an amount in compensation.

4. Are their Taxes and fees to pay?
Yes, there are fees for the Notary Public and local registration fees, plus the Spanish Government levies a tax of 7% upon the price of the property. It is generally stated that you should make allowance overall of 10% of the market price and that should cover all taxes and fees including the lawyers charges.

5. Are there mortgages available?
Yes, the local banks are happy to normally lend up to 60-70% of the purchase price, subject to status and all the normal proofs of earnings and identity. The mortgage rate is generally considerably lower than the UK, with rates currently below 4% from most Spanish banks at least for the first two years. Your lawyer can arrange mortgages or you can conclude an arrangement directly with the bank. There is a mortgage valuation and inspection fee from the bank, which is non-refundable if you decide not to proceed, charges vary.

If you are uneasy about a Spanish mortgage it is relatively easy to secure a second mortgage on your property in England, or use a British based bank or building Society with branches in the area, who specialise in local mortgages. Barclays bank have a branch in Estepona, Abbey National and Norwich & Peterborough have branches in nearby Gibraltar.

If you have funds available you can of course pay by cash in Spain, with or without the assistance of your bank.

6. How do I transfer money to Spain?
Your bank will arrange to electronically transfer money to your account in Spain, or to your lawyers client account. There are currency organisations which will give you good rates of exchange, probably better than most banks, as your money has to be turned into euros during the transfer. They will also often fix the rate for your for a period.
It is best to check on the exchange rate your bank will give you and any charges related, to make a comparison before you decide who to select. Also check with your Spanish bank as they sometimes charge a fee for receiving foreign transfers. It is often possible to get the sending bank to include the receiving fee in its charges if you let them know up front.

7. How are the taxes worked out?
As outlined above, they are based on the price agreed and notified to the Notary Public. There are some customs associated with the statements made which may save you money.

8. Do I have to be there?
Normally you would want to attend the final conclusion of the sale, which takes place in front of the Notary Public, supported by your lawyer, when you sign the document of sale and oversee the transfer of funds to pay the balance. You subsequently receive a Copia Simple, which is the official record of the sale and the start of your ownership.

9. How long does it take?
If all the seller's papers are in order to satisfy your lawyer and our most definitely are; if you have cash or finance arranged, then it can be completed normally in six to eight weeks. It is possible to arrange a faster purchase, but it depends on everything being right and no big annual holidays or major fiestas interfering. There is virtually no chance of getting a purchase completed in August, as most professional people in Spain are on holiday. Similarly from just before Christmas to the 3 Kings day on 6th January is no go.