Documents you need to sell your house on the Costa Brava

Documents required to sell a house

First, you need to collect a series of documents that will accredit you as an owner, as well as speed up the sales process.

• “Nota Simple” from the property registry

  Also known as a summary of the “Escrituras”; here all the details of the house are recorded. If the property has been inherited, one needs to submit the deed of acceptance.

• Energy label

  This mandatory document indicates the carbon dioxide emission in relation to the dimensions of the home. An accredited technician determines a rating from letter A (lowest consumption) to G (lowest efficiency).

• Declaration of habitability

  This document confirms that the house meets all the necessary requirements. If there is a valid one but the owner does not have it at hand, we request a copy from the municipality.

• Proof of payment of municipal tax  (IBI)

  The seller presents the receipt of the last payments. Normally, the buyer and seller pay the current year’s IBI.

• Certificate Technical Inspection Buildings (ITE)

  This certificate is mandatory for buildings older than 45 years, with exception of single-family homes located less than 1.5 meters from a public road. If you do not have the document, you should ask an architect to inspect the property and confirm that it is in good condition.

• Identification document 

  The DNI of a Spanish owner/s or a NIE and passport/ID in the case of a foreign seller.

• Preliminary purchase contract or Arras contract

  With this private contract between buyer and seller, the buyer acquires the right to purchase the property after paying an agreed amount. We present this contract to the notary along with proof of payment of the deposit; it serves as the basis for the final purchase contract-escritura.

• Proof of payment of any contribution to the property owners’ association

  Document showing whether the seller has fulfilled the obligations regarding the last community costs, such as maintenance, special repairs, etc. The chairman or manager of the property owners’ association issues this document.

• Proof of mortgage repayment:

  This document confirms that any mortgage on the property has been paid off. This is necesary in case the mortgage has not bee cancelled in the property register. The mortgage provider needs to issue this well in advance.

• Latest paid utility bills

  This document confirms that the seller is up to date with all payments for electricity, water, gas, etc.

Optional documents when selling a house

The following documents are optional, but will help to sell a property; they provide valuable information to potential buyers.

• Floorpans

  A floor plan of the house where you can see the layout of rooms, square meters etc. helps with the sale.

• Statutes of the property owners’ association

  The statutes list the rules of the association.