You are currently browsing the archives for the “Mallorca resources, services and information” category.

Mallorca lawyers: when is the best time to get a lawyer for your property purchase?

July 27, 2009 // Posted in Mallorca resources, services and information (Tags: , , , , , ) |  No Comments

When it comes to buying property, Mallorca is generally a more “certain” environment than parts of mainland Spain or other Mediterranean locations. Planning regulations are tightly controlled building developments are tightly monitored. Regardless of this however it is essential to have a qualified and experienced lawyer involved in an property deal.

Even with off-plan and new build apartment developments where everything is nicely packaged-up and presented, you still need to check that there are no background issues with the development, that title is properly passed over to you, and that you are covered if there are any problems with the developer finished the development.

In a resale purchase the current ownership of the property has to be checked, you need to establish that there are no outstanding debts or bills against the property, and many other detailed points should be covered just as you would expect in the UK. In the UK you would employ a lawyer to cover these points and there is no reason for it to be any different in Mallorca.

We often get asked when is the right time to get a lawyer on-board. In our view it is best to do this at an early stage as it will give you more confidence in your search if you fully understand the steps you will need to go though once you have found your Mallorca property and agreed a price, and if you have someone you can refer to if there are any questions of a legal nature before an offer is made.

This last point is key, unless you speak fluent Spanish you should seek a lawyer who speaks fluent English, is willing to have a first meeting with you for no fee and with no commitment to outlined their services in order that you can assess whether they are the lawyer for you. It is likely they will offer other services too – certainly “Gestoria” services such as sorting out your NIE number. It is best not to have them do any work on this unless you are happy that they are your lawyer for the property purchase too – it is simplest for you and will save a lot of time to have one firm dealing with all of these things.

Some lawyers will also give you a lot of helpful advice in advance of any offer being made, and during the offer process. If a seller knows you already have a lawyer involved they are likely to take your offer more seriously.

For these reasons we’d advise you to choose a lawyer at the point where you are seriously considering one or two properties and thinking about making an offer. It is not essential – the lawyer’s role only becomes essential once and offer has been made and accepted – but there are some real advantages to having them in place earlier as noted above.

There are no additional costs to assigning your lawyer earlier and benefiting from all this advice. In Mallorca the lawyers work on a percentage of the transaction cost, usually between 1% and 1.5%. The earlier you involve them the more value you will get from their services.

For more information on property lawyers in Mallorca please see “Mallorca Lawyers” on our main website.

Mallorca Properties: MPP launches service for people moving to Mallorca

July 9, 2009 // Posted in Mallorca property finders, Mallorca resources, services and information (Tags: , , , , , , , ) |  No Comments

Copy of press release 09.07.09.

Mallorca Property Partners has extended the depth and range of its services by announcing an offering specifically for people thinking of moving to Mallorca. In addition to property finder services MPP will offer comprehensive advice and support for people looking to relocate.

In line with their ongoing mission to provide the most comprehensive services to all people interested in properties in Mallorca, MPP (Mallorca Property Partners) has launched a new service for those looking to to relocate there permanently or semi-permanently. The service utilises the long-established MPP infrastructure to cater for the specific needs of people looking to move to Mallorca.

For full release: ≈ MPP launches service for people moving to Mallorca

More information on relocating to Mallorca: ≈ Relocating to Mallorca

What differentiates MPP from other Mallorca property finder services?

June 18, 2009 // Posted in Mallorca property finders, Mallorca resources, services and information  |  No Comments

We sometimes get asked if we are any different to other property finders in Mallorca. It’s a fair question. Assuming you have already considered the advantages of using a property finder in Mallorca, why would you choose MPP as opposed to any other?

The underlying reason we would suggest, is that we are the longest and most well-established free property finder service in Mallorca. We started marketing our service with a rather basic web site when many agents were not using the Internet at all! This history means we have built up comprehensive coverage of all areas through a tried-and-trusted network of estate agent partners – partners that we have worked with over the years, and who we know to be professionals and experts in the area(s) they cover.

The strong relationship we hold with our partners means that they work pro-actively with us on client briefs. The result for you is that you have a genuine team of experts with a real depth of experience working on your behalf. This is quite different to some other free property finders in Mallorca who have sprung up in recent years following our lead. With less coverage and less experience, their search processes can be little different to what you would do yourself without any assistance.

Furthermore, MPP is much more than just a Mallorca property finder service. We cover all aspects of searching for, and buying, a property in Mallorca, with advice and support throughout along with direct access to the professionals you might require such as Mallorca property lawyers, architects or surveyors. Again, this is something others might claim to offer but in practice the quality of the services varies greatly.

Of course there are one or two other very good property finders in Mallorca. But in our view you would have to go to a paid-for service to get anything approaching the level of professionalism we offer.

There is more information on the MPP web site as to the benefits of using MPP, as well as lots of information on all aspects of property in Mallorca. We hope our site goes some way to demonstrating the investment we are making in building on our heritage to provide the best service possible.

We believe our service will speak for itself. These comments from our clients should give you some indication as to how we can help. They are genuine testimonials from past and current clients.

Furthermore, if you brief Mallorca Property Partners it will be without any fee, retainer, or any commitment. If you are not happy at any point then of course, you should be free to go elsewhere without any penalty or problems. We wouldn’t say this is we weren’t confident you won’t have any need to do so!

You can brief us now by clicking on the Property Search Request link at the top right of this page.

How to choose your lawyer in Mallorca – some guidance notes on Mallorca lawyers

May 21, 2009 // Posted in Mallorca resources, services and information (Tags: , , , , , , , , ) |  No Comments

How to choose your lawyer in Mallorca – some guidance notes on Mallorca lawyers

When you buy a property in Mallorca, or anywhere else for that matter, it is essential to have a competent lawyer to ensure everything is as it shoudl be and the sale is processed correctly. Problems with land registration or any other matters can be difficult, time consuming and costly to resolve after the event. One would never buy a property in the UK without having a lawyer and there is no reason to treat a purchase in Spain differently.

Most people recognise this however and the key questions tend to be: how to find the best lawyer, what fees will you pay, and what should you expect from them by way of services? Here are a few tips that will help you in this.

  • It is best to employ a local Mallorcan lawyer. Whilst there are many competent lawyers on the Spanish mainland, and there are lawyers in the UK who specialise in Spanish property law, they do not have the relevant contacts and are remote from the situation so things invariably take longer which can lead to frustrations both both the buyer and for the seller.
  • Choose a well-reputed and established firm. There are many lawyers dealing with properties in Mallorca. Choosing a one-man band with little history or reputation behind them is unnecessary and could prove unwise.
  • Meet your lawyer at an early stage. Yur lawyer will become most actively involved once a deal has been agreed on the property you want to buy. However it is far better that you know them in advance and they should not charge you for an initial meeting. They will then be there to advise prior to an offer being made and this can be invaluable.
    • • They will advise you if there are things that need to be checked before an offer is made, or that should be attached to the offer as a condition. If there are questions over the registered land for example the offer needs to make it very clear as to what is understood between the parties with regard to this.
    • They can prepare things so that the transaction will run smoothly and to-schedule. The NIE number (Foreigner’s Identification Number) for example is required for completion and can take around 6 to 8 weeks to obtain.
    • They can take you through the property purchasing process. Knowing what comes next will give you more confidence even before you have found the property you want to buy.
    • They will often give lots of general advice that could prove invaluable in your search and the negotiating process.
    • They often have strong relations with the banks and will offer advice on mortgages. They may also be more effective in arranging mortgages than detailing directly with it yourself or through another third party.
  • Be confident in your choice. If you are introduced to a lawyer you are unsure of, arrange to see another and then make your decision as to which you prefer to use.
  • Make sure their English is reasonably fluent. This seems an obvious point and most Mallorca lawyers will speak good English. But there is no point in paying for advice if you do not understand what is being said so this is certainly a point to be sure on.
  • Ask lots of questions. Never allow something to pass without fully understanding it. You will be signing a contract that involves a lot of money and you should ensure you understand all of the conditions that are attached to the transaction. If you don’t understand a point ask your lawyer to explain it to you clearly and simply.

    • In terms of fees lawyers in Mallorca work on a percentage of the transaction value (purchase price). This will usually be between 1% and 1.5% depending on the complexity of the sale. This amount is included within the 10% we recommend you allow for buying costs. The remainder is mostly made up of taxes – see The property buying process in Mallorca for more information.

    Whilst the lawyers fees may be higher than in the UK, the process in the UK is more focussed on just the administrative process whereas a good lawyer in Mallorca will be pro-active in discussions with the vendor, the agents and any other related parties to ensure all aspects of the transaction are properly covered and run as smoothly as possible.

    Some firms will also provide access to other services that will be useful when you are here. Holiday home owners have regular outgoings and taxes related to the property and these costs need to be managed correctly and kept to a minimum. Permanent residents will have a broader range of legal and financial matters to consider. For these reasons it is advisable to seek a lawyer with a view to a long term relationship. Ideally your lawyers firm should also offer:

    Overall the best way to find a lawyer is probably by asking for recommendations. Be a little wary though. Estate agents will recommend lawyers and usually this works out OK. But be aware they are likely to work regularly with the agent and there may be a commission paid to the agent for recommending them. This is unlikely to cause problems for you, but for the sake of your own peace-of-mind you may prefer to have someone not related in any way to the seller or their agent.

    Mallorca Property Partners can, of course, recommend you a lawyer. A major part of our service is to introduce you to tried-and-trusted professionals to cover whatever is needed with regard to the property you are buying. We can assure you also that we never take commissions from lawyers as we believe our role in this has to be 100% objective and impartial.

    For more information see Mallorca lawyers and solicitors, and please don’t hesitate to email us with any further questions you might have.

Pollensa weekend feature – summary and links to articles, properties

April 19, 2009 // Posted in Mallorca resources, services and information, Places in Mallorca (Tags: , , , , , , , , ) |  No Comments

Here is a quick summary of the information we have posted for our focus on Pollensa this weekend.

The featured articles tell you more about Pollensa Old Town and the surrounding countryside, and there are listings of selected townhouses and country houses in the Pollensa area. We will be posting similar features on other prime locations over the coming weeks.

≈ Find out more about properties in Pollensa, Mallorca

≈ Blog article – Focus on Pollensa Old Town

≈ See our special collection townhouses for sale in Pollensa

≈ See selected country houses for sale in Pollensa