If the first thing you are doing when buying a property for sale in Spain is thinking about the possible resale value then you are approaching buying property in the wrong way. Currently there is little value in the market for flippers of property because of the costs of purchase in Spanish property. When you make your decision to buy a property you will be paying 7% tax plus commissions and costs so you have to make sure you get it right. It is because of this that we at Valencia Property do everything we can to make sure that you make the right choice by giving you the fullest information possible.

But back to the title. If this is the first thing in your head you are looking at the get out clause, the way to make things not work! You should be burning your ships as the first conquistadores did on arriving in the New World! This doesn't mean you buy something that is worth less than you pay for it, it means that you have a plan to stay in Spain, whether that is physically through living here or by having a holiday home here that you maybe rent out. Your property should tick the boxes for you and it should be what you are looking for. It should act as your base and your home in Spain. So how do you decide this? What must you look for to make sure that even if things do go wrong you still need to have a resale value and you don't have to take a bigger hit than that which is strictly necessary? 1) Make sure the property is as close to unique as it is possible to get without being quirky, see below. Do not buy one of 300 identical homes on a new estate because when you come to sell you should be aware that around 10% of the other houses may be for sale at any one time and that means the only one that will sell is that which is at the lowest price. 2) Buy in a good location with something special. Whether it be for the views, the perfect location, the huge size compared with anything else in the area, added value such as free golf club or gym membership included or something as simple as the property having a garage space included in the centre of a big city. Those properties will hold their value better. 3) Quirky design is a no-no! Why? Well it may look chic at the moment but in five years time the fashion may well have passed and it can look rather strange. Cubism will always look interesting and might look quite chic but from experience I will tell you that many potential property buyers really hate houses that are square. 4) Do not buy because the seller has done a great job with interior design unless that interior design is included in the price. Remember they will be leaving a shell however nice they have made the place look. Do not fall for the spiel if the things they are pointing out are not included in the price. 5) Attics. In a city outside space rules! It is at a premium so anything with outside space is in demand. Regarding houses, simple gardens that don't require excessive efforts to tame are better than a jungle which people will wonder how they will ever cope with. 6) Price! Well that one is too obvious isn't it? What do you think is important to make sure you get a good deal in case the worst comes to the worst? I would be interested if you could add to the list in the comments.