Your task, if you should choose to accept it, is to find your pefect property in Valencia in as short a time as possible. If this were your task what steps would you need to take in order to make the near impossible, possible?
In a market where there is so little choice you need to be at the head of the queue when the right property comes up for sale. The only thing that puts you at the head of the queue is preparation to get you ready to buy your own place. In order to be prepared you need to have taken certain steps beforehand to make your offer interesting to an owner.
In this week's post we are looking at that preparation. What do you need to do to start with and in what order to give yourself the greatest chance of success of finding that perfect place? Welcome to "Mission Quite Possible"
Fill in the Form
The first step it goes without saying is to fill in the form. What form? Our form that we talked about in last week's post. The form that lets us know what you want and when you want it along with a little more information. The form gets you ready for the start of the journey and should be your number one priority when you decide to work with us.
Organise a Consultation Call
After you have filled in the form (you've done that by now right, or at least you have opened another tab and will be doing it once you have finished reading this post?) After that you should be setting up your consultation call with one of us here at Valencia Property. Why? Because that's where we dig into your requirements and get to know you a bit more. But more importantly that's where you get to know us some more to ensure yourself that those you are working with not only know what they are doing but also have your best interests at heart.
Choose Your Dates Carefully
We have written a well received post on our substack about why you can't get anything done in Spain. It's a bit tongue in cheek but the background to it is important, i.e, sometimes your dates will clash with something... Whether it's simply the fact that it's August, hot and everything is closed or there is a holiday for the Saint of who knows what minor miracle, dates are important in Spain. Only last week someone contacted us with their dates already set in stone, one weekend in October when it's a regional holiday and everything is closed. They'll be seeing very little.
Get Your NIE in Place
Just last week we wrote about getting this done quickly. Read the article then come back here.
Have Funds Ready and in Place
We talked recently in a post about what you need to pay and when. This is an important read because it's pointless coming to see property if your funds are not yet available to complete on a place. Remember you'll need to have around 30% of the full cost of the property plus your 15% costs in your own funds even if you are getting a mortgage, see below, for final completion. You'll also need around 10% of the cost of any property available when you visit if you want to reserve a place with a deposit contract. There's no point in reserving a place that you cannot complete on, so knowing how much you require, having it available and also having any portgage pre-approved is essential.
One thing to remember too is that you will need to have opened a Spanish bank account too. We can help you with that of course using our orientation mornings and you can read about that in our Valencia Property services article.
Have a Mortgage Pre-Approved
Without knowing whether you can get a mortgage here and how much of a mortgage might be available for you, you cannot really start searching for a property. You can find this out by getting a pre-approval of a mortgage based on your income and outgoings. We recently wrote about getting a mortgage and you can see that here.
Have Clarity of Timescales
When do you need the property for? When are you coming over to visit and look for it? What are your expectations about how long a propety will take to complete so you can take possession? You need to know all of this but more importantly so do we.
If you are buying now but only need to have a property ready for next year then you may find that it's better to get a place that needs a modernisation whereas if you need it for the start of the school year then that may not be an option. Equally, if you think that you will be turning up on Monday seeing a property on Tuesday and buying it on Wednesday before moving in on Thursday and chilling on Friday then you have a Craig David problem. Timescales are different here.
Work With Professionals
Of course we are not the only professionals but we are most certainly the best. Being organised and ready to go is important for you and also for us. If you decide to work with us then you'll have certain expectations of us and equally we have expectations of you. You can see our Valencia Property client handbook here. We work exclusively for our clients and you get the best, most professional service as a result.
Be Prepared to Compromise
Your requirements are set in stone, we know that. However, the market requires compromise at times. The exact place you envisage might not actually exist. As an example, the set in stone requirement of having three large double bedrooms might not really be necessary when you look at your potential lifestyle here and the third bedroom being a single or an office might be a lot more practical and mean that it's much easier to find - it's rare to find a place with three large bedrooms unless there are five bedrooms in total for example. There will always be at least one smaller room. It might even be better to get a four bedroom place and simply knock a wall out to make a larger room from two smaller ones.
Don't Make Stupid Offers
One of the best ways to slow up your purchase and make the possible impossible is to make ridiculously low offers. Whatever you may feel the situation of the market is a low offer will create resentment from the owner and slow up the process. The owner will not immediately accept it even if they give it any consideration and they are more likely to shut up shop to you as an individual.
Other Considerations
You will want to have your lawyer appointed early, you may want to have a power of attorney in place too, you should have your currency company aware of your plans and you may even want to make a higher offer than you otherwise would for a quick completion (Sometimes this can concentrate the mind of a seller)
When You Are Ready
Then it's time to start looking around properties knowing that you have everything ready to move quickly. At this point Valencia Property will be working with you. You should be browsing the main website, letting us know your requirements and we will be starting to look for what you want even if we don't have it at the moment. That's what we do, we act as your property finders in Valencia and it always works out.
Mission impossible? Not at all. Mission possible but you always need the right people on your side and you wouldn't want to have to go away empty handed would you?
Property of the Week
Today we bring you a rare treat, a property that by the seller’s express wishes is not published on any online property portal. Idealista lurkers won’t even be aware of its existence. This is all for you loyal VP patrons so enjoy.
Situated just a short walk from the Central Market and Valencia cathedral, you also have the old town El Carmen neighbourhood close to hand with all it’s lively bars, restaurants and terraces. Pretty much a perfect city-centre setup if you ask me.
The apartment is nice and high on the 8th floor with two good sized balconies to take in the city views and we have 4 bedrooms, an open plan kitchen / living room and 2.5 bathrooms. As you can imagine, at a smidge under 200m2 every room is a really good size. But if you still need some more space, there is a storage room on the top floor of the building that comes included. This is a special one, and even though it’s not listed everywhere I don’t expect it to hang around for too long, so you know what to do, get in touch and we’ll be happy to arrange a visit for you.
Surprising Bargain Of The Week
It’s slim pickings indeed for under 300k in a central location and it’s been like that for quite a while now, but this charming apartment in the Ciutat Vella with everything on your doorstep is really quite excellent.
A mere 200 Metres from the Serranos Towers and Turia Gardens, this Loft Style Duplex with bags of character and ripe for a renovation consists of Living Room, Kitchen with Laundry/Gallery, Large Bathroom, and Two Bedrooms, this easy 2nd floor walkup has good airflow and ventilation during the warmer months, so lots of light and airy on a tranquil street in the very centre of El Carmen.
Serious Kerb Appeal and perfect for a bolthole or a solid investment with guaranteed returns, sounds like a winner to me, so if you like what you see get in touch to take a look.
Stepping Stone Rental of the Week
Step into the quality of life Cabanyal is known for.
Recently renovated and fully furnished, this beachside home offers ample space to settle in and truly enjoy everything Cabanyal has to offer. Located in the heart of the historic neighbourhood, you'll find virtually everything you need within a short radius of the apartment.
Public transport (bus and metro) is right around the corner, with the metro station just a 10-minute walk away. Pharmacies, opticians, the Cabanyal Market, top cafés and coworking spaces, bike rental and repair shops, gyms, hardware stores, the health centre, yoga studios, and even a surprisingly good spa are all within easy reach.
The harbour is just down the street, offering endless opportunities for boating, rowing, sailing, rollerblading, strolling, dancing, and enjoying tapas by the sea. This is a property surrounded by the kind of quality of life that people move to Valencia for.
The apartment enjoys abundant natural light from all sides and features air conditioning in every room. There are two double bedrooms, one of which includes an en-suite bathroom, plus a dedicated office with a fold-out bed-chair for guests.
Fully equipped and ready to move in just like every other Stepping Stone Rental.
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