Step 4: Completion

A property purchase reaches formal completion when the Sales Contract (Escritura de Compraventa) is signed by both the purchaser and the seller in the presence of a Notary Public (Notario). A Notary is a public official who certifies that contracts are legal by checking that all the formalities involved in the transaction have been complied with. At this point the agreed sum is paid and possession of the property is handed over to the buyer.

Unless the parties have agreed to vary the terms beforehand, the Sales Contract always states that the property is free from all charges and encumbrances, that there are no outstanding debts connected to the property and that the seller is handing over vacant possession i.e. there are no tenants or other occupants.

If it is not possible for you to be present at this final appointment with the Notary there are two methods which allow your lawyer to sign on your behalf:

• granting a Power of Attorney (Poder). This formally allows another person (either your lawyer or somebody else that you trust) to sign on your behalf. You can have this document prepared while you are in Spain by making an appointment with the Notary who will oversee all the formalities. Alternatively, a power of attorney can be prepared by a Notary Public in your home country. This power of attorney will have to be legalised for use in Spain by having an Apostille certificate attached to it under the terms of the Hague Convention.
  
• granting an informal verbal mandate to your lawyer. It is important to remember that if you choose this option you must ratify the contract as soon as possible after completion. This can be done by appearing before a Notary, either in Spain or your home country. If ratification takes place in your home country, however, it will be necessary to obtain an Apostille certificate before it is legally recognised in Spain. Ratification is simply a matter of confirming the purchase and providing a sample signature, which will be kept on file at the Property Registry.