Staying in control of a remote purchase

Video viewing rules before the first call

Agree the format in advance, or you will get a polished clip instead of an inspection. The video should be continuous, unedited and recorded on the agreed day.

• Start outside. Facade, entrance, stairs or lift, the flat's door. The date and time are said aloud at the start.
• Every room. Ceilings, corners, windows from inside and the view out. Windows opened and closed, taps turned on.
• No gaps. If a room was not shown, that is stated at the end of the recording.
• Your questions. Send your list before the call so the answers are given on camera.
• Keep the file. Save the recording: you will compare the contract and the handover condition against it.

What the video will not show

A camera does not carry smell, damp, the real noise level or water pressure, and a wide-angle lens changes how big rooms look. These items stay open until someone checks them in person.

Nor does video show the legal position. The owner, rights and charges appear in the nota simple (information extract from the Land Registry), which can be ordered online. Debts to the owners' community and unpaid IBI do not appear in it; ask the seller and the building administrator, and find out separately whether the flat is let. For rentals, INCIBE lists "the owner is abroad" and "a viewing is impossible" among scam warning signs; the same rule holds when buying: no money moves until the owner has been verified.

Who checks what

A remote purchase depends on clear roles. ReloVictory is not a law firm: legal questions are checked by a lawyer, technical ones by an architect or building surveyor, and tax by a tax adviser.

Money and signatures at a distance

Before you pay any amount, the seller or agent must give you the property's identification with usable area, the total price including taxes and the terms of sale, and every payment must be backed by a document. Pay by transfer from your own account to the seller's account named in the contract, never in cash or to third parties. From abroad, the NIE is requested through a Spanish consulate; allow extra time for a purchase you will not attend in person.

Signing through a power of attorney is legally possible, but we have not found an official explanation of the procedure for non-residents. In any case the notary establishes the identity of those involved and checks the representative's powers, and under Ley 10/2010 may check the source of funds, so prepare bank statements and proof of where the money comes from. Ask the notary you choose, before the deposit, what kind of power of attorney they will accept. The buyer has the right to choose the notary. If you do not speak Spanish, the notary can translate the deed orally, draw it up in two columns or allow an interpreter you appoint (article 150 of the Reglamento Notarial). More in escritura and the notary and buying property as a non-resident.

Approving the next step

• In writing only. Record each decision in a dated message: what was decided, on the basis of which checks, and what is still unchecked.
• Limits of authority. Write down in advance what your representative may do alone (view, ask, order extracts) and what needs your written consent (paying, signing, changing terms).
• Type of deposit. In Catalonia the default deposit confirms the contract; a right to walk away by forfeiting it must be stated expressly. Details: nota simple and arras.
• Fresh extract. Order a new nota simple before the notary: the old one only reflects the day it was issued.
• Mortgage. If you need a loan, the borrower or their representative must attend the notary; ask the notary and the bank early how to arrange this from abroad.

Last updated 26.10.2026.