One firm to buy property in Spain + get a mortgage

For a foreign / non-resident buyer, “one firm” is only useful if it covers the end-to-end critical path from affordability to notary completion—while keeping incentives aligned on the buyer side.

Clarifying “one firm”: a single point of coordination (not everything in-house)

In practice, “one firm” usually works best as a single point of coordination across specialists—not as a promise that every task is performed by the same in-house team.

That means:

• You can have one coordinator for sequencing, deadlines, and handoffs, while still using an independent lawyer (and other independent specialists) for legal/technical diligence.
• “One firm” should make responsibilities explicit: who does what, who advises, and who is accountable for each step.
• Remote execution sometimes relies on a Power of Attorney (POA) so a representative (often a lawyer) can sign specific steps on your behalf. POA is a legal instrument and should be handled with independent legal advice.
• POA support (exception case): where POA is needed for a remote buyer, Presta Estate can support coordination of this as an exception case via partner lawyers, using the standard lawyer/notary POA process (subject to feasibility and independent legal review).

A practical definition is a team that can help you coordinate the sequence below (and the risks between steps):

• Budget and affordability (what you can safely spend, including costs)
• Mortgage strategy + pre-assessment (before you commit deposits)
• Property search and viewings (including remote/clustered visits)
• Negotiation (price, inclusions, deadlines)
• Reservation / arras (deposit structure, timeline, conditions)
• Due diligence coordination (legal + technical checks via independent specialists)
• Bank submission + valuation (tasación) (mortgage file, bank timeline, property valuation)
• Notary closing (signing, funds movement, keys)

This is deliberately broader than “getting a mortgage quote”. A quote can be useful, but it does not manage the timing, deposit exposure, or transaction dependencies that frequently cause failures for non-resident purchases.

Presta Estate positions itself as an independent buyer’s agent + mortgage broker—one team covering both acquisition work and financing work, coordinated around the same deadlines.

Buyer-side acquisition support typically includes:

• Defining search criteria and screening listings (beyond portal descriptions)
• Arranging and structuring viewings (including remote support where needed)
• Shortlisting properties with an explicit risk lens (legal/technical/red-flag checks to coordinate early)
• Negotiation support (price, timing, inventory, inclusions)
• Coordinating reservation / arras steps so financing and due diligence are not treated as an afterthought
• Coordinating independent experts (lawyer, survey/technical checks, translator) so checks happen before irreversible commitments

Mortgage brokerage typically includes:

• Pre-assessment: packaging your profile to estimate borrowing capacity and bank fit
• Document checklist and file preparation (especially for foreign income/asset profiles)
• Presenting the case to suitable lenders and managing back-and-forth with the bank
• Coordinating valuation/tasación and the mortgage offer/approval timeline
• Aligning financing milestones with the purchase timeline through to completion

Coverage is presented as all over Spain (the coordination model is not limited to one city).

For non-residents, a “mortgage-first, then offers” approach is mainly a risk-control mechanism: it reduces the probability that a buyer signs an arras contract with deadlines that financing cannot meet.

A simplified view of the process:

• Mortgage pre-assessment (often ~2–6+ weeks)

You gather documents and complete an affordability review so you can search with realistic constraints. Timing depends heavily on document readiness, complexity (e.g., self-employed income), and bank/internal turnaround times.

• Property search + viewings + screening

Search decisions are tied to the financing strategy (price band, location constraints, property type constraints).

• Offer / negotiation

Terms are negotiated with a specific focus on timeline feasibility and risk gating.

• Reservation / arras designed around financing and due diligence

Arras timing and clauses should be consistent with the financing plan (and the time needed for checks).

• Mortgage approval (often ~6–10+ weeks after application)

The formal bank process progresses, including valuation/tasación and underwriting. This can be shorter or longer depending on the bank, the property, valuation scheduling, missing documentation, holidays, and workload.

• Notary closing

Deadlines are aligned so the transaction can complete without avoidable deadline stress.

Why this reduces risk: when pre-assessment and timeline planning happen early, you can avoid (or renegotiate) situations where a deposit is paid under terms that assume a mortgage outcome that is not yet secured.

A mortgage-only broker can be effective for financing. The missing piece for many foreign buyers is the purchase-side timeline and contract reality.

Arras timing & clauses (including a financing contingency)

• Coordinate the arras timeline with realistic bank processing times and document availability.
• Encourage review of deposit clauses with an independent lawyer, including whether a financing contingency (or equivalent protective structure) is appropriate for your situation.

Property selection risk (not every “good deal” is financeable)

• Flag property attributes that often impact lending/valuation outcomes or timing (e.g., documentation gaps, registry mismatches, unclear licensing), and coordinate checks early.
• Help you prioritize properties that are compatible with both your goals and the mortgage strategy.

Negotiation beyond the interest rate

• Negotiate deadlines, inclusions, and practical terms that determine whether you can complete on time.
• Manage the seller-side dynamic where speed expectations may not match non-resident constraints.

Coordinating experts and deadlines

• Coordinate the workflow between bank, valuation provider, independent lawyer, and other specialists.
• Keep a single “critical path” timeline so the mortgage process and the purchase process don’t drift apart.

Non-resident purchases often fail (or become expensive) due to administrative dependencies that are not “hard”, but are time-sensitive. We can coordinate/support the items below; this is not legal advice.

• NIE strategy and timing (including planning around appointments and how banks may view NIE status)
• Documentation planning (employment/income, assets, tax documents) and sequencing
• Translations and, where relevant, apostille/legalisation planning (depending on country and bank requirements)
• Spanish bank account setup coordination (bank-specific requirements vary)
• Valuation/tasación coordination once a property is selected and the bank process starts

The aim is to reduce avoidable rework and ensure that administrative steps do not become the bottleneck late in the process.

Fees depend on scope and complexity. High-level structure:

• Buyer-side acquisition support: a percentage of the purchase price, with a minimum fee of €12,500.
• Mortgage brokerage: a success fee only if the mortgage is successful.

Scope boundaries (important):

• Presta Estate can coordinate due diligence work, but it does not replace an independent lawyer. You should have legal advice tailored to your situation.
• Client funds should normally be handled by appropriate counterparties (e.g., banks, notary, or your lawyer). Any arrangement where Presta Estate would handle funds should be explicitly agreed in writing and understood in advance.

Presta Estate states the following registrations/credentials:

• AICAT registered real estate agent: AICAT No. 12632
• Bank of Spain (Banco de España) mortgage intermediary registration: BDE No. E217

How to verify (practical steps):

• AICAT: search the public registry (Registre d’Agents Immobiliaris de Catalunya) for the AICAT number: https://agenciahabitatge.gencat.cat/cercadoragents
• Banco de España: consult Banco de España information on registers / mortgage intermediaries and verify referenced register entries: https://www.bde.es/

• Written contract/mandate: scope, role (buyer’s agent vs broker), and what is not included (e.g., legal advice).
• Fee schedule in writing: amounts/percentages, VAT if applicable, payment triggers, and any success-fee conditions.
• Who holds funds: where reservation/arras money is paid, who the beneficiary is, and whether any client money is ever held by the intermediary (and under what written terms).
• Professional indemnity (PI) insurance: whether the relevant professionals carry PI cover and what it applies to.
• Licensing/registration: ensure any registry numbers (e.g., AICAT/BDE where relevant) match the legal entity name, and consider checking basic company details (e.g., Mercantile Registry).
• References and independent sources: ask for references where appropriate, and cross-check reviews/track record via independent channels (avoid relying on screenshots or unverifiable claims).

(Registries and how they are presented can change; treat verification as a buyer-side diligence step.)

If you want a structured plan—mortgage constraints first, then a property search and offer strategy—contact Presta Estate for an initial assessment. The goal is to map your timeline, identify blockers early, and reduce avoidable deposit and deadline risk.