Getting a lawyer
Overseas home buyers should hire a good independent local lawyer: someone who is fluent in English (so you can understand him or her!) and the native tongue (so you know they know what they’re talking about!) to do all the necessary legal research. The local lawyer is the crucial individual who will provide advice at all points during the purchase process and whose job it is to ascertain that the property has good title, has all the necessary licenses and permissions, and is free of debt. He or she can also provide advice as to whose name the property should be registered under. Be aware though, a notary in France or Spain is not the same as a solicitor here in the UK – they are public officials and won’t necessarily be volunteering you advice.
