Buying Property in Spain: Gestoria - the office of Gestor

Once you've found that perfect Costa Tropical property or plot of land in the Lecrin Valley, you'd be well advised to take on the services of a Gestor. If you speak little or no Spanish it becomes essential - there are many English-speaking Gestors, particularly in areas with a high expat population. Many people are unfamiliar with the role - basically, a Gestor will help you negotiate the tangle of red tape which is Spanish bureacracy. A Gestor will be familiar with the idiosyncrasies of the local system: buying a property in the Lecrin Valley or a Costa Tropical property will be quite different to buying elsewhere in Spain. Gestors are members of professional body (Colegio) - finding one is not difficult; ask around for personal recommendations.

Your Gestor can help you fill out the vast array of application forms you will need (perhaps more importantly, he or she will tell you which forms you need in the first place). If you plan to start a business in Spain, you will find your Gestor an invaluable source of information. In addition, they can help you with income tax returns, the application for a driving licence, and that vital Residencia.

Gestors are well worth the reasonable rates they charge - not least for the time they can save you. Spanish bureaucracy can be immensely complicated - a Gestor knows the system intimately and will use that knowledge to a client's advantage: they can save you time and money.

One word of caution though - emplying a Gestor is not carte blanche to abdicate all responsibility - you must always check carefully every document you have to sign and ask advice if you are unsure. Ultimately, it's your signature and your responsibility.

Gestors are not legal or tax experts - occasionally you may need to take advice from a qualified lawyer or tax consultant. If you need specialist advice, Tropicana Properties can put you in touch with a suitable professional advisor locally, whether you are resident or non-resident, a property owner or self-employed.

To summarise, if you want your Lecrin Valley or Costa Tropical property purchase to go as smoothly as possible (and you don't fancy any long delays untangling miles of Spanish red tape!) then employ the services of a Gestor - it's money well spent.