Judging a home's condition before you arrive in Spain

Terms used

• Nota simple — The nota simple is a short extract from the property registry showing who owns the home.
• Cuadro eléctrico — The cuadro eléctrico is the fuse box, with the main switch and circuit breakers.
• Personal shopper inmobiliario — A personal shopper inmobiliario is an independent buyer's agent who searches for and negotiates a home on your behalf.
• Arquitecto técnico — An arquitecto técnico is a licensed building technician who can inspect a home's condition for a fee.
• Encargo — The encargo is the written engagement contract that sets what a technician's inspection covers.
• Poder notarial — A poder notarial is a power of attorney signed before a notary, letting someone act for you.

Key rules

• Video visit: Ask for a live walkthrough, not just a recorded tour, so you choose what is shown.
• Deposit: Never pay a deposit based on a video alone; have someone check the home first.
• Selling agent: The selling agent works mainly for the seller, so don't rely on them alone to judge condition.
• Technician scope: Agree in writing what the inspection covers, because it is visual and limited to that scope.
• Payments: Pay only into a lawyer's or notary's account, and only after a verified viewing.

The short answer

You can vet a home from abroad in four ways: a live video visit, a list of specific photos, someone you trust on the ground, or a paid technician. Use the first two for every home. Add a person on the ground, or a technician, before you commit money.

Start with a live video visit

Video visits are common now. Many agencies and landlords offer them by WhatsApp video call, Zoom or similar. Small landlords may only do a quick call.

Message the agent through the listing portal, say you are abroad and ask for a live walkthrough. Live is better than a recorded tour because you choose what to look at. Ask for photos of the energy certificate and the nota simple before any visit. The checklist below lists what to ask the agent to show you.

A video visit does not replace seeing the home or having someone check it for you. Do not pay a deposit on the strength of a video alone.

What to ask for on video and in photos

Focus on the places where problems hide:

• Ceilings and the upper parts of walls, for damp stains, bubbling paint, cracks or mould. Top floors, bathrooms and kitchens are the worst spots.
• The cuadro eléctrico, open and closed, plus old fabric-covered wiring.
• Bathrooms, with taps running and the toilet flushing.
• Windows and balcony doors, opened and closed, to see frames, glazing and blinds.
• The boiler or water heater label, to see its age.
• Views from each window, and the street by day and night to judge noise.

You can send the agent a ready-made message; it is below.

Use a local contact

A friend or relative can view the home for you. It costs nothing, but they are not qualified and carry no responsibility if something is missed.

A personal shopper inmobiliario is an independent buyer's agent. They search, negotiate and often coordinate the lawyer and inspection. Fees are not set by law. They are usually a percentage of the price or a fixed fee, so agree the fee in a written contract first. The title is not regulated in most regions, so check credentials.

The selling agent is paid by the seller and acts mainly for the seller. They can show you the home, but do not rely on them to judge its flaws for you.

Hire a technician if you are buying

An arquitecto técnico inspects the home independently. This is most useful for resale homes you plan to buy.

• What you get: a visual check of structure, roof, facades, damp, cracks, windows, plumbing, electrics, heating and ventilation. It comes with photos, defects ranked by urgency and rough repair costs.
• What you don't get: the inspection is non-destructive. It does not open walls or floors, and hidden areas may be missed. It does not cover legal title or planning status unless stated. Asbestos, radon and specialist tests are usually excluded unless you order them.
• Cost: fees are not regulated. A basic visual inspection of a flat usually costs a few hundred euros, and houses cost more. Ask several technicians registered with the local professional association for written quotes.
• Contract: sign a written encargo that states exactly what is covered. The technician's liability is limited to that scope, and the report reflects the day of inspection.

Keep your money safe

Fake listings and fake owners are common in sight-unseen deals. Ask for the nota simple to confirm who owns the home. Pay only into a lawyer's or notary's account, and don't wire money before a verified viewing. If someone will sign for you, give a poder notarial limited to specific acts.

Choosing between options

Who should check the home's condition for you while you are abroad?

• Video call and photos from the agent: Best as a first screen for any home, when you only need to rule homes out cheaply.

• A friend or relative: Fits when you have someone you trust nearby and want a free second pair of eyes, knowing they are not qualified.

• A personal shopper (buyer's agent): Fits when you want someone to search, negotiate and coordinate the lawyer and inspection, for a fee that is usually a percentage of the price or a fixed fee.

• An independent technician (arquitecto técnico): Fits when you are serious about a home and want a professional report on damp, structure, wiring and plumbing, for a fee that is usually a few hundred euros for a flat.

Use video and photos to shortlist, then pay for a technician before you commit money to a home you cannot visit. Add a local contact or personal shopper if you need someone on the ground.

Documents you need

• Photo of the energy certificate, which the agent can send you before any visit.

• Nota simple, a short extract from the property registry (Registro de la Propiedad) that shows who owns the home. Ask the agent for it, or request it yourself.

• Poder notarial, a power of attorney signed before a notary, if a lawyer or gestor will sign and handle paperwork for you. Limit it to the specific acts you need.

• Written engagement contract (encargo) with the technician, stating exactly what the inspection covers and what it leaves out. The technician's report with photos and a list of defects comes back to you from this.

Checklist

• Message the agent through the portal, say you are abroad and ask for a live video walkthrough on WhatsApp, Zoom or similar.

• Ask for one continuous video of the whole home, including the entrance, stairwell and lift.

• Ask for close-ups of every ceiling and the upper walls to spot damp stains, bubbling paint, cracks or mould, especially in the bathroom, kitchen and top floor.

• Ask for photos of the fuse box (cuadro eléctrico) open and closed, showing the main switch, the differential and the circuit breakers, plus the meter and any old fabric-covered wiring.

• Ask to see each bathroom with the taps running and the toilet flushing, including the seals, the pipes under the sink and the extractor fan.

• Ask the agent to open and close every window and balcony door on video, and to show the frames, glazing, blinds and any condensation.

• Ask for the boiler or water heater label to see its age, and a look at the gas installation.

• Ask for photos of the facade, roof or terrace, patios, the meter room and the community bins.

• Ask for the energy certificate and the nota simple so you can compare them with what you see.

• Hire a local technician, or arrange a trusted contact, to inspect in person before you pay any deposit.

• Get written quotes from several technicians and agree in writing what the report covers before you commission one.

What to watch out for

• Fake listings and fake owners: Scammers advertise homes they do not own and ask for a reservation or deposit before you have seen anything.

• Paying into the wrong account: Deposits sent to an unverified account are very hard to get back, and sight-unseen rental deposits are a common trap. Pay only into a lawyer's or notary's account, and avoid wiring money before someone you trust has seen the home.

• A selling agent is not on your side: The selling agent is paid by the seller, so their description of the condition may favour the seller. Get an independent view from your own contact, personal shopper or technician.

• Double commission and unregulated agents: A buyer's agent (personal shopper) may also take money from the seller or agent, and the title is not regulated in most regions. Sign a written engagement contract that states the fee and that you alone pay them.

• Power of attorney that is too broad: A poder notarial lets someone sign for you, so a wide one can be misused. Give a poder only for limited acts, to a lawyer or gestor you have checked.

Message to send an agent about a home's condition

Copy the message below, fill in the blanks, and send it to the agent or owner. It is in Spanish first, with the English version underneath, so you can keep both in one email.

Spanish

Hola,

Me interesa la vivienda de [dirección o referencia del anuncio]. Vivo fuera de España y no puedo visitarla en persona. ¿Podría enviarme lo siguiente?

1. Un vídeo continuo que recorra toda la vivienda, incluyendo la entrada, la escalera y el ascensor.
2. Fotos de cerca de todos los techos y de la parte alta de las paredes, sobre todo en baños, cocina y última planta (humedades, manchas, grietas, moho).
3. Fotos del cuadro eléctrico abierto y cerrado, del contador, de enchufes y de cualquier cable visible.
4. Fotos de cada baño: plato de ducha o bañera, juntas, tuberías bajo el lavabo, extractor o ventana. Un vídeo con los grifos abiertos y la cisterna descargando, para ver la presión del agua.
5. Todas las ventanas y puertas de balcón, por dentro y por fuera: material del marco, tipo de cristal, persianas, y un vídeo abriéndolas y cerrándolas.
6. La cocina, con la caldera o el calentador (etiqueta con la edad) y la instalación de gas.
7. Los suelos y las esquinas detrás de los muebles.
8. La fachada, el tejado o la terraza y los patios.
9. Las vistas desde cada ventana y la calle, para valorar el ruido.
10. El certificado de eficiencia energética y la nota simple.
11. Si existen, el informe de la inspección técnica del edificio (ITE) y las actas de la comunidad de propietarios.

Además, le ruego que me indique por escrito si conoce algún defecto o problema de la vivienda o del edificio (humedades, goteras, instalación eléctrica antigua, obras o derramas de la comunidad previstas, ruidos, plagas).

¿Podríamos hacer también una videollamada en directo para que yo pueda indicarle qué quiero ver?

Muchas gracias. Un saludo, [Su nombre]

English

Hello,

I am interested in the property at [address or listing reference]. I live outside Spain and cannot visit in person. Could you send me the following?

1. A continuous video walking through the whole home, including the entrance, stairwell and lift.
2. Photos of the fuse box open and closed, the meter, the sockets and any visible cables.
3. Photos of each bathroom: shower tray or bath, seals, pipes under the sink, extractor fan or window. Also a video with the taps running and the toilet flushing, to show the water pressure.
4. Every window and balcony door, inside and outside: frame material, type of glass, blinds, and a video of them opening and closing.
5. The kitchen, with the boiler or water heater (label showing its age) and the gas installation.
6. The floors and the corners behind furniture.
7. The energy efficiency certificate and the nota simple.
8. If they exist, the building's technical inspection report (ITE) and the minutes of the owners' association meetings.

Please also tell me in writing if you know of any defect or problem with the home or the building (damp, leaks, old electrics, planned works or extra charges from the owners' association, noise, pests).

Could we also have a live video call, so I can tell you what I want to see?

Thank you very much. Kind regards, [Your name]

Before you send it

• If the listing says "a reformar", ask for a builder's quote before you rely on any price. The term covers anything from new paint to a full rebuild of wiring and plumbing, so it tells you little by itself.
• "Para entrar a vivir" means you can move in straight away. It does not mean the wiring or pipes are modern, so keep the questions about the fuse box and boiler.
• If the agent will not answer the defect question in writing, treat that as a warning sign.

Frequently asked questions

Can a video visit replace seeing the home in person?

No, a live video visit does not replace an in-person check or a local representative before you pay a deposit. It is good for screening a home: you can ask the agent to point the camera at windows, damp spots and views.

How much does an independent technician's inspection cost?

A basic visual inspection of a flat usually costs a few hundred euros, and houses or fuller reports cost more. Fees are not regulated, so ask several technicians registered with the local colegio de aparejadores y arquitectos técnicos for written quotes. Moisture or thermal testing and big cities push the price up.

What will a technician's report not tell me?

A technician's report is mostly visual, so it does not cover what is behind walls or floors, or the legal title of the home. Asbestos, radon and specialist tests are usually left out unless you order them. The report describes the home only on the day of the inspection.

Can the selling agent show me the home on my behalf?

Yes, but the selling agent mainly works for the seller and is paid by the seller, so their view of the condition is not neutral. For an independent opinion, use a personal shopper, a trusted contact or a technician you hire yourself.