Buying a property
Architect – arquitecto
Builder - constructor
Building licence – licencia de obras
Commercial premises - local
Deeds – escritura
For sale – se vende
Furniture - muebles
Interest rate – interés
Land – terreno
Land (plot of) - parcela
Lawyer – abogado
Mortgage – hipoteca
New build – obra nueva
Offer – oferta
Off-plan – sobre plano
Owner (of property) - propietario
Penthouse - ático
Power of attorney – poder
Property – vivienda
Purchaser - comprador
Real estate agent – agente inmobiliaria
Sales contract – contrato de compraventa
Taxes - impuestos
Vendor – vendedor
Spanish terms:
Adosado – terraced/town house
Agente de Propiedad Inmobiliaria (API) – qualified and registered real estate agent
Azotea – flat roof/roof terrace
Bajo – ground floor flat
Chalet – villa (detached property)
Cocina Americana – open plan kitchen
Comunidad de propietarios – community of owners
Copia simple – unsigned copy of title deeds, stamped by notary
Cortijo – country cottage (usually with land)
Duplex – apartment on two floors
Gestoría/gestor – an agency/agent which handles official matters for its clients
Impuesto sobre Bienes Inmuebles (IBI) – annual property tax
Libre de cargas – debt free
Licencia de primera ocupación – licence to occupy a completed building
Metros construidos – built size in metres
Metros útiles – living area in metres
Nota simple – Land Registry certificate
Notaría – notary’s office
Notario - notary
Plusvalía – capital gains tax on sale of property
Registro de la Propiedad – Land Registry
Semi-adosado – semi-detached
Valor catastral – rateable value of property
