How can I determine if a property in Spain has been sold and the date of sale?

[PMU]

How can I determine if a property in Spain has been sold and the date of sale?

I’m the executor of my late aunt’s will. The will refers to a Spanish will (testamento abierto). This Spanish will bequeaths a property in Spain if the property has not already been sold prior to her death by the testatrix. It’s my understanding that the Spanish property was sold – a long time ago - but I can’t locate any documentation relating to the sale.

In Spain is there something like the Land Registry that I can contact to determine who is the current owner of the property? And will they tell me?

 

[angela59]

Hi PMU,

Have you any documentation which solicitor or gestator your aunt used in spain? There is a central registar in Madrid for wills. Your aunt might have made a will in Spain also as this is quite common once you own a property there - if you could get hold of a copy of this - it might have an address of the property on it. I don't know of the address for the Land Registry - but there is a spanish forum called www.spanishpropertyinsight.com/forums if you post your question there - you might get some help. Do you have any idea at all what part of spain your aunt owned the property in? Normally when a property is sold there is a 3% retention tax withheld this is to cover any taxes that have not been paid or capital gain. If taxes are up to date and there is not a capital gain - this money is refunded to the spanish bank account of the property owner - it can take anything up to one year and more for this to be refunded if there is a refund to be made - worth checking this out.

Hope that is of some help.

Angela59