Tenerife is a lot more than just sun, see and sangria. It’s one
of the UK’s most popular holiday destinations, with an ever-increasing
expat community and a booming property market.
While it is possible to fly to the island and hunt around on foot or
pore through local Spanish newspapers looking for properties for sale
by owner, the island is well served with professional and experiencedEnglish-speaking
estate agents the greater majority of which have invested in sleek websites
to showcase their extensive property databases making it entirely
possible nowadays to do your Tenerife property search from the
comfort of your own home.
There are other reasons beside convenience that recommend taking advantage
of the services of Tenerife's estate agents not least among them being
that Spanish and British property laws and taxes vary significantly.
Without the professional assistance of an estate agent, you may end up
buying a property which has significant debts attached to it which
then
pass to you, or find that your lovely little villa is in fact constructed
on non-urbanised land and therefore is totally illegal.
So, with your heart set on owning your own home in the sun and having
decided to seek the services of an estate agent, what next?
Whichever estate agent you choose is going to do a better job for you
if you can offer them a clear idea of your requirements.
Do you know where in Tenerife you would like to purchase property?
For a small island, Tenerife's various towns and villages have remarkably
differing characters. If you want all the buzz and excitement of a tourist
spot or are buying to let to holiday-makers then Las Americas or Los
Cristianos are obvious choices.
If, on the other hand you want all the convenience of being near town
but a little less in the thick of things, you might consider Costa del
Silencio, Adeje or Las Galletas.
The south is blessed with glorious sunshine year round. That goes a
long way to explain the huge popularity of south Tenerife as a tourist
destination, but perhaps if your ideal spot is more lush and tropical
you will find the south to dry. Puerto de la cruz, Santa Cruz, or La
Orotava may then be more to your liking.
Moving with kids
You will want to research the schools or nurseries (guarderias) available
to you in the area you wish to live. Tenerife offers both private English
and German education or Spanish state schools.
Travelling to Work
Given its size, you can drive round Tenerife in a day but who wants
to commute for two hours a day? You will most likely be wanting to leave
some of the pressures of UK life behind. Saying goodbye to long daily
traffic jams would certainly be high on the list.
What kind of property would you like to buy?
Many of the residential complexes in Tenerife are quite breathtaking,
especially to a first-time buyer from a colder country. Sparkling swimming
pools, lush mature gardens and clean reception areas promise a
dream come true of long, lazy afternoons and sundowners on the patio.
With management of the facilities taken care of by the 'community' of
owners you need only pay your monthly fees and enjoy your new property
which is ideal for the majority of buyers from oversea.
Alternatively, you may envision taking on a rundown 'finca' and renovating
it from scratch or a villa with private pool on the golf course at Golf
Del Sur?
How much do you want to pay?
Experienced sstate agentscan find all sorts of excellent properties
to fit your budget but you must be realistic. While properties in Tenerife
are still very good value for money, you really
will not
find
a 'four
bedroom,
seafront
with
large
terrace
for
£100,000'.
Spending some time browsing through online property databases will give
you an idea of average prices for property tpes and locations.
Mortgages and Deposits
If you decide to purchase a home here, you’ll have to pay at least
a 10% deposit for a second hand (resale) property. For a new property
purchased directly from the builder the deposit starts at 25% of the
full purchase price.
It’s best to get your full “residencia” card if you’re
looking for a Spanish mortgage. With this you’ll be offered a loan
of 80% of the purchase price as opposed to the 70% offered to non-card-holders.
First you’ll need to register at the police station and get your
NIE number before you can apply for the residence (residencia) card.
Thanks to Homes of Tenerife for some practical Tenerife property buying
advice.