|
|
How Does the Buying Process Work?
Buying Guide

How Does the Buying Process Work?

Buying property on the Costa del Sol involves more than finding the right home. Discover Mojo Estates’ structured 7-step buying process, from financial planning and AI-powered property searches to legal due diligence, negotiation, and completion.
Table of Contents

Your 7-Step Costa del Sol Property Buying Journey

Buying property in Spain can feel overwhelming if you do not have the right structure around you. From legal checks and negotiations to financing and completion, every stage matters.

At Mojo Estates, every purchase follows a clear 7-step process designed to reduce uncertainty, protect your interests, and help you make confident decisions throughout your Costa del Sol property journey.

Step 1 — Onboarding & Financial Simulation

We begin by understanding your goals: budget, preferred locations, property type, lifestyle requirements, and investment plans.

Our finance team then prepares a personalised Total Cost of Acquisition Simulation, including estimated purchase costs, taxes, and projected rental income with ROI calculations where relevant.

Step 2 — AI-Powered Property Search

Your criteria are loaded into Mette, our AI-powered property search system.

Mette monitors major property portals and off-market opportunities 24/7. When a matching property appears, your Property Advisor is alerted within minutes.

Step 3 — Viewings & Market Assessment

We coordinate and accompany all viewings throughout your search.

When you identify a property you like, we prepare a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) showing:

  • comparable recent sales
  • days on market
  • and our assessment of fair market value.

Step 4 — Offer Strategy & Negotiation

Using data from our sales, legal, finance, and rental departments, we build a negotiation strategy around the property.

Our current average asking-to-sale negotiation gap is 7–9%.

Step 5 — Due Diligence & Legal Review

Our in-house legal team conducts a full property audit before contracts are signed.

This includes:

  • title verification
  • planning permissions
  • community debts
  • rental licence eligibility
  • tax status
  • and community rules or restrictions.

Step 6 — Contract & Completion

The buying process typically involves three stages:

A. Reservation Agreement

Reservation deposit of approximately 6,000 €.

B. Private Purchase Contract

Payment of 10% of the purchase price.

C. Completion at the Notary

Payment of the remaining balance and acquisition costs.

Step 7 — Handover & Ecosystem Activation

Once completion takes place, keys are handed over and utilities are transferred into your name.

Your Merit Partnership benefits and House of Mojo ecosystem access are then activated, including:

  • legal support
  • rentals
  • maintenance
  • cleaning
  • and design studio services.

Property Viewing Checklist — 12 Things to Check

  1. Legal status and Licence of First Occupation
  2. Land Registry and Cadastre consistency
  3. Outstanding community debts or derramas
  4. Rental licence eligibility (VFT)
  5. Orientation and natural light
  6. Noise levels
  7. Overall building condition
  8. Terrace and outdoor space legality
  9. Parking and storage
  10. Community rules
  11. Comparable pricing through CMA data
  12. Running costs including IBI, basura, and community fees

Due Diligence Red Flags

Title discrepancies between Land Registry and Cadastre, unlicensed construction, community debt exposure,
rental restrictions (particularly since April 2025), urban planning risks, and deposit timing risk. Our in-house
legal team checks every one of these items as standard.

Offer Strategy Framework

When to negotiate aggressively: property on market 90+ days, price reduction history, or comparable sales support lower value. When to move quickly: new to market, correctly priced, high-demand area. Reservation pitfalls: never pay without a signed contract with refund conditions. Avoid emotional overpaying: set your maximum before viewing, backed by CMA data.

Buyer Case Study — From First Contact to Keys in 47 Days

A British family relocating to Spain was searching for:

  • four bedrooms
  • sea views
  • walking distance to an international school
  • and a maximum budget of 1,200,000 €.

Our AI system identified 23 matching properties before they arrived on the Costa del Sol. After legal and pricing pre-screening, 15 were eliminated.

Over five days, they viewed eight shortlisted properties. Our CMA showed the chosen property was priced approximately 65,000 € above comparable market value.

Thinking About Buying Property on the Costa del Sol?

Learn how the Mojo Estates buying process works and speak with a Property Advisor about your property search.

Schedule a consultation with Mojo Estates

Related Buying Guides