Category: Personal Shopper Inmobiliario

Why I chose Barcelona Sants for my new house in Barcelona

Why I chose Barcelona Sants for my new house in Barcelona

Published: 4 APRIL of 2023
Sevine Abi Aad

Sevine Abi Aad

Having lived in as many as 4 continents in the last few years, I´ve always considered myself a citizen of the world with one firm constant throughout the moves and the years: my deep love for Barcelona which I made into my forever home. This city combines the perfect elements that turn my job as a flat hunter into a true mission where I get to meet incredible people, building a new life or reinventing one, and helping them find the perfect home where they will be making new memories and experiencing poetry in their day-to-day lives. As the saying goes ‘Find something you love and you’ll never have to work a day in your life’. In the case of flat hunting in Barcelona, these words could not sound more true.

‘Metro Hostafrancs’ I read, as I looked up my most recent address-to-be on my 2nd international move to Barcelona.

This was the second time I was making my way to Barcelona all the way from another continent, the reason being simply, that Barcelona is a city that effortlessly wraps itself around the strings of your heart.

So here I was, at the dawn of 2023, looking back at the different neighborhoods in Barcelona I had already lived in over the course of the last 5 years. After various stints in hip Eixample, quiet and elegant Sant Gervasi and bohemian eclectic Gracia, this was the perfect time for me to go a little more southwest of the city towards the industrial socio-cultural melting pot that is Barcelona Sants, a neighborhood which I remember a French inhabitant saying it was ‘chouette comme quartier’ when I first visited in 2017. For the non-French speaking, ‘chouette’ means ‘cool’.

So, what makes Sants ‘chouette’, you ask? Well, for starters, it still has that rough, raw and authentic ‘not trying to be pretty’ vibe as opposed to Sant Antoni for instance, a neighborhood only 10 minutes away from here which, looking back only 5 years, also possessed this rough-around-the-edges, shamelessly real and in-your-face aesthetic and energy.

In order to understand this roughness that makes Sants so distinctive, one should go back in time and understand its history.   It was an industrial town par excellence, home to some of the oldest cotton, textile and porcelain factories. The Vapor Vell (‘Old Steam’ in Catalan) for instance, is the first structure that comes to mind. A public library today, Vapor Vell was the oldest steam-driven textile mill factory in the area in the mid 19th century. Another testament to its industrial past is the Vapor Nou (‘New Steam’), another textile factory, which if you take a stroll around the Sants Barcelona train station today, you will stumble upon the park it has been turned into: the Parque de l’Espanya Industrial, a delightful green oasis and landmark of the neighborhood.

Up until 1897, Sants was an independent village, outside the limits of the city of Barcelona and it quickly grew and expanded, given the population boom it experienced in parallel with its industrial expansion. Around the mid 19th century, with the factories booming and drawing in more workers, the population quickly grew around Sants, and with it, the demand for housing which led to a dynamic real estate movement as more and more residential construction took place in the streets around the plants.

You will typically find these properties in Barcelona Sants interspersed with more recent, higher rise buildings dating back to the 1960’s and 1970’s as well as more recent constructions.

That mix of modernist and recent construction is very distinctive of Sants and gives it this rougher blue-collar identity.

 You have to bear in mind though, that what is referred to as ‘modernist architecture’ here will be widely different and more humble looking than the typically opulent modernist buildings you might be feasting your eyes on around Passeig de Gracia for example.

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There’s nothing pretentious or luxurious about Sants, and I think that’s what people love about it. It still retains its humble working-class identity, it’s safe and very well connected to the rest of Barcelona and actually, the rest of the country, thanks to the Sants train station. It still offers the old vintage charm of century-old businesses and market stalls, and it has the narrower streets, reminiscent of a simpler, slower pace of life. And most of all, it is still considered a less expensive area to invest in, real estate wise. 

So if you are looking for a house in Barcelona in low-rise buildings, historic charm, narrow semi-pedestrian streets and an unbeatable location, then you’ll find all of that and more in Sants, a neighborhood that definitely gets Barcelona Flat Hunter’s seal of approval. 

But for now, Sants is high up on Barcelona Flat Hunter’s top 5 neighborhoods list.

And in case you are still wondering what it feels like to live in Sants / Hostafrancs, here are some pictures taken along my daily walks, enjoy !
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How to buy Real Estate in Barcelona step by step

How to buy real estate in Barcelona step by step

Published: 12 November of 2020

Whether you are looking at purchasing a property for your own private use or as part of an investment strategy, Barcelona Flat Hunter is here to ease the whole process. You will find in this section a detailed description of each of the steps required to buy real estate in Barcelona and how we will make it a hassle-free experience.

step 1. Project Definition

EVERY PROJECT IS UNIQUE, BUT THEY ALL START WITH ONE THING: WE WANT TO KNOW EVERYTHING. If you haven’t done so yet, feel free to fill out our Property Search Form, for a free consultation with one of our Barcelona Flat Hunter experts.

 

This consultation would allow to:

1. Validate your search: your expectations & budget versus real estate market in Barcelona.

2. Define the extent of the support needed: at Barcelona Flat Hunter we do not believe in “one package suits everyone”. Each client is unique and as such should only be charged for the services he actually needs. Whether you wish to get a full support throughout from the search to the purchase, or have already identified the potential property but wish to be assisted moving further, Barcelona Flat Hunter places its expertise to your service.

3. Answer your questions: from general explanation on the purchasing & financing process to the market characteristics, real estate prices in Barcelona and trends, we are here to answer your questions.

4. Validate your financial plan: once the ideal property has been defined we will review together the financial structure of your future purchase. Should financing be needed, banks/brookers will be approached to ensure you get the adequate financing.

GOOD TO KNOW >>> Making an offer on a Spanish property is usually done in writing & it requires in most cases a down payment of 1% of the offered price, This written offer is then presented to the seller so that they can study it and respond. If the offer is accepted, the 1% is considered as a first down payment, if it is refused then the amount is refunded entirely by the seller agency. Lastly, if your offer is accepted but you change your mind, you would lose this deposit, it is thus essential to ensure all aspects of the future purchase are addressed in writting within the offer document.

Step 2. Flat Hunting

Picture on hand, we do all the groundwork, from sharing your search with our extensive network to monitoring proporties published online and going through pre-visit, we hunt on your behalf for your dream property. Upon identifying and visiting properties that match your requirements, a visit report with pictures & video will be sent to you together with an assessment of the property real value based on real estate prices in Barcelona, state of maintenance of the property and specifics of the building. Renovation estimated budget and rental value can as well be provided upon demand to have a full potential return on investment estimate. Visits of selected apartments are then  organized to fit your schedule.

STEP 3. NEGOTIATION

Once we found the gem you were looking for, we will assist you to make an offer in writing. This first step is essential as it not only states the amount you are offering for the property but as well the timeline within which you wish to complete the transaction and any conditions to be met by each side to move forward.

 

At Barcelona Flat Hunter, client interest comes first. As such, prior making an offer, all aspects of the property will be cross checked to ensure that what was announced is correct and that there are no unpleasant surprises further down the road*.

Some of the verifications we carry out on your behalf:

1 – Property registry to check the specific of the property, the owner identity & its legal capacity and whether there are any limitations or debts on the property

2 – Land registry to ensure it is in adequation with the specifics of the property

3 – Urban planning to check that the property is not affected by any restrictions & is in adequation with the current  municipal urban plan

3 – Habitability Certificates & energetic certificate

4 – Community of owners’ dynamic, decisions when it comes to any upcoming repairs or upgrades in the building & financial state

5 – Touristic appartment(s) (with licence) operating in the building

6 – Technical Building Inspection passed or not & with or without aptitud certificate obtained. Any pending issue will be reviewed.

 

The price negotation is as well an esencial part of this step. For any given property we will assess the real value of the property, collect background information to best understand the circumstances of the sale (reason & origin of the property, time on the market, inicial published price…) and then determine a strategy to secure the property at the best acceptable price.

 

*Whenever any of the above points cannot be checked prior to signing the offer, Barcelona Flat Hunter will condition your offer to these points to ensure your interest are protected at all time.

STEP 4. Earnest Money Agreement / "Contrato de Arras"

The seller has accepted your offer and all checks have been conducted, as such both sides are now ready to sign the earnest money agreement also usually referred to as “Contrato de Arras”. This legally binding contract is essential as it states all the specifics of the sale & purchase as well as conditions to be met for the purchase to take place (that would allow the buyer to pull out without loosing his deposit). A deposit of a minimum of 10% of the property value is required and you can either be present for the signature or mandate us or another person of your choice as your representative to sign on your behalf (in such case a power of attorney would need to be done in Barcelona during your first visit). The terms of this agreement will be carefully drafted and a courtesy translation to English will be provided for your reference.

GOOD TO KNOW >>> In Spain, under the earnest money agreement (referred to as “Contrato de Arras”), in the event of the buyer backing out of the agreement with no justified reasons (keeping in mind that these have to be specified in the agreement), the full amount of the deposit will be lost. If it is the seller who changed his mind, he must pay the buyer twice the amount of the deposit that was paid when the Arras was signed. Both sides’ interests are thus protected.

STEP 5. Formalities

The moment the arras contract is signed and if you have not already done so, the following steps will need to take place right away:

1– A spanish bank account will need to be opened

2– The NIE (ID number for foreigners) requested

3– Should you be requesting a loan the assessment of the property value (called “tasación”) will need to be requested. This report will then be sent to the selected bank to move forward with the financing process. Do keep in mind that in Spain, banks lend money based on the lowest amount between the purchase price and the assessed price.

Barcelona Flat Hunter will be able to assist you for all three and ease this part of the process too.

 

Once the bank account open, you will need to transfer the amount needed for the purchase to this account. On signature day the payment to the seller will be either done by certified bank checks or transfer.

Barcelona Flat Hunter will as well ensure that the notary of your choice receives all requested documents from the seller side prior to the day of the signature. These very same documents will be explained to you so that everything is clear prior to the signature day.

STEP 6. Deed Signature

All original support documents provided by the seller will be handed over to the notary and on your side upon presenting the original ID & NIE and the certified bank cheques/transfer order you will be all set. Once the “escritura” signed, the seller will hand over the key of the property to you and the notary will prepare a copy of the signed agreement called “copia simple”. The original signed contract will be kept by the notary who will then carry forward through the “gestoria” all remaining steps (taxes, registry) upon receiving a provision of funds from your side (approx 11% of the amount of the purchase).

STEP 7. Post Purchase Support

The support from Barcelona Flat Hunter includes a post signature assistance that includes ensuring all utilities contracts are changed to your name & payments set to your account and your details provided to the building management company.

Wish to take a few steps further? Barcelona Flat Hunter can as well be your eyes on the ground for the renovation/decoration of your newly purchased property and assist with the furnishing/home staging as well as rent it out when you are away.

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Barcelona Flat Hunter, we make your purchase of real estate a hassle-free reality

Barcelona Flat Hunter, we make you purchase of Real Estate a Hassle-Free Reality

Published: 16 September of 2020

As a Real Estate buyer agency in Barcelona, our objectives are to save you time, money, hassle, and to protect your interest at all times.

Purchasing a real estate in Barcelona is a dream and a life goal for many people all around the globe, and when it comes to Europe, Barcelona is one of the favourite spots for investors as well as couples and families who seek its vibrant lifestyle, pleasant climate, quality healthcare along with attractive real estate prices and much more.

The idea of having your very own flat in Barcelona is very attractive...

Unfortunately, the whole acquisition process can be exhausting and way more complicated than anticipated including for Spanish speakers. Part of the complexity has to do on one side with regulations that do not protect buyers but instead shift the responsibility on the latest to carry on all the checks, and on the other side with the fact that real estate agents are in most cases solely paid by the seller leading to a clear conflict of interest. The market is as well extremely segmented with lots of small real estate agencies fighting over the same properties, and it often comes down to who will close the deal the fastest independently of whether the basics checks on the real estate they are selling have been carried on or not.

It is this reality combined with a strong will to offer a much-needed tailor-made support to buyers throughout the whole process, that led to the funding of Barcelona Flat Hunter, a 100% buyer oriented real estate agency based in Barcelona. We do not sell properties on the side nor have a collaboration agreement with real estate agencies selling properties, our
interest is 100% aligned with yours.

The time factor is essential when searching for the perfect property for sale in Barcelona. You do want to get there first and carry on an exhaustive monitoring of the market but often lack time and after 30+ visits motivation too… Our clients on average visit less than 5 properties before moving forward with an offer. The secret? We are the one carrying on these 30+ visits on your behalf, selecting the ones that truly match your search, and carrying on all basic checks. You then get to review the pre-visit report and with all the information in hand decide whether you wish to go ahead or not with a visit.  Saving you time is a big part of our services.

The money factor is another essential part of our added value. Our services do come at a cost for the buyer but in most cases end up saving you money. The explanation is simple, with our knowledge of the market, we do know how to properly assess the value of a property and lead a good negotiation. Our clients end up paying the right price for the assets they purchase with our support, not an inflated one. Saving you money is another of our key objectives.

Hassle can take many shapes when purchasing a flat in Barcelona. From issues related to the property itself, its documentation, legal aspects and the various documents to be signed, to all the side aspects that must be addressed to make the purchase of a property in Barcelona possible from opening a bank account in a Spanish bank and transferring funds to applying for a NIE or getting trusted professionals. Barcelona Flat Hunter is by your side, easing and facilitating every step of the way, making the whole process as hassle-free as possible.

Who does not want to ensure its interest are protected? Spain still has a long way to go when it comes to protecting Real Estate buyers’ interests and being part of Europe where some countries have stronger regulations gives a fake sense of safety to many foreign buyers.

You already found the flat and just need an expert eye to comb through everything before moving forward? Don’t hesitate to reach out, we will be happy to ensure your interests are protected.

Barcelona is a great city to live or invest in, and even though it requires diligence & expertise when moving forward with the purchase of a property, a buyer agency (“personal shopper inmobiliario”) like Barcelona Flat Hunter might be just what you need to turn your project into reality!

Validate your real estate project feasibility and get a free consultation with one of our experts

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