Selling a property in Spain can be a complicated process, but there are a number of tools at your disposal that can help you make sure your property is sold quickly and for its optimum price.

Make sure you familiarise yourself with the conveyancing process as well as any implications that could arise from being a non-resident seller.

We have put together our top tips to get the best out of the selling process:

Be open to listening to a surveyor
It is a good idea to get a good idea of anything that could affect the sale of your house before you begin the process – either so that you can fix it before the house goes on the market, or so that you are aware of areas that might arise as possible negotiation points. Make sure that your property is completely ready for sale.

It is better to sell a property without furniture
Prospective buyers will want to build your house into their own home, and are more likely to want an empty shell. Presentation is also really important – you need to make sure you house is tidy at all times, that you de-clutter all areas and fix those DIY projects you have been meaning to do for a while.

Don’t sign any exclusivity agreements – contact all the local agents, as they will all know the area Speak to the agent that sold you your house as they will have the best knowledge on how to sell it again. Other local agents will also know the area, and you want to have as many agents working on promoting the property as you can as this will optimise the audience that the property reaches.

Make sure you have all documents ready and prepared
Speak to your estate agent and lawyer and make sure you have all the documents and reports that you are legally obligated to have in advance – for example, you must have an efficiency energy certificate to confirm the rating of your property. You will need to pass these on to the estate agent to make sure that they can answer any and all questions from prospective buyers. This will also speed up the process once you have found a suitable buyer.

Be ready for a quick sale
Make sure there are no issues before you put the house on the market, and that anything you haven’t been able to fix is transparently communicated to prospective buyers. It’s also really important to make sure you know what you are going to do when your property is sold – repatriate back to the UK, or find another home to buy in Spain.

Think about your exchange rate
If you are going to repatriate funds from selling your property back to the UK, you need to be aware that the exchange rate could fluctuate dramatically between the day you accept an offer and the day that you complete. Before you put your house on the market, speak to a currency transfer specialist such as Smart Currency Exchange, who will be able to talk you through the best options and offer you a better exchange rate than your bank. You may also be able to ‘fix’ your rate for up to a year – ensuring the price of your property in sterling doesn’t change during the process.