Spain receives 40 million visitors every single year because it is just such a fabulous country. It ticks every single box on a potential traveller’s list no matter what their tourism profile – yes, it has fantastic beaches, yes it has amazing scenery, yes the shopping is excellent, yes Spain is historically and culturally fascinating and yes, yes, yes the weather is perfect, the cuisine is delectable and the people are warmly welcoming.

If you haven’t already visited Spain – why ever not?! And if you have or when you finally do there’s a fairly strong chance that you will be so enamoured with your experience that you will want to return time and time again.

It is this lure of Spain that has seen just so many British, European and even international citizens buying up Spanish real estate to use as holiday homes, as investments to let out to tourists or as permanent and retirement homes in the Spanish sunshine…

If you want to join those who have already bought I cannot blame you – there is such choice to suit all budgets and tastes with delightful rural fincas available for those who like to truly get away from it all to apartments right on the beach or right in the city centre.

The only problem is that the popularity of Spain has pushed prices through the roof in recent years and some parts of Spain are now among the most expensive places to buy real estate per square meter or foot in the whole of Europe (well, discounting central London anyway!)…but not to worry…because the property market is well established, well regulated and well explored, the mortgage lending facilities for Spanish property are well developed!

You can choose to approach a local lender and discuss your borrowing needs in Spanish. You can choose to raise a re-mortgage which will be secured on your current home or you can speak to an international bank which will lend to you through the medium of English (phew) but the money loaned will be secured on your Spanish home.

Which ever option you decide to explore depends on your own preferences and circumstances of course – but if you are thinking of having a permanent holiday in Spain and buying a home there or just a vacation property, the universal advice is get a decent lawyer to assist you every single step of the way.

This advice is not lightly given nor should it be casually dismissed – yes you have the right as a foreign citizen to own property in Spain but the buying process and everything associated with owning real estate in Spain differs greatly to that which you are currently used to – so a lawyer will take care of explaining everything to you and walking you through the process. Your country’s consulate in Spain will likely have a list of lawyers you can approach.