Investment projects

Usually not. A Spanish bank rarely lends against a property located in another country, because the collateral sits outside its jurisdiction. That tranche normally comes from local financing in the country where you buy, from private banking or from your own funds. Helena Viñuelas tells you which lenders finance each project, and on what terms for a non resident, before you sign.

It depends on the destination and the format. A compact loft near Madrid and a unit in an off plan development in the United States do not ask for the same entry ticket. On top of that, off plan purchases are not paid in one go: part is staged through construction and the rest falls due at closing. Helena Viñuelas sends you the current prices for each project when you get in touch, because they move with every sales phase.

Off plan purchases are paid in stages, not in a single payment. You sign with a deposit, further payments are staged as construction advances, and the rest falls due at closing, when the home is handed over. Each developer sets its own schedule and it is written into the contract. Helena Viñuelas walks you through that schedule before you sign, so you know when you have to put money in.

It depends on where your payments are held and what guarantee covers them, and that changes by country and by developer. It is the first thing Helena Viñuelas checks before you sign: where the money goes, who holds it, what you recover if the project stops, and what that developer has delivered before.

Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Many off plan contracts restrict resale before completion or make it conditional on the developer’s consent. It is a specific clause, and Helena Viñuelas goes through it with you before you sign. If there is any chance you will need the money back before handover, that is worth knowing before the deposit.

Yes. A Spanish tax resident is taxed on worldwide income and also has reporting obligations for assets held abroad. The purchase, the rental income and a future sale are each treated differently. Helena Viñuelas points out what applies to you and closes it in writing with your tax adviser before the transaction.

In the currency of the country where you buy, which outside the euro area is usually the dollar. A good stretch of time can pass between deposit and closing, so the buyer carries the currency move unless it is hedged. Helena Viñuelas tells you which currency you sign in and what hedging that difference costs, before you commit.

No. On the investment projects she markets, Helena Viñuelas is paid by the developer and you pay the same price you would pay on your own. She states it upfront. On home purchases in Madrid it works the other way round: she is paid only by the buyer, which is why she can tell you not to buy.