Glossary of useful Spanish property terms

A handy list of the major Spanish terms involved when buying a property.

Abogado
Administrador de Fincas
Licensed property administrator
API – Agente de la Propiedad Inmobiliaria
Association of Estate Agents, see GIPE
Arbitrio sobre el incremento
del valor de los terrenos
Municipal tax on property sales, see Plus Valia
Boletin Oficial
Official State record where laws are published
Catastro
Land Office, concerned with measurements
and physical descriptions of property
Certificado Catastral
Catastral certificate describing land and buildings
Comunidad de Propietarios
Community of property owners
Declaracion de Obra Nueva
Declaration of new construction
Escritura de Compraventa
Sales contract
Escritura Publica
Registered title deed
Expediente de Dominio
To establish title
Finca
Any plot of land or property
Gestor
Licensed administrator in Spanish procedures
GIPE, Gestor y lntermediario de
Propiedades y Edificios
Association of Estate Agents, see API
Hipoteca
Impuesto sobre Bienes Inmuebles
Annual property tax (IBI)
Impuesto de Transmisiones Patrimoniales
Property transfer tax (ITP)
Jurado de Expropiaciones
Special tribunal in cases of forced purchase
Justiprecio
Legislation of fair price by the State
in cases of forcible purchase
Ley de Costas
Shores Act to protect the coastline
Ley de Tasas
Law of public fees
Ministerio de Obras Publicas y Transportes Â
Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MOPT)
Nota Simple
Certificate of registration from Property Registry
Oficina Liquidadora
Tax office that assigns property values
Plan General de Ordenacion Urbana
Town development plan (PGOU)
Plan Parcial
Plan of building plots in an urbanisation
Plus Valia
Municipal tax on property sales
Poder
Power of attorney
Registro de la Propiedad
Property Registry
Reposesion
Repossessed property
Subasta
Auction
Subasteros
Professional auction buyers
Topografo
Property surveyor
Urbanismo
Town planning department
Valor Catastral
Assessed value of property for tax purposes