COVID-19 – How Movehappy are dealing with it

As you know, the world has been dealing with a global pandemic for some time now; Covid 19. Movehappy wants to take this opportunity to let our customers who are thinking of buying a property in Spain know how we are dealing with this and what it means for our clients.

Our number one priority is to ensure the safety of our clients as well as our staff.

We will not only outline what we are doing now, but also the plans we have in place as time goes on, regulations change and people are able to travel freely once again.

At the time of this article being written, very few deaths have been reported in Spain in the last week. Not forgetting all of the lives that have been sadly lost, things are looking up. Or at least they are starting to. We are still in a form of lockdown but it is currently sounding like travel to Spain may be allowed again soon.

What we’re doing now

The good news is that Movehappy and the Spanish property market are still functioning fully in sunny Spain. Our office is functioning as normal and we are still here to answer your calls and reply to enquiries of any kind so please do not hesitate to contact us.

The only difference at the moment is that travel restrictions mean you may not be able to get to Spain to view properties in person.

However, with current lockdown measures, we are allowed to enter all new property for sale in Spain. This means we can now offer all of our clients virtual viewings. There are two types of virtual viewing we can offer.

1. We can take a recording in and around the property and around the local area to send you. This means you can watch the recording as many times as you like, pause it and zoom in etc.
2. We can arrange a time to show you around the property using a video call, for example by using Whatsapp or Messenger. As this would be live you would not be able to re watch the video at a later date.

Either way if there is something specific you would like us to have a close look at you can let us know. We can do a 360 degree turn in each room, show you the basement and parking facilities, walk around the terrace or explore the gardens and so on. We’re there for you and no one else so you are able to be as specific as you like. If you find you have any additional questions following the virtual viewing we are always here to help.

You may be wondering how to buy property in Spain without being present. If you decide you want to move forward with a purchase, there is still no need for you to be in Spain in person. We have set out the following process meaning you can do everything from the UK.

1) Once you have seen a property in Spain you are happy with you agree on the property to purchase.

2) The builder draws up a reservation contract. Our legal team then reviews this and confirms it is legally binding.

3) At this point you would transfer the reservation fee to the builder and our legal team will confirm the reservation fee has been paid.

4) You will then need to visit a UK notary and issue power of attorney to our legal team in Spain. This means they can oversee the purchase for you in Spain without the need for you to be here in person.

5) Our legal team will apply for your NIE numbers for you. This is a tax identification number and you must have one before buying property in Spain.

6) You will need a Spanish bank account as well. Luckily, there are Spanish banks based in the UK you can use to do this.

7) Before completion, we will visit your new property in Spain for you to ensure everything is in order.

8) Upon completion our legal team will sign for the property on your behalf and connect the utilities for you.

9) You now own a new property in Spain – all without having to travel back and forth. When you travel to Spain we will meet you with the keys to your new property.

Our plans for the future

We are expecting travel to Spain to start again in the coming weeks and months. Of course, as long as Covid-19 remains a threat we will continue to take all the extra precautions necessary.

In the past we have always offered to collect our clients from the airport, drive them to the property viewings and around the local area. Whether or not we are able to do this for you will depend on what procedures are in place by the Spanish Government at the time. If we are unable to drive you we are happy to recommend a car rental company at the airport.

We have been in contact with our builders to discuss what measures have been put in place to ensure our clients stay safe whilst viewing new build properties in Spain. As you may want to view properties with more than one builder as well as entering other offices and inside spaces we have put together a list of procedures to apply to the whole trip.

• Social distancing – We will not greet you with a handshake and we ask that you please do the same. We ask that you maintain the recommended 2 meter distance whenever possible. Only 2 customers may accompany an agent into a property at any one time.
• Hand washing – We ask that you wash your hands with soap as often as possible and use hand sanitiser when this is not possible. We ask that our clients do not touch any surfaces or furniture while moving around properties or other inside spaces.
• Face masks – Face masks will be provided to be worn for all viewings and office visits.
• Punctuality – All property viewings as well as office visits will now be by appointment only. It is important that we are punctual to ensure there is never an overlap as this could make it difficult to stick to 2 meter social distancing measures.

Please note that the above may change as the situation and regulations around Covid-19 change. Our number one priority is and always will be the safety of our clients and staff.

Thank you for taking the time to read this article. We hope that the information above has helped to answer any questions you may have had regarding what Movehappy are doing to keep our clients and staff safe. However, if you have any additional questions about this or anything else please do not hesitate to contact us directly.