WHY LAND REGISTRY (Registro de la Propiedad)?
In Spain, real estate can effectively be acquired by signing only a private contract, without entering it into the Spanish Land registry (Registro de la Propiedad).
However, the registration in the name of the buyer is highly recommended, as with regard to third parties otherwise no confirmed evidence of who is the rightful owner exists.
Therefore you are strongly advised to also sign a public sales-purchase deed (escritura de compraventa) and then to have it registered in the Spanish Land registry.
To this effect the public sales-purchase deed (escritura de compraventa) and proof of payment of the notary fees and the added value or real estate transfer tax have to be submitted to the Land registry by the buyer or an appointed legal representative.
Registration may take a few weeks, but the registration is safe from other dispositions by third parties by a preliminary inscription.
