Now that you have a Certificado de Deuda Pendiente, the next step is to plan exactly how the mortgage will be paid off on the day of completion.
In Spain, this is normally handled at the notary, using funds from the sale price, but it needs to be organised in advance so everything runs smoothly.
At this stage, you should:
Confirm who will pay the lender at completion (usually the buyer’s lawyer or the notary, using sale proceeds)
Confirm how the payment will be made (bank transfer, banker’s draft, or other method required by the lender)
Confirm whether the lender or their representative needs to attend the notary
Understand any costs associated with mortgage cancellation
If the mortgage is being paid off at completion:
The lender is paid first
The remaining balance is paid to you
The mortgage can then be formally cancelled
Once this task is complete, you should be confident that:
“There is a clear, agreed plan for clearing the mortgage on completion day.”
Important
Mortgage payoffs are routine, but poor coordination can:
If there is an outstanding mortgage registered against the property, the next step is to request a Certificado de Deuda Pendiente from the lender.
This is an official certificate issued by the bank that confirms:
The exact outstanding mortgage balance
Any early repayment penalties or fees
The amount that must be paid to cancel the mortgage at completion
The validity period of the certificate
This certificate is essential because:
The buyer (and their lawyer) will request it
The notary will need it to arrange payment of the mortgage at completion
It allows everyone to know exactly how much will be paid to the bank on the day of completion
At this stage, you should:
Contact the lender and request the certificate
Allow time for it to be issued (this can take days or weeks)
Keep a copy ready to share with the buyer or their lawyer
Once this task is complete, you should be able to say:
“I have an official certificate confirming exactly how much needs to be paid to clear the mortgage.”
Important
The Certificado de Deuda Pendiente usually has a limited validity. If completion is delayed, you may need to request an updated version closer to the notary date.
The next step is to confirm whether there is an outstanding mortgage registered against the property.
Even if you believe the mortgage was paid off years ago, it’s important to check what appears officially in the Land Registry, as mortgages are often not cancelled automatically.
At this stage, you should:
Confirm whether a mortgage appears in the Nota Simple
Check whether it is still active or has already been repaid
Identify the lender and basic mortgage details
If a mortgage is shown as outstanding, don’t worry — this is very common and usually straightforward to deal with — but it must be handled correctly as part of the sale.
Once you complete this task, you should know:
Whether there is a mortgage registered against the property and whether it needs to be dealt with as part of the sale.
Tip
A mortgage that has been fully repaid but not formally cancelled in the Land Registry still appears as a charge and can delay completion if not addressed in advance.
Now that you have a recent Nota Simple, the next step is to review it carefully to make sure it matches reality and doesn’t contain anything that could delay or derail a sale.
You don’t need to be a legal expert, but you do need to understand whether the Nota Simple raises any red flags.
In particular, check the following:
Ownership
Are the registered owners correct?
Do the ownership shares match what you expect?
Is there any mention of usufruct, life interest, or third-party rights?
Property description
Does the address match the actual property?
Does the registered size broadly match reality?
Is the property correctly described (flat, house, storage, parking, etc.)?
Charges and encumbrances
Is there an outstanding mortgage?
Are there any other registered charges, liens, or annotations?
Are there easements or restrictions you weren’t aware of?
If you are using the Sales Assistant, you can review all of this information in the Due Diligence section, where the key elements of the Nota Simple are laid out in clear tables and analysed for you. This makes it much easier to spot issues and understand what matters.
At this stage, your goal is not to fix everything — it’s to identify:
Anything unexpected
Anything unclear
Anything that may need to be resolved before or during the sale
Once this task is complete, you should be able to say:
“I understand what appears on the Nota Simple and I know whether there are any issues I need to deal with.”
Important
Many sales problems arise not because there are issues, but because they are discovered too late, once a buyer is already committed and negotiating from a position of strength.
Identifying potential issues now gives you time and control.
Need help interpreting the Nota Simple?
If you’re unsure how to read the Nota Simple — or you’d like Deedy to analyse it for you and highlight anything that could affect a sale — you can message Deedy or click the button below.
The Nota Simple is a Land Registry extract that shows the official legal status of the property. It is one of the most important documents in any Spanish property sale and will be examined carefully by the buyer and their lawyer.
At this stage, you need to make sure there is a recent and reliable Nota Simple for the property.
If you’ve just joined Deedy as a Gold member, a new Nota Simple is normally obtained for you as part of the service. In that case, you may already have a recent one and can move on to the next task.
If you’ve been a Gold member for some time, or if anything may have changed since the last Nota Simple was obtained (for example a new mortgage, charge, or annotation), it’s important to check whether the existing copy is still up to date.
Even if you already have a Nota Simple, buyers will always expect one that reflects the current legal position of the property.
The Nota Simple confirms:
Who is registered as the legal owner or owners
The registered description of the property
Ownership shares
Mortgages and other registered charges
Easements, restrictions, or registry notes affecting the property
Once this task is complete, you should be confident that:
You have a current Nota Simple that accurately reflects the legal status of the property.
Not sure whether you need a new Nota Simple?
If you’re unsure whether your existing Nota Simple is recent enough — or you’d like Deedy to obtain a fresh one for you — you can message Deedy or click the button below to request it.
Deedy can arrange a new Nota Simple on your behalf and help you interpret anything that appears in it.
Before you can sell a property in Spain, you need absolute clarity about who legally owns it and in what capacity.
This sounds obvious, but ownership issues are one of the most common causes of delays, renegotiations, and failed sales.
At this stage, you should establish:
Who is registered as the legal owner or owners
Whether ownership is shared, and if so, in what proportions
Whether ownership is affected by a marriage regime, inheritance, usufruct, or other rights
Whether all owners are available and willing to sell
If the property is owned by more than one person, everyone involved must:
Be aware of the sale
Agree to the sale
Be able to sign (in person or by power of attorney)
If the property was acquired through inheritance, marriage, or many years ago, it’s especially important to double-check that:
The registered ownership reflects reality
No unresolved formalities remain
You don’t need to resolve every issue at this stage — but you do need to know whether there are issues to deal with.
Once you complete this task, you should be confident that:
“I know who legally owns this property and whether there are any ownership complications that could affect a sale.”
Tip
If ownership is unclear, outdated, or more complex than expected, it’s usually better to address this before going to market rather than once a buyer is involved.
Now that you’ve decided you want to sell, the next step is to commit to doing the groundwork properly.
Selling a property in Spain almost always goes more smoothly — and often results in a better outcome — when you prepare before going to market, rather than reacting to issues once a buyer is already involved.
This task is about making a mental and practical shift from “thinking about selling” to “getting sale-ready.”
At this stage, you should:
Accept that selling is a process, not a single event
Be willing to invest some time upfront in preparation
Understand that unresolved issues (documents, legality, presentation) tend to:
Delay sales
Weaken your negotiating position
Lead to last-minute stress or price reductions
You are not committing to a particular sales strategy yet (FSBO, agent, or hybrid). You are simply committing to getting the property — and yourself — ready to sell in an organised, informed way.
Once you complete this task, you should be ready to move on to:
Understanding exactly what you own
Checking legal and financial status
Gathering documents
Preparing the property
In short: this is the point where preparation begins. Are you ready?
This is the moment to step back and make a clear, deliberate decision about whether selling your property is the right move — and if so, whether now is the right time.
Before going any further, think through the following questions to get your motivations clear:
Why are you considering selling? Lifestyle change, financial reasons, relocation, inheritance, simplifying your affairs, or something else?
What matters most to you in a sale? Price, speed, certainty — or a balance between them.
How flexible is your timing? Are you under pressure to sell quickly, or could you afford to wait if conditions aren’t ideal?
Is this a good time to sell from a market perspective? Is the market currently favouring sellers or buyers? Are prices rising, flat, or falling? Who has the negotiating power right now?
This is a good point to check the latest market reports in the Resources section and get a feel for whether buyers are “in the saddle” or whether sellers still have the upper hand. If sales volumes are down and buyers are calling the shots, ask yourself: Can I afford to wait six months or a year to see if conditions improve?
Are there constraints you need to factor in? Tax timing, residency status, family circumstances, school years, or work commitments.
Should you sell now, or prepare first? Some issues — legal clarity, documentation, presentation — are much easier (and cheaper) to resolve before going to market.
You don’t need perfect answers at this stage, but you do need clarity.
Once you complete this task, you should be able to say with confidence:
“Yes, I am going to sell this property, and I’m ready to move forward.”
If the answer is not yet, that’s also a valid outcome. This task is complete once you’ve made a conscious decision either way.
Need a second opinion?
If you’d like an expert view on whether selling now makes sense — or how best to proceed given your circumstances — you can message Deedy directly or click the button below to ask for advice.
Deedy’s team specialises in the Spanish property market and can help you think through timing, strategy, and next steps before you commit.
Now that you have a clear view of the property, the paperwork, and your pricing strategy, the next step is to decide how you want to take the property to market.
Broadly speaking, there are three approaches:
Sell with an estate agent
Sell yourself (FSBO – For Sale By Owner)
Use a hybrid approach (for example, combining your own marketing with selective agent involvement)
If you decide to work with an estate agent, there is an additional strategic choice to make:
Work with one agent on an exclusive basis, or
Work with more than one agent at the same time
Each option has implications for:
Motivation and commitment from agents
How the property is marketed and positioned
Control over pricing and messaging
How enquiries and negotiations are handled
This task is about choosing the approach that best fits:
Your time and availability
Your appetite for handling enquiries and viewings
Your confidence negotiating directly with buyers
Your willingness to pay commission in exchange for convenience or reach
At this stage, you should consider:
What work you are willing to do yourself (enquiries, viewings, follow-ups, negotiation)
What you would prefer to delegate (marketing exposure, buyer screening, administration)
How much control you want to retain over pricing, presentation, and negotiation
There is no single “right” choice. Some owners value control and cost-saving, others value convenience and reach, and many fall somewhere in between.
You are not committing to specific agents, mandates, or listings yet — just choosing the overall approach you want to pursue.
Once this task is complete, you should be able to say:
“I know how I’m going to sell this property and whether I’ll work with one agent, multiple agents, or handle it myself.”
Need help choosing the right approach?
If you’d like an objective view on which sales approach — and agent setup — is likely to work best in your situation, you can message Deedy or click the button below.
This task is about deciding how you will price the property when it goes to market, and what strategy sits behind that number.
Pricing is not just about picking a figure — it’s about understanding how price will influence:
Buyer interest
Speed of sale
Negotiating power
Final outcome
At this stage, you should bring together everything you’ve learned so far, including:
The condition and presentation of the property
Any issues or complexities identified during due diligence
Your personal priorities (price vs speed vs certainty)
You should aim to:
Look at recent asking prices for broadly similar properties in your area
Understand the difference between optimistic, market, and defensive pricing
Decide how much negotiation room you are comfortable with
Be realistic about how buyers are likely to perceive the property at different price points
If you are using the Sales Assistant, the Pricing section gives you access to the kind of tools and references that good estate agents use, helping you to:
See how asking prices in your area compare and evolve over time
Understand official price references and government-backed indices used for tax and valuation purposes
Cross-check your expectations against data rather than instinct alone
You may not be able to see actual achieved prices for identical properties, but you can ground your decision in professional-style information rather than guesswork.
This task is also where you decide:
Whether you want to test the market at a higher price
Or price more keenly to drive interest and momentum
Once this task is complete, you should be able to say:
“I have a clear asking price and a pricing strategy that reflects the market and my priorities.”
Important
Overpricing early often leads to:
Fewer enquiries
Longer time on the market
Weaker negotiating position later
Getting the initial pricing strategy right is one of the most important decisions in the entire sales process.
Need help with pricing?
If you’d like an objective view on pricing, or help interpreting market data, asking prices, and official indices, you can message Deedy or click the button below.
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