Solving Spain - It doesnt have to be Spainful, Calle Senor de la Expiracion 48, Lanjarón (2026)

24/09/2026

“But our lawyer said everything was fine when we bought it.”

We’ve heard this from property owners who are genuinely baffled by what is happening.

They bought their finca years ago. They had a lawyer. They went to the notary, completed the purchase and got the keys.

They may even remember specifically asking whether everything was okay.

“Yes. Everything is fine.”

So they lived in the house. Ten years pass. Maybe fifteen.

Then they decide to sell.

There’s a buyer, things are progressing nicely and the buyer's checks begin. Someone looks more closely at the planning situation or one of the buildings on the land and suddenly there’s a question that nobody was expecting.

The seller's reaction is usually the same.

“But how can there be a problem? We checked all this when we bought it.”

And sometimes they really did believe it had all been checked.

That doesn't automatically mean their previous lawyer did anything wrong. We don't know what they were asked to investigate, what information was available at the time or whether anything about the property changed afterwards.

But buying a property successfully years ago and knowing that everything a future buyer may want clarified has already been dealt with aren't necessarily the same thing.

That's why we think sellers of rural properties should start asking these questions before they put the house on the market.

Not when the photographer has been.

Not when the viewings have started.

And definitely not for the first time when there’s a buyer sitting on the other side waiting for answers.

If something does need investigating — perhaps involving an architect, the Town Hall or an AFO process — having time on your side makes an enormous difference.

And if everything turns out to be exactly as it should be?

Even better. You go to market knowing what you have and with the paperwork ready when the questions start.

We’ll be talking much more about this during our AFO series because it’s something we see owners get caught out by, often through no fault of their own.

If you own a rural property in Andalucía and you're thinking about selling, particularly if you haven't looked closely at the planning paperwork since you bought it, check before the buyer does.

That’s a much nicer time to find out where you stand.

WhatsApp: +34 695 398 679
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.solvingspain.com

22/09/2026

“It has an AFO, so everything is legal.”

That sentence deserves a little caution.

Not panic. Not an immediate decision that there's something wrong with the property.

Just caution.

Because an AFO isn't a magic certificate that turns the entire history of a rural property into “everything's fine.” The Junta de Andalucía itself makes clear that AFO recognition does not legalise the building.

What matters to us when looking at a property isn't simply whether an AFO exists.

We want to understand what it actually relates to.

Imagine you're buying a finca with a main house, pool, garage and a smaller building everyone calls the guest house.

The guest house might be important to you. Perhaps it's one of the reasons you're prepared to pay what you're paying.

So somebody producing an AFO document shouldn't end the conversation.

Does it correspond with what is physically there? What was included when the situation was dealt with? Has anything subsequently been altered or added? Is the building you're already mentally putting your guests into actually part of the picture you've had checked?

Sometimes the answers are reassuringly straightforward.

That's good.

But we would rather somebody reach that conclusion because the paperwork has been understood than because everybody saw the letters AFO and stopped asking questions.

We deal with AFO and rural-property checks at Solving Spain, working with the appropriate technical and legal professionals where necessary.

If you're looking at a finca and have been told “don't worry, it has an AFO,” send us the details.

The next question is the important one.

What exactly does it cover?

WhatsApp: +34 695 398 679
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.solvingspain.com

19/09/2026

“Don’t worry. It has an AFO.”

If you’re looking at rural property in Andalucía, those words can be enormously reassuring.

There’s the house, the pool, perhaps a garage or an old building at the bottom of the land. You’ve heard enough stories about rural property paperwork to know that you should ask questions, so when somebody tells you there’s an AFO, it feels as though one of the big ones has just been answered.

And it may well be good news.

But there’s another question we’d ask before moving on:

What exactly does the AFO cover?

Because having an AFO and everything on the property being “legal” aren't quite the same thing. In fact, the Junta de Andalucía is very clear that recognition as AFO does not itself legalise a building.

That doesn't mean you should be frightened of a property with an AFO.

It means you should understand the paperwork rather than simply be reassured by the three letters.

Does the documentation correspond with the property you’re looking at today? Which buildings or elements does it relate to? Has anything changed since it was dealt with? And if you're already imagining what you might do with the property after buying it, are those plans based on assumptions about what the AFO means?

Our latest article looks at exactly this — including why sellers who were told “everything was fine” when they bought can sometimes be surprised by questions years later when they come to sell.

Read the full article here:
https://solvingspain.com/it-has-an-afo-so-everythings-legal-right/

If you're considering a rural property in Andalucía and an AFO has been mentioned, we're happy to help you work out what needs checking before you commit.

WhatsApp: +34 695 398 679
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.solvingspain.com

19/09/2026

“But our lawyer said everything was fine when we bought it.”

We hear this from rural property owners who are genuinely confused when something comes up years later.

They bought the house properly. They had a lawyer, went to the notary, completed the purchase and got the keys. As far as they were concerned, everything had been checked.

Then ten or fifteen years pass and they decide to sell.

A buyer comes along, the checks begin and suddenly there’s a question about the planning situation, an extension, an outbuilding or whether an AFO is needed.

“But how can there be a problem? We were told everything was fine.”

We’ve seen owners genuinely caught out by this.

It doesn't necessarily mean somebody did something wrong when they bought. What was checked at the time, what information was available and whether anything has changed since can all matter.

But successfully buying a property years ago doesn't necessarily mean every question a future buyer may ask has already been answered.

And discovering that when you already have a buyer waiting is particularly stressful.

That’s why, if you're thinking about selling a rural property in Andalucía, we’d rather look at the planning and property paperwork before it goes on the market.

Perhaps everything is exactly as it should be. Great — you can sell knowing that.

If something does need investigating, you have time to deal with it without a buyer waiting for answers.

Thinking of selling? Check before the buyer does.

WhatsApp: +34 695 398 679
Email: [email protected]
www.solvingspain.com

18/09/2026

The point when buyers stop asking questions

There’s something we’ve noticed about property purchases.

Buyers often ask more questions before their offer is accepted than afterwards.

Beforehand, they want to know everything.

How old is the roof? Where exactly does the land finish? What about the pool? What's that building at the bottom of the garden? Can we change this room? What are the neighbours like?

Then the offer is accepted.

And something changes.

The property starts becoming our house rather than the house we're thinking about buying.

Photos go to the family. Somebody starts looking at furniture. Flights are discussed. Perhaps you've already mentally chosen the table for the terrace.

It’s a lovely stage.

But it’s also often the stage when some of the most important checking is only just beginning.

We don't think buyers suddenly become careless. Quite the opposite. Excitement simply has a habit of reducing curiosity. That's a pattern we've seen repeatedly around property purchases.

So once the offer has been accepted, keep asking.

What is still outstanding? What hasn't been checked yet? Is the survey arranged? Does the physical property match what everybody thinks they're buying? If something has come up, does another professional need to look at it?

You don't need to spend the whole purchase expecting something to be wrong.

You just don't want to stop asking questions because the house already feels like yours.

At Solving Spain, this is one of the stages where our property purchase support can be particularly useful. We help keep track of what still needs answering and bring in the appropriate professionals where something needs a closer look.

Enjoy planning where the sofa is going.

Just keep asking questions until the house really is yours.

WhatsApp: +34 695 398 679
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.solvingspain.com

16/09/2026

“I thought the lawyer checked that.”

We hear versions of this more often than you might imagine.

And usually it isn't because somebody has chosen a bad lawyer.

It’s because buying a property involves different kinds of questions, and buyers don't necessarily know where one professional's job finishes and another one's begins.

A lawyer may be dealing with the legal side of the purchase. A surveyor is looking at the physical condition of the building. An architect or technical professional might be needed because something particular has come up with the property.

The buyer, meanwhile, is simply trying to buy one house.

They aren't thinking about professional boundaries. They quite reasonably assume that if they have appointed people to help them, everything that matters is being looked at somewhere.

Usually, it is.

But usually isn't quite enough when you're about to spend a significant amount of money.

We’ve found that one of the most useful questions during a purchase is also one of the simplest:

“Who is checking this?”

Not “Has somebody probably looked at it?”

Who is actually responsible for it?

Sometimes the answer is reassuringly straightforward. Yes, your lawyer has dealt with it. Yes, the surveyor has covered it. Yes, somebody has already checked and there's nothing more to do.

Other times that little question uncovers something that needs passing to somebody else.

That's not creating a problem.

That's how you stop a question becoming a problem later.

At Solving Spain, part of our property purchase support is helping buyers understand which questions belong with which professionals and making sure the different parts of the purchase aren't being looked at completely in isolation.

If you're buying and aren't quite sure who is checking what, ask. You won't be the first person to wonder.

WhatsApp: +34 695 398 679
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.solvingspain.com

14/09/2026

Everyone seemed to be helping us. We just hadn’t realised they weren’t all working for us.

There’s a point during a property purchase in Spain when your phone seems to fill up with people.

The estate agent is answering questions. You have a lawyer. Perhaps there’s a surveyor involved, a mortgage adviser and, with some properties, an architect or another technical professional too.

It can feel reassuring. There are plenty of people looking after things.

And quite possibly, everybody is doing exactly what they should be doing.

The question buyers sometimes forget to ask is what, exactly, is each person responsible for?

We’ve had conversations with buyers who were certain something had been checked, only for there to be a pause when we asked who had actually checked it.

“I thought the lawyer would have done that.”

Or:

“The agent said everything was fine.”

That doesn't necessarily mean anybody has made a mistake. Often it simply means there was another question the buyer didn't realise they needed to ask.

It becomes particularly interesting when one professional spots something that creates a question for another. A surveyor notices an alteration. The paperwork describes something differently. An architect needs to look at a particular part of a rural property.

Lots of checks may be happening. The useful bit is making sure they join up.

Our latest article looks at this part of buying property in Spain — and why having several people helping isn't quite the same as understanding who is looking after each part of your purchase.

Read the full article here:
https://solvingspain.com/everyone-seemed-to-be-helping-us-we-just-hadnt-realised-they-werent-all-working-for-us/

If you're buying in Spain and have reached the “Hang on, who is actually checking that?” stage, that's something we can help you untangle.

WhatsApp: +34 695 398 679
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.solvingspain.com

13/09/2026

“The survey found something. Does that mean we shouldn't buy it?”

This is where having a survey can suddenly feel rather different from talking about having one.

Beforehand, everybody agrees that more information is a good thing.

Then the report arrives.

There’s something about the roof. Or damp. Movement in part of the building. A retaining wall that needs attention. Perhaps the surveyor recommends that another specialist takes a closer look at something.

And now you're looking at the house you were excited about slightly differently.

But finding something doesn't automatically mean you've found a reason not to buy it.

Sometimes you've simply found something you need to understand.

What is actually wrong? How significant is it? Does it need dealing with immediately, or is it something to budget for over the next few years? Do you need another professional to investigate it? What might it cost?

And then comes the question that really matters:

Knowing this now, are you still comfortable buying the property?

Sometimes the answer will be yes.

Sometimes the information changes what somebody is prepared to pay.

Occasionally it changes their mind completely.

All three can be perfectly sensible outcomes.

One of the reasons we like buyers to have these conversations before completion is that they still have the opportunity to understand what they've discovered and make their decision with that information in front of them.

A survey isn't a pass-or-fail test for a house.

It's another piece of the picture.

And with some Spanish properties — particularly older and rural ones — there may be other pieces to understand alongside it too. The physical condition, property paperwork, planning position, existing buildings, boundaries or AFO status can sometimes raise separate questions requiring different professionals.

That’s often where Solving Spain becomes involved: helping make sure those different questions are being asked, the appropriate professionals are involved and the buyer understands what the answers mean for their purchase.

If you're buying a property in Spain and something has come up during the checks that you're not quite sure what to do with, you're welcome to talk it through with us.

WhatsApp: +34 695 398 679
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.solvingspain.com

These give the campaign a nice progression: notice something → get it checked → understand what the findings actually mean. And neither post relies on frightening people into having a survey; they make the case through the buying situation itself.

10/09/2026

“Our house has cracks too. It’s nothing to worry about.”

It’s usually said with the best intentions.

You’re looking at a property in Spain and you've noticed a crack. Perhaps you send a photograph to a friend who already owns here, or mention it to somebody over coffee.

“Oh, ours has loads of those.”

And strangely, that can be very reassuring.

The problem is that somebody else's house can't really tell you what's happening with yours.

Two cracks can look remarkably similar and have quite different explanations. One might simply be old plaster or minor movement that has been there for years. Another might deserve a closer look because of where it is, how it runs through the building or what else is happening around it.

And sometimes the crack isn't the interesting bit at all.

That’s something buyers don't always expect from a property survey. They assume the surveyor is going to concentrate on the same things they noticed during the viewing.

Quite often, they don't.

The buyer is looking at the obvious crack while the surveyor is looking at the roofline, drainage, signs of water getting in, a retaining wall or something about the building that the buyer hadn't given a second thought.

It doesn't mean your friend was wrong.

Their cracks really might be nothing to worry about.

It just means their house isn't your house.

If you're considering buying a property in Spain, particularly an older or rural property, getting somebody to look at the building itself is one of the checks worth considering before you commit.

At Solving Spain, we can help arrange property purchase surveys and coordinate them with the other checks taking place around your purchase, so you’re not left trying to work out which question belongs with which professional.

If you're at that stage and you're not sure what needs checking, send us a WhatsApp and tell us a little about the property.

WhatsApp: +34 695 398 679
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.solvingspain.com

08/09/2026

“It’s an old house. Of course it has a few cracks.”

It’s quite an ordinary conversation during a property viewing.

Somebody notices a crack above a doorway or running down an outside wall. The agent has seen plenty like it. A friend who owns an old house says theirs has cracks too.

And quite possibly, it’s nothing particularly worrying.

But that isn't really the question.

The question is: what does this particular crack tell us about this particular house?

That’s one of the reasons we’re such strong believers in having a property properly surveyed before buying.

Not because we expect a surveyor to produce a frightening list of everything that’s wrong with it. Older properties have imperfections. Newer properties aren't always perfect either.

A good survey gives you context.

Sometimes the thing that has been worrying the buyer turns out to be relatively insignificant. Meanwhile, something they walked past three times without noticing is what the surveyor wants to look at more closely.

And if something is found, that doesn't necessarily mean walking away.

It might mean understanding a future repair. Getting another specialist to investigate something. Allowing for work in your budget. Asking another question. Or simply deciding that you’re still perfectly happy to buy the property now that you understand it better.

That’s really the point.

You’re not looking for reasons not to buy the house. You’re trying to understand what you’re buying before you say yes to it.

We’ve gone into this properly in our latest article, including why rural properties can give buyers even more to think about and how the physical survey fits alongside the legal and property paperwork checks.

Read the full article here:
https://solvingspain.com/its-an-old-house-of-course-it-has-a-few-cracks/

If you're looking at a property in Spain and wondering what ought to be checked before you commit, send us a WhatsApp and tell us where you are in the purchase. We can help you work out which checks are appropriate and coordinate the right professionals where needed.

WhatsApp: +34 695 398 679
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.solvingspain.com

Solving Spain - It doesnt have to be Spainful

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