Buying a House in Spain? Ask the Home Inspector First!

Finding your dream home can be overwhelming. Once you've found a property, the pressure builds up: estate agents insist there are other buyers ready to purchase immediately, you might not speak the local language and you are unfamiliar with the culture and customs.

Before succumbing to this pressure or making decisions you could later regret, it's worth seeking independent advice. This is where a home inspector comes in. A home inspector visits the property, conducts a thorough evaluation and prepares a detailed report on the condition of the property. This assessment can help you decide whether the property is worth purchasing and assist in negotiating a better price based on any issues which may come up. The inspector will also highlight defects, estimated repair costs and potential legal concerns (such as illegal extensions, boundary disputes or unregistered rights of way) that your lawyer will need to address.

Benno Bühler established the Home Inspector Service in Andalusia in 2012, offering expert evaluations for foreign clients buying property along the Costa del Sol and Costa de la Luz. With extensive professional experience, he is an architect, court surveyor, member of the Málaga Architects College, and a member of the British RICS association. He has worked on the Costa del Sol since 1996.

We met with Benno in his studio in the Málaga Soho area to discuss the role of a home inspector and how he can assist homebuyers in Spain.

What is a home inspector?

In some US states, home inspections are mandatory—without one, you can't secure a mortgage. I believe Spain should adopt similar laws. A home inspector performs the technical check (while your lawyer handles the legal side), helping you avoid making a poor investment. That’s our job!

Can the real estate agent help?

Real estate agents are salespeople. Their primary goal is to close the deal, so providing impartial advice may not always be in their interest. They might prefer to avoid revealing potential issues or legal problems and many agents lack professional qualifications. In Spain, anyone can become a real estate agent without any formal training, but it’s a far cry from the responsibility of handling a major property transaction.

Could you hire yourself a surveyor or architect?

In theory, yes! However, most surveyors or architects will produce lengthy, technical reports filled with complex language and legal background, which may take time. Homebuyers, however, often need answers right away. As home inspectors, we can visit the property and provide immediate feedback on its condition, value, and defects. We are also qualified as court surveyors and architects and we specialise in helping foreign homebuyers.

What does your service include?

We're not afraid to get our hands dirty! We’ll inspect damp basements, check all technical aspects of the house and pool systems and provide a comprehensive snag list. We also estimate repair costs, which can help in negotiating a lower purchase price. Think of it like buying a used car—you’d want to know the cost of fixing a broken wheel bearing or removing scratches before making the purchase. This is exactly what we do, but for homes. Every identified issue can serve as leverage for price negotiations.

What are your fees?

Our services start at €550 plus VAT for properties worth up to €500,000. We also offer a performance-based fee structure: the more we can reduce the purchase price by highlighting defects, the more we earn. It’s a win-win situation for everyone—except for the seller, of course!

Can buyers negotiate the price themselves?

Certainly! But once defects are raised, expert knowledge becomes essential. A savvy seller will likely have counterarguments prepared and an untrained negotiator may struggle to plead their case. For instance, during a house inspection, we discovered that, according to the manufacturer's specifications, the Aircon Chiller (exterior heat pump) was not suitable for installation on a roof near the beach. This allowed us to negotiate a €35,000 discount. Could the buyer have negotiated this kind of discount alone? Possibly, but it would have been far more complex.

Does the buyer need a lawyer for the purchase?

While not mandatory for every property, we strongly recommend hiring a lawyer if it’s a standard, legal purchase. We can assist you through the entire process, right up to the notary’s office for the key handover. If we discover serious legal issues, we work closely with law firms who can advise you further. Our service complements legal advice by focusing on the technical side.

Why not just rely on a lawyer?

A lawyer won’t visit the property to assess its condition. Even if they do, they won’t be able to spot illegal extensions or zoning issues that could complicate future legal proceedings. As architects, we understand the local zoning laws and the complexities of "legalising" illegal structures. We provide this crucial information, which allows your lawyer to advise you on whether the issue is significant.

Have you ever recommended not to buy?

Yes, occasionally we advise against purchasing a property when there are too many legal complications or when renovation costs are excessive. Our reports always include our professional opinion on whether the investment is worthwhile.

More information:

Benno Bühler

Address: Calle Casas de Campos 33, 2-G. 29001. Málaga

T: +34 952 609 617

M: +34 610 794 443

Email: info@architect-spain.com

Web: https://buehler-and-partners.com/home/