Property lawyer in Cartagena
Buy in Spain with a lawyer who is
already here.
Independent English-speaking solicitors for foreign buyers, sellers and owners on the Costa Cálida. We serve Cartagena and the surrounding coast from our office inside the Hacienda del Álamo resort, 15 minutes from Corvera airport, so we are never far from the property you are looking at.
2004
Firm established
35+
Years practising law
8
Practice areas
4,9★
Google rating
Your first call, free
- We explain the whole process in plain English
- You get a written, fixed-fee quote
- Sign remotely with a power of attorney if you're abroad
Why foreign buyers choose our property lawyer in Cartagena
A family firm that works only for you
Ferrández Solicitors is a family law firm rooted in the Murcia region. Antonio Rafael Ferrández began practising alongside his father, and today his wife, son and nephew have all worked in the practice. That continuity shapes how we treat clients: you deal with a small team who knows your file, not a call centre, and the person who quotes your matter is the person who handles it.
For more than twenty years we have worked almost exclusively for foreign nationals who come to live, holiday or do business in Spain. We know the questions you will have before you ask them, the documents a British or Irish buyer will not have to hand, and the points where a Spanish transaction differs from what you are used to at home.
We handle property purchases and sales, wills and inheritances, residency, taxation and litigation, explaining each step in English and dealing with notaries, banks and the tax office on your behalf. Our services should reflect the needs and wishes of the people who trust us, and that principle has guided the firm for three generations.
Antonio Rafael Ferrández
Founder & principal lawyer · practising since 1989
Services of our property lawyer in Cartagena
Everything a foreign owner needs, under one roof.
Open any service to see exactly what is included. Every matter starts with a written quote, so you know the cost before you commit, and every service is delivered by the same small team, from your first purchase to your annual tax return.
Property purchase lawyer
Full conveyancing for new-builds and resales, from the reservation contract to registration in your name.
What's included
- Legal & planning checks on the property
- Reservation and private purchase contracts
- NIE, bank account and mortgage support
- Completion at the notary and registry
- Taxes, utilities and council registration
Property sale conveyancing
We handle the sale, the 3% retention refund and Plusvalía, with no need to fly over for completion.
What's included
- Contract drafting and negotiation
- 3% non-resident retention refund
- Plusvalía and capital gains advice
- Power of attorney for remote completion
Spanish wills for foreigners
A Spanish will keeps your heirs out of a slow, expensive cross-border probate.
What's included
- Bilingual will drafted for your Spanish assets
- Coordination with your UK/home will
- Signing at the notary and registry entry
Inheritance lawyer in Spain
Probate for Spanish estates, inheritance tax and transfer of title to the heirs, handled from start to finish.
What's included
- Deed of acceptance of inheritance
- Inheritance tax calculation and filing
- Registration of property in the heirs' names
Tax advice for residents
Annual returns for residents and owners, with no surprises from the Agencia Tributaria.
What's included
- Resident income tax (IRPF)
- Wealth tax and Modelo 720
- Accountancy for small businesses
Residency and NIE applications
NIE, TIE, visas and residency applications for non-EU nationals, with appointments booked and paperwork prepared for you.
What's included
- NIE and TIE appointments
- Non-lucrative & digital nomad visas
- Registration (padrón) and healthcare
Non-resident tax (Modelo 210)
Own a holiday home? We file your Modelo 210 every year and keep the property in good standing while you are away.
What's included
- Annual non-resident tax (Modelo 210)
- Rental income declarations
- Fiscal representation in Spain
Property litigation
Court representation in property, contract and business disputes, from off-plan deposit claims to community disagreements.
What's included
- Off-plan deposit claims
- Community of owners disputes
- Debt recovery and contract claims
Speak to a property lawyer in Cartagena before you pay a deposit
Thirty minutes that can save you the deposit
Reservation contracts on the Costa Cálida often ask for a deposit within days, sometimes before you have even flown home. A 30-minute review with a lawyer costs you nothing and can save you the deposit, the property, or both. Send us the contract before you sign anything and we will tell you, in plain English, whether it is safe to proceed.
Why choose our property lawyer in Cartagena
Four things that set us apart
We do not work for developers or estate agents. Our only client in the transaction is you, and everything else about the firm follows from that.
Independence
Not tied to any agent or developer
We are paid by you and answer only to you. If a contract is bad, we say so, even when the agent would rather we did not.
Independence
An office where you are buying
Inside Hacienda del Álamo, minutes from Corvera airport and the coast. Drop in while you view properties, or leave the keys with us when you fly home.
Continuity
Three generations of lawyers
Founded on a father-and-son practice. The lawyer who quotes your matter is the lawyer who handles it, from the first email to the land registry.
Clarity
Fixed fees, plain English
A written quote before we start, and updates you can understand without a law degree. No hourly surprises and no legal jargon left unexplained.
How our property lawyer in Cartagena handles your purchase
From reservation to registration, step by step.
Buying in Spain follows a clear sequence, and knowing what happens at each stage removes most of the stress. This is how a typical purchase runs with us, from the day you find the property to the day it is registered in your name.
Reservation
We review the reservation contract before you pay a deposit and check the seller actually owns what they are selling.
Land registry checkedDue diligence
Planning status, debts, community fees, licences and boundaries. Anything wrong gets fixed or the price gets renegotiated.
Legal report to youPrivate contract
The private contract fixes the price and dates. Usually 10% is paid now. We draft or negotiate it in your favour.
Deposit contract signedCompletion
Signing of the public deed at the notary. If you are abroad, we sign for you under a power of attorney.
Title deed signedTaxes & registry
We pay the transfer tax, register the deed in your name and move utilities and council tax to you.
Property in your nameSelling, inheritance and residency have their own timelines. Each service page shows the process for that matter.
Fees of our property lawyer in Cartagena
You will know the cost before we start
Every matter starts with a written quote. For conveyancing, that is a fixed fee agreed up front, covering the purchase or sale from the first contract review to registration, so the price does not change if the transaction takes longer than expected. For tax and residency work we quote per service, so you pay only for what you actually need.
Our fees cover our legal work; the taxes, notary and land registry costs of a Spanish purchase are separate and we set them out for you before you commit, so you can budget for the whole transaction, not just our part of it. The table alongside gives an example of what a typical purchase involves.
Bank transfer
Card
Cash
Help arranging finance
Example: purchase budget
IllustrativeWorking from abroad with your property lawyer in Cartagena
Complete your purchase without flying over
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Grant us a tailored power of attorney
We draft it individually, in Spanish and English, with only the powers needed for your purchase, never a general POA.
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Sign it in Spain or at a notary near you
Quicker and cheaper if signed here at the start, but if you cannot travel we prepare it in Spain and send it to you for signing in the UK or your home country.
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We handle the paperwork on your behalf
NIE application, bank account, water and electricity contracts, payments and any other accounts or services required.
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We sign the purchase deeds for you
You choose whether to attend the notary or let us complete on your behalf. Most clients leave completion to us.
What our clients say about our property lawyer in Cartagena
Twenty years of foreign buyers, in their own words
The team behind your property lawyer in Cartagena
Three generations, one way of working
Behind every file is a small, stable team: lawyers who have grown up in the practice, speak your language and know the Murcia region, its notaries and its town halls first-hand. Meet the people who will handle your matter:
Antonio Rafael Fernández
Lawyer · Founder
María Ascensión Martínez Alcaraz
Client assistant
Miguel Valero Alcaraz
Accounts
Isabel Mateo Navarro
Secretary
Our office in Murcia
Inside Hacienda del Álamo Golf Resort
Calle Ronda 15 · 30320 Hacienda del Álamo, Fuente Álamo (Murcia)
15'
Corvera airport
20'
Cartagena
30'
Mar Menor beaches
MON–FRI 09:00–15:00 · +34 968 157 326
Frequently asked questions about our property lawyer in Cartagena
Got questions? We have answers
If you are buying, selling or owning in Spain for the first time, these are the questions we hear most often, answered the way we would answer them across the desk.
Do I really need a lawyer to buy in Spain?
Not by law, but the notary only checks identity and capacity, not whether the property has debts, licences or planning problems. An independent lawyer is the only party in the transaction whose job is to protect you.
What is an NIE and how do I get one?
The NIE is the tax identification number every foreigner needs to buy property, open a bank account or pay tax in Spain. We apply for it on your behalf, either in Spain or through the consulate with a power of attorney.
Can I complete the purchase without travelling?
Yes. With a power of attorney granted to our firm we can sign the deed, pay taxes and register the property in your name while you are abroad.
What taxes will I pay as a non-resident owner?
An annual non-resident income tax (Modelo 210) on the property, local council tax (IBI) and, if you rent it out, tax on the rental income. We file all of these for you each year.
Should I make a Spanish will if I already have one at home?
Usually yes. A Spanish will covering only your Spanish assets makes probate faster and cheaper for your heirs and avoids conflicts between two legal systems.
How much do your services cost?
We quote in writing before starting any matter. Conveyancing is a fixed fee; tax and residency work is priced per service. Send us the details of your case and you will have a quote before you decide.
Contact us
Tell us about your situation.
We do not work for developers or estate agents. Our only client in the transaction is you.
Request a call or a quote
Takes one minute. No obligation.