Notary

Different country, different rules
If you have the intention of buying a house abroad, you should be acquainted with the regulations, like the purchase, (local) taxes, settlement, insurance, car, etcetera. 

The purchase of your house
If you have decided that you wish to acquire a house in Spain, you will have to sign a contract of sale. In Spain you're not the owner of the house as soon as you sign the contract of sale. Always ask for the "escritura"(the deed of the house). You sign this document before a notary public, which makes you the rightful owner of the real estate. In Spain, the owner of the soil automatically becomes owner of the structures on that soil. Check that no debts attach to the real estate, because they would be transferred to you together with the property. Always have one or more resolutive conditions included in the contract. An example is the condition that your money will be reimbursed to you in the event that for some reason or another, you don't get a licence to build the house you want to build on the soil.

Summing up: What is the procedure when buying?
As a first step a provisional contract of sale is signed between seller and buyer. In this contract are stated al the agreements made between the seller and the buyer, such as the agreed price, date of signing the deed of conveyance before a notary and of course, also the penalty clauses.
The title deed will be signed before the notary. You will receive a copy of the deed, the so-called "copia simple". By this act you, as buyer will be the rightful owner, provided you pay the conveyance tax and the notary fees and registration costs.
The notary will have the title deed registered at the land registry, which will take about two months. After that, the owner will receive the official title deed with the stamps accrediting its registration in the land registry.

In many urbanizations, with the purchase of your house, by Spanish law you will automatically (and compulsorily) become a member of the Association of Owners (comunidad de propietarios). This membership is obligatory when there are common facilities. 

It is important to make sure that the actual owners has no outstanding debts with the Association. A statement to that effect can be obtained from the Association of Owners.
It is also important to know whether the association is financially in good shape and has sufficient financial reserves to pay for major repairs in the future.
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