If you are looking for mortgages, we want to help you make the purchase of your home in Spain as simple and satisfactory as possible. That's why in this post, we will tell you what a simple note is, what it is used for, and how to find out if a house is mortgaged based on that registry document.
The purchase of a home is a moment that generates a mix of excitement and uncertainty for future homeowners. The happiness of finding your dream home is accompanied by understandable concerns about unexpected issues during the administrative process that this operation entails. One of these concerns is usually related to potential encumbrances on the property, especially when buying a second-hand property. However, finding out if a house is mortgaged or has any encumbrances is quite straightforward.
Finding out if a house is mortgaged or has any encumbrances is quite straightforward
The land registry simple note
To learn how to find out if a house is mortgaged in Spain there is an essential document for the process. The simple note, as explained by the Corporation of Land and Mercantile Registrars, is "a succinct extract of the content of the entries relating to the property, which includes its identification; the identity of the owner or owners of the registered rights on the property; the extent, nature, and limitations of these rights; and any prohibitions or restrictions affecting the owners or registered rights.”Therefore, it is a summary where we can verify the most relevant information about the property (dimensions, boundaries, current owner...) and confirm that the property does not have any charges, encumbrances, or restrictions on its use (such as an existing mortgage or usufruct, for example).
Therefore, before closing any contract on a flat or house, it is advisable to request this document and confirm that the information you have about the property matches its legal reality, thus avoiding unpleasant surprises in the future.
How to find out if a house is mortgaged online
Obtaining a simple note for a property is a straightforward procedure that can be carried out online, from anywhere and at any time. You don't need any special connection to the property in question; anyone can request this document regarding a property.
Obtaining a simple note for a property is a straightforward procedure that can be carried out online, from anywhere and at any time.
The first step is to access the website of the Land Registry and click on the section for online procedures. Among the various services offered by this institution, you would select the item "Simple note for a property" and register as a new user by following a registration form.
After providing personal information on the platform, you can find out if a house is mortgaged online by entering any of the following information about the property:
• Using the registry data of the property: registry number, , municipality, and name of the corresponding Registry.
• With the Idufir, which is the unique identifier number for each property.
• Through the name or NIF of the owner.
• By the address of the property.
• Using geolocation, pinpointing the exact coordinates of its location on a viewer.
Once you have selected the property in question, you request the simple note, an within approximately one business day, you will receive the document with all the information about the house by email, after paying the administrative fees (a little over 9 euros per inquiry) through credit card or PayPal. This would be the final step in the process of finding out if a property is mortgaged.
If everything aligns and there are no unforeseen issues, you can continue with the purchasing process and explore our mortgage simulator. Don't forget to check out our post where we explain the necessary documents for your mortgage application.
The publications on the UCI Blog cover current topics that are intended to be useful to our readers. However, it is possible that some of the older posts may contain outdated information. Therefore, it is important to always check the publication date of the post.
