Introduction
Buying a house in Sotogrande is one of the best decisions you can make, as long as you ask the right questions before you make an offer, and these are the twelve we'd ask ourselves. The light, the golf, the sea glimpsed between the pines: it's easy to fall for Sotogrande on a first visit, and that's exactly why the questions matter. We understand completely. We've been selling homes here since 1991, and we still feel it.
But the best purchases we've seen are the ones where the buyer fell in love and asked the awkward questions before making an offer. We've grouped them into the home itself, the paperwork and the running costs, and the deal.
If you want the full step-by-step process (NIE, lawyer, reservation contract, notary), it's all in our guide to buying property in Sotogrande. This post is about what to ask while you're standing in the house.
The home itself
1. Which way does it face, and where is the sun in winter? Orientation changes how a home feels and what it costs to heat. A terrace that's glorious in August can sit in shade from November to February. Ask, and if you can, visit at a different time of day.
2. How does it feel in January, not just in July? Many Sotogrande homes are built for summer. Ask how the house is heated, whether there's underfloor heating or air conditioning with heat pumps, and whether there's any damp in rooms that are closed up for long periods. A quick look at the corners of bedrooms and storerooms tells you a lot.
3. What work has been done, and when? Roof, pool, windows, kitchen, electrics. Ask what's original and what's new, who did the work, and whether there are invoices or guarantees. A well-documented home is usually a well-loved one.
4. What's included in the price? Furniture, garden furniture, appliances, art, the boat berth or the garage space. Get it in writing as an inventory, so there are no surprises on completion day.
The paperwork and the running costs
5. Does everything you can see have its licence? Extensions, a covered terrace, a converted garage, a pool house. If it was built, it should appear in the paperwork. Your lawyer will check the registry and planning records, and it's much better to raise questions now than after you've paid a deposit. Non-residents can buy in Spain, and we recommend an independent lawyer to guide you through the process.
6. What are the community fees, and what do they cover? If the home is in a community, ask the annual fee and exactly what it pays for: gardens, pools, security, building insurance. Under Spain's horizontal property law, the seller must give a certificate showing their community fees are up to date before the sale can be signed at the notary (Ley 49/1960, article 9), so ask to see the position early.
7. Is any big community work coming up? Ask for the minutes of the last community meetings. That's where you'll see whether a new roof, a lift or a pool refurbishment has been agreed, and whether owners will be asked to pay extra for it.
8. What does it cost to run each year? Ask for recent electricity and water bills, the annual property tax (IBI) receipt and any rubbish collection charge. These figures are personal to each home, so the receipts are the only honest answer.
9. What's the energy rating? In Spain, a home being sold needs an energy performance certificate, and its rating has to be shown in any advert for the sale (Real Decreto 390/2021). Ask to see the certificate itself. It's a quick, useful guide to how much heating and cooling the house will need.
10. Could you make the changes you have in mind? If you're dreaming of a bigger kitchen or a new pool, ask before you buy, not after. Sotogrande sits within the municipality of San Roque, and work needs the right permissions. A local architect or your lawyer can tell you what's realistic for that particular plot or building.
The deal
11. Why are the owners selling, and how long has it been on the market? The answer won't always be complete, but it helps you understand the seller's timing and how much room there is to negotiate. A home that's been on the market for a long time is a different conversation from one that came up last week.
12. How does the price compare with similar homes nearby? Asking prices in Sotogrande vary a lot from zone to zone, and even street to street. Ask your agent which comparable homes have sold, and for how much. If an agent can't or won't answer, that tells you something too.
What we'll tell you honestly
When you view a home with us, we'll tell you what we know: the good, the things we'd want to check, and how long it's been for sale. We'd rather lose a sale than have someone buy the wrong house. That's how a family agency stays in a small community like Sotogrande for more than three decades.
We also have homes that never reach the portals, so if you've seen something online that's close but not quite right, tell us what you're looking for.
Thinking about buying in Sotogrande? Browse our homes for sale, call us on +34 956 793 200, or email hello@bristowpropertygroup.com. You'll find us at Locales 9/10/11, Galerías Paniagua, Sotogrande.
