Size is the most important legal requirement to take into consideration if you are thinking of applying for your Spanish house to have the character of "protected".
As mentioned in previous, related posts, the Government is determined on trying to mobilize the market by classifiation of free houses into protected, so buyer can be more easily found - among lists of applicants of regional and local governemnts- and financiation is assisted and controlled by the administration:
The maximum usable area is defined by each region ( Comunidades Autónomas) in Spain.
The maximum usable area for the purposes of funding under the National Plan is of 90 square meters. When the corresponding program allows attached elements to the house or apartment, the maximum usable areas will be of 8 usable square meters for storage and 25 for the attached garage or for the storage room of tools necessary for the development of productive activities in rural areas.
Maximum usable are by Comunidad Autonoma:
In Andalucía:
Up to 90 m2
Up to 120 m2 for people with a situation of dependency or families with 3 or more kids.
So, you can apply if your house is up to 120 m2. If the house is between 90-120 m2, your buyers can only be large families or dependants.
In Murcia:
Up to 90m2
Up to 120 m2 in the case of families with 3 or more kids or people with reduced mobility, permanent disability or dependents and families in charge of these.
Again, you can apply if your house is up to 120 m2. If the house is between 90-120 m2, your buyers can only be large families or disabled, dependant and their family carers.
In Comunidad Valenciana:
a) General scheme: 120 m².
b) Public-private and and existing homes :150 m²
In every case, please take into consideration that ONCE THE HOUSE IS CLASSIFIED AS PROTECTED, YOU CANNOT SELL IT IN THE FREE MARKET.It is true that there is no such thing as free market right now but, once Banks open credits again...
I will post about maximum prices you can ask for your house in a next post.
I certainly see these measure as very suitable for property stocks of Banks, result of Banks past insanity, a real good remedy for their disorders, a way to fulfill, even by force of necessity, the social feature that finantial institutions need to meet, but, if you are an individual owner I would better go for the offering of a safe free rental with option to purchase. There is more legitimate possibilities for you this way: that is my humble opinion.
Maria
www.costaluzlawyers.es
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