This may come as a surprise to many foreign residents, especially English people who are used to disposing of their assets as they wish, but it should also act as a sober warning to the complacent.
It's a symbiotic deal, which gives English speakers the chance to trade in their native language abilities, for bed and board in a Spanish village.
"This can amount to a very large liability.
Specialist foreign exchange brokers such as FCD and HiFX do not charge commission and transfer fees. Sometimes, Ms Higgins said, it can take three or four years before these bills are sent to new properties. The problem is several thousand Brits got there first. In addition, the authorities will also post these details on the internet, putting them on each Spanish region's website. Part of the program is to participate in six hourly blocks of conversation a day, on a rotational basis.
"The estate agents put us in touch with a local solicitor who assured us everything was fine.
Tourists have rediscovered the appeal of Spain and recovered its legion of sun worshippers and sangria drinkers. But make sure you ignore those overseas-property TV shows that only present the sunny side of buying abroad, and do your research carefully. This figure will bring the spend up by eight per cent on previous years.
While finding great properties is easy, finding out how to buy them is often confusing and difficult.
The local phrase "water is for frogs" apparently sums up the contempt in which non-alcoholic drinks are regarded. This is useful if you are buying a new home because you will have to make payments to the developer as different stages of the build are reached. The exchange rate is equally as important as the charges.
Does the seller really own the property? So meals, activities, and the accommodation aim to be highly typical of the surrounding area.
Some days later several poor students admitted to not understanding a single word during the entire bus journey. A chance hike by two participants was rewarded with a cacophony of rings and beeps as a backlog of calls finally registered on their phones. At the end of the road, Valdelavilla is miles from shops, petrol stations, pubs, restaurants - in fact, from almost all of modern Spain.
Many investors use a local holiday lettings or management agency, which advertise for tourists and handle the bookings. This is useful if you are buying a new home because you will have to make payments to the developer as different stages of the build are reached. This is aimed at targeting the greatest possible number of tax offenders. Participants are systematically allocated conversational partners, so it's pot-luck what you'll be talking about each hour - and how fluently. Some countries charge a wealth tax simply for owning a property, while most charge capital gains tax on any profit when you sell. You must also budget for insurance, maintenance, property management fees, service charges and tax.
But apart from that, who says the Spanish property market is over? It also covers any charges the receiving bank makes.