Costa Tropical · Property law · International clients
Your property lawyer for the Costa Tropical
A home in the old town, an apartment by the sea or a hillside villa? Start your Costa Tropical property plans with clear legal advice from our Almuñécar office.
You can contact us before choosing a property, including from abroad.
Velasco Lawyers helps international clients buy, sell and plan changes to property on the Costa Tropical. If you are considering Almuñécar, La Herradura or Salobreña, we connect the legal review with a local architect's assessment of the property and the works you have in mind.
An independent Spanish law firm founded in 1993, with our Almuñécar office open since 2002.
Your property, your next step
Legal support from the first offer
to the next chapter.
The right enquiries depend on whether you are buying, preparing to sell, or changing a property you already own.
Choose a home with the right checks
Tell us which areas you are considering and whether your purchase depends on a renovation, extension or particular use. We examine title, charges and contract terms, and identify the planning and technical questions to resolve for the property before you commit.
Discuss a purchasePrepare the legal side of your sale
Bring together the title documents and information about the building, later works and what is included in the sale. We help investigate discrepancies and coordinate the legal steps, so questions about a terrace, pool, separate plot or extension can be addressed early.
Plan your saleAssess the changes you have in mind
Space on a plot does not establish permission to extend, and an existing alteration still needs its documentation checked. Our lawyers work with local architects on the proposed works, the property's current position and the permissions or records the project needs.
Understand the checksFor the wider purchase and sale process, see our Spanish property-law services.
Why the address matters
Choose the setting. Check the property.
Costa Tropical is a coastal region, not one municipality with a single building rulebook. The address and your plans matter more than a broad regional label. Our first three locality guides cover Almuñécar, La Herradura and Salobreña; the Costa Tropical extends beyond these places.
Identify the municipality and the local plan
Almuñécar and Salobreña have their own municipal planning documents. La Herradura is part of Almuñécar municipality. Plans, amendments and detailed development documents can distinguish neighbouring streets and residential areas within the same town.
For your property: Establish which municipality and current planning documents govern the address. Do not assume that a nearby property or a similarly named development has the same position.
Compare the property settings
An older town house, a beach apartment and a hillside villa can involve different enquiries. Historic fabric may matter for an older building; on a slope, access, levels and retaining structures may need technical attention. Salobreña's published plan expressly distinguishes historic, beach and hillside settings.
For your property: Explain whether you want to alter the roof or frontage, enclose a terrace, change access or extend the house. The local architect can assess the relevant technical questions alongside our legal review.
Consider the coast and surrounding landscape
For relevant coastal addresses, the official boundaries and applicable restrictions need to be checked. Near La Herradura, Maro–Cerro Gordo is a specific protected-landscape example. Its protection must not be assumed to cover every property in La Herradura or across the Costa Tropical.
For your property: Locate the property precisely and establish whether coastal or protected-area controls affect it and the intended works. A sea view or the town's name is not enough to answer that question.
Renovation, extensions and building records
Permission to build.
Paperwork that reflects the building.
Before your Costa Tropical purchase depends on changing the property, separate the proposed works from the documentation of what is already built. We help you identify the legal enquiries and the local architect's role in assessing feasibility and the appropriate procedure.
Obra mayor and renovation works
New construction, extensions and structural alterations can require a technical project and the appropriate municipal authorisation. The scope of the work determines the route. Calling a job obra menor (minor works) does not automatically mean that no project or other permission is needed.
Licence or declaración responsable?
The applicable procedure depends on the works, the property and current rules. Some work may follow a responsible-declaration procedure rather than a prior licence, but that is not a general exemption from planning requirements or any other consent that applies.
Declaración de obra nueva
This is the formal declaration of a building or extension for its deed and Land Registry record. It is a separate question from permission to carry out the works. Recording a building does not, by itself, make unauthorised work lawful.
Two questions worth asking early
“We are choosing between a town house and a hillside villa. Can you help before we decide?”
Yes. Tell us the locations and what you want to do with each property. We can discuss the enquiries your plans raise, then assess the specific documents and technical questions once you have identified an address.
“The seller says the terrace could become another room. Can we rely on that?”
Ask what documents support the proposed change. The relevant planning position, existing permissions and any other applicable requirements need checking with the local architect before that possibility becomes part of your budget or purchase commitment.
People you can speak to
A Spanish legal team.
A clear conversation.
Maria Teresa Velasco provides the firm’s legal leadership. She is bilingual in Spanish and English, with an understanding of Swedish, Danish and French.
Our team can assist in English, Swedish, Danish, French and Spanish. Emmy coordinates our Scandinavian department, and Rebecca supports English–Spanish communication and client services.
Meet Velasco LawyersFrom a property client · Google review
“Their service has been very professional, efficient and helpful.”
Start with your plans
Tell us about your
Costa Tropical property.
You do not need a complete file to make the first enquiry. Tell us whether you are buying, selling or planning works, and mention any offer, deposit or completion deadline.
- We review your enquiry.Share the location and a short outline of what you need.
- We clarify the next steps.Our team discusses the legal questions and whether technical input is needed.
- We explain the proposed work and fees.You can decide how to proceed with a clear scope.
Prefer to speak to us?
+34 958 630 114[email protected]WhatsApp +34 687 307 756Monday–Friday, 09:00–14:00, Spain mainland time. For a time-sensitive matter, please call during office hours.
Your first enquiry
How can we help?
A short outline is enough. All fields are required unless marked optional.
Our team will review your message and contact you to discuss how we can help.
Before you get in touch
Your questions,
answered.
Where is your Costa Tropical office?
Our office is at Calle Arco del Teatro 3 in Almuñécar. Please contact us to arrange an appointment. You can also start by phone, email or the enquiry form while you are abroad.
Do Almuñécar, La Herradura and Salobreña have the same planning rules?
No single rulebook covers all three. La Herradura belongs to Almuñécar municipality, while Salobreña has its own municipal planning documents. Rules and detailed instruments may also vary within each municipality, so the exact address and proposed works need checking.
Can I contact you before choosing a property or paying a deposit?
Yes. Tell us the areas you are considering, your plans and any deadlines. If you have found a property, share a short outline before signing or paying so that we can discuss the enquiries and proposed work. If you have already signed, explain what was agreed and any dates involved.
Can you help with property elsewhere on the Costa Tropical?
Contact us with the town, address if known and a short description of your matter. Our detailed guides currently focus on Almuñécar, La Herradura and Salobreña; we can discuss the proposed work for your location and the local technical input it may need.