Do you know what is the amount that must be delivered at the time of signing an earnest money contract in Fuerteventura? As long as there is consensus between both parties, the percentage is free. In any case, if you are going to sign a deposit contract, here are a series of recommendations that you should keep in mind.
What is the earnest money contract?
An earnest money contract is a private contract between buyer and seller by means of which the purchase and sale of a property is reserved by means of a previously agreed economic signal.
The amount of money contributed will be deducted from the final price paid for the property. The earnest money acts as a guarantee that the buyer and seller will end up formalizing the transaction.
The signature of this contract implies the commitment of both parties. If the buyer ends up backing out of the transaction, he will lose the amount paid as earnest money. On the other hand, if it is the seller who decides not to proceed with the transfer, he must return to the buyer the amount paid as earnest money, but in duplicate.
The earnest money contract is a step prior to the purchase contract. It is the most common means of sealing the commitment of both parties to bring the real estate transaction to a successful conclusion.
Signing this contract has multiple advantages for both the buyer and seller of a property in Fuerteventura.
One of the most important advantages for the buyer is that it ensures that the owner does not end up selling the property to another buyer who offers a better price.
On the seller‘s side, the advantage is that he makes sure that the buyer does not end up opting for another property, causing him to lose business opportunities after having committed himself to it.
What percentage is given in a deposit contract in Fuerteventura?
The most common is that the buyer pays 10% of the total value of the property as a deposit.
However, as the earnest money contract is a completely free agreement, the amounts may vary as agreed by the parties.
When the period that will elapse between the earnest money contract and the signing at the Notary’s office is short, for example, 15 days, it does not make sense to deliver a high amount of earnest money. The buyer’s commitment to the property is firm, so that only 5% of the value of the property could be delivered.
In cases where the property has a high value, 5% or 7% may be a more than reasonable percentage to formalize a deposit contract. For example, 5% on a property valued at €500,000 is a sufficiently large amount that no one is willing to lose it due to a breach of contract.
There are certain real estate transactions in which the period between the earnest money contract and the signing at the Notary’s office may be too long. This happens, for example, in cases where the buyer interested in acquiring the property needs to sell a previous property in order to finance the new purchase. In these cases, the buyer may deliver a higher percentage of the deposit as a sign that, although the terms are longer, the commitment to the transaction is firm.
Is it necessary to sign a deposit contract?
It is not mandatory, but highly recommended.
Our advice is that, whether you are thinking of selling or buying a property in Fuerteventura, it is in your interest to sign an earnest money contract. It is the way to make sure that the operation will be carried out.
At Destiny Home we make it easy for you. Contact us and we will help you through the whole process.
