NORTH SPAIN: PAUL AND JEN
Paul and Jen Loftus are planning to spend the next five years near Girona, a prosperous town in Catalunya in the North of Spain. They have a large budget and are hoping to buy in the countryside near a small village.

This week we're back with Christina who's got a refurbished old farmhouse to show them high in hills north of Girona. The house is in fact unfinished and Christina explained that no more work will be done until a buyer is found. That way, the buyer can specify how they want it finished, and where they want the swimming pool. All of that work is included in the asking price of €426,000.

Near the local vilage of Crespia, we passed a very large house with a 'Se Vende' sign in one of the windows, which basically means that it's a private sale. One phonecall later and Angelina, the owner of the house, gives a personal tour of this rather large house.

Private sales are common in Spain, but you should still find a good agent with a good knowledge of the Spanish system and of the local area. And you will still need a legally qualified Notary to prepare the title deed and ensure it complies with Spanish law.

Remember, debt in Spain is associated with a property, not a person, so it pays to be vigilant when purchasing property. Paul and Jen don't have any work organised in Spain yet and they are interested in opening a B&B or guesthouse, and this last property definitely has business potential. But with an asking price of €480,000, they'll need to do some real negotiating or they'll be left with very little of their €450,000 budget.