The Country Files

In this episode of The Country Files (S2E3), hosts Malin Turlock, Peter Franke of Franke & de la Fuente area joined by Finnish real estate experts Anne Ramsay and Anne Alice Saarikangas to unpack how Finnish buyers approach property in Marbella and the wider Costa del Sol.

Topics covered:

• How the Finnish buying process works and why agents handle due diligence
• Transparent bidding and the binding 4% offer in Finland
• Housing companies (Asunto-osakeyhtiö): structure, loans, and responsibilities
• “Debt-free price” vs. selling price explained
• Key differences between Finland and Spain: documents, reservation contracts, LPO, community fees
• Taxes and purchase costs in Finland vs. Spain
• Buyer psychology: trust, negotiation style, and communication preferences
• Market expectations and timing in Spain
• Areas where Finnish buyers purchase: Fuengirola, Benalmádena, Nueva Andalucía, Benahavís, Higuerón, Estepona, Manilva, Málaga
• Saunas in Spanish properties and Finnish standards