I have a love-hate relationship with notaries and the whole system. It can be infuriating, and they can be (usually are) self-important stuffed shirts who think they're the lord god almighty and love to keep you waiting.

But... I do believe the notarial system in many cases significantly reduces contact with (and self-enriching conflicts between) the regular lawyers we are used to in the Anglo-American common law system.

And lawyers are worse - and more expensive - than notaries.

Buying a property in the UK involves months of back-and-forth jousting between each party's lawyers, during which they have racked up a bill that could have paid for a new kitchen and bathroom.

In Spain, there's a lot of faffing about with paperwork, but it ends up a lot quicker and way cheaper.

Then they hit you with a 10% property conveyance tax and you're back to square one...