I love estate agents. Without them, we wouldn’t be able to do what we do. Many are our best friends. That said, there are undoubtedly some who just want to ruin it for the reputable, who give the good ones a bad name and that is the other reason we do what we do.
You know when you have spent an age researching properties online in relation to your overseas search. Then you find the one! The perfect villa catches your eye and before you know it, you’re dialling an international code to make an appointment to view the property of your desire during your forthcoming trip. Viewing arranged, you’re on countdown until your trip, praying it will still be available.
Then a matter of days prior to your visit, you receive that dreaded email, from the agent, with profuse apologies but “The property is no longer available for sale”. The buyer is signing tomorrow and your viewing is cancelled, but luckily they do have another villa for you which is exactly the same, if not better than the one you enquired about. However, the reality is all very different once you receive the details.
Your mailbox is suddenly inundated with emails offering all different alternatives, none of which strike a chord. You start to question; Was the property ever truly available? Can I trust this Agent? We call this ‘window dressing’ – something attractive to entice you into the shop but not something you can ever truly buy.
Consider this. While an estate agent works for you, they can only offer what is in their portfolio as they are mandated to sell and represent the owner of a property. It is clearly in their interest to get the highest offer for the property owner. Consider how easy it would be to increase your offer against your better judgement. Especially once you are in love with a property and just want it to become yours. Especially if you are told that €2.5M was rejected last year when you were ready to offer €2.3M. How high can you realistically afford to go?
Do you want to know why the seller is moving? It’s a legitimate question. They may have outgrown the property, relocated, decided they want to downsize and free up some equity. But what if they are moving because their neighbours are a nightmare or they have to undertake some expensive remedial work that they‘d rather pass on to a new buyer – would the Estate Agent tell you that and how well does that Estate Agent know the property. Properties are listed by multiple Estate Agents overseas, so who actually has the mandate to sell the property and has the best relationship with the vendor?
Euphemisms are two a penny in Estate Agency. Is the area really ‘up and coming’ or it really a rough part of town not worthy of gentrification? A quaint bedroom basically means it small.
Buying a property, can be one of the most stressful things anyone can do, its hard enough doing it in your resident country. That is why we do what we do, we want to make it the rewarding experience it should be. We have the buyers back, out team work in the best interests of you, the buyer of international residential property.
We will take your brief, search one hundred percent of the market for you and present you with the best selection of properties to match your requirements, in addition we will schedule viewings around your itinerary and help you with the entire overseas buying process.
Most importantly, we will not allow you to feel rushed or pushed into making decisions. This is a lifestyle choice and a should be a rewarding and enjoyable experience. If it takes 4, 5 or more overseas trips to find your dream home, that’s fine. You may view dozens of properties but once you cross the threshold of the right one, you will know.
To start, here is a villa to consider, a modern, Provencal style villa in La Roquette-sur-Siagne, close to Mougins complete with stunning sea views?
Alternatively, how about tranquil Son Vida is the location for this beautiful villa for sale in Mallorca complete with air conditioning, underfloor heating and bespoke, sculptured staircase.
If you prefer to be closer to the beach, there is this lovely villa for sale in Vale do Lobo , within 5 minutes walk of the beach in the resort of Vale do Lobo. The large 605 sq.m property offers 6 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms with charming outside space too.
Make sure you only consider properties that are really for sale by calling us today and briefing us on your requirements.
In addition to making sure you only pay fair market price; we will work with you to secure you the best deal possible and ensure that any offer you make is given fair consideration. Do not allow yourself to be panicked into buying a property because of an alleged ‘stampede’ as insinuated by the selling agent.
If the property is the one for you, it will come right in the end. We have seen it all before, we know all the tricks of the trade and by working together, will make sure that you avoid them all. Contact me today to discuss your lifestyle plan and objective.