Estate agents in Spain. What has been your experience?

Question

Estate agents in Spain have got a pretty poor reputation and I wondered if it was justified.
I have met some awful ones with great qualifications and big offices and some really good ones with little offices, or who work from home who have had a better understanding of what people want.
I am looking to move to the Costa Del Sol area
How do you sort the wheat out from the chaff ?

Answer 1

I would say that the larger estate agencies ( not all I might add ) tend to have a large turnover of staff who are inclined to show you properties within a certain price range regardless of what you are looking for because they are pressurized into making a sale.
I have worked for a large company and my experience was not good.
Also I have had an agent try to sell me land that it was not possible to build on.
On the other hand the smaller agencies tend to have a more personal approach and quite often a better knowledge of specific areas.
One thing I would say is try to go on recommendation whenever possible.
Regarding the reputation, there is an old saying
Bad news is half way round the world before good news is dressed.
Or " If it bleeds it leads "
Good luck
Anna

Answer 2

I worked for estate agents in spain, and to be honest, once they'd made a sale they didnt want to know anymore.
I wasnt in sales I was in the office doing admin and answering the phones etc... The amount of people i spoke to everyday, that I had to just refer on to the lawyer or builder was crazy. My boss just didnt want to know. People houses were not being built, or were being built difrent to what had been agreed, or the builders had taken the money but nothing was happeneing, and literally id spend most the day on the phone just giving out the lawyer or builders phone number, and was told under NO circumstances to put anyone threw to the boss.
obviously not all estate agents are like this. I'd say use your gut instinct and ask around.

hope this helps

Answer 3

be very very careful, they are all crows waiting to eat you. Really pathetic and abusive.