SPANISH REAL ESTATE AGENT ... HOW TO CHOOSE

It is not difficult to find a Real Estate Agent in Spain. As it is a very important sector moving a lot of money with the property boom there are a lot of Spanish real estate agencies as well as foreign ones. You can also find Spanish real estate agents that are specialized in foreign people searching for Spanish property. They work in the tourist areas and also in the regions where many foreign people settle down. Even if the majority of Spanish estate agents are working in one local area that he is familiar with are there also bigger Spanish or international companies.

A real estate agent in Spain does not need any specific qualifications and there is also no law controlling them, so you should make sure that your real estate agent is member of a recognized professional association like API (Agente de la Propiedad Inmobiliaria) or GIP (Gestor Intermediario de Promociones y Edificaciones) because these associations require examinations from their members.

You should be very careful with choosing your estate agent in Spain. As in any other country there are good and bad ones but what it makes difficult for an inexperienced person to choose the right estate agent in Spain is the fact that this sector is very big and almost uncontrolled.

You must also take into consideration that the estate agent sales the property in commission that is very high, ranging from 5% to 10% of the Spanish property price, which makes it very attractive to conclude a sale. The Spanish real estate agents justify the high commission fee, which includes marketing cost from international advertising, in dealing with buyers and sellers from different countries. This can make the personal priorities of the buyers in many cases less important than concluding the sale.

Be careful with leaving a deposit to reserve the Spanish property. You should clarify the type of account where the money goes with your estate agent. If a deposit is necessary, it should only be paid on a blocked account, where neither the agent nor the buyer can have it at their disposal until the sale is closed.

It is recommendable to look for independent advice and to visit different properties with more than one Spanish real estate agent before you take your final decision.