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Buying through agent.

Posted: Sun Sep 9, 2018 3:24pm
11 replies334 views7 members subscribed
Elaine60

Posts: 18

6 helpful points

Location: Catral

Joined: 9 Sep 2018

Hi everyone, my husband and I are looking to buy a holiday home on the Costa Blanca. We are coming over for a viewing trip on 21st September, we are using Spanishlegalhomes does anyone know about this company? I haven’t read many good reviews about them and getting a bit anxious about it. Does anyone know anything about this company?

Your help would be much appreciated. 

Thank you in advance.

Elaine x

271935

Posted: Sun Sep 9, 2018 4:53pm

271935

Very helpful member

Posts: 836

679 helpful points

Location: Villamartin

Joined: 30 Apr 2016

Posted: Sun Sep 9, 2018 4:53pm

Always maintain control when viewing. Some tips.

Never go for viewing trips where they pay for flights or hotels

Do viewings in your car and follow the agent. If you don't like something walk back to the car and say not for us.

Never give the agent a penny in any instance including a deposit. 

Don't believe them when they say things are selling quickly and you don't want to hang around

Never use a solicitor recommended by an agent

Elaine60

Posted: Sun Sep 9, 2018 5:20pm

Elaine60

Original Poster

Posts: 18

6 helpful points

Location: Catral

Joined: 9 Sep 2018

Posted: Sun Sep 9, 2018 5:20pm

Thank you for your reply. We have already signed up for a viewing trip with this company. I’m just hoping the few negative comments about the company are just that..a few. Maybe we don’t always here about the successful ones. I’m waiting for a phone call from them nearer the time of us coming I will suss out then what the next move will be.

I take on board everything you have said and will keep it in mind. We are not easily fooled and certainly won’t be parting with any money until we are sure.  We will look at properties and then come home and think about it without anyone breathing down our necks.

271935

Posted: Sun Sep 9, 2018 5:28pm

271935

Very helpful member

Posts: 836

679 helpful points

Location: Villamartin

Joined: 30 Apr 2016

Posted: Sun Sep 9, 2018 5:28pm

My advice, if possible pull out of the viewing trip and do it yourself.  Book the flights, the hire car, the hotel yourself.

Contact proper local agents and do it that way.... Viewing trips never end well.

You have been warned....

Elaine60

Posted: Sun Sep 9, 2018 6:45pm

Elaine60

Original Poster

Posts: 18

6 helpful points

Location: Catral

Joined: 9 Sep 2018

Posted: Sun Sep 9, 2018 6:45pm

I may just do that thank you for your advice.🙂

Elaine 

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JonT

Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2018 4:32pm

Posts: 23

9 helpful points

Location: Villamartin

Joined: 7 Apr 2017

Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2018 4:32pm

Elaine,

We actually did a viewing trip with this company. There was no hard sell at all but we were disappointed with the range of properties they showed us even though we briefed them on what we were looking for. At least the trip gave us an insight into some of the urbanisations and areas. 

Having done more research on the internet on getting home , we were much clearer on the areas. We refined our property criteria and contacted a number of agents with our own list of properties to view.  We went out on our own a few weeks later with our "must view properties" list. We took total control of the process and the property that we eventually bought was one of the properties on our list. 

If it's not too late, pull out  and if you can't, be very specific in terms of your requirements and be assertive as to where and what they show you. 

Good Luck.

JonT

Cookie

Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2018 8:50am

Posts: 26

36 helpful points

Location: Bigastro

Joined: 15 Jun 2018

Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2018 8:50am

Hi Elaine,

I did a viewing trip with this company, and have purchased a property as a result, they are excellent and very trust worthy, they also assist A Place in the Sun with episodes, they have been going for over 25 years and also have an office in Manchester, the viewing trip was very good value, £99.00 for 4 days, they collected me from the airport, and had properties lined up for me to see that were within my budget and my requirements, they took me to lunch everyday, breakfast is included in the trip also, they took me to lovely areas to see properties and then also around the surrounding area to see local shops and amenities and we would lunch in the areas I was viewing in, they also go under the name of Euro Prestige, you will not achieve better value booking everything yourself, and they do take all the hassle out of having to book taxis, car hire etc, my days spent with them were very well spent, you really have nothing to lose by keeping your booking with them, and will have a very enjoyable time!

Good luck!

Maxine

271935

Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2018 9:19am

271935

Very helpful member

Posts: 836

679 helpful points

Location: Villamartin

Joined: 30 Apr 2016

Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2018 9:19am

Even more reason to avoid them if they are also Euro Prestige they have a terrible reputation. Do a search on here if you are not sure

Cath65

Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2018 9:38am

Posts: 4

2 helpful points

Location: Benidorm

Joined: 11 Jul 2018

Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2018 9:38am

Elaine60 wrote on Sun Sep 9, 2018 3:24pm:

Hi everyone, my husband and I are looking to buy a holiday home on the Costa Blanca. We are coming over for a viewing trip on 21st September, we are using Spanishlegalhomes does anyone know about this company? I haven’t read many good reviews about them and getting a bit anxious about it. Does ...

...anyone know anything about this company?

Your help would be much appreciated. 

Thank you in advance.

Elaine x

Hi.

We’ve been livining in Spain for the past seventeen years.  I would recommend to steer clear of these kind of companies.  They will usually promote off plan or new build properties.  You should decide on which area of The Costa Blanca that suits you.  My advice would be to buy a property, especially an apartment that was built a few years ago & the community etc are up & running.  You can then check out the history of the apartments including whether they are a legal build.  We’ve seen apartments completed & then stood empty for a few years whilst the builder applies for the licence from the Town Hall.

We used a company when we first viewed in Spain.  We were specific regarding which area we were interested in, Villa Joyosa.  So, on arriving at the airport the driver told us that he was taking us to stay in a hotel many miles past Santa Pola to view properties in that area.  We refused to go & asked him to arrange a flight for us back to the UK.  He contacted the company & suddenly they were able to arrange for us to stay closer to Villa Joyosa.  We viewed an off plan site in Villa  Joyosa & put a deposit down.  We were lucky as the company, TM, did build on time & it was a legal build.  We then independently went on to buy other properties.  

My advice would be to decide on a location & go & rent there just to get a real feel for the place. It’s expensive to buy in Spain, you have the cost of taxes, non resident taxes if you’re not going to become a resident.  There are various taxes when you buy & sell, SUMA, (council tax), community charges, water, electric, Plus Valia, ( Town Hall Tax), etc etc.  It all adds up!  

I have a Spanish friend who is an estate agent, she deals with Villa Joyosa & surrounding areas.  She speaks good English.  Let me know if you’d like her details.

Good luck with your search.

Sue

Elaine60

Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2018 4:40pm

Elaine60

Original Poster

Posts: 18

6 helpful points

Location: Catral

Joined: 9 Sep 2018

Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2018 4:40pm

Thank you everyone for taking the time to reply to me. It seems their are different views on using an agent. I am coming out next week so will let you know how I get on.

Elaine x

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