There are so many estate agents in Spain; local independents, national, International, small business and big chain companies, high street and online. They all have different strengths, so how do you know which one is going to be the best estate agent on the Costa del Sol to sell your property?
N.B. We originally wrote this article in 2021 but a lot has changed since then in the Spanish property market so we've adapted it to reflect the current market conditions in 2024.
Selling your home is a big decision and probably one of the biggest financial transactions you will make. It can be a very emotional time for you, so you need to be sure that the agent you choose will not only be able to get you the best price with the right buyer but that will be sympathetic to your situation and be able to effectively and confidently guide you through the whole process.
Here are 13 questions to ask yourself and them directly, that will set the best agents apart from the rest and will help you to decide which estate agent to list your property for sale with.
1. Firstly ask yourself - What are your plans?
This will most likely be the first thing the agents will ask you, they need to know why you are selling to be able to work towards the timescale you are aiming for.
Perhaps you have outgrown your current home, or after the rise in the cost of living, you are struggling to keep up with running rates.
Maybe you are selling your family home where you raised your children and they have now moved out and you would like to downsize.
Or you may have inherited a home or have a buy to let you simply don't want to look after anymore.
Whatever your reason for selling, your estate agent should be able to advise you on all the steps of selling a property in Spain, put an action plan together, get an idea of timescale and manage expectations.
If you want to purchase another property, think about what you are looking for, the agent will also want to show you the great homes they have on their books that match your requirements. This will also provide you with great insight as to how they deal with prospective buyers.
2. Have they sold homes that are similar to yours?
They may have valuable experience marketing and selling similar properties to your own. This will give them an idea of how long it may take to sell, they may even have buyers who missed out on a home similar to yours.
They may have similar properties on their books at the moment, competition isn’t always a bad thing, they may have found buyers that liked the other property but yours is in a better location or has better styling that they would prefer.
Here at Mediterranean Homes, we believe in taking a proactive approach to selling your property. We don't just sit and wait for enquiries to trickle through, we have a database of buyers that we have grown over the years who we get in touch with and offer your property to suitable buyers directly.
3. How good is their website?
Does it look professional? Do they have an eye-catching logo? Can you navigate their website easily to find what you are looking for? Do their listings look impressive? Do they give all the information you would want to know? Does their website appear high up on Google search rankings? If an estate agent appears high up in the search results on Google for multiple search terms, they will undoubtedly receive a lot of traffic to their website which means your property will be exposed to more potential buyers. We employ an SEO company who specializes in improving Search Engine Results for estate agents so that we're doing all that we can to help market your property to the best of our ability.
4. Do they use professional photographers?
It is essential that they use professional photographers, your home needs to look it’s best, buyers need to be able to see as much of your home as possible to get a good idea if it’s the right home for them. They need to be able to see floorplans, or even better, be able to virtually walk through your home so they can fully understand the size and flow of your home.
Buyers can be excited or dismiss properties by the quality of the photos.
5. What property portals do they list properties on?
Agents can’t just list properties on their own website alone, they need to also list on other popular websites and portals to reach as many prospective buyers as possible. Here at Mediterranean Homes, we list your property for sale on all the major property portals including local Spanish ones and International Property Portals.
6. Are they a member of a professional body?
Being a member of a professional body, like The Association of International Property Professionals (AIPP), ensures the agents adhere to a strict code of conduct and are committed to working at the highest professional standards. They can also be held accountable if something goes wrong.
7. What’s the market like at the moment?
This will give you an idea of how in-demand properties like yours are at the moment, how many viewings you are likely to have, and how long it may take to sell. It should also give you an idea of how likely you are going to get an offer of the asking price or as close to it as possible. Also what kind of price bracket is selling well at the moment.
How the agent answers will give you a feel of how knowledgeable they are of the current market.
8. What similar properties have you sold recently?
If they have sold similar properties to yours in the last few months this will give you a very good idea of how buoyant the market is, how well they are doing compared to other agents, and what price will be realistic for you to achieve with your home. It's also useful to ask how many viewings a property had, how many offers, how many price reductions were needed and how long the property was on the market for.
To view our most recent sales, visit our page: "Recently Sold Properties".
9. What is your valuation of our home?
I’m sure you’ll have researched online and have a figure in mind of how much you would like for your property.
See how confidently the agent gives you their valuation and ask them how they arrived at that number. Usually, they will offer a range with a recommendation of an initial market price depending on your situation and timescale.
If you need to sell quickly they will usually suggest a valuation that will get your home sold quickly. If you aren’t in a rush it’s possible to put it on slightly higher and see what interest you get, then reduce the price if it doesn’t sell or generate enough interest within a certain amount of time.
Don’t be afraid to discuss their valuation and point out aspects of your home that you feel increase its value. You both need to be happy with the price.
10. Do you have any potential buyers in mind?
They will most probably say yes! If they do, great, now ask for feedback on the other properties those buyers have looked at. How similar were those properties to yours? Why does the agent think they will like your home? How they answer will let you know, firstly, if they do indeed have potential buyers, and secondly, how engaged and good they are at communicating with buyers.
11. What are your fees?
Estate Agents in Spain charge a commission rate of 5% of the sale price. Some agents such as the large corporate companies have been known to charge as much as 7% PLUS tax! You need to know what commission you will be paying out of the sale proceeds, solicitor fees and any tax that needs to be paid so you understand what the minimum you will be able to accept for your home.
By the way, our advice would be not to be attracted to lower fees or even going down the route of "For Sale By Owner". Good agents give great value for money and go the extra mile, they have to do a lot of work behind the scenes.
By instructing a good estate agent to sell your property you WILL...
- Achieve a higher price for your property.
- Shorten the timescale needed to sell your home.
- Minimise the risk of a sale falling through.
- Minimise the risk of any missing paperwork or unpaid taxes coming back to haunt you in the future.
Remember...
The more people who see your home, the more viewings you get.
The more viewings you get, the more offers you get.
The more offers you get, the high the price you sell your property for!
12. If I’m not happy with your service, what happens?
If you are unhappy with your agent for whatever reason, if you have chosen well you shouldn’t have any problems changing agents. Before you sign any contracts ask:
- What is the minimum contract period?
- Do I need to give notice to terminate our contract?
- Do you still need to pay fees if you find a buyer yourself?
- Who can I speak to if there is a problem?
13. What does your intuition tell you?
Lastly, which agent do you feel will do the best job for you? Which one do you like best and can easily get along with? Which one do you feel is most knowledgeable and will be able to help you if any problems arise? Who do you feel was most confident and will be able to communicate with all parties effectively?
You've done your research and asked all the questions, now what does your gut say? Remember you will have to work with these people, so choose wisely!
Making the right choice will determine how easy or difficult this journey will be. You want a selling partner that will bring you a successful sale at the best price for you!
If you would like to arrange a valuation and talk through your selling plans with us, Mediterranean Homes would love to help.
Call us on (+34) 951 242 157 or email us at [email protected]
Fill out a Valuation Request Form
We look forward to hearing from you! Hasta pronto!
Further Reading
Please find below some other pages you may find useful...
