Ok, ok, ok, so we know not everybody loves estate agents….. in fact, estate agents get a pretty bad reputation but is that fair??
There is a stereotype that falls onto estate agents, and certainly sometimes you can spot an ‘agent’ as they stand out of the crowd.
Certainly if you live in London, or have ever visited, there seems to be a dress code, usually a suit, gel slicked back hair and a swagger only people full of confidence can pull off.
You can tell the successful ones by how nice, or expensive, their suits are, what car they drive, the way they hold themselves and the patented smug smile on their faces!
But, not all agents are like this and it’s a shame a small number of bad ones have tainted the pool for everyone else.
So why are estate agents among some of the most hated professionals? They are just behind ‘bankers’ on the most disliked list!
Untrustworthy
Sometimes you just get a feeling that everything that someone tells you is a lie, or a ‘twist’ on the truth, or perhaps you’ve been told so many different things you don’t know what to believe.
Unfortunately there are some people who would rather say something untrue then admit they don’t know the answer. That is not a good trait, it will only lead to mistrust if you are given an answer with confidence only to later find out that wasn’t true. What else have they lied about?
There is nothing wrong with saying ‘I’m sorry I don’t know the answer to that yet but I will find out as quickly as I can’.
Once trust is lost it’s almost impossible to gain back. Nobody can know everything!
Buying a home will probably be the most expensive transaction you ever make, so you need to trust the people that are negotiating on your behalf. Have they actually put your offer forward? Did the owner really refuse? Or does the agent just want to make more out of the sale? Is it actually off the market or does that agent just want to find their own buyer so they’ll get more commission?
In Spain, agents often have to work together due to the multi listing network. There have been several times agents have steered potential buyers away from certain properties because they want to sell them one on their books so they get the whole fee instead of half.
The truth will always unveil itself eventually, we see no point in lying. How can you believe an agent after they have lied to you, even once?
We have no problem working with other agents to get you a home you really love. Afterall, 50% of a fee is much better than 100% of nothing!
At Mediterranean Homes we pride ourselves on being trustworthy, knowledgeable and decent human beings. We take the time to learn about all the properties available in the areas we cover and potential buyers so we can make the perfect match.
Overvaluing
When you decide it’s time to sell your home, you will probably do a bit of your own research before you invite any agents over for a valuation, you’ll look up what other similar houses to yours have sold for previously and see what price other homes are for sale at the moment and how much for in your area. So when an agent struts in and gives you a price much higher than you thought, it’s tempting to say yes to them, but are they just giving you a high price to get your property on their books?? Is it achievable or will your home sit on the market for six months until you decide to drop the price?? By then you could have lost several interested buyers.
We believe at Mediterranean Homes that honesty is the best policy. We will always tell you the truth and our reasons behind it, even if it’s something you don’t want to hear. If you disagree with our valuation, we will listen to what you think it is worth and will have a discussion about it, looking at other properties in the same price bracket and other properties that have sold recently in your area. We want to decide on a number that everyone is happy with but that is also realistic.
Timekeeping
We all understand that sometimes we can fall behind schedule, there could be roadworks, buyers running late, problems with keys etc. The key is communication! If your next appointment is a 20 minute drive but you are supposed to be there in 10 minutes, give them a call, maybe they will be ok to wait or perhaps you might need to reschedule the appointment. They will have their own schedule they need to stick to, not warning people means you waste everyone’s time, and just makes them angry as now they will have other people waiting on them and it will impact the rest of their day.
We understand it’s difficult to know how long people will spend in each property. Some people walk in, have a quick look around and know it’s not for them. Other people like to take their time, sit down, relax and try to imagine themselves living in that space. That’s why it’s so important to try to get to know your clients and arrange your viewing times appropriately, try your best and if things go wrong, just call ahead.
Simple manners.
Not Listening
When looking for a property to buy, you talk to the agent involved and tell them your circumstances and what you would like, for example, ‘we have a budget of €450,000, we have two children so need to be close to their school, we need at least 3 bedrooms, we have a dog so need a nice garden and we would like a pool, but we both work so don’t have a lot of spare time’
So why when it comes to viewing some properties, would an agent show you a six bedroom finca with ten acres, not close to your children’s school for €550,000??? It doesn’t make sense!
At Mediterranean Homes our attention to detail is second to none and we enjoy getting to know you and what you need. We want to find you the perfect match, there is no point in showing you something that isn’t right, it just wastes your time, the sellers time and our time, it also leaves you feeling frustrated and unhappy and we don’t want that, buying a home should be a very exciting time.
Viewing Feedback
So your home is on the market and you’ve had a few viewings but no offers. You talk to your agent to ask for feedback. All they say is it ‘wasn’t right for them’. Well that’s not helpful. Sometimes it may be the case that your home just wasn’t the right fit for them, but even so, they would have probably commented on something…. ‘the kitchen is nice but we don’t like the colour’ ‘We need more storage’ ‘The wall colour is too bold for us’ ‘We would like a bigger garden’ ‘We want to be closer to town’ etc.
Not all of these things can be changed, but a quick lick of neutral paint can work wonders, hiding clutter so your space looks bigger and calmer, tidying up the garden so it looks bigger and more easily manageable are all small changes that won’t break the bank. See our article Should you sell your home in winter for lots of tips on how you can prepare your home for viewings.
Lack of Knowledge
There are many different types of inland properties. If you need a mortgage it can limit the type of property you can buy, in order to get a mortgage some banks require a home in the countryside (campo) to have an AFO in place. If an agent hasn’t asked you the right questions, or hasn’t asked the seller about their paperwork, they could show you a great house that you love, you negotiate a price but then when talking to the bank they won’t grant you a mortgage on that property without an AFO, which it doesn’t have.
Let us save you the heartache. Being inland specialists we know the right questions to ask, we know what paperwork each type of property needs and can help you obtain them if they are not already in place. We extensively learn all we can about each property we bring onto the market so we can usually answer any questions straight away and if we don’t know the answer we will call and find out instead of guessing.
There is a reason we are the top selling agents in the area. We have over 35 years of experience collectively. We are confident we can help you sell your home as well as find you a new one. We will be honest, clear and concise. Check out our reviews to see what other people are saying about us.
We cover Alhaurín El Grande, Alozaina, Coín, Guaro, Mijas, Monda and Tolox and anywhere else in and around the Guadalhorce Valley.
Simply fill in our contact form or call us on (+34) 951 242 157 and we will be happy to help.
Hasta pronto!
