What to Look For in a Real Estate Agent

Buying or selling a property can be one of the most stressful experiences you will face. There are pitfalls, ups and downs and many emotions are involved. Working with the right team of professionals can greatly reduce that stress and make the process a much more pleasant experience. In choosing wisely you can save your time, your money and your sanity, so it’s not something to be taken lightly.

When buying property in the Costa Del Sol whether it’s apartments in Calahonda or properties in Mijas you will have your pick of estate agents, some of whom are very new to the industry. There are a number of steps you can take to avoid appointing an agent that will make your life miserable through incompetence.

Look for referrals

This is perhaps the most surefire way to get to know any estate agent, what are other people saying about them. Beware, as testimonials can and are often forged, but it’s easy to tell which are genuine as they’ll go into the specifics of the experience. In well over a decade of business we’ve helped thousands of people buy and sell properties on the Costa Del Sol. Our transparent approach means we allow customers to submit their testimonials to our homepage.

Transparency

We pride ourselves on always being as transparent as possible at Start Group, whether that’s regarding our own fees or the costs involved with buying and selling property in Spain. Buying a property in another country can be a daunting experience; there are many potential mistakes when dealing with a taxation and legal system that is completely alien. At Start Group we have put together a Buyers Guide to help prospective buyers and sellers get a head start.

Accreditations

Look for accreditations – especially meaningful ones. If they have paid to be accredited, it is a sign that your agent is willing to physically demonstrate their reliability. Accreditations come with all kinds of stipulations and codes of conduct that protect vendors and purchasers and ensure best practice. At Start Group we are members of both The European Association of Real Estate Professionals (CEPI) and Gestor Intermediario en Promociones de Edificaciones (GIPE), which qualifies us to handle legal procedures.

Once you’ve narrowed down your agents then the last tell tale sign will be their level of professionalism. How quick and efficient are they with processing your requests and information? How quickly do they return your calls and emails? These are all signs of how you’ll be taken care of and valued as a client.

At Start Group we pride ourselves on an unsurpassed level of professionalism. We always aim to provide our customers with exceptional service, going above and beyond the average agent. As an established company our level of experience puts us in an ideal position to meet all your needs. If you’d like to find out more, about how we can help you with your property requirements, then please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.