How to find the right estate agent in Spain

Choosing the right estate agent is not always easy. Hiring a professional estate agent when selling your home can help you make smart decisions, avoid extra costs and save you a lot of stress. But before you start looking for the best estate agent, you should know what exactly you can expect from them. 

The most common mistakes

Although most people choose an estate agent when selling their home (according to a recent survey, 76% of sellers go directly to an estate agent), the decision criteria are not always favourable for the seller.

One of the most common mistakes sellers make is to choose an agent based on (1) the highest price promised for their home and, of course, (2) the lowest agency fee. This is because many sellers do not realise that these criteria often have very little to do with an agent getting a good deal for the seller.

The added value of an estate agent

Sellers are quick to judge an estate agent as ’too expensive’ and this means that they cannot properly assess their added value. MNM Costa Blanca's response to this is that it is important for sellers to realise that investing in a good estate agent is definitely worth their money.

However, this added value can mean different things to different  sellers. Sometimes, the knowledge an agent brings to the table or their network of potential buyers makes them very attractive to a seller. In other cases, the most important reason for hiring an agent is to maximise the selling price of the property. But can an estate agent really predict what price your property will fetch?

No, not really! Of course, they can show you comparable properties that have recently sold in your area, establishing a possible asking price for your home. However, many tend to inflate this figure considerably just to get your custom. So, the price of your property may not be in line with the market at all.

Tips for choosing the right estate agent

You’ll find some great tips here on how to find the best estate agent:

• Beware of estate agents who twist the truth and offer a higher price than the current market can cope with. Even if the numbers seem tempting, ask your  estate agent to provide you with a current market analysis that confirms the proposed list price. This will help you avoid pricing your home too high and risk getting too few prospective buyers. If you have to lower the selling price as a result, many potential buyers will wonder if there is something wrong with your property.
• Market knowledge: make sure your estate agent really knows the market in the area where your house is located. This is extremely important in setting an appropriate selling price that is representative of the market.
• Recommendations: ask around among your friends, acquaintances or family. Surely there is someone who has already sought the help of an estate agent and can recommend a reliable person to you. According to a survey by MNM Costa Blanca, 34% of respondents find their estate agent through a recommendation (also check out the latest reviews on Google on our website). www.mnmcostablanca.com

Evaluations

• A good reputation is always the visiting card of any company. Search thoroughly and pay attention to good (or bad) reviews. You can find our current reviews on Google on our website www.mnmcostablanca.nl. Other people’s personal experiences will help you make the right decision and narrow down the choice among the numerous estate agents in the region. 
• Selling is communication. The Costa Blanca is a European market where the real estate agent's language skills are very important for both you, the seller, and the buyer. MNM Costa Blanca offers multilingual staff with a very good knowledge of Dutch, German, English, Spanish and French.  
• Active market presence: you need an agent who really covers the markets that are of interest for the sale of your property. In this respect, MNM Costa Blanca stands out for its European marketing with a particularly high number of sales, especially in the Dutch and German-speaking countries, a market of almost 130 million people.  
• Knowledge of Spanish regulations: in general, on the Costa Blanca, more than 40% of the agreed sales fail to be completed with the signing of the final sales contract. The reason for this is almost always that during the sales process, a major problem arises on the part of the buyer (e.g. problems with financing) or on the part of the seller (problems with permits for the property, incorrect registration, etc.). Your estate agent should be familiar with these issues and actively take care of any obstacles that occur during a sales process. MNM Costa Blanca has a rate of over 98% completed transactions, which provides a guarantee of sale from the moment the contract is a fact.

The personal click

It is also important that you have a good rapport with your estate agent. Naturally, good ratings and extensive knowledge are important, but when it comes to a decision as important as selling your house, you should make sure that the person you entrust with this task understands you and your needs perfectly.

Finally, in the current market where you are spoilt for choice, be discerning and don't just think about your agent's commission. Remember that an estate agent who works in your favour is always willing to do more, rather than just going for the easiest solution because it gives quick results.

How MNM Costa Blanca realises the successful sale of your property in Spain

• We create stunning photo and video presentations about your property.
• We advertise your property on various property portals at home and abroad, such as Kyero, Think Spain, Facebook, Twitter, Google AdWords and many other media partners.
• We post your property daily on our Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn pages.
• We send out a weekly newsletter with specific information about your property (to almost 5,000 prospects registered with us).
• We post weekly in 70 Facebook groups and on Twitter.
• We give presentations at various trade fairs in Europe.
• We attach an eye-catching ‘For sale’ sign to your property (if requested).
• MNM Costa Blanca takes care of the entire process, so you don't need a lawyer or a ’gestoría’.
• You only pay commission if we find a buyer, otherwise the rule is: No Cure, No Pay!