by Alex Wares
Buying a property abroad can seem a daunting prospect
for many reasons, none least of which are the language barrier and
the difficulty in understanding foreign laws and legal documentation.
Foreigners have been buying properties in Andalucia and along the
Costa del Sol for decades. The majority of these individuals will
have not experienced any significant problems, however horror stories
abound whereby people have been ripped off at some stage of the
purchase process.
There is a huge variety of real estate agents catering to the foreign
buyer both inland and along the coasts of Andalucia. These agencies
will vary in their specializations, experience and abilities. The
vast majority will be honest and will successfully help you find,
negotiate for and buy your dream property. All real estate agents
share one common factor however, which is that they take a commission
from the sale of the property. This can lead to some less scrupulous
agents pushing through sales that are perhaps not in the best interest
of the buying client.
Alternatively there are individuals and companies who offer their
services as a buying agent who act on behalf of the buyer and take
no commissions from any third party. In the past in Spain this service
was provided by a 'corredor' which still existed especially in rural
areas until fairly recently.
These days professional search companies can help find you a property
based on your specification, assist you through the buying procedure
and some will go further and help with any build and management
that may be required. In order to retain complete independence,
their commission should come directly from the buying client and
not from any third parties. Typically their experience, local contacts
and negotiating ability will more than repay their fees. Below you
will find links to websites offering this independent buying agents
service along with links to other pages of relevant information.
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