Any Experience of Country Properties Esate Agents

Do you have a query on how to get things done in Andalucia, where to find things, who to call? Find out by posting and hear about others experiences.
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Aimeej
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Any Experience of Country Properties Esate Agents

Postby Aimeej » Fri Aug 18, 2006 5:45 pm

Dear All
Very new to this site

After 2 and a half years of research and visits to Andalucia, plus learning spanish for the last 12 months, have decided to buy a property in Competa/Sedella

Have made an appointment with this agent, Country Properties based Competa/Nerja (already have a spanish bank account and Solicitor)
Does any one have any information regarding them, or any tips that may be useful to me when I arrive in October

MANY thanks to everyone! :lol:
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katy
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Postby katy » Fri Aug 18, 2006 5:49 pm

Don't know anything about them but you have made a good start getting a lawyer first. 8)

Nikvin
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Postby Nikvin » Fri Aug 18, 2006 11:44 pm

As you can speak some spanish , try to speak direct to the vendors if they are Spanish.

Dont believe a word any estate agent tells you, some may be honest,but the bad ones with rip off commisiions dont have stripey jumpers, bags marked swag, or crook tattoed on their foreheads.

Take measurements of the property (rough) to work out m2 as many escrituras (older properties) show considerably less, as this saved them money on taxes etc... The catastro details and certificate should show up any discrepancy, but these arent 100% accurate, and the lawyer won't be seeing the property so wont be able to spot discrepancies.

Try take video camera and record everything ( quite amazing the outright lies i got on film when we were looking!!!!) It could help at a later date, if there are any disputes, re anything... a lot better than your word against his/hers.

Check out as many agencies as you can, and most likely you will see quite varied prices for the same property. Let that be a guide to you. You can do lots of internet research before you visit.

DONT hand ANY money over until the solicitor has checked everything and given ok.

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Aimeej
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Country Properties

Postby Aimeej » Fri Aug 18, 2006 11:55 pm

Nikvin
This has been most helpful and I will take a lot of what you say onboard.
My research has lead me to be very cautious, the bit about not handing over any money is especially fitting, I have read this time and time again!. Thank you once more :lol:
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Nikvin
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Postby Nikvin » Sat Aug 19, 2006 1:17 pm

what sort of property are you afetr? new or old?
advice varies!!!
Gotlots of tips, bit long winded for forum so could pm more details!!

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Aimeej
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Postby Aimeej » Sat Aug 19, 2006 6:36 pm

Nikvin
Thanks - have sent you a PM (At least I think I have, Just getting used to navigating the site!!!)
Regards
Aimeej
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Solysombra

Postby Solysombra » Sat Aug 19, 2006 6:51 pm

Aimeej, here's a good one for you and perfectly true, a colleague of mine bought a country property some years ago, he bought directly from the owner, with his (the purchasers) lawyer present, they agreed on a price, a deposit was paid and my friend returned to England, he susequently transferred the rest of the money and was proud and pleased to be the owner of a country house in Spain, until that is, he returned to Spain to his country residence and discovered the previous owners had totally stripped the kitchen, he fought and wrangled for some months and finally gave up as he reckoned it wasn't worth the bother, be careful out there!

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Aimeej
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Postby Aimeej » Sat Aug 19, 2006 8:43 pm

Solysombra
A sobering thought!!!

I feel like I am getting in with a nest of Vipers!!!!!!. Nikvins suggestion of videoing things is a sound suggestion - may have helped in the case of your friend?

I know I will have to be on my guard! - thanks for the anecdote!! :lol:
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country boy
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Postby country boy » Sat Aug 19, 2006 9:13 pm

:shock: Also...beware of "Vacant Posession"...I know of three instances where people have turned with the 'Van' only to find the previous occupier still there, in one case they had to rent while they (the purchasers) found somewhere for the old boy in residence to go and even then they had to hire a van to move him) :D

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Aimeej
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Postby Aimeej » Sat Aug 19, 2006 9:28 pm

Countyboy
Excuse my ignorance :oops: but surely the previous owner has to move out once the property is sold. Never heard of anything so ridiculous (but then again this is Spain!) as the previous owner still being there and the new owners ARRANGING to get him moved out.
I think I would be swearing in my best Spanish!!

.....another one to add to my list of woes!!!

Thank you for the info :lol:
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Nikvin
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Postby Nikvin » Sat Aug 19, 2006 11:06 pm

no pm received, have tried sending you one

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fincalospinos
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Postby fincalospinos » Sun Aug 20, 2006 10:05 am

Hi Aimeej,
Since moving here in 1992 , I have bought and sold a number of properties through Country Properties in Competa, and have always found them to be straightforward and honest to deal with.
I would, however, always recommend using a lawyer and accountant that is unconnected with any agent.
Country Properties also have, as on of their directors, a very good builder, who, whilst not being the cheapest around, always sticks to the price quoted and completes work on time.
I have no connection with these agents apart from having received excellent service from them over a number of years.
Hardworking resident !!

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Postby Marina » Sun Aug 20, 2006 12:55 pm

A few years ago we bought our first property in Spain. It was to be a holiday home in Iznajar and we were looking forward to our first week in the house.
After signing the paperwork we were surprised to be told/warned that the vendors had left "some furniture" in the house, but that they would move it soon.
We arrived at the house, at 10.00pm, with fractious kids, in pouring rain, after a very long day completing the legalities, shopping etc. We found that not only had they left all of their furniture, they had also left all of their possessions (including food in the fridge and cupboards), and worse still, the old lady of 80 and her son were sitting in the lounge watching TV!
They very kindly gave us a tour of the house and then gave us some clean (and beautifully ironed) bedding, before sitting down again in front of the TV.
By this stage we were beginning to wonder just what exactly we had bought, but luckily the rain started to ease and they finally left, much to our relief. Even if my limited Spanish had been up to dealing with the situation, I was absolutely speechless.
The next morning they arrived with a bag of provisions for us and proceeded to load their car. They gradually cleared the house over the week that we were there (throwing everything they didn't want out of the courtyard into our garden), and by the end of it we all knew each other quite well, and we were actually glad that it all happened the way it did. A truly unforgettable experience.

El Cid
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Postby El Cid » Sun Aug 20, 2006 1:52 pm

Solysombra wrote: he returned to Spain to his country residence and discovered the previous owners had totally stripped the kitchen, he fought and wrangled for some months and finally gave up as he reckoned it wasn't worth the bother, be careful out there!
The previous owners were quite within their rights.

In Spain, unlike the UK, a fitted kitchen is regarded as furniture and can be removed unless agreements to the contrary have been made.

Sid

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Postby samizdat » Sun Aug 20, 2006 3:18 pm

Sid is quite right, we have viewed properties in the past, one of which we where interested in making an offer for, however between viewings we watched the owner strip the house. Not just the kitchen, but bathroom, taps and door handles and finally light fittings! Again you need to put in and document what you want and get the owners to agree in writing and put it into the contract/.

Also we have seen "empty" houses with the Granny sitting in the living room watching TV.

Nothing will surprise you after a while.!!

aimej - on the contrary - I have heard of a number of people who had the original owner in situ because of delays in completing on their property :roll:

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country boy
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Postby country boy » Sun Aug 20, 2006 4:04 pm

:( Another story: A couple who we got to know when we first came down here, bought a lock-up bar in Fuengirola in the back-end of 1999. They gave their solicitor POA and returned to YUK. In late January they received a phone call to say that all was going well and that completion would be early February (2000). This was subsequently confirmed and they were told that the keys were "in the office awaiting their collection.
Family and business commitments meant that they were unable to move out here until the beginning of April. They collected the keys from their solicitor and went to see their new purchase. Imagine their surprise when they turned the corner into the square where their bar was, to find it trading...tables out...customers etc!!!!!!!! They went in to find the previous tenant holding court behind the bar with his cronies. Hola he greeted...I've just been keeping things ticking over for you...good for business etc etc. No point in letting a bar stand idle...with that he upped and put on his hat, gave them his key and disapeared never to be seen again. All they got for his three months tenure was a kitchen fuill of dirty dishes and a few bottles of beer. Don't you love Spain :lol:

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Aimeej
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Postby Aimeej » Sun Aug 20, 2006 10:46 pm

To all who have replied, I am most grateful :D

fincalospinos - I am so glad that I have chosen an Estate Agent who someone has had dealings with and who have been straightforward - this has given me some peace of mind - Thankyou!.


Marina - what a story, but with a happy ending, thank goodness. I must admit I would have been totally bewildered if this had happened to me!! Thank you for the tale, at least I can make it quite clear and be insistent with my lawer about this part of the move (probably wont do me any good I know!!)

El Sid - I think I will be videoing any prospective property and shall be quite insistent with my lawyer about these items. At least now I know what to ask about and to be specific about fixtures and fittings!


samizdat - again good advice - not quite sure about the Grannys though!! but as you quite rightly point out this is Spain and things are done differently and I suppose one just has to get used to it!!

Country Boy - What a story but I suppose "whilst the cats away the mouse will play"!!!!. This worries me slightly as I will be going back and forth whilst in the buying process and then using my property as a holiday home - just hope I dont get any Squatters - does this happen in Spain???

Thank you all so much, I am overwhelmed by very good advice and am so glad I discovered this forum!!. Thanks for taking the time out to reply. No doubt I will be asking many more questions as I progress through this complicated procedure!! Almost feel I now have angels with me!!!! :wink:
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