Choosing An Estate Agent On Costa del Sol
If you have started your search for property on the Costa del Sol you will have probably already realised there are many real estate agents operating up and down the coast. Like any type of business, you will find some better than others so choosing the right one can be a bit of a tricky task.
With most initial activity being done online these days, and the way that international property is sold, it means you don’t really know who you are dealing with until you head over to Spain.
If you were looking for property in the UK you would most likely pop into a few estate agents in the area you are considering moving to and register for property updates. That way you know they have an office, staff and are a sound business.
Unfortunately, that is not so easy to do when looking initially for your property in Spain. It is not logistically easy to pop over and walk the streets looking for an estate agent, especially as many people have not actually decided exactly where to move to.
A little research is always recommended before getting in touch with an agent and maybe see if they have a shop or office as it shows a little more commitment to the business. Some estate agents on the Costa del Sol have also teamed up with well known name such as Saville’s, Frank Knight and even Sotheby’s.
Research is the key to finding the right property so that you can narrow down the target area of where you ideally want to be. The towns and resorts of the Costa del Sol can vary a lot in terms of general population, style and how busy they are. You also tend to get clusters of nationalities in certain areas.
Most resorts are mixed and very cosmopolitan but parts of Fuengirola for example are quite popular with Scandinavian residents, especially Swedish. The same goes for Nueva Andalucia, it is a very popular choice for many Scandinavians. Marbella itself is very multicultural with large local communities of Spanish, Brits and most over nationalities.
Property in Guadalmina, the furthest western part of Marbella also has a mixture of nationalities including a wealthy Spanish contingent, Brits & Irish, Germans and Scandinavians.
Estepona was traditionally a very Spanish town but over the last few year there has been a significant investment in the infrastructure and new property developments meaning it now attracts buyers from all over Europe and beyond.
Some tips to consider before choosing an area to buy a property on the Costa del Sol should include:
- Distance to beach
- Distance supermarkets and amenities
- Distance to transport hubs
- General age of local population
- What have prices done over last few years
- What is due to be built nearby
