Imogen Calderwood
HOUSE hunting in Spain is about to get a lot easier for foreign buyers.
Online resource company SpainBuyingGuide.com has opened a Spanish office to help expats find their dream home.
With new premises in Cala de Mijas, the firm – part of the Overseas Guides Company – can put property seekers in touch with estate agents and property lawyers and has an exclusive partnership with international money transfer specialist Smart Current Exchange.
Head of Spain Buying Guide, Angelos Koutsoudes, said: “Our Spanish office will raise our customer offering to a whole new level.
“Face-to-face contact with our team and partners on the ground in Spain will complement our existing operations run out of London perfectly.”
The team can also offer guidance over the phone and online from its UK-based resource centre, its buying guide website and portfolio of free information guides.
Are these estate agents and property lawyers the same ones that lied and conned buyers into buying illegal properties during the boom years – maybe they come from another planet.
It’s all starting up again. Same old.
Why do they think it will be easier by putting prospective buyers in touch with estate agents and lawyers? Nicely linked directly to a money transfer expert too! Listen to what their chappie Koutsoudes says ‘Our Spanish office will raise our customer offering to a whole new level’, what level? Mis-selling again?
This smacks of a ‘cosy incestuous operation’ designed to part the unwary with their monies, totally agree with Stuart and Fred here.
Already Spanish agents often market the same properties but at different prices, it’s a nightmare for naive buyers!!!!!
same old story under a different hat….
angie,
there was real slimeball of an agent in Guadix, who looked at prospective punters and quoted prices which related to whether he thought you were streetwise or a mug. And he always sought to get a higher price than he agreed with the seller and then with a the help of a totally corrupt notary they pocketed the difference – yes buy with confidence, in another country or better still another planet – anyone know of cheap space flights to Alpha Centauri – oh well.
The whole reason the Spain Buying Guide was set up was to help people buy safely in Spain and to stop buyers falling foul of the many pitfalls that went before, such as mis-selling, non-independent legal advice and disreputable agents. We provide impartial guidance from people who have made the move themselves and introduce our readers and clients to recommended partners, such as trusted agents and independent solicitors, who are established and know the area. We’re here to help and have many success stories and happy clients who we have helped along the way. If you look at our website and free buying guide you can see for yourself. We’re always sorry to hear horror stories and are here to help ensure buyers in Spain don’t have to go through that again. If anyone is having difficulties currently, or is planning to buy in the future and wants to make sure they do it safely, why not get in touch, as we’d be happy to do everything we can to help?
Elaine,, have been on your website, and there is absolutelly no info there, exept when you pay for it..
there is better legal info on the spanish websites of the cadastre and land registry….
You talk on the website about a lovely fincas, and some extra costs it may have to rebuild, but you do not talk about any regulations, laws or traps…
luc de waen,
well done, let’s see the response.
Luc and Stuart, I’m sorry you are disappointed by the information on our website. In addition to the information on there, we send out regular newsletters and answer questions directly. All of this is completely free of charge. We are thanked by our readers on a daily basis for providing such information without asking for any commitment, or indeed money in return.
We will be adding more information to our website however we are unlikely to put very detailed information about legal matters /issues as we are not lawyers and the legal help needed depends on personal circumstances and the property an individual is buying. This brings us back to my original point – we are a resource service – and if anybody requires more detail on their specific circumstances, we can recommend a lawyer, independent from the Spanish estate agents, to help. The initial information from the lawyer is also free of charge but, of course, if you asked her to carry out some work for you, they would charge for their legal services, like anyone else.
I have worked for this company for over 6 years and I am genuinely proud of our service and the fact that we have helped so many people to buy safely. It is a shame that you are unable to appreciate the benefits of our free service.