Jo Chipchase
A SUCCESSFUL estate agency, based in La Alpujarra, is expanding its business to a wider target area, extending from Granada to the Costa Tropical. Now called Hola, the agency hits the ground running with the market-leading infrastructure from its existing Lanjaron and Orgiva Property, to serve clients with the best modern methods.
Lanjaron Property was created in 2020 and started growing almost immediately. Its director, Mathew Wood, has worked internationally in property for almost 30 years and handled his first transaction in Spain during 2000. He was the top performing agent at a large corporate in the UK, but went on to open his own agency, to use his personal methods.
Rightmove rated his previous business the number one UK estate agency and number two lettings agency during 2017-18. Mathew subsequently sold the business and retired to Spain with his wife.
He found the process of buying a property in Spain “horrendous”. When he settled into La Alpujarra, several people asked him to sell their properties. As the level of property marketing in the area was “generally poor”, Mathew created professional video tools and digital marketing plans for these clients. This approach proved successful, leading to personal recommendations for his services. Lanjaron Property was soon busy, and he ended up working full-time again.
Mathew was lucky to meet his first team members, Lucy Hayes Logan and Amy Beth Reynolds, and they combined their skills to provide professional services in international markets. Many properties that had been listed for years with other agents were soon sold by the team, and the business expanded to encompass Orgiva Property, catering for the nearby market town.
The team has since helped vendors in Lecrin Valley, Granada, the Costa Tropical – to name a few locations – and has taken on additional agents to use the existing systems and marketing expertise.
“The company is now becoming Hola Properties to better represent the area covered and service provided,” explains Mathew.
For buyers, unique offerings include a 40-point legal check on all properties, an after-care service, a business directory of trusted tradesmen, help with taxes, bank accounts and NIEs, – demystifying anything “confusing in the mire of Spanish bureaucracy”.
For sellers, the agency combines honest pricing with excellent marketing and a proper digital media strategy. Over 90% of buyers start their search online. Mathew explains: “Proper, professionally edited videos are required to attract the best overseas buyers. No dodgy photos with toilet seats left up and cement mixers in the kitchen!”
The strategy targets the correct buyers for each seller’s unique property.
Says Mathew: “Buyers have a safe and honest environment to let them make an informed decision. There are no conflicts of interest or buyers’ fees, meaning a saving of up to 5% on purchase costs.”
An additional benefit is the loyalty scheme, Club Hola, for clients, where they receive discounts and extra services from other local businesses.
Hola is a member of the Realtor Network and SIRA – Spanish international realty alliance. It subscribes to a code of ethics and can reach international markets that other agents in the area cannot access. These include the UK, Northern Europe, US, Canada, and Australia. Over 6,000 agents globally are working for the sellers.
The company has won recent awards – the ‘Most Trusted Agent in Granada’ and ‘Best International Real Estate Agent in Southern Spain and Andalucia’.
Mathew Wood and his team can be contacted at Holaproperties.com, email hola@holaproperties.com or call 0034 643 821 326 to be attended in English or 0034 695 398 679 in Spanish.
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