We?re making a trip over to Malaga at the end of September with a view to moving for good in Spring 08. The idea is to hire a car and travel around stopping off in different areas to gain a feel for the place and to gauge what properties are available within our budget. So of course we’ve been searching the net in the meanwhile and came across a company called Andalucian Dream Homes, after filing the online form for the brochure they contacted me asking if I’d be willing for them to bring us over and arrange a hotel. All this with a view to showing us around and generally familiarising us to all I’ve mentioned and the legal stuff to. They explained to me that they act soley as an agent and take their comission from the seller. All sound good and strangely cheap.

Anyone had the experience, is it hard sell? anything to do with timeshares? please tell before I commit. This will be the first of many trips until we find the right area and property, so we really could do without been pressed.

All agents get their commission from the sellers. It’s a viewing trip like all the others and will be pressured. Don’t do it.
Take your time, look on the net and come and see for yourself without a salesman breathing down your neck.

Hi Carty,

Good advice from kizzy, do go out and look around.

What is your brief?,
How much do you want to spend, don’t forget to add about 12% to the purchase price for legal’s etc
what do you want from your new property?  be very specific, if you want 3 bedrooms, what should they have, wardrobes?
take information with you from the internet, go out and look at all types and all area’s treat it as though it is your last move and you will never be able to move again,
What should the area you want to live have, shops, other English people, golf, easy access to shops. Then check these off against what you are looking at.
go home and start looking again, keep the best you found on the first trip and then go out again. Make comparisons with the first place and then consider other locations. You may have to go out a few times until you find somewhere.

Consider key ready, these are new properties which are now ready and many come with furniture.

Look at forums for Spain, you will always find property for sale.

And MOST important, learn Spanish, start now.

Dave

http://www.damattpropertyspain.co.uk