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Hephaestus said:
Saturday, March 7, 2015 @ 9:08 AM

The agent is irrelevant if they don't have your dream property on their books, however if they do they have a propensity to be difficult to deal with. I see this as being their problem, words are cheap, actions speak louder.

ScubaBadger said:
Saturday, March 7, 2015 @ 6:08 PM

I don't think the blog entry covering "the state of the market" has much to do with a personal attitude towards agents who may or may not have your favourite listing on their books and how they deal with you. The entry is a collection of clips talking about the state of the market.

I fail to see the relevance of the comment..

Hephaestus said:
Saturday, March 7, 2015 @ 6:52 PM

I dare not mention one particular agent, who has helped to make the state of the market very unsettled, to say the least.

ScubaBadger said:
Saturday, March 7, 2015 @ 6:55 PM

I still fail to see the relevance to this blog entry about "The state of the market" - it's not titled "my experience with an agent"..

Hephaestus said:
Sunday, March 8, 2015 @ 8:13 AM

If you can convince me that some agents (one in particular) do not distort the market by advertising 'borrowed' properties, then I will concede to your comments.

ScubaBadger said:
Sunday, March 8, 2015 @ 10:39 AM

I have no reason, need or desire to convince you of anything connected with how any agent behaves.

Your issue with how an agent behaves does not belong on this blog entry about the state of the market in Southern Spain.

If you want to garner attention to your personal rant then I suggest you start a different thread about that issue and possibly name the agent concerned, then you might get your satisfaction through the courts.

wodger said:
Sunday, March 8, 2015 @ 1:42 PM

I note that only of them mentioned the pound is getting stronger by the day against the Euro, will it get stronger still if Greece drops out of the euro Zone? Is it worth waiting another few months to see just how strong the pound will get?

ScubaBadger said:
Sunday, March 8, 2015 @ 1:48 PM

Wodger, good comment. There's the dichotomy though - if the Euro rises in strength - will prices go up? If the pound weakens will prices appear more expensive because of the exchange rate?

If Greece drops out of the Euro zone I think it will have an effect on the property market in Greece more so than other countries.

I'm not convinced that the Euro is particularly strongly founded as so much around it seems to affect it.

unidian said:
Thursday, March 12, 2015 @ 4:37 PM

Oh puleeeeeze ... "It is important to note that no agents or contributors were paid anything to take part or give comment in this project" ... of course they weren't, it's free publicity. Look at the facts, folks. Long way to go! Asking these people to comment on the state of the market is like asking a car dealer if buying a car is a good idea!

unidian said:
Thursday, March 12, 2015 @ 4:40 PM

... and, note the 'bragging' that goes on before they comment. Largest... Best ... etc etc.

ScubaBadger said:
Thursday, March 12, 2015 @ 5:08 PM

... and yes 5 years ago those same agents would have been lamenting their situation along with the thousands who've lost their life savings - so it's not all ra ra ...

Would you prefer not to hear about the state of the market - or perhaps rely on snippets of nothing much...

If you were an agent - you'd have taken the opportunity and not baulked at the chance to push yourself a bit in the process.

May not be valuable to someone sat at home with nothing better to do - but to folk thinking about investing - possibly people not in Europe - the facts from agents there in the location could well be valuable...

unidian said:
Friday, March 13, 2015 @ 1:02 PM

ScubaBadger, which agency do you work for? Hehehe ... I'm not talking about 'snippets of nothing much' I'm talking about the hard data supplied by the government.

ScubaBadger said:
Friday, March 13, 2015 @ 2:19 PM

Unidian, I applaud you for reading the governments stuff - though I'd probably take an estate agents word over a politicians word most days.

I am not an estate agent - never have been - never will be and I'm not employed as an estate agent by anyone. I do try to watch what the markets do, I recently sold a villa in Alicante - lost money on that. Now I have a restaurant on the Costa del Sol - which I'm going to convert to a 2 bed apartment.

My research told me not to hang my hat on selling a restaurant when the coast is awash with them, but that small apartments in the same area are selling faster and for better money.

What is interesting in some of the agents commentary is "when" their individual market seemed to start to improve. For some of them it happened two years ago.. for other they are still predicting some difficulties so I get the picture its what you are selling and where.

unidian said:
Friday, March 13, 2015 @ 3:57 PM

Estate agents - Politicians - Lawyers ... puh! Though I was pleased to read in the papers that the Spanish Senate has agreed that compensation must be paid before the ajuntaments can demolish 'illegal' builds ... watch for a sudden rash of legalisation when they understand they have to pay for more than a bulldozer!

ScubaBadger said:
Friday, March 13, 2015 @ 4:08 PM

The issues of legal, demolishing and land grab etc. were touched on by some agents - and on the whole they all seem to be indicating the Spanish are actively trying to do something positive about those situations.

If that is the case as you read it in the papers then it seems to concur with the agent comments and this can only we welcomed.

It has to be borne in mind that some illegal builds were illegal on so many levels that leaving them up was never going to be an option - and these matters did not solely affect expats they had serious ramifications for nationals.

Hephaestus said:
Friday, March 13, 2015 @ 5:05 PM

My solicitor has a Law Degree, my doctor has a Medical Degree, what qualification do these agents have? I have sold three family owned UK properties in the last 18 months and am in the process of selling another, however I am far from being an expert.

What I have noticed in respect of the UK is that both the bottom and top ends of the market are vibrant, this equates with supply and demand, loads of folk wanting to get onto the ladder and the wealthy being able to afford exactly what they desire. The middle market is very over loaded with people with aspirations of moving upwards on the back of borrowed money.

Please bear with me, but only a tiny percentage of the above will be in respect of holiday homes, however many of the bottom market properties are being snapped up by investors, thus frustrating potential first time buyers.

I wager that the majority of bottom/middle market Spanish property is sold as second homes/would be investments. The one bed apartment that I'm selling in the UK will almost certainly go to an investor, the guy offering the highest has already got a tenant in mind. The Spanish market is full of wannabe renters who haven't got a snowball's chance in hell of making their misplaced dreams come true, there are more properties than renters.

On the Mijas Costa circa half of the agencies have closed down, this isn't because the market is good.

ScubaBadger said:
Friday, March 13, 2015 @ 5:30 PM

If you are concerned about the qualifications or otherwise of the agents concerned check them out - they're not hard to find.

The theme of the series of agent clips I believe was to find out if things are improving or still lack-lustre and this was for the benefit of those thinking of investing in property on the Costa del Sol - to live in rent or whatever their personal motivation.

UK market comments are off topic on this post - and the fact many Costa del Sol agencies disappeared is perhaps a good thing.

I feel the agents remaining will be the stronger one's, the agencies doing a good job, qualified in every respect and knowledgeable.

The good things is more than one of the agents mention opening more branches - one of which can be seen in footage so the spread of good strong agents well versed in what they do can only be a good thing.