Can anyone recommend a good estate agent?

Hi I am  looking for an estate agent in the torremolinos area

Any suggestions... email addresses or websites would be very welcome

Thanks,

Paul

There's not many left

Buying or selling? Do you need English speaking?

just looking at the moment with a view to buying. yea would have to be english speaking. hoping to visit Torremolinos, Benalmadena and fuengirola a few times over the next 6-9 months and see whats on offer. 1st timer so will take it nice and slow. will visit a few estate agents and see whats on offer.

Thanks for your help

Paul

Paul,

I know (or knew) most of the agents in Torremolinos, but I'm not joking when I say there aren't that many left. Sadly, most of those I would have happily recommended are no longer trading. Tough times.

I think your slowly slowly approach is a good idea. It is a buyers market, but almost certainly is still a long way off bottom, so take your time. I would suggest browsing a couple of sites to begin with, to get an idea of what's available in your chosen areas. Try kyero.com and idealista.com. Both these sites work in English and are used by agents to advertise their properties.

In the meantime, feel free to ask away here about anything. I'm not (and contrary to popular belief never have been) an agent myself, but I do know a bit about Torremolinos property specifically, and am more than happy to offer whatever advice or info I can. If you can give an idea of what kind of thing you may be looking for, I may even have some ideas for you!

Thanks Roberto,

Unless something changes my mind I will probably have a look at 2 bed apartments in a complex with communal swimming pool. I dont like the high rise flatt blocks so will probably stay away from them. I will be looking for somewhere that is quiet and relaxin (if such a place exists!!) not too far from the beach or some of the golf clubs. I will only be there 7 or 8 weeks myself every year so i will try to rent it out for the rest of the time. my budget would be under €150,000

Ill have a look at those websites and see what i can find.

Thanks again for your help

Paul

That gives me a much better idea of what you're after. I suggest maybe contacting Rixxy who is a member of this forum. She tends to handle property more towards Marbella, but I think she may be able to offer something of interest to you - she posted a couple of days ago about some 2 bed apts in Caseres, 90 sq mts, near the beach, about €110,000.

A word of warning about renting; apart from the obvious danger of tennants from Hell, it's just not as easy as is often thought, and if you can buy comfortably without any dependence on rental income to cover expenses, so much the better.

Good luck, and keep posting with your progress!

P.S. forgot to mention, of course, this site also has a For Sale by Owner section which should be worth a look at!

All buyers would do well to ask around locally when on inspection trips. Most Brit bars and Brit food shops will be a hub of gossip and if you can pluck up the courage to simply ask local people their opinions you should get useful feed back.

Most estate agents might have a few unhappy customers (sometimes to no fault of their own) so always seek a second opinion. It should however be possible to recognise a pattern of good or bad reports. Cross check with professionals (Lawyers, Surveyors) and you should be able to focus in on an agent that will serve you well.

I would be cautious about kyero.com as I was browsing a few properties at Catral in Alicante & was quite interested. Later I found out in another forum that all those properties in Catral are illegal bullts as the plot size is below 10,000 meter square.

In fairness to Kyero, though, it does state quite clearly in it's legal section (which could also be titled the Statements of the Bleedin' Obvious section) the following:

Advertisements and technical information contained herein is provided to Kyero.com by its advertisers. Whilst Kyero.com makes every effort to present accurate and reliable information on this web site, Kyero.com does not endorse, approve or certify such information, nor does it guarantee the accuracy, completeness, efficacy, timeliness or correct sequencing of such information. Use of such information is voluntary and reliance on it should only be undertaken after an independent review of its accuracy, completeness, efficacy and timeliness

I think it's reasonable to expect people to use a bit of common sense when obtaining information about properties for sale, from whatever source, and to obtain independent legal advice before making any major decisions or financial commitments.

I do not know any good ones but I would warn you to avoid Andalucian Dream Homes in Fuengirola. They sold me 2 off plan apartments with a promise of a good return when sold before completion. One came on the market with several hundred others on the same site so the prices crashed, finally the developer cancelled the contract and I got my money back without a profit. The other has gone bust and we face a long and costly fight to get our deposit back. Worst of all ADH took a deposit for a furniture pack on one these failed investments and when the sale was cancelled, have dragged their feet over returning it. It has taken two years of constant phone calls and still nothing. I recommend that you stay well clear of them.

Have you considered Mojacar Playa in Costa Almeria?

The area is quiet with properties within your budget and size close to the beach.  The area now has six golf courses, with at least another 6 within one hour.

Send me a PM if you would like me to send you through some options. 

Good luck with your search

Hi Forhotspot

You are right many of the properties in Catral had been built illegally, but as of 28th October 2008, this area has now been deemed legal as a law was sent through the Government to legalise these properties so you should be OK now.

If you are interested, then I know a very good agent who lives just down the road from Catral who has access to a number of properties with as much as 45% of the original asking price of 395000 euro. I would recommend this agent as I bought my place through him and he was not pushy and he helped us every inch of the way.

We are still friends with him after 3 years.

Dave

Hi Dave,

    Thanks but I've decided to go for Quesada.  Catral is not ideal for me. Georgia took me to see a nice villa in Catral with massive land. I like the villa but not the area. It's too isolated.

Georgia is a very good agent too.  He has done a lot for me already & this is only the beginning.

Hi All,,,,,,,,,, Keep well clear of ...........MRI ,,,,,,,,,, AND ..........DCC.         THEY ARE SHARKS.

I agree with r47beck, Andalucean Homes are crooks. I bought 2 off plan appartments to make some money. When the time came to sell they told me to hang on a bit longer as the market value was still rising, then came the change in the tax laws, which they knew all about, and I couldn't sell. Luckily enough I got my money back. I complained for months aven to their chairman David Honeyman, but to no avail. They make around 25% commission on the original sale, but only 5% on a resale. I hope they are put out of business.