Good stich,
I agree with most of your comments and totally agree that it is time that Spain sorted out its discrepencies within the property market.
I think inroads have been made massively in recent times and hopefully legislation and regulation will eradicate any surviving rogues.
I think the boom created a lot of problems, it made easy pickings for certain agents/developers etc...
It was a little like shooting fish in a barrell for some...
Although i have worked through these times i never really got caught up in the off plan boom thus avoiding so many of the associated problems, i know with your experience you may find it hard to beleive but there are still quite a few people planning a move or to purchase holiday homes,in saying this, the attitude and awareness has changed and most clients i see now are filled with trepidation and are massively aware of any pitfalls, luckily, or maybe by some good judgement i have learnt my way around the system to ensure things go well through to completion, it does help to have a good lawyer on your side which i have had for some time.
People are still buying at the moment and in my experience it is people that have been waiting for prices to drop, you can now get cheaper property than in the inspection trip boom days and you can also be sure that it is fully legal.
I think most agents want a normal stable regulated market as do most buyers, with a level playing field at least we all know where we stand.
I know Commision are a big gripe with most buyers and it has been mentioned on here recently as a company we feel 3% is fair and most of the agents around here set their fees around that.
My biggest gripe and i feel the newest threat is the internet agent, a lot of former rogues have fled Spain and are holed up somewhere in a back bedroom pedalling their tiny knowledge with no legislation or duty of care.
I have just moved offices and along with the usual expenses in running a buisness i have just had to renew my operating licence, it may suprise a few people that agents have to have such a thing but the legal ones do.......
To operate on the ground here we also need.........
Architect approval for disabled access and Fire regs.
Public liability insurance (for clients)
Motor Insurance (for carrying clients)
Registration in Madrid ( companies house equivalent).
Tax obligatons
to Comply with Decreto 218
and on and on and on........
To operate as an internet agent you will need.........
A back bedroom...........
To have visited Spain once........( not mandatory)
Hence the gripe........
I hope Spain gets its house in order and i hope the people that have lost savings get the justice they deserve, when you actually live and mix with the Spanish it can be a truly great country but as always there has to be a but......
I think we need to find a happy medium in between the UK's Health and safety Pc world (no, not the computer shop) and Spain' sometimes too laid back attitude........
Once you get past this Spain is many people answer to happiness.
Maria..
I agree...i think the tranquil waters are coming....in fact for the last 2 days they have been coming form the sky........
Best wishes
Georgia