Given up?

[paul-steve]

Has everyone given up in Spain?
Over the past week we have contacted hundreds of agents about advertising property on commission on our sites and not one reply, is everyone still asleep, god help you all if you're trying to sell.

[rowlandsbb]

No we have not given up....but when a situation like this arises.......static markets in EU and for UK buyers a low exchange rate everyone is re thinking their marketing strategy!!
Many buyers for Spain are waiting to see how the rate changes.....and there will be a time lag before people get used to a lower rate and appreciate that there are some good buys both new and re sale in Spain, even allowing for the exchange rate
Very few forced sales but UK owners who want to sell and have seen the exchange rate move in their favour, can afford to sell at 15% or so less than they expected and still get a good sale in £!!
But for life style buyers who have the cash or want to buy with ' say 70% mortgage' then a buy in 2008 will in say 2018 look very good
Eg: Polaris World Indalo de Alhama -if you buy now a 2 bed maisonette with a solarium for now circa £94,330
Ready in 2010 when all the facilities will be ready
You or your visitors will be able to play the best 9 golf courses ' anywhere' at an owners rate
You complete in 2010 on an established development
The credit crunch is now history
But as you are buying for life style.....not as a dealer.....you are going to have a very good buy
Lets say you use it for a few years say to 2015....and then decide to sell
You have paid a price fixed 7 years ago
Can anyone from their lifetime knowledge not think that you will make a ' nice little' profit!!...even at todays exchange rate for the deposit!!

In reality if you make a reservation now the cost is circa £2362 and then say pay 10 % in 3 months at todays rate and say 30% in 6 months [ rate may be better!]

You are buying on a top class development at todays prices and....probably not intending to sell for a long time.......so life style wise it has to be a good buy

The property professionals will always buy when the market is ' dead' or at least very slow...so why not you!!

[paul-steve]

Hi
I'm talking about agents and advertising, are they just sticking to their own "one website" and hoping potential buyers will find it, like i say we have contacted hundreds to advertise on multiple sites and not one reply, we are doing very well in Turkey and now looking to spread but it looks like Spain doesn't want to know.

[jvmills]

Originally Posted by paul-steve

Hi
I'm talking about agents and advertising, are they just sticking to their own "one website" and hoping potential buyers will find it, like i say we have contacted hundreds to advertise on multiple sites and not one reply, we are doing very well in Turkey and now looking to spread but it looks like Spain doesn't want to know.

During the peak years a lot of agents cheerfully assumed they could transfer their success in Spain to other countries (notably Bulgaria, Cape Verde etc), with mixed results. Most that I know got their fingers burnt.

Add to that a sharp downturn in the Spanish market which has seen many agents close up shop and unsurprisingly most have decided to concentrate on their core product i.e. Spain (and probably resales rather than off plan). Also with the slowdown comes a deep reluctance to spend any unnecessary cash on marketing, and a mistrust of any offer that seems "too good to be true".

You may be offering a decent service at a reasonable commission, but the barriers are firmly up at the moment. I would not like to be an advertising sales telemarketer right now.

I sympathise with anyone who tries to educate sales staff and managers about the value of online exposure, although this is becoming easier with time. If you think you are offering good value then persevere, and emphasise the fact that you are willing to deal on a commission only basis.

[paul-steve]

2 people replying to the post
need i say more?????

[TH4S]

Hi paul-steve come over to the Turkish side and try ask the same question .

[Damian George]

Spain is tricky at the moment - but summer will come and once the spanish banks start lending again and thing will return to normal in 2-3yrs.

Turkey is tough people are betting that its joining the eu.

[TH4S]

people are betting Turkey is joining the eu.

The EU has played about with Turkiye,for far to long,

1959 - Turkey applies for associate membership of EEC
1963 - Association agreement with EEC is signed
1987 - Application for full EEC membership
1995 - Final agreement on EU-Turkey customs union
1999 - Turkey officially becomes EU candidate
2005 - Formal opening of accession negotiations
2007 EU still playing games with Turkiye,

The average Turk on the street as had enough of the EU's false promises,

Yes i agree Turkiye is Tough .. Tougher than what people think,

[andyintheworld]

Estate Agents in Spain are simply dying off.
The small ones got by on a a couple of sales a month so when that "couple of sales" disappears - they go out of business very quickly.

The larger agents with a chain of offices have high overheads, the main ones being rent and staffing costs. They have been force to downsize, reducing the number of offices and shedding staff.
They are still selling to lifestyle buyers - these will never end - and to shrewd investors who are picking off the bargains.

But, without a healthy pipeline of business, their cashflow is not guaranteed so no agent in their right mind is going to commit to any kind of expensive subscription advertising service - its just not going to happen.

If you flick through a couple of the expat papers - once full of ads - they are now empty save for one or two agents with deep pockets.

Perhaps you need to change your marketing strategy? One poster above had the right idea - you get paid on results - that way you work for your money. If you produce then you keep getting paid, if not then the service is not worth paying for.

I´d pay good money (and I do) to anyone who can find me (serious and committed) buyers who aren't going to pull out at the last minute and I´m sure many others would. Too many tyre-kickers around at the moment or potential buyers asking what they can get for 5 grand cash and a mortgage!!!

[rowlandsbb]

The future when we come out of this economic crisis will probably be ' the internet agent' ...no need to have a retail outlet so costs are substantially reduced and this applies for the small agent who on the internet can compete

Certainly from the UK perspective the days of the Exhibitions every weekend are gone and serious buyers are savy and will search first before going over to look

Good job that Spain has now out it's house in order as regards regulations on builders and provided you treat buying with the same common sense as you do in UK , it is just as safe

Not only that we can get any life style buyer a very good deal and of course with interest rates coming down and the Spanish banks better off than anyone else there are some good mortgage deals about , if you have a good deposit

Perhaps. those who buy for life styel reasons in the middle of this world financial crisis will end up with a deal of a life time!!!!