The range of real estate agencies on Mallorca is large and confusing.
Black sheep are few and far between. Nevertheless, you should proceed with caution when making your choice.
Whether it's a chic convertible, a new sailing yacht or a finca on Mallorca: if you want to spend your hard-earned money on a long-cherished dream, you should get plenty of information and advice beforehand so that you don't end up buying a pig in a poke. When buying a property in Mallorca, reputable and experienced estate agents are the key to a successful venture. But how can I recognize them?
Frank Steinhoff from the real estate agency „de Haas & Partner“ in Artà advises that the main factor in choosing the right estate agent is their experience. „What do the customer recommendations look like on the Internet? Does he respond quickly to inquiries? Does he have his own office? The agent's good network of architects, lawyers and construction companies should also be a selection criterion, says Frank Steinhoff.
„A reputable estate agent knows the market and the region, is very easy to contact and responds promptly to inquiries,
explains Volker Schug from the INM Immobilien agency in Palma.
Für Lutz Minkner from „Minkner & Partner“ in Santa Ponsa, three things are particularly important: „expertise, expertise, expertise, and not just on the actual property issues, but also on the legal and tax issues“, says Minkner. „If an estate agent does not know the basics of public building law, if he cannot read a Spanish Escritura (land register extract, editor's note), how can he judge whether the property for sale is legal“. And: „Hands off mobile brokers without an office, tax number and liability insurance. The same applies to neighbors and gardeners who have a bargain tip," warns Minkner.
„You should always make sure that there is a good basis of trust“, says Michaela Unruh from the real estate company ImmobilienArta in Artà.
It is essential for this that the estate agent openly describes all the advantages and disadvantages of the property, keeps the customer up to date with all developments at all times and is there to support them in all matters.
Für Volker Schug from INM Immobilien in Palma, likeability is also crucial. „The chemistry has to be right on both sides. This is how buyers and sellers come to a successful conclusion in the end.
For the buyer, on the other hand, it is important that the estate agent can answer all questions, knows the properties and thus makes the customer's decision more confident. „The estate agent should be able to recommend a lawyer and notary to the customer. The prospective buyer can already recognize many of these things in the first conversation“.
What should be paid particular attention to during the purchase process?
„If you are buying in a country where you do not know the customs of the real estate market and do not speak the language, you need to look for reliable partners. In addition to professional estate agents, these include lawyers, tax consultants, architects and banks. In all these service sectors, there is highly competent and German-speaking advice on Mallorca,
Lutz Minkner knows.
Für Michaela Unruh from ImmobilienArta, the competent provision of all the necessary documents is particularly important.
For the purchase transaction, it is essential that the estate agent obtains all the documents required for this in full and submits them after checking them.
Info:
According to the regional business association, around 1,000 companies and self-employed persons (Autónomos) are registered as real estate agencies or real estate sellers in Mallorca. In the real estate industry, a basic distinction is made between owner-managed agents and franchise agents, such as Engel & Völkers. According to in-house research by the real estate guide „immolistmallorca.com“, the Hamburg-based franchise company currently offers around 2,800 properties on the island. The brokerage fee on Mallorca is usually between 4 and 6 percent of the sale price. Estate agent commissions are paid by the seller, but they are usually „hidden“ in the sales price.
