Real Estate agents in Spain don't list property addresses

[Lamar]

U.S. real estate agents typically publish the addresses for their properties, for example on Realtor or Zillow. However, they don't in Spain on, for example, sites like Idealista. At most they will list the street, or perhaps just the neighborhood. Further, I've been told by one agent that even when the streets are listed, they often list the correct neighborhood but the wrong street. (I've experienced this discrepancy a few times when visiting properties.) This makes weeding out properties before asking an agent for a viewing messier than it should be. My understanding is that this practice originates in a fear that listing addresses will result in agents poaching other agents' fees, or even in buyers evading agents and so their fees. I understand that argument, but understanding doesn't make searching for an investment any easier. I've tried working with agents to get better data on addresses, but without any luck. Does anyone have any idea how to get better information faster, or at least more efficiently? Thanks.

 

[Veronica]

The laws in the US make it harder for potential buyers to cut out the agents than in Europe. In most European countries agents are reluctant to give exact location as people have been known to then approach the owners direct to cut out the agent and get a better price. Considering the agents have gone to the trouble of photographing and advertising properties why would you expect them to risk and unscrupulous buyer cutting them out? We showed a property to a potential buyer in Cyprus and they had the cheek to go back the next day and suggest to the vendor that they cut us out. Luckily the vendor was honest and told us but how many times did that happen without us knowing?

 

[Lamar]

Hello, Veronica, and thank you for the prompt, honest, and well-articulated response. I feel I must ask a final time, though I suspect that the answer is "no." Given the legal conditions you describe in Europe, can you tell me whether there is a more efficient way to go through properties than I am doing currently? A way that still respects the right of the estate agent to his or her commission? The process so far seems to work like this: I make a list of perhaps a dozen properties I've seen online. The agent with whom I'm working adds perhaps two more to that list. After scheduling with sellers and agents, I then see perhaps eight of the fourteen, and it takes at least a week to do so. (I am being, I think, a little generous with these numbers.) Further, I sometimes have to schedule a showing a week in advance. So, at the expense of repeating myself here, is there any more efficient way to streamline this process - any way to winnow down the number of properties before seeing them, and to see them more quickly - than I am doing now? All without encroaching on the rights and profits of the agents?

 

[Veronica]

You could try emailing the agent with an assurance that you will not approach the vendor and give the agent permission to give your name to the vendor with the request that they inform the agent if you do approach t hem.
Alternatively tell the agents in detail what you DO NOT want in the way of property spec and also in the way of location. Make it clear that the first time they take you to see something that goes against this you will not use them again.
I totally understand where you are coming from as property viewing is very time consuming especially in a large country where a lot of travelling can be involved.

 

[Lamar]

You could try emailing the agent with an assurance that you will not approach the vendor and give the agent permission to give your name to the vendor with the request that they inform the agent if you do approach them.
Alternatively tell the agents in detail what you DO NOT want in the way of property spec and also in the way of location. Make it clear that the first time they take you to see something that goes against this you will not use them again.
I totally understand where you are coming from as property viewing is very time consuming especially in a large country where a lot of travelling can be involved.

Hey, Veronica: Thanks again for the advice; it seems to me useful. Though I suspect the process will still be a little more time-consuming than I've been used to, I think I can streamline it a bit.