Time to select some properties to view.

It should be simple. You ring an agent, you tell them which properties you want to view and when, they arrange it and take you round. Simples!


No, no, no - now don't be silly!


Having worked in the house selling business for over 20 years I suppose I think I know a little about how these things are done but here you need to wind the clock back to 20 years ago, and then muddle into it multiple agency on a major scale and you're starting to get there.



We have decided we want a house in the country with space for the dogs to run around and bark if they want to. We would like somewhere with a little land which has some almond & olive trees and fruit trees. We would like to be on the outskirts of a small town with predominantly Spanish residents and with a central square at the heart of the town. We are happy to take on a renovation property in the right place, but not a total ruin - the minimum it must have is 4 outer walls and a roof! Believe you me, out here they sell some real runis for restoration - most need knocking down and starting again - not a task for us.



We have narrowed it down to an area about an hour inland from Terreros and so, with the map laid out fully, I trawled through website after website, trying to identify properties which fit our budget, our tick list and in the right areas. I made a list. I rang the agents to make appointments. Job done.



Or so you would think.

First, they have to check whether the property is still available or if it's been sold by another agent and not been told, one of our choices has been sold we discovered later. Then there is the issue of keys, if the owner lives abroad they don't always leave the keys with the agent so they have to request them to be sent through in order to show us around - but we can have a look at it from the outside and look through the windows, if we want to. Well, at least we would be able to say whether it was worth getting the keys or not, from it's location and external appearance! But it's not how we would do things in Sheffield.

So, we have appointments to view about 6 properties tomorrow which, according to the website details all fit our outline requirements. I feel it's going to be an interesting day.