Often buyers get caught up in the excitement of the purchase and fail to do the necessary homework. My in-laws decided that since their developer was German, he was an efficient and trustworthy builder. That couldn't have been further from the truth.
If they had simply asked around or even done a search on the Internet, they would have found complaint after complaint about this man. And with a bit more digging they would have discovered that he's been taken to court on several occasions.
Don't let this happen to you!
Many buyers feel like they are beholden to the developers or agents – this is NOT the case. You should be in control…and to be in control, you’ll want to take responsibility and determine if the particular developer or agent is going to service you in the best possible way.
Listed below are ways that you can check up on your developer or estate agent.
1. Enter the developer or agents name into the Google search engine. Sometimes you'll get the best results if you put the name in "quotes" such as "XYZ Developers"
Click through every link that mentions the developer in question. You might come across articles or postings that report problems or issues that other buyers have experienced. On the other hand, you might also find testimonials or good reports.
Within Google, you can also go to Groups and enter 'Greek Property' or check out Yahoo! Group. This is a place where people post information about experiences, questions or issues they've experienced.
Check out any chat rooms, forums or message boards that discuss your location or area of choice.
Bad developers/agents cannot hide when it comes to the Internet...If people are upset, they will go to any lengths to help other people to avoid the same problems.
2. If you're buying on an estate that has people who have moved in already AND you have the ability to visit the estate, why not post little flyers through the door saying:
"Hi! We might be neighbours soon...I'm interested in buying on this estate, however before I make my decision, I am interested to know if you've experienced any problems with the developer or agent. If you wouldn't mind, I would be so grateful if you could simply answer the following questions and email them to me at:
* Was the property completed on time?
* Is the quality up to standard?
* Did you have any issues?
* What is the traffic noise like?
* Add more questions that interest you...
Thank you in advance,
HOWEVER, keep in mind that people that have purchased have egos and in some circumstances they will feel compelled to give you the rose coloured picture rather than tell you what truly happened.
As with all your research, don't listen to just one source.
3. Ask for referrals from your agent and if they don't have any, treat that as a major warning sign.
4. Ask the locals what stories they've heard. If something bad happens, the word often spreads quickly. Don't be afraid to ask your waiter/waitress or a news agent.
As with everything, take what you hear with a pinch of salt. You might happen to ask a relative of XYZ builder about them and they'll say that they're the best...
Or perhaps you're chatting with someone that considers XYZ Estate Agent to be terrible, however if you dig a bit you'll find that the owner is an ex-boyfriend. Hell hath no fury and all that!
You know what I'm trying to say...so I won't harp on about it. Just keep your wits about you...
Kim Brown
The Overseas Guides Company
Visit my website at: http://www.emigrationguide.com/
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