Your experience with real-estate agents

[Ribaric]

OK folks, time to say your piece.

I would like to hear from you about your experience with any specific agent working in the Istria region - good or otherwise. I don't need generalities about agents but your specific experiences if you have about one/them.

It's time for me to move. Let's be hearing from you folks.

If you are an agent or are promoting one, please be honest and say so.

Fel free to post or e-mail, whichever you prefer.

I thank yow.

[alsdoubles]

I have one word. Chancers. All of them. Nothing else. I paid one of them 3%. More money than his entire family has earned in the last 30 years. Tosser. He wont get it twice.

[elaine]

Can't complain about mine. He's been the only estate agent in Labin for years until recently ( the last two or three years have seen an increase in numbers) and he only charges his 3% when he sells a property for you, unlike the others who want two bites of the cherry and charge commission on both selling and buying.

[gmh]

that sounds like a contact worth sharing.

[Ribaric]

Hi Gav, I'd agree with that.

Hi Elaine, We all make judgements about people by reading their posts which, after a while, do tend to become a window into the person doing the writing. So, without predjudice, perhaps you'd like to share your Labin person with us - especially if your personal experience was a positive one. For me, "Elaine" (whoever you are) comes across (unfortunate choice of phrase but I'm sure you'll forgive me) as a "proper" person.
After all, the only thing we prospective buyers want is to be told the exact situation regarding the place to be sold. If you have someone with a bit of a track record, then that'll go a long way.

Culchie has a very perceptive view on these things so I hope he adds his view.

[Culchie]

lol, I'll add my view alright.


Despite a running battle on another thread, as far as I'm concerned an agent is perfectly entitled to earn a living selling property.

I also think that whatever commission he charges that the market should dictate that, it appears that the average going rate is approx 3% to buyer, 3% to seller.
Legal fees tend to be around 2%

This is very high by UK (and Irish) standards, here in Dublin it's approx 1.5%, but in rural areas it's 1.5% to 3%.

However, everyone has to make a living, and the Croatian estate agent does not get turnover the same quantity as a UK agent would, so I can see where the difference can come from.

Competition is the only thing that will bring this down, a more developed economy will mean more property construction that in turn will mean more properties, more agents, less commission etc etc...

I can't speak of any agent in Istria, I have no experience of dealing with any.

The main problem at the moment is that market is very under regulated, the developer calls the shots, the buyer has the choice to play it by their rules, or don't buy in Croatia .... hardly a good decision to have to take, especially in thew long run.

I won't repeat my 'beef' too much, but the agents have to be made responsible for the properties they sell.
They have to be held accountable for the viability of the project, the developer etc... otherwise it should be illegal to advertise it.
The buyer is completely exposed at present.

It really is "Buiyer Beware" and also "Beware of wolf in sheeps clothing"

[joe]

I won't repeat my 'beef' too much, but the agents have to be made responsible for the properties they sell.
They have to be held accountable for the viability of the project, the developer etc... otherwise it should be illegal to advertise it.
The buyer is completely exposed at present.

I agree. We should be held resposible. I take full resposibility for what I advertise.

I am interested to hear from anyone who has been stung by dishonest agents or who know of any dubious developments.

[joe]

As I just wrote in another thread, I think there should be a separate category where people can post and dubious properties or developments.

[Culchie]

joe said:

I won't repeat my 'beef' too much, but the agents have to be made responsible for the properties they sell.
They have to be held accountable for the viability of the project, the developer etc... otherwise it should be illegal to advertise it.
The buyer is completely exposed at present.

I agree. We should be held resposible. I take full resposibility for what I advertise.

Joe, whilst your intentions and moral inclinations are admirable, if it goes to a court of law, it isn't worth anything.

Agents need to be held legally responsible for the viability of projects and the developers solvency

[Nicola]

I can definitely recommend you avoid a certain agent in Novigrad who not only looks like a sneaky rat - but is one too. He tried the biggest stitch up ever - luckily we had our wits about us but others may not be so lucky.
Shame I can't name and shame him....

[joe]

Tough one.
I think if presented with all papers regarding the property or development from the vendors lawyer, from the government institutions and even from the bank, if there is something wrong, the agent has been duped as badly as the client.

How often do you think this happens?

What do you think should happen then?

Do you really hold the agent responsible? What should happen to the agent?

[Ribaric]

I'm with Culchie on this one. I draw parallels with car dealers or architects. If I do a deal with them, they are my agent. If the car I buy turns out to be a ringer or the building blocks happen to be defective in some way, it is the dealer or architect that must get it put right - by law. What they cannot do is just palm me off by saying "it's not my fault - talk to the supplier".
My view is that an agent should have enough nouse and know-how to take care of the risks, it is this knowledge that I'm paying for in order to protect myself.

The reason I started this thread was through the frustration of having good money burning a hole in my pocket but being unable to find anyone who will sell me the services I want to buy. I already have a good lawyer and he has had to admit that buying is a risky business. I'm not risk averse in all things - but for buying property I am, for good reason. Nicola is probably sharper than I am, I don't want to take that chance.

Are you a "pukka" agent Joe? Are you up for a personal contract (not with your d.o.o. - but with you).

[joe]

Yes. I am.

[bheywood]

I can recommend Lipi Skoji in the Split area (especially if you're selling, as Ines Mijic is a smart operator!). My wife and I got good advice that has survived hindsight, a thorough service and out of all the agencies through whom we viewed properties, she was the only one not to charge an island "call out" fee - and the house we ended up buying was exactly as advertised, which anyone who has been through this process knows is not always the case (it wasn't falling down, the papers were clean, and it was actually for sale!).

I can also recommend Mladen Ostro's legal services if you're looking for a Split-based lawyer.

As for those to avoid...well, I've gone on about two at length in other, earlier posts. They know who they are. I can only reiterate what others have said - caveat emptor. If you do your homework and keep your eyes open, you'll do just fine.

Ben

[Nicola]

I don't necessarily believe that agents should be wholly responsible for the properties they are selling - they may not always have the facts themselves - but they should be accountable for the information they give you when they are fully aware of the facts. In our case our agent not only gave us deliberately misleading information about what was to us the most important aspect of our house but also withheld information from us which would have changed our purchase decision.
My advice as many others? Buy through a Croatian!