Estate agents

[cathe]

Hi thinking of selling my property here in Costa de Antigua could anyone tell me which is the best estate agent to go to TIA

[Ducks]

We had a good experience with Just 4 Sales as a buyer, but I'm sure someone who has experience as a seller could tell you more about that side. Unfortunately, I think a lot of your experience is going to depend less on which agent, and more on how desirable your property is versus others currently on the market and how keenly you are prepared to price it. I can only speak as a buyer, but considering you'll be wanting one of those, I'll throw in my two pence worth so you can consider it.

In terms of agents, Just 4 Sales have staff with excellent English (many of the staff are English), and we found them pleasant to deal with: they were efficient, and responded pretty promptly to inquiries and concerns on our end. They have both a very visible physical presence in Caleta town, and also rank highly on Google searches. I think that's a good combination for picking up buyers who are already here as well as those shopping from home.

(Small aside: I know a lot of people think the property sites are just for tyre kickers, but we found our current house when I decided to re-consider Caleta one day, and googled to see what was available currently. I saw this place on the agent's site, thought it was perfect for us, and sent an email to see if it was still available. We booked flights and were there within the week so we could view; within another week we had contracts signed, and deposit paid. Two months later I am sat here in the house, and enjoying it immensely, so it does happen that people look at houses from home and end up committing to a sale!)

That said, Just 4 Sales don't buy advertising space on RightMove or Kyero, so that's a factor to consider. I made the rounds of all the agents' websites, but a lot of people will just visit a one-stop-shop and call it a day. You might want to look at Carmen Villazan, who advertise on both, and who also have a decent presence in the main street in townâ€" not as prominent as Just 4 Sales, but still pretty good. We looked at some options with them when we were buying, and liked them a lot: they don't have as much English staff, but their staff do speak good English, and they seemed very upfront and honest in our brief dealings with them.

Hopefully someone with experience as a seller can chip in, but from the buyer's POV, either one of those were attractive options as they seemed like long-term, well-run outfits with knowledgeable staff, so we felt confident trusting them with what was for us a life-changing purchase. It's natural to focus on what an agent can do for you as a seller when you are selling, but also  considering potential buyers' needs and concerns could get you more interest in your property, and a speedier, smoother sale.

Good luck with your decision!