It is amazing how most people are careful to do all the right things when involved in real estate deals when they are back home, but do not do so when they are in a foreign country. Actually when they arrive in Spain, many tend to throw out the window all the basic rules and sensible things they know that they must look at whenever considering any property deal.

One notorious example in Spain is that of foreigners buying a property they fancy without a second thought, only to realize later that they have invested in the wrong sort of neighborhood. Everybody knows that the three most important rules in real estate is location, location and location.

The truth is, that when purchasing property in a foreign country, one should not only keep the basic rules in mind, but they should also be doubly cautious because they are operating in a market that they are not familiar with.

This means that the selection of a real estate agent is even more important than it would ordinarily be. Selecting the appropriate agent to handle all your transactions is even more critical, more so because of the current situation in the Spanish real estate market. The situation is such that there is very high demand. Any booming market is bound to attract more than its' fair share con artists and characters who are out to make a quick buck without worrying too much about honesty and integrity.

When you make an initial enquiry, try telling the Spanish real estate agent you only have a budget of 100,000 euros – see how many actually answer your enquiry! The reality is that many will think of the time they spend dealing with your enquiry versus the amount of commission they will make and simply not bother. Although none of us will have much to offer within this price bracket, it is the sign of a good agent if they can send a helpful and detailed reply, offering to showing you what they do have available – even if it is only a studio when you specifically requested details of 2 bed properties. An explanation of the property market and prices is far more useful to the buyer than the suggestion that they double their budget with a mortgage.

There is yet another very important reason why it is crucial to have the right Spanish real estate agents working with you, and that is to be able to detect and blow the whistle on developers who are so eager to build with speed and maximize their earnings from the property boom in Spain, that they ignore the laid down procedure and laws. They may not worry too much about this because in many cases this oversight will catch up with the property when it has already been sold to you. Not to mention developers who take a hefty deposit only to declare bankruptcy before construction is complete.

You will need a Spanish real estate agent who not only has their ear to the ground, but one who is keenly aware of the goings on in the particular property markets that you will be interested in looking at. By selecting a reputable real estate agent with a name and image to protect, you will be able to avoid many perilous potential pitfalls along the way.