Blog > Real Estate > Blog article: International Property: Don’t trust your real estate agent and other tips
 | Email This Article Email This Article  | 

International Property: Don’t trust your real estate agent and other tips

Posted April 23, 2008

“The real estate agent is not your friend. I’ve worked with real estate agents in dozens of countries. They are all friendly guys, and most are good company. I even keep in regular contact with some and value that relationship. But none of those things change the fundamental truth about real estate agents in developing, unregulated markets: They’re wolves.” — Lief Simon

by Lief Simon

Baltimore – (TFN): Buying and even shopping for real estate in another country takes nerve. The rules of engagement are completely different than back home. To be successful, you’ve got to arm yourself well in advance with an understanding of how this game is played.

The first thing to know is that the real estate agent is not your friend.

I’ve worked with real estate agents in dozens of countries. They are all friendly guys, and most are good company. I even keep in regular contact with some and value that relationship. But none of those things change the fundamental truth about real estate agents in developing, unregulated markets: They’re wolves.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Real Estate Deal of a Lifetime: Lots start at just $36,000 in this premiere Pacific beachside community.

The developers of Rancho Santana, are rapidly becoming masters at putting together alluring real estate deals. And this one’s no exception. You’ll want to secure a $36,000 lot in this premiere Pacific beachside community.

Learn more…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

International Property: The wolf’s den

Stepping into a real estate agent’s office in these countries, you’re stepping into the wolf’s den. Believe me when I tell you that, when it comes to business (that is, the purchase of real estate), the agent you’re working with is not working for you. Buyer’s agents don’t exist outside North America. In many of the markets I recommend, real estate agents aren’t regulated or even licensed. The guy showing you around could have been a travel agent in Iowa three months ago.

Furthermore, not only are these guys not working for you…but they’re not working for the seller either. They are working for themselves, and their goal is to extract as much commission out of you as they can. Understand that going into the conversation, and you stand a much better chance of coming out of it uncheated.

Here are some other tips to help your search go smoothly… Read on to learn Lief’s tips on buying real estate abroad.

****Make sure you sign up for our free TFN News Feed for breaking news, special reports and new financial videos. You can pick your favorite reader . Or if you prefer, you can have the feed delivered to your email.


Related Articles


Posted by TFN-Real Estate · Filed Under Real Estate 

Comments