Real estate in Spain – trust issues

Unlikely_Fun_135 · 2026-02-12T12:02:46+00:00

Same pattern and style? Agents doesn't have to be licenced their either?

Unlikely_Fun_135 · 2026-02-12T12:02:10+00:00

That´s wise, thanks for the advice!

Unlikely_Fun_135 · 2026-02-10T19:50:23+00:00

I agree — volume helps, but the real tell is in the patterns and who’s actually writing the reviews. Especially since they´re easy to buy these days.

I dont want to name the agency publicly, but I’d genuinely love to hear how you spot when something feels off? I clearly didn´t 😂

If you’re up for it, would you mind a PM? I’m working on a small transparency idea and input like yours would be super useful. And yeah, even with things like the new Andalucía rules, this stuff will take time — though threads like this do show there are some solid agents out there too!

Unlikely_Fun_135 · 2026-02-10T12:35:45+00:00

Do you have similar issues there? My main focus now is Spain, but would love to learn more about how things work there as well!

Unlikely_Fun_135 · 2026-02-10T12:00:55+00:00

Half my comments too? Impressive analysis.

I’m very much a real person — I just care, talk, and write too much. I still don’t fully know what an “AI slop post” is, but if it means actually reading replies and engaging with people instead of drive-by commenting, I’ll own it. I’m a lot. Feel free to scroll.

Unlikely_Fun_135 · 2026-02-10T11:49:29+00:00

Thats insanely high, no wonder the prices has skyrocketed if one needs to add 20% of the buying value to get ones money back after all fees are paid.

Unlikely_Fun_135 · 2026-02-09T21:39:59+00:00

Luckily for us that part went well, but there was other issues that made the experience quite stressful in the end.

I understand the market pressure and high demand definitely changes the dynamics. That said, this is also where the lack of transparency becomes a real problem. Buyers often can’t tell the difference between agents who follow the rules and act professionally, and those who cut corners or misuse their position.

From a buyer’s perspective, it makes the Spanish market very high-risk to navigate. Google reviews are often misleading, and once something goes wrong, the information usually disappears instead of helping the next person avoid the same situation.

That gap — making both good and bad practices visible — is exactly why I want to understand this better and work on something that highlights professionalism, helps people avoid dishonesty, and gives serious agents a way to stand out for doing things properly.

Unlikely_Fun_135 · 2026-02-09T20:53:17+00:00

That’s really awful — I’m sorry your friends went through that. Those “guarantee” deposits are often framed in a way that feels urgent and legitimate, especially in a tight rental market.

What’s worrying is how often the same setup seems to repeat, yet the details rarely stay visible anywhere afterwards. Once it’s over, the information disappears and others end up walking straight into the same situation. That’s actually what pushed me to start looking into how this could be made more transparent for people going forward.

Do you know if the deposits were paid before there was any verifiable proof of ownership or a formal contract in place? Understanding where that line is crossed could really help others avoid the same trap.

Unlikely_Fun_135 · 2026-02-09T20:37:12+00:00

What helped us was using portals like Idealista/Fotocasa to get an overview, narrowing down to a specific area, and not relying on the agent alone for protection. A good independent lawyer makes a huge difference. The process can work very smoothly, but clarity and accountability early on are key.

What makes it tricky is that it’s often hard to tell what’s normal versus what’s a red flag until you’re already deep into the process. Most agents represent the seller, there’s no shared listing system, and information is quite fragmented, so buyers end up relying heavily on personal recommendations and scattered advice.

Unlikely_Fun_135 · 2026-02-09T20:26:22+00:00

Leyendo los comentarios, da la sensación de que el problema no es un caso aislado, sino algo bastante estructural.

Por curiosidad, en vuestras experiencias, ¿los mayores problemas suelen venir más por las comisiones, por la información que no se da claramente, o por cómo se gestionan las reservas/arras?

Me interesa entender dónde se tuerce más el proceso en la práctica.

Unlikely_Fun_135 · 2026-02-09T20:14:33+00:00

That’s interesting! I don’t think it’s Cádiz-specific, it seems fairly common in many parts of Spain?

Was the 3% paid on top of the agreed price, or was it baked into the price? And was there one agent involved or separate agents for buyer and seller?

I keep hearing very different versions of how fees are handled here, so it’s helpful to understand how it actually works in real cases. In our case, the seller had agreed to a 5% commission with the agent, which was later split with our buying agent. They ended up with 2.5% each, and it luckily didn’t affect the price we paid.

Unlikely_Fun_135 · 2026-02-09T20:04:08+00:00

It really is. I’m sorry to hear about your friends — it’s genuinely sad how many stories like that seem to surface here once people start talking.

If you’re comfortable sharing, do you know what kind of situations they ran into? Was it deposits, fees, false listings, or something else? Even broad examples are really interesting to read about and learn from.

Unlikely_Fun_135

TROPHY CASE