Negotiating in Spain does not mean offering 20% less on principle. It means knowing the property's real value, understanding the seller's situation, and building an offer they can accept without losing face. Here is how we go about it.
First, know the real price
Property portals show asking prices, not sale prices. The gap between the two can be significant on the Costa Brava, where many sellers test the market with ambitious prices. We work from actual transactions in the area and our day-to-day knowledge of the ground to estimate what the property is really worth.
Next, understand the seller
A property that has been on the market for a fortnight is not negotiated like one that has been for sale for eighteen months. An inheritance shared between heirs in a hurry, a move abroad, a seller who has already bought elsewhere: each situation opens up different room for manoeuvre. This information is gathered on the ground, in Spanish, from agencies and neighbours.
Finally, negotiate without emotion
This is the decisive advantage of using an intermediary: we negotiate with a cool head, using factual arguments (work needed, recent comparables, timescales), whereas a buyer who has fallen for the property negotiates badly for fear of losing it. And we negotiate everything: the price, but also the furniture, the timetable and the terms of the arras contract.
A good negotiation is invisible: it looks like a natural agreement between two satisfied parties. It is quite an art, and it is what we do every day.
