26 June 2011
I’ve told you how to research properties abroad, now I’ll tell you how I planned to view properties. Looking back on it now, I realise that it was key to finding what I wanted in a single weekend.
I flew out on Friday night, spent 9am to 7pm on Saturday doing viewings and again on Sunday from 9am to 5pm. Two hours after that I was on a flight home, armed with enough information and contacts to make a purchase decision. It was an aggressive schedule that I had to fit around work commitments but I advise to take it easier, for the sake of your own sanity. However you do it, your time will be limited so you need to be really, really organised and that takes planning.
If you have followed my advice about choosing an overseas property you will have a clear idea of what you want. Now pick out the agents and developers from your research spreadsheet that may be able to meet your needs, get in touch and tell them exactly what you are after. Be as specific as possible and show them that you have done your research by including a list of potential properties from their website.
This is a good idea for a number of reasons. First, you help them help you, the more they know about what you want the better they can serve you. Second, by showing you are knowledgeable they will know that they can’t pull the wool over your eyes (by trying to sell you that cold, damp property that has been on their books for over a year). Third, if they can see you have already invested time by doing research they will know you mean business and they will do their best to convert that business into commission by giving you a better deal than their competition.
It won’t be long before they’ll get back to you with additional information about the properties you selected and probably about properties you haven’t come across. By the way, the best properties are snapped up before they have even been properly advertised so pay good attention to anything that’s not on their website yet. Add new knowledge from their feedback to your research spreadsheet. I found that agents sent me detailed architect drawings which often allowed me to pin point the exact locations of the properties using the techniques I mentioned while researching properties.
Once you have digested all the responses, order your contacts by how reliable/organised they are and from that you can start organising your time. Give preference to your top properties and contacts, you want to get the important viewings out of the way first so that to you have a chance to fit in a second viewing. In my experience you are shown about three properties by agents and one by developers. Allow 1 hour per viewing, this will give you plenty of time for your contact to drive you to the property, look around and ask questions… and don’t forget to schedule time for lunch!
Add your schedule to the research spreadsheet and make sure you have mobile telephone numbers and addresses for each person you intend to meet, the last thing you want is to miss an appointment because you can’t get in touch. Also start shopping around for flights so that you have an idea when you can fly out and how long you will be there. Finally get back in touch with everyone with tentative dates and times, amending your schedule as necessary. I found that actually all my contacts were very accommodating (why wouldn’t they be?) which is why I was able to organise viewings throughout a weekend. Depending on how many appointments you are juggling it will take you some time to finalise the schedule, it took me about 4 days.
At long last you have reached the final and easiest step: book your flights, transfers and accommodation. You are all set for the viewings.
