Hi – my question is much the same as many others on this forum.
I have booked an inspection trip with this company – does anyone have any comments, positive or negative, about this company to help me decide if I should believe what they tell me when i arrive!!
From what I’ve read here and on other forums they seem one of 5 major players that operate on a real hard sell push for off-plan homes similar to timeshare. They only have to drive you around a few selected developments and show you the plans in the sales office rather than taking you to loads of resale homes. This doesn’t mean they are a bad company but most would recommend you come out independently for a holiday and look around yourself and even better if retring to rent for 3/6 months and tour the area
I would agree with PJA. Not necesarily a bad company – just typical. A salesperson for this company (as is also the case for many of the other mid to larger companies) is expected to “close” at least 50% of their inspection trips. They will be under pressure to sell you – period!!
Also agree – much better off coming over on your own or better yet renting for a couple months while you look and educate yourself on this market. You cannot possibly aquire enough information in 3 days of looking to make an informed decision.
This company as stated is one of the big players, i had dealings with them, .
rent an apartment, download the ads from Sur over a period of weeks before you come here, and visit the areas you like to with a pad and pen to take SE VENDE numbers. You will buy cheaper and better!
I was interested in buying a resale property and went to have look at a couple with ADH. Then, instead of looking at some more resasles they took us to an off plan development stating that this was the way to go for a good investment. They said to sell it on after a year and make a really good profit. Well after over a year we contacted them, they had a look at the development and said that it was looking too much of an off plan and we should wait a bit. Another 8 months went and we contacted them again and our several calls to them were never returned! They tell you that they will be there for you all the way, but when it comes to the crunch, well they have already got their commission and you are left to fend for yourself. This I would not mind, but they should tell you that and then you know where you stand.
Don’t know anything about that company. Would like to make a few comments. Before we bought our holiday home in Spain – I did a lot of research on the internet about different areas, what was on offer, how much, access to airports. Time sometimes to visit is a luxury. I looked at the various companys that sell and asked for brochures – and was not impressed by even through the post of the hardsell. The company I did go with and I was dealing directly with the company was TMT. You will pay a bit more, the apartments are fully furnished. They have developements right along the east coast of spain down as far as Almeria. I can honestly say hand on heart, from the time we got off the plane, till we got back on – there was no hard sell – it was like take it if you want, if not there is no pressure. They showed us their various developements. You won’t be hanging around as they build before they sell. Anyway we bought, we went in June, took hold of apartment in October. Am very relieved it all went according to plan. I don’t think I’d ever buy off plan in Spain and certainly not to make a quick profit.
They tell you that they will be there for you all the way, but when it comes to the crunch, well they have already got their commission and you are left to fend for yourself.
This is what ALL of the “BIG BOYS” of the agents tell you when they are selling. O**** E****** did the same to us. When the property wasn’t built and everything went pear shaped, you couldn’t see them for dust!! 👿
The only heartening thing about Andalucian Dream Homes is that they are the biggest competitor of O. E. They have taken a chunk of the market from them. 😆
Good to get some feedback. I have bought in Spain before, but through small estate agents and never had any problems and still keep in touch with them. Before buying the off plan from adh, the agent was on the phone every day becoming our best friend, remembering every name in the family from the cats and dogs to the mother in law with arthritis! We will look after your interests and will sell on your off plan no problem. Well, today when we want to sell it is a different story. No phone calls, no return calls not even to say that they are no longer interested. I will never ever again deal with any of these companys, but if need be go to a small estate agent with a good reputation and word of mouth.
have to say that my parents bought with OE and although they have had niggles with the developer overall they didn´t really get the same problems as others have mentioned….seems like they were the lucky few….or maybe its only the people who have problems who ever mention them. they bought 5 years ago and to this day this must be the first time i have ever mentioned OE
this is not a for or against post before anyone jumps down my throat, just another perspective
Whatever method you use to find a place, try to get to talk to people who are already living in the development and ask them their opinion. We found a development by driving round. What really sold it to us was the sales lady having the confidence to tell us to wander around the development on our own and ask anyone we found what they thought. They were all pleased to talk and glad to have bought there, and they have proved to be right.
Perhaps if your sales company keeps you away from previous purchasers, they have a areason.
Spain, I respect what you say and it’s great that your parents had a good experience. Unfortunately they are in the minority, from what I have heard. Since our problems arose, we have had our experience confirmed by several other people. Everyone is entitled to air their opinions and thoughts on an open forum. We learn from each other. Healthy debate is constructive on the most part. 🙂
Hi – we also had a good experience of O**** E***** in the sense that they showed us properties within budget that matched our requirements. Unfortunately they didn’t show us our dream home but we were able to walk away from our 2 days without feeling under any pressure to sign anything (they showed us only 1 off-plan property on day one and when we made it quite plain that this wasn’t what we were looking for they showed us no more). ADH on the other hand were another breed all together – this was hard sell for 3 days with them showing us only one of the dozen or so resale properties I had selected from their web site and instead taking us to over budget off-plan properties that did not meet our requirements. By day three after a lack of sleep (due to the horrid hotel they had put is into!) and a lack of food (due to the location of the horrid hotel and the fact that they seem able to go all day without food or drink!) we did signup and pay our 6 euro deposit for a property in Duquesa that upon returning home and coming to our senses we later backed out of successfully obtaining our deposit back from the developer but with no thanks to ADH. Our third trip was totally independant and using all the knowledge we had picked up from our first two trips we did manage to find our dream villa through another agent (Fuenplaza who I would recommend) – brand new but already finished and ready to move into within 8 weeks.
I’m glad I didn’t proceed with the ADH off-plan ’cause it still is no where near completion now (had a look when we were there earlier this month) and wish I had found forums like this before I came out on my first two trips Claire is right it helps to share all our experiences but ultimately the decision is the individuals but through forums like this hopefully people can learn by others misfortunes. Good Luck to anybody thinking of buying or anybody trying to buy and having problems. Debbie. 😀
You are both right guys and the ideal way to do it is come out on your own and look around. Unfortunately most people don´t have the luxury of time on their side and are forced to have to use the agents, big or small to do their work for them. I do truly believe that your opinion of a company can be marred by the person you deal with , although I accept that in Claires case there are always people who can get shafted by a company as a whole.
Hi heather, im not disputing what she writes or says…but as the old adage goes if you have a bad experience you tell 100 people , if you have a good epxerience you might tell 2..(or something like that)
As a “small local estate agent” in the Benalmadena CDS area I thought I would add my comments to the discussion! I have several friends who either have been or are still working for the big ex timeshare boys, and they all say that they are TAUGHT to sell what THEY want and virtually ignore what the customer wants! a crazy situation but one that has obviously worked in the past….however things are a little different now…thanks to forums like this people are much more clued up and aware of the tactics used by some agents.
I cant agree more that you need time to research an area and the properties on offer and find an agent that specialises in the particular area you are interested in and knows what they are talking about rather than these big companies that just show you what suits them…not you.
Sorry to rant on about it but we hear these kind of comments all the time and personally it makes me mad that the property market in Spain gets a bad reputation (unfairly in most cases) mainly due to these high pressure, just grab the commission, “agents”
As a “small local estate agent” in the Benalmadena CDS area I thought I would add my comments to the discussion! I have several friends who either have been or are still working for the big ex timeshare boys, and they all say that they are TAUGHT to sell what THEY want and virtually ignore what the customer wants! a crazy situation but one that has obviously worked in the past….however things are a little different now…thanks to forums like this people are much more clued up and aware of the tactics used by some agents.
I cant agree more that you need time to research an area and the properties on offer and find an agent that specialises in the particular area you are interested in and knows what they are talking about rather than these big companies that just show you what suits them…not you.
Sorry to rant on about it but we hear these kind of comments all the time and personally it makes me mad that the property market in Spain gets a bad reputation (unfairly in most cases) mainly due to these high pressure, just grab the commission, “agents“
Well done DEBb for getting out of it, I am surprised you managed. Really pleased for you. It is true what Marc says that they sell you what they want you to buy. In my case I had never thought of an off plan, I wanted something already built, but with all the glossy brochures and sales talk and “buddiness” I was convinced. I know I should have known better. If only I had come across this web site earlier! Anyway, no use crying over spilled milk…Lets all do the buying and selling ourselves and cut out these people who charges outrages commissions or use a small local estate agent with a good reputation. There are several around.
i think that although they will try sell you what they want if you stick to your guns and be very firm with them you will see what you want. you just have to take no bull, tell them your exact requirements and let them get as close to that as possible, and if you arent happy then dont buy it. if you want resale stae that and if they take you to off plan threaten to walk off, they will soon be back doing what YOU want to do.
To Spain and Stina, many many people have had problems dealing with this company O. E., they have been discussed at least 4 times in the Sunday papers, and on television re mis-selling etc so you are lucky not to have bad experiences of them. There are plenty of links on earlier postings regarding them on this site, hopefully they are improving their sales tactics at last???????? I’m not so sure having recently spoken to them as a potential buyer.
Personally I would advise trying smaller agents, less overheads, probably less commission as a result. Staff are always moving on from O.E. etc which then gives them an opt out ‘naughty sales person shouldn’t have told you that etc’ ‘it doesn’t represent the views of our company etc’
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