[Anonymous]

A message from Viva’s MD sent today to ex Interagency Network MLS members.

Message to former IN Network Member Agents

Dear All,

I am writing to you today as a courtesy, given that a number of former IN Network members have expressed a concern that they might have been excluded from our VIVA Networking programme and I felt it important to assure people that we have excluded no agency from working with us, whom we have dealt with in the past.

It is six months since VIVA Estates decided to withdraw from the IN Network, we believe that everyone has had enough time to understand that our decisions to withdraw were entirely related to our own business model and requirements.

We meant no harm to any agency, indeed we did everything within our power to ensure that a smooth transition to an alternative network or system was effected and I personally protected the private data of every single agency that had listings on the IN Network system.

Further to this, as promised we continued to accept all previously registered clients, we honoured and paid in full all sales commissions outstanding, and whilst we were subjected to a rather hostile and negative press campaign by a new network committee; we did not respond to this and we did not complain about it either.

We have moved on, and now we are entering a new phase of activity in 2007.

I am more than happy to openly discuss with anyone how our commission change has worked over the past 6 months, and I can advise you that we will continue to list properties within VIVA at a rate of 3%.

However, we are also listing at 5%, 7.5% and in exceptional circumstances related to our VIVA Networking programme we have also listed a number of properties at 10%, on the proviso that this rate is for Networking with our local agent partners.

This has excited a lot of agent friends, (yes believe it or not we do still have quite a few out there) but this is not all; our VIVA Networking programme will also allow our agent partners to promote and bring clients to our upcoming ESPANA EXPO 07 exhibition which will be launched here on the Costa del Sol in the Spring of this year.

We all have issues with lead to client generation, the Costa del Sol is not experiencing the best of times this past year in terms of real estate but we are bringing to the table all of our marketing experience and spend, all of our creative and innovate endeavour, to deliver a permanent exhibition for developers, lawyers, banks, and agents with all the related activity of an exhibition; being restaurant, crèche, seminar, entertainment facilities et al.

We have an exciting year ahead of us, we do not wish to be part of committees, we do not wish to be paying or even receiving fees for membership of any association, we will openly share our portfolio of currently over 3,500 properties with everyone that wants to share with us, and we will have the highest average commission split on the coast in doing so.

We will shortly be joining INFOCASA and our properties will be available to view with some 480+ agents on that network whom wish to share and register with VIVA Networking, and those who do so will be invited to participate without charge and have daily access throughout the year to ESPANA EXPO 07 and its exhibition environment.

There may be some among our old IN Network associates who will now want to run a campaign of negativity about us, there may be some who want to attempt a campaign to boycott VIVA Estates, and this genuinely saddens me.

We have done nothing to harm any party, we have caused no party any material loss to their business or enterprise, and I am sorry if I have offended any party but I was never allowed to meet and address the old IN Network membership and put forward our position.

However, as I said earlier, we have moved on, we are moving upward, we are as upbeat and positive about the market as we have ever been, and daily we are touring clients from many agencies and making sales every day also.

The purpose of me writing to you now; has simply been to assure all our previous colleagues in the old IN Network that contrary to what some people believe, we have not excluded any agent from working with VIVA Networking and both I and our Networking personnel are happy and willing to talk to any of you at any time.

I wish you all a happy and successful 2007.

Best regards,

Chris McCarthy
Managing Director
VIVA Estates

7 February 2007

[katy]

Well. for once I am speechless 🙄 Wonder what the other agencies think of this. Perhaps Chris could also explain to buyers how to spot which are 3% properties and which 10%

[Inez]

Well I was waiting to see if it is a joke! I would be suprised if agents worked with them and it certainly shows how the market is if they need to share!

You can tell which is at 3% as the sales boards on the properties state it – there is one for sale by them and another agent in my urbanization. Board states sale 2%

Unfortunately the urb does NOT have a LFO so cant sell it anyway (unless one has cash of course) cos the banks wont lend there!!!

[katy]

Just picked up the latest copy of VIVA mag. No mention of any commission rates and its thiner than usual, contains more ads for new property with lots of computer mock-up photos.

I think if they are having a 4 tier commission rate we know which properties the sales agents will push, the ones who paid upfront for the 2% rate will be low in the pecking order.

[Inez]

Oh for sure – and their insert in the Sur has a sentence stating as commissionas are FROM 2% you can save thousands….. 😯

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