IN our agency, 30% of buyers are Spanish and 70% international. We speak 14 languages, but speaking someone’s language does not mean understanding how they expect to buy a home.
I am not talking about whether you offer coffee, tea or beer. I mean buying and selling culture.
Think of a chef who buys fresh fish every morning. He knows quality, prices and when someone is taking him for a ride. But buying a property? Different territory. Even ten purchases over a lifetime cannot match the experience of a professional estate agent handling transactions every day.
That applies to Spanish and international clients alike. However, overseas buyers bring something extra: expectations formed in another country. “Back home, we do it like this” is something we hear constantly.
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Spanish buyers supposedly want the three Bs: bueno, bonito y barato. Good, beautiful and cheap. Although I have yet to meet a foreign buyer seeking something bad, ugly and expensive.
The differences emerge when offers arrive. I have dealt with Swedes accustomed to bidding upwards, Scots who open low, and Germans who submit detailed written arguments and expect an immediate answer. Personal experiences, of course, not passport rules.
One delicate combination? A Scottish buyer and a German seller. One sees a low offer as an opening move; the other may take offence and refuse discussions.
Time to become an international psychologist.
Sometimes I call the seller and say: “The good news is your house hasn’t burnt down.”
Silence. “What?”
“Are you sitting down? Your house is fine. We’ve also received an offer. Although it’s low.”
Now I have their attention.
Obviously, you need to know your audience. Explaining that a low offer is a starting point also works. Personally, I prefer the fire. More drama.
After 23 years, I know negotiations can fail because of how an offer is communicated, not simply its value.
Our job is to explain expectations, put offers into context and keep people talking long enough to find common ground.
Translating an offer is easy. Making sure nobody hangs up takes more skill.
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