Miša Pavlović, Commercial Director from My Costa Blanca Property
Since having exhibited at A Place in the Sun Live, we have realised how popular Costa Blanca really is. Having spoken to thousands of visitors and other exhibitors, we decided to explore this region a bit more.
Foremost Property Group’s interview with Miša Pavlović, Commercial Director from My Costa Blanca Property
Miša Pavlović Since having exhibited at A Place in the Sun Live, we have realised how popular Costa Blanca really is.
Having spoken to thousands of visitors and other exhibitors, we decided to explore this region a bit more.
To help us with this, we decided to find out a bit more about one of the agents who exhibited at A Place in the Sun Live and cover the Costa Blanca region.
Established for well over a decade on the Costa Blanca, My Costa Blanca Property boast an unrivalled reputation and experience in the property market sector.
Owned by a construction company, this gives My Costa Blanca Property an interesting background, one which the team and their clients have found very useful for tackling the property market.
Why would you say your company is different to other agencies in Costa Blanca?
There are two main points I would single out why we are not just different, but better and are aiming to excel.
Could you please explain?
Firstly, as we have a civil engineering background (our sister company Nordic Constructions had been in the construction business in Costa Blanca for more than 15 years) unlike a typical, traditional estate agent, we are in a much better position to give thorough advice to clients.
This would range from pre-purchase valuation or should a client desire general or structural surveys done by our architect, to post purchase assistance in all types of property reforms.
By offering this service, clients are in a better position to evaluate if a particular property is suitable for them and knowingly make a decision – not to mention of course the cost awareness.
As you may imagine, this is not always popular with vendors, but we always emphasise that we are here primarily for the buyers.
Our ultimate aim is simply to find the most appropriate property for a buyer and match their set criteria and budget – not to find buyers for properties.
It is a different approach and one we have experienced that our customers very much value and benefit from this approach as they know exactly what to expect before making a purchase decision.
And secondly?
Secondly, in order to provide the best possible quality of transparent, honest service, we always make it quite clear that we don’t limit ourselves to just searching our portfolio but the market as a whole.
One common thing, unfortunately, none us can compromise on is the budget.
So, though each client is an individual case on its own merits, they all have in common financial restrains – in other words, quite simply, they are looking at us for a seamless experience, to find the best possible deal at the best possible location.
We have built a very strong collaboration network with a number of other, reputable estate agencies and construction companies in the wider area of operations in South Costa Blanca.
For each of them we are certain and can vouch for their quality of service, dedication and sincerity.
This, effectively a ‘Consortium’, has its advantages. Looked at from our prospective, we all have ‘local presence and global power’ and from customers’, they directly benefit as they have a much greater choice and lose less time and with less effort achieving a better result.
Furthermore, as we only know too well, the best deals do not stay on the market for too long and therefore, while searching, clients are often unaware of them and hence miss out!
Do you offer an after sales service?
Naturally, after sales service is very important and we provide it in the widest possible way giving a very comprehensive and way beyond customer expectations service which can be backed up by our customer testimonials.
However, we firmly believe that the ‘before’ sales service is even more important. This is where through attention to detail the actual quality surfaces and as I often say – “our clients don’t care how much we know until they know how much we care!”
This may seem laborious and time consuming but actually it isn’t as we draw on each other’s resources and have a system in place.
The aim is not just to turn a sale’s lead into a sale but primarily build clients’ trust by our precision of service that will make a satisfied client into a loyal one – i.e. we are nurturing a long term relationship.
What are clients looking for in their property search in your region?
As already mentioned, above all a good deal at a good location matching specific criteria and budget. The confidence, reliability and quality of service are, if not more than, certainly equally important.
Have clients’ property wish lists changed over the past 12 months? If so explain?
No, I don’t think so. It has always been important that we listen (and actually hear.) what the client wishes to achieve.
Often the ‘wish list’ and reality go opposite directions due to variety of reasons (budgetary restraints, exchange rate fluctuations, or simply not knowing about the area or the market etc.)
This is what we have to compassionately understand and where we ‘narrow the gap’ through being informative and providing various points to make that wish list more realistic.
The client will change their opinion and subsequently the wish list if the arguments are valid.
Do most clients view properties with you once and then communicate over the phone, or do they view property two or three times before purchasing
This is highly individual and while some are not as decisive and would view a few times (or wish to compare several properties a few times), for others, single viewing is sufficient to make a decision.
We find that those who do make a quicker decision have usually spent more time searching or a longer time in the area. In any case, generally they tend to have more knowledge.
Clients’ feedback and response varies and depends on different circumstances – if they are here or in UK, how much disposable time they have, personal communication preference and skills etc.
In any case customer feedback is our performance barometer. Our experience is mainly positive and they contact us back very quickly.
Are British buyers different in their needs then other buyers?
To some extent yes. The British feel more at ease and comfortable when they find other Brits have already purchased.
They are more inclined to purchase a resale rather than a new built property or for that matter one in a new development yet to be built. Otherwise, there are more similarities than differences.
Have prices moved in the past year? Is yes please explain.
Only on some, and at that very rarely, resale properties we have seen some decrease in price but majority of prices are very stable and we do not expect any further drop – if anything on the contrary.
On new build properties we have seen a marginal, indirect increase of about 2 – 3 %. I say indirect as if one looks just at the prices they have effectively not changed.
However, what has, is what’s now included in those prices – more precisely what’s now excluded.
For example, while before a developer would offer furniture, white goods, a storage room or an allocated underground parking space included, it is now considered an extra.
What are the best properties on the market at the moment?
Truthfully, the best properties hardly ever even reach the wider market.
While it is quite common to see other agents bombard the clients with ‘hot properties’ the truth really is that most are ‘slow moving items’ or ‘ugly ducklings’.
Equally, this proves exactly that those agents look to find buyers for properties. We are quite the opposite and ‘the best property’ depends entirely on the buyer’s definition.
Therefore truth be said any property could be the best as this is highly individual.
Generally, the majority fall into the price bracket of up to GBP 100K and then followed closely by another category between GBP 100K and 150K.
Why is your area so popular?
Popularity grew over a period of time and is influenced by many factors. Primarily due to excellent connections with the UK via two international airports: Alicante and Murcia, and all the infrastructure providing and catering fully for a UK consumer.
All the surrounding beaches are sandy and Blue Flag accredited for safety, cleanliness and facilities. Another important factor is the health benefit as this area is not just about dry weather, the sun and sea but also due to salt lakes and it’s medicinal properties creating a micro climate found very rarely anywhere else in the world, it becomes a natural spa on the Mediterranean coast. And of course let’s not forget the prices that simply cannot be compared to the UK’s.
Have you seen a shift in the type of buyer in your area over the past year?
Mostly no, though there have been some signs lately that potential buyers are a bit better informed, have a better idea of what they are looking for and marginally higher budget.
Summarise your company and how you service the needs of our overseas buyers.
I think I already explained this in some detail above.
Can you submit a testimonial from a happy overseas client?
Certainly – we can do even better! Instead of providing written quotations, which as we all know may slightly be tweaked to be more pleasing to the ear, while some other information conveniently just left out, we actually put our potential interested clients in direct contact with our past customers as they have no objection to recommend us or indeed talk to other clients in person. They are simply that happy and we are that confident in what we do.
With over two decades of international experience in the property market and construction industry, My Costa Blanca Property are a property specialist with a difference.
With unrivalled reputation and experience in the property market sector, we have developed unique expertise in:
- residential or commercial property
- rural property
- legal planning and development
- all types of construction
- all types of reforms
Our senior management are not just property specialist advisers, but civil engineers and design specialists. We have an unparalleled track record for honesty, reliability and punctuality. We don’t just sell and disappear, we advise and guide you every step of the way – before, during and after sale.
We successfully blend our personalised, tailor made service with our unique knowledge of the industry and local area to bring your dreams to reality!