Management and rentals in Spain
"Everyday problems can occur in even the most well-organised homes."
Your new home in the sun
Once you’ve purchased your perfect home-from-home in the sun, who will help you look after it? A property abroad often represents a considerable personal investment, so finding the right organisation to care for it is an important step. Here’s a practical guide to help you make that decision.
Leaving your home alone
As we all know, everyday problems can occur in even the most well-organised homes, and regular maintenance is often required to combat the effects of weather and time. The downside of owning an unmanaged property in another country is that problems, such as plumbing leaks or storm damage, can go unnoticed for long periods of time. That can be a real worry and mean some unwelcome, and perhaps costly, surprises when you arrive for your stay.
Find a reputable company
The ideal answer is to find a reputable local company specializing in professional property management in Spain, who undertakes regular inspection visits at least twice monthly. Regular checks should identify any problems with the property or its contents, and a good company will also air rooms, monitor cleanliness and décor, and check whether utilities and appliances are in full working order.
Regular reports
Timely communications are very important, so expect regular reports of inspection visits that note any problems and make recommendations. Preferably these should be instantly available to you via the web, showing you any necessary photographs, e.g. a damp wall or a tree felled by high winds, etc, together with quotations for remedial work.
Easy on-line management
Managing your property from your own home or, indeed, anywhere in the world should be a simple process. So look for a company with whom you can communicate easily, where you can request services on-line, plan your holiday visits, and pay bills by credit card. For maintenance work like gardening or pool cleaning, expect to approve a quotation beforehand. In emergencies, such as a water leak, ensure immediate action would be taken on your behalf to minimise damage to the property.
Time-consuming troubleshooting
Find a company with experienced multi-lingual staff who can help you resolve any time-consuming issues with local authorities, or electricity, water and telephone companies, with the minimum of fuss. Ensure they will be your secure ‘key holder’ and will manage your keys on your behalf when tradesmen have to gain access, or visiting guests need keys on arrival or in an emergency.
Visiting your holiday home
Getting the most from your holiday home is paramount when you, your family, or guests pay a visit. So make sure the company will organise everything automatically for you, including cleaning and laundry, making up beds, and switching on hot water and air-conditioning or heating. Ideally you and your guests should also be able to book additional services on-line, like arranging a welcome pack with flowers, or a chauffeured car from the airport. And, during your stay, if you need a babysitter or a local restaurant recommendation, or want to know where you can go sailing or quad-biking, the company should be a knowledgeable local information source that can help you enjoy your stay to the full.
“The rentals agent should be there for tenants and holidaymakers on a 24/7 basis.”
Renting out your property
If you only intend using your holiday home a few weeks of the year, renting is a good way to cover some of the costs of ownership, while enjoying longer-term capital growth on your investment. The key to success is to do your research first. So, before you buy, think about how often you will use your holiday home, and how much of the costs you wish to recoup through rentals. Do you want to visit at certain times of the year, such as Christmas or school holidays? Or can you be flexible about your dates and come off-peak when you may have no bookings? Would you rent out to holidaymakers? Or do you prefer a regular income from long-term rentals?
Finding the right help
Getting qualified help to answer these questions is an important first step. Given that you want to rent out your new home, talking to an agent with experience of lettings is the best option. They’ll advise you about rental prices, the expected number of rental weeks each year, where best to buy, and how to furnish your property to attract rentals. Most agents say that properties in areas of high demand, such as golf courses or beachside, give the best returns. Experienced lettings agents can also identify which of the many available property options are best from a rentals viewpoint.
Managing rentals for you
Any reputable company will also manage the entire rental process for you, including preparing a detailed inventory and a guest manual for your visitors. Expect them to market your property through their website and to undertake regular advertising. Ideally they will handle all client bookings and payments on-line, ‘meet and greet’ holidaymakers on arrival, and ensure that guests find your property clean and aired, with hot water on, and beds freshly made up. For long term lettings, a good agent will also take references, ensure a detailed tenancy agreement is signed and visit your property regularly. For your peace of mind, the rentals agent should be there for tenants and holidaymakers on a 24/7 basis to resolve any issues that may arise during their stay, whether it’s for a week or a year. And, finally, the rentals company should ensure that all rental monies collected are transferred, net of any costs, direct to your bank account, either after the holiday let, or on a monthly basis, if it’s long-term.
Peace of mind guaranteed
If you own a holiday home in Spain, peace of mind comes from knowing that someone you trust is caring for your property, as well as guiding you through the rental decision-making process, and fully managing those rentals for you. So seek advice from an agent with a working knowledge of the rentals market and who has built long-term relationships with its customers through offering professional property management services. If in doubt about an organisation’s credentials, ask to see testimonials from satisfied customers!
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Article contributed by The Property Solutions Group, Elviria, Marbella, Spain.
The Property Solutions Group focuses its efforts on providing a prestige sales and after-sales service through its three web-based divisions: HomeCareontheWeb Property Management, HolidayRentalontheWeb Lettings, and HomeSalesontheWeb Property Sales. Having helped a client buy their new home, the company takes an active part in caring for the property, and manages rentals so the owner can earn extra income. The company has a vested interest in giving clients accurate advice from the outset, and prides itself on putting after-sales first. They also offer mortgage advice, furnishing packages and re-location assistance.
HomeCareontheWeb provides regular inspections and on-line reports, cleaning and maintenance services, and facilities for planning holiday visits.
HolidayRentalontheWeb serves long-term rental customers and holidaymakers through its website where clients can book and pay for accommodation and services over the web.
HomeSalesontheWeb promotes a select portfolio of mainly sole agency villas, townhouses and apartments, and finds clients properties through its comprehensive HomeSearch facility.
If you need any help or advice call
(+34) 952 83 95 95
or visit the relevant website:
www.homecareontheweb.com
www.holidayrentalontheweb.com
www.homesalesontheweb.com
Property Mart Overseas April 2005
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