2.4. Property viewings

Property viewings are an essential part of buying a property but if you are looking to buy in Mallorca and do not live on the island there is fair amount of preparatory work you can do to facilitate and speed up the process. 

First of all, a thorough understanding of the island is essential. Small as it is, Mallorca can seem like a completely different place within a mere 50 mile radius and a 20 minute drive between villages will transport you from fertile inland countryside to bustling coastal resort. 

Secondly, your budget and the type of property you wish to purchase need to be decided on. Mallorca's property market is vast and diverse, ranging wildly in price range and house description, from stone clad townhouses in the villages to apartments on the seafront, country homes, holiday villas and state of the art mansions on the hilltops. Being clear as to what exactly you are interested in will help your real estate agent make an informed selection of property for you to view.

Your real estate agency can provide you with house descriptions, good quality colour photographs and the exact location of the properties you are most interested beforehand. Browsing their webpage is a worthwhile exercise, especially if you aren't completly clear on the exact kind of house you are looking for or there may be interesting options even if they are out of the area you first contemplated buying in. 

A viewing trip to Mallorca will give you a first taste of your selection of possible buys. Your agency should be able to help organize a suitable amount of viewings into your time frame and possibly find you somewhere to stay nearby. It can be tricky to remember each separate property, its pros and cons, what you particularly liked and didn't like about one property or another, especially if you are planning to fit a lot of viewings into a very short space of time. This is where your estate agent will be able to help you. If you have chosen a professional, their efficiency and enthusiasm will ensure you get the most out of the viewings and keep a clear record of everything you wish to remember about each property. 

Some things to look out for are: damp, structure, storage space, direction the house faces, room sizes, window frames, roof, power points, location and drainage. Country villas in Mallorca often have their own sewage systems and are not necessarily connected to the main sewage network so it is worth asking about this. Rewiring your home, replacing the roof or finding that you have been tricked by clever staging and fresh paint over moldy patches can all be avoided by taking a close look at cracks and corners, taking a compass along to check whether the house is north or south facing and most importantly, take your time, and if in doubt, ask for a surveyor to give you a professional opinion.

Making an appointment to see a property should be done through an estate agency and your agent will accompany you on the viewing. If you aren´t able to keep an appointment, reschedule, and you are always welcome to turn up at the agency offices and browse their books but viewings involve owner's and agent's time constraints too so will need to be booked in advance. Lunch time in Spain is sacred and indispensable so don't expect to go on any viewings between 2 and 5 pm, and estate agencies usually close on Saturday afternoons and all of Sunday. 

You may be asked to sign an exclusivity document (nota de encargo) which serves to protect the real estate agency commission and to stop you from buying directly from the owner or the same property via another agency. A reputable real estate agency may also wish to vet you before arranging viewing trips to ascertain how serious you are about buying. 

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