Choose the adviser for the duties they accept, the independence they can demonstrate and the method they will apply when the purchase becomes difficult. These twelve questions help compare proposals without reducing the decision to promises, fees or a property list.
Do not choose on the promise of finding a home
The person who will guide a property purchase should not be selected because of a supposed secret portfolio, the number of properties they claim to know or a pleasant introductory call. The real test is how they will protect your interests when pressure rises, a property has weaknesses, negotiations become difficult or the documents do not align.
A responsible adviser cannot guarantee a particular property, a fixed discount or a transaction free of every issue. They can explain their method, limitations, contractual duties and what they will do when the right recommendation is not to buy.
The engagement matters more than the job title
Buyer’s agent, property finder and buying adviser can describe different services. Look beyond the label: who appoints the professional, to whom do they owe duties, from whom may they receive payment and what commitments are recorded in writing?
Excellent assistance from a selling agent does not, by itself, create independent buyer representation. This is not a criticism of the selling side; it is a reason to identify each role before confidential information, money or authority is given.
The first meeting should assess the buyer as well
Selection works both ways. You should ask questions, while the adviser should understand your objective, total budget, source of funds, financing, timing, locations, priorities and decision process. Accepting an unrealistic search without testing feasibility may feel easy at first and become frustrating later.
A boutique firm should also explain its capacity, who will actually manage the mandate and how continuity will be maintained. Availability is not proved by a fast first reply, but by sustained judgement throughout the purchase.
12 questions that deserve a clear answer
◆ 1. Whom do you represent and can you be paid by the other side?
The answer should state whether the adviser acts exclusively for the buyer and whether they may receive fees, referral payments or any other benefit from the seller, listing agency, developer or supplier.
The purpose is not to treat the other side as an adversary. It is to understand whose interests each professional must protect when price, information or terms conflict.
◆ 2. Which service do I need and what is excluded?
Not every buyer needs a full search. If you have already found the property, Buyer Advisory Express can cover transaction analysis, offer strategy, negotiation, checks, the deposit contract, notary coordination and completion without the search phase. International, investment, renovation and rental mandates require different scopes.
The engagement should separate included work, optional work and services quoted independently. Architectural design and project management should not be confused with buyer representation. Mortgage advice is likewise not an in-house service when the adviser only introduces specialist contacts.
◆ 3. How will you turn my preferences into a workable brief?
A useful brief is not a wish list. It ranks priorities, conflicts, total budget, acquisition costs, potential works, timing and decision flexibility. It records what cannot be compromised and what may change when market evidence shows that the original combination is unrealistic.
Ask how the brief will be documented, reviewed and recalibrated. Changing course because of evidence is disciplined; continuing an unworkable search without diagnosis is not.
◆ 4. Where will properties come from and how will you filter noise?
Portals, agents, developers, local contacts and privately marketed opportunities may all contribute. Off-market is a source, not a guarantee of quality. The value lies in market coverage and the filter applied before an option reaches you.
Ask whether the adviser conducts preview visits, what evidence you will receive, how options are compared and who checks alignment with the brief. More links are not necessarily better representation.
◆ 5. Who will conduct viewings and manage my purchase?
Know whether you will work with the person leading the mandate, different team members or local collaborators. A team may add coverage and expertise, but responsibility and decision channels must be defined.
Ask who handles previews, accompanies viewings, prepares the offer and responds when a fast decision is required. Photographs, videos, observations and open points should be recorded consistently.
◆ 6. How will you determine whether the price is justified?
An automated estimate or broad price-per-square-metre average is not enough. The adviser should explain the selection of comparables, micro-location and adjustments for floor, light, external aspect, layout, condition, terrace, parking, views, noise and building quality.
A credible answer does not need false precision. It should show how a reasoned range, unresolved information and a walk-away point inform the offer.
◆ 7. How will you negotiate without weakening my position?
Negotiation is not a standard discount request. It involves protecting the maximum budget, understanding the seller’s position, controlling information and deciding price, timing, included items and conditions. Ask who will speak to the selling side and what requires your approval.
The process should also cover counteroffers, claimed competing interest and pressure to reserve. A buyer’s representative must be able to recommend holding the line or withdrawing.
◆ 8. What technical review will be performed and what are its limits?
Ask who inspects the property, when and what report you receive. In the Lora Galeva process, a registered architect conducts a visual inspection before the deposit contract and issues the IRE report covering measurements, materials, condition, characteristics, photographs and available documents.
A visual inspection cannot reveal every concealed defect or replace invasive testing, specialist surveys or a renovation project where required. Honest limitations provide more protection than a promise of certainty.
◆ 9. Who will carry out the legal review?
Legal due diligence should have an identified author, scope and timing. Ask whether it is undertaken by the buying adviser or external counsel, which documents are reviewed and how findings are reported. Under Lora Galeva policy, external lawyers review the documents in every transaction.
Title information, owners’ association records, charges, contracts and discrepancies should not be left until completion. Coordinating a lawyer is not the same as replacing legal judgement.
◆ 10. What happens before I pay money or sign a deposit contract?
The process should show which checks precede each commitment. Where appropriate, Lora Galeva follows this sequence: transaction analysis, a purchase offer expressly subject to a satisfactory IRE report, the technical inspection, external legal review and then the deposit contract.
Ask who drafts or reviews any reservation, offer and deposit agreement; which matters remain outstanding; what happens if a check is unsatisfactory; and who controls deadlines. Sales urgency should not dictate the verification order.
◆ 11. How far does the service continue after the offer is accepted?
An accepted offer is not the end. Contracts, evidence, notary coordination, the public deed, handover and sometimes utilities or post-completion matters remain. International buyers may also need coordination for an NIE, bank account, powers of attorney, translations and specialist tax or legal input.
The engagement should distinguish between performing, coordinating and introducing each service, and explain which external costs require separate approval.
◆ 12. What does the engagement say about term, exclusivity, fees and termination?
Read the mandate before relying on trust. It should identify the parties, scope, duties, duration, territory, exclusivity, confidentiality, data handling, fees, initial retainer, expenses, termination and what happens if the purchase fails or a previously introduced property is acquired later.
No single fee fits every mandate. The proposal should reflect the real service and explain all payments and conditions before signature. Any unclear clause should be resolved in writing.
Answers that should prompt further questions
- The adviser cannot state clearly whom they represent or avoids disclosing who may pay them.
- They guarantee private access, a particular discount, a fixed timeframe or a risk-free transaction.
- They accept the mandate without testing budget, criteria, feasibility or source-of-funds readiness.
- They confuse sending listings with searching, or viewing with analysing.
- They cannot identify who performs technical and legal review or when it occurs.
- They press for payment or signature before providing understandable scope and terms.
- They focus on closing and cannot explain when they would recommend not buying.
The best answer is not always the most reassuring
A strong adviser does not need to promise perfection. They should explain what they control, what another specialist reviews, which decisions remain yours and when they would advise you to stop. Choosing well does not remove market uncertainty; it prevents you from facing it without method or buyer-side representation.
If you would like us to guide you through the whole process, discover our buyer’s agent services.
Related articles
- How much does a buyer’s agent cost in Spain? What determines the fee
- The agent showing you a property: are they representing you?
- Property viewing checklist: 25 checks before you buy
- How to tell if a property is fairly priced before making an offer
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