Foreign investment in real estate in Spain joined in 4840 million euros at the end of last year 2006. This represents a fall of 12% over the previous year and confirms a downward trend that began in 2005. There is a general consensus that high prices are reached home in Spain, with a focus on areas favored by foreign buyers-costs-coupled with the slow but steady escalation of interest rates, the two factors indicates that the major culprits for this decline in the volume of investment. The latest wave of scandals in some urban traditional tourist destinations and the protests of foreign owners by the Act of Valencia Valencia have not exactly helped to reverse this trend.
This scenario would also include a change in the shape of the housing market to foreign buyers. A few years ago it was common for the promoters delegate the marketing abroad in a few specialized organizations in hotels and real estate fairs where trying to get in touch with potential customers. Those who showed more interest could be "invited" to a flight inspection to Spain where they were picked up by persuasive commercial began a marathon of promotions in the course of which he owned trying to find the taste of the customer and firm a reservation. The commissions that the promoters gave the sellers were very juicy and huge margin until a few years ago was handled in such operations justify the high cost of marketing.
The growing Internet penetration, however, has come to change the rules of the game. Potential home buyers have learned to surf the net on the hunt and capture of the virtual home of your dreams, so they possess a level of information and documentation were unthinkable a few years ago. The current real estate portal offering all types of information: photographs of the property and area, perspectives, and alterations of finishing options, virtual tours, extensive documentation of the environment, average price per square meter for the area ... Perhaps why the foreign buyers prefer to visit different sites in the privacy of your home, in a way that are not subject to any commercial pressures, and extract from them the necessary information for later contact and engage in interviews and on a base well documented, with the companies that interest them most.
The immense potential of this tool is now beginning to be discovered. And just when the pace of sales has begun to slow down that many developers are making a smooth transition from the model of marketing delegations abroad toward using direct marketing as the main showcase your own website. The showroom in hotels, flights and expensive inspection catalogs in full color, are giving way to the virtual perspective, multilingual call center, chat with the commercial real-time and downloadable PDF brochure.
So, despite the downward trend of recent years, there is some light at the end of the tunnel. The recovery of Germany seems just around the corner, the escalation of prices has moderated and the prospect of lower inflationary pressure suggests that interest rates will not rise much more. To maximize the opportunities that can be opened in this new scenario it is important to understand what are the key aspects that can influence the degree of success a real estate portal that aims to commercialize housing in foreign markets. Most of these factors are related to a common concept: find. It aims to present, argue, inform, and compete in search engines from the perspective of the customer that we are going.
Locate the product information
Looking at the traffic analysis web portal inmobiiario any, find it very easy to identify a search pattern that is repeated again and again: "housing type" + "status" as a "villa in Marbella"; " apartment in Benidorm or semidetached in Santander, for example. So we can reasonably suspect that the first choice that makes a potential buyer which is the real estate, while the second is where. Ie what type of home would you like to buy and where to buy it. Another issue is that what really exists in where desired, and finally, at the price you are willing to pay.
Once these three aspects-borne type, location and price of housing, we could assume that someone has to start a major trade deal (the purchase of a property is often one of the largest transactions that most people do throughout his life) an enterprise in a foreign country and not always the media have done justice, very probably wonder who I'm going to buy my house. In other words, I will deal with a reliable and solvent company? I have secured the money to hand account by the purchase of my home? Do you offer sufficient guarantees that respond to potential claims after the sale?
Finally, and also directly related to the distance and the knowledge that the buyer in another country can have our own, we could identify a kind of additional information related to how you come to realize purchasing a home in Spain by a buyer abroad, with all that implies: legal obligations, tax and financial aspects involved. Would it be better to hire a mortgage in Spain or abroad? What taxes will I pay? What brings the cost of buying a home? What are the documents that I have to sign, and when? etc.
In its role as virtual shopping, a real estate portal should be prepared to answer these and many other questions raised by potential foreign buyers. We will see each of the four separately.
1. Product Information
Experience shows that the product chips are the heart of every real estate portal. If a site keeps offering a portfolio of 20,000 properties, for example, this should be the minimum number of pages indexed in Google for this portal. The way to know the total number of pages that Google has crawled our site is as simple as entering the command site: www.misitio.com (or. Net,. Es, etc.) Into the search box. Google will return a list of all pages on our website that keeps its index. If the number of pages is much lower than the total number of properties on offer, then we might have a problem indexed by search engines that are not being able to index the entire contents of our website. We must verify that the property sheet will not open in a new window (pop-up). If so, we must change the structure of the web so that the property sheet to open in the same window that we are sailing at the time.
We must also check that the only way to navigate to the tab of a property is as a result of consultation on an internal search engine (such as choose the type of housing, number of bedrooms, maximum price, etc..) Since the robots of the search engines can not use these forms to get to the pages. The search forms of property thus becomes insurmountable walls that prevent Internet search engines can index all the files of real estate. If this were the case, we will provide links that point to pages where buildings are grouped together by certain search parameters: "apartments in Alicante, apartments in New York", "villas in Benalmadena, and so on. These lists will contain the microfiche to be repeating these expressions in a natural way, as we have seen, correspond to the usual method of finding properties in the search engines: "housing type" + "location" which facilitate the positioning of these pooled results pages on search engines. Each of the displayed property microfiching must contain a link to the page of product details as to facilitate the transit of the search engine robots to the page of each building in particular.
Needless to say, these pages must have a title that coincides with its content (the page of new apartments in Madrid should be entitled "New Madrid Pisos Inmobiliaria XXX" and not a generic title like "Welcome to Inmobiliaria XXX" or even worse, no one title). Similarly, the estate must file an individual entitled: "Buy new apartment in Madrid with Real XXX" or similar arrangement.
These pages are grouped by buildings with the more usual search also produced a positive impact on the usability of the website. It has been found that certain types of users prefer a visual search, "pecking" on microfiche, and whose images are more attractive prices are those presented in these pages of results rather than follow the path most "logical" to define the criteria selection in the form of the internal search engine.
Programmed in this way, each page of our website becomes a hook cast into the waters of Internet search engines. If our property sheets are not listed individually in the search engines, we are losing a huge potential of qualified traffic, since only be reaching potential users through brand recognition. And get a good branding involves a huge financial investment in promotion and advertising in the long term.
If, in addition to listing each property in the search engines, our website has several versions in different languages, we logically multiplying the number of "hooks" to catch users of our websites. From this point of view, compete in different languages carries a significant advantage to have a website in Swedish, Norwegian or Dutch allows us to compete in areas less traveled: There are far fewer real estate websites in those languages than in Spanish, English or German.
But to compete properly in other languages also involves not only know exactly how a native of another country shall refer to a particular type of product (one English, for example, uses the term "bungalow" to refer to a semi-detached housing, but "attached" also known as "villa" to what we call family "cottage") but how to argue the specific qualities of the product. Thus, the reasons for which one could buy a Spanish villa on the outskirts of Fortuna in Murcia are probably very different from those that would trigger a sale to a German or English. That is why the descriptions of the houses can not be a simple translation from Spanish to English features, but must be argued from the perspective of a potential buyer. If for a Spanish villa in Fortuna is the way to a house at a cost lower than the same house in Murcia capital, is the English for a warranty can burnt in the sun all year round.
Finally, to compete properly in browsers other countries, we must look at the different search engines at the national level tend to bias results to favor their websites geolocalizados in the same country. What's this? Well Google.es, for example, tends to present at top, equal to domains ending in. Com or domains. Com servers housed in Spanish (which distinguishes through its IP number). Another way in which search engines awarded a "nationality" of a particular domain is through the nationality of the domains that have links pointing to it. So if we want to compete with an advantage in the google.co.uk search engine (Google UK) or de.yahoo.com (Yahoo! Germany) should at least some of these conditions:
To have a country code domain. Ie, a domain ending in. Co.uk,. De,. Fr, etc.
Or have a hosted web server with an IP belonging to the country in which we compete
Or have subdomains (like uk.midominio.com) with a sufficiently large number of links from domains geolocalizados in the country they wish to compete (in this case, domains ending in. Co.uk
2. The information environment of the environment due to the question: Where to buy? In this regard, and putting on shoes from overseas buyer, we can intuit that the interest in the environment of the housing covers a much wider area, the more distant is the potential buyer. The information environment has two facets:
Information on how the environment
Information that gives me the environment
Within the first group could range from the usual description of the climate of the area, rainfall data, hours of sun in different seasons, etc. .- description of the orography-mountains, close to the sea, beaches, and the appearance own neighborhood and the urban environment where it is framed housing residential area with large green areas, urban areas, historic, rural housing ...
Not all the features necessary to display this information must be developed from scratch. Google Earth, Google Maps, The Weather Channel and many other specialized web sites can act as providers of various types of information and functionality that we can perfectly integrate within the content of our pages, giving them a much higher level of information that could achieved using only our own resources.
In some U.S. websites, as realliving.com can find environmental data such as:
Population
Average age
Average number of children per couple
Percentage of married
Average income per household
Percentage composition of the population by level of education (elementary, secondary, university)
Percentage of each race ...
Even a percentage of workers known as "blue collar jobs" or "white collar jobs" (to designate the persons who perform engineering, manufacturing, etc.. Opposed to administrative work)!
And all these data are presented in a comparative table for the city, county and state. In localreply.com, we find, in addition, the rate of employment and unemployment in a given town or area (classified by zip code) and even the crime rate.
It's really striking that level of completeness in the amount of information available about the immediate environment in the North American portals. In a country where social mobility is very high, it is normal that the applicants for housing in an area that is requiring this level of unknown information. In a much smaller country like Spain, where the distances and differences can not be so large, this amount of information may not be justified. But we should think that would really be welcomed by potential foreign buyers because they help to make a composition of what they can find and reduce the degree of uncertainty about the multiple factors involved in a transfer of residence or purchase of a new housing expected to move to it in the future.
Within the second group would include all equipment, services, facilities and attractions offered by the environment. From the perspective of a potential foreign buyer centered holiday home or a residence for retirement, issues that might be of interest include, among others:
Accessibility communications proximity to highways, airports, ports, train stations ...
Commercial areas, particularly where they can find products in their own country or they can respond in their own language
Professional services, particularly if they speak your language: lawyers, tax advisors, veterinarians, business reform, decorating ...
Health care
Schools, in particular that they can teach in their language or even to follow the curriculum of the country (British Council, French School, College of Europe ...)
Sports facilities: golf courses, gyms, marinas, riding, etc..
Sights: entertainment centers, amusement parks, theme parks, museums, theaters, auditoriums, historic, monumental, events, restaurants, festivals and traditional celebrations, open-air markets, crafts.
All these aspects are also part of the appeal of a particular property, are advantages which the property is not in itself but because of its location. Learning to identify and evaluate arguments to allow the eyes of the foreign buyer.
3. Company Info
Information on the company responds to the question who do I buy?. Unfortunately, Spain pulls a long history of horror stories real estate abroad. More or less real basis, the traditionally accepted "payment to B," the sale of properties in plots without urbanise or simply direct the scam are weights that drag past and present joined in a recent scandals that property -- even with the dissolution of a municipality of Marbella and the demolition of homes purchased by British-or application of such controversial laws like the Law of the Land of Valencia favor somewhat the confidence necessary for a smooth business relationship with buyers in Europe and threaten the prestige pulse earned by companies that have done good things.
Buying a home is an involved operation in itself a great risk, as is often the largest purchase of our lives. If we add the knowledge of the language and customs of another country as well as the low visibility that many developers may have in those countries, the perceived risk increases. And the reputation, deserved or not, of Spain as a paradise for real estate speculators helps foreign buyers face the adventure of purchasing a home in our country with an attitude that ranges from mere suspicion to the maximum prevention. It is in this context is justified where a real estate portal which provide all possible information about the seriousness, course, history and ethics of the company. Among other issues, the site should reflect:
Date of incorporation of the company and its track record in recent years through its most significant milestones
Staff, headquarters, sales offices, and so on. anything that helps to tangibilizar a presence at the time to visit the site, are only virtual
Mission / vision of the company, with special reference to their objectives and ethics in their performance
Quality certifications, approvals, membership in professional associations, awards and other recognitions. that may be presented as the official accreditation to support quality service
Promotions largest delivered in the past. If you could include testimonials from satisfied buyers, the better.
Presence of the company in the media reproduce the articles in the local press where the company name or real estate developer in connection with their promotions, sponsorships, etc.
Corporate social responsibility: to provide data on how the company returns to society some of their profits in the form of sponsorships, sponsorship, etc..
Bank guarantee to deposits made image of the logo of the bank that provides financing and guarantees provided by the
4. Information procedures
The last leg in this journey towards the goals that a website aimed at overseas markets must meet is the information on procedures, legal requirements, funding opportunities and customs at the time of completing the acquisition of a new home . This is to answer the last question: how to buy a house in Spain?
Real estate websites do not usually provide much information on this issue. Are, in effect, articles, step by step guides and more testimonials on other websites more generic, like justlanded.com, euroresidentes.com and the like. It seems as if those responsible for some real estate websites "fear" that potential customers may have "too much" information. The fact is that this information is available on the network and just a simple Google search to find dozens of pages that describes, from multiple perspectives, the various steps and procedures for the successful completion of the acquisition of a housing in our country. Would not it be a sign of transparency to include this information in their own real estate portals? Can not help generate a greater level of confidence that the developer was the first to be concerned that your prospect has all the elements to make a choice and a purchase decision with greater knowledge?
Returning to the initial question: is a web property office, a commercial and must provide all resources, all the arguments of sale required not only to highlight the virtues of the product, but to help the potential buyer to tear down the many obstacles that separate him from the house of your dreams: ignorance, mistrust, the need for funding, the urgency to make a educated decision based on knowing all the facts. Within aspects of the procedures could include information on:
Advantages of subrogation in the mortgage against the developer to seek a new mortgage
Comparison of mortgages in Spain and in his own country
Compare the cost of living connection to their country of origin: what will the purchasing power of their pensions, for example?
Steps and documents used in buying off plan, buy turnkey, second-hand housing, etc.. and expenditures matched: notary, mobile ...
Information on their rights-time warranty, chances of claiming reparations after delivery if you find deficiencies, guarantees of the deposits on account, etc..
Opportunities to locate their permanent residence in Spain: voting rights, opportunities for starting a business in our country, the obligation to register the vehicle, duties of medical care, etc..
This is just a sample of the type of information that a potential home buyer abroad can sue when deciding to buy a house in Spain. The price level has reached the real estate supply in our country has slowed sales. Aimed at promoting the sale of second homes to foreigners and do not compete between them, but mainly with the emergence of new poles of attraction for the home equity in other countries that enjoy similar weather conditions in Spain, will play in the future tough competition after reaching the political and social stability for its property-less, its lowest price level and the lower cost of living. At a higher level of processing information that is provided through the Internet can be the key to attract a clientele increasingly distrustful, demanding and informed.
Fernando Maciá.
Director of Human Level Communications, a consultant for search engine positioning, management of sponsored links campaigns and development of real estate websites. Author of Search Engine Positioning, published by Anaya Multimedia. Professor of Marketing at Digital Fundesem Business School.
Written by: jgosende
Fuente del artÃculo http://www.articulo.org/autores_perfil.php?autor=39
