How agency actually works overseas, who pays the commission, how to brief an agent so you get a real shortlist, and the warning signs that should end a conversation.
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Get MatchedThe single most useful thing to establish in a first conversation is who pays your agent. In most markets, commission comes from the seller or the landlord, which means the agent's legal duty runs to that side of the transaction rather than to you. That is not a reason to avoid agents — local agents hold the stock, the pricing history and the process knowledge you need — but it changes how you should use them. A smaller number of markets support genuine buyer or tenant representation, where you pay a fee and the agent owes you a duty of care. Where that exists it is often worth the money, particularly for a first purchase in an unfamiliar legal system. Ask directly: "Who pays you, and what happens to your fee if I walk away?" A professional answers in one sentence. Anyone who deflects is telling you something important. Also establish whether you are seeing whole-of-market stock or only the agency's own listings. In markets without a shared listings system, one agent may show you 15% of what is available. In that situation, working with two or three agents in parallel is normal practice rather than disloyalty.
Most established markets license property professionals in some form, and the register is usually public. In Dubai, brokers hold a RERA broker card with a verifiable number. In Spain, agency regulation varies by autonomous community, so credibility rests more on company registration, professional association membership and insurance. In Thailand, agency is comparatively lightly regulated, which makes independent legal advice more important than the agent's own credentials. Do three quick checks before you commit any time. First, confirm the legal entity: a company registration number and a registered office, not just a mobile number and a social profile. Second, read reviews on sources the agency does not control, then look for patterns rather than individual complaints — slow deposit returns and post-signature silence are the meaningful ones. Third, ask for two references from clients who completed six or more months ago, and actually call them. Finally, judge responsiveness before money is involved. Send a specific enquiry and see whether the reply answers your actual question. Service quality before a signature is the best predictor of service quality afterwards.
Vague briefs produce vague viewing lists. Agents work from constraints, so give them hard ones: a firm maximum budget including fees, the exact areas you will and will not consider, minimum bedrooms and floor area, your move-in date, and one or two non-negotiables — a lift, parking, outdoor space, a maximum walk to a station. Just as valuable is telling them what to rule out. "No ground-floor units, nothing on a main road, nothing above the fourth floor without a lift" saves everybody a week. Then ask for a shortlist before you fly out or set aside a day, and ask why each property is on it. An agent who can explain the reasoning is doing the job; one who forwards everything within your price range is not. If you are relocating rather than investing, tell the agent about the practical shape of your life — commute, whether you will drive, whether you need to be near a hospital, whether family will visit for long stretches, whether the household includes children or pets. Good agents translate that into neighbourhoods far better than any online filter.
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Get MatchedTake the same list to every agent, because comparing answers reveals more than any single answer does: • What is the all-in cost — price or rent, plus taxes, agency fee, registration, legal fees and deposits? • Are there restrictions on foreign ownership or foreign tenancy in this specific building or area? • What is the standard lease term, the notice period, and the early-termination position? • What did comparable units actually transact at in the last six months, not what are they listed at? • Who holds the deposit, and what is the documented process for returning it? • If buying: what is the title position, are there outstanding charges, and who does the searches? • Do you handle anything after completion — utilities, registration, management? Get the cost answer in writing. Verbal fee estimates that grow at signing are the most common complaint in every market we cover.
Walk away from any agent who asks for a significant payment before you have seen a property or a contract, who cannot produce a company registration, who refuses to put the fee structure in writing, or who pushes an unrelated property because "the one you asked about has just gone." Pressure tactics around a supposedly expiring price are the oldest signal in the business. Be equally wary of an agent who discourages independent legal advice, offers to hold your deposit personally rather than through a regulated escrow or registered account, or suggests understating a purchase price for tax purposes. That last one exposes you, not them. In practice, the best filter is candour. The agents worth keeping are the ones who tell you that your budget does not stretch to the area you named, that the yield you were quoted is gross rather than net, or that the building has a service-charge problem. Enthusiasm is easy to find; honesty is the scarce commodity, and it is what you are actually paying for.
Many expat transactions start before arrival. Remote working relationships live or die on evidence: ask for live video walkthroughs rather than edited reels, request photos of the specific things marketing hides — the view from the actual window, the corridor, the parking, the street at 6pm — and ask for the building's age, management company and monthly charges in writing. Never transfer a deposit to a personal account, and never sign a lease or reservation form you have not had read by an independent local lawyer. For purchases, budget for one trip to see the shortlist in person even if it feels inefficient. In every market, the properties that photograph best are rarely the ones that live best.
Start with locally registered agencies that can produce a company registration and, where the market licenses agents, a valid licence number. Check independent reviews for patterns, ask for two references from clients who completed at least six months ago, and test responsiveness with a specific question before you commit any time.
It varies by market and by transaction type. In Dubai, lettings agents typically charge around 5% of annual rent and sales agents around 2%. In Thailand, the landlord or seller usually pays. In Spain and Portugal, sales commission is generally paid by the seller at 3–5%. Always confirm in writing who pays what before viewing.
In markets without a shared listings system, working with two or three agents in parallel is normal and gets you far better coverage. Only sign an exclusive arrangement if it is time-limited, has clear cancellation terms, and you are getting genuine buyer or tenant representation in return.
Yes. Your agent's commission almost always comes from the other side of the deal, so they cannot be your independent adviser. For any purchase, and for any unusual lease, use a local lawyer who is not recommended solely by the selling agent.
Tell us what you need and we will connect you with vetted property professionals who work with international clients. No obligation.
Get Matched