Wednesday, September 13, 2023, BY Jessica Hernández, Real estate advisor & marketing analyst in SILMÉXICO
Currently, there are numerous websites where we can see countless properties with eye-catching headlines and images, which can be a great influence in our search and selection of a property, whether for sale or rent. However, it is necessary to point out that not everything we see on the Internet is real, which is why it is important to take appropriate measures to avoid unpleasant surprises.
In this section, we give you some tips so you can carry out your search and be confident that you are about to make a safe real estate transaction.
1.- Advertising that is in accordance with NOM-247
Nowadays it is legally stipulated that every property advertisement must include all the necessary information about the property: location, surface area, number of rooms, types of finishes, conditions of the place, and rental or sale price. If the advertisement does not comply with what NOM-247 dictates, this is a red flag that you should pay attention to, as it could be misleading advertising and possible fraud. Read more about this standard in NOM-247.
3.- Verify that the company or person you are dealing with is real.
If you have doubts about whether the person you are dealing with is a legally constituted company or that the person really represents the company, it is best to verify it. To do this, you can do a search on maps to physically locate the offices, as well as read the reviews on the internet. Likewise, you can call asking for the person you are in contact with.
4.- Be careful with the forms!
There are portals, or most of them, where they ask you to request a form with your personal information such as your email to add you to their contact list for newsletters, which is totally normal, however, there could be some that ask you your bank card details and exact address, this obviously means an attempt at fraud and you should leave the said page immediately. It is best to discard it and continue your search on sites that do not ask for this type of sensitive information.
5.- Go accompanied to visits to the property
It is logical that at some point you will have to visit the property. Once the appointments are scheduled make sure you always go accompanied by one or 2 other people, if this is not possible, share your location with your trusted people and maintain communication with them.
6.- Study the market
Although it is true that your real estate advisor will guide you and know how to answer your questions, you can do a little prior research on the prices of similar properties in the area, this way you will have a rough idea of the state of the market and it will be easier for you to understand and in the future bid for the property.
7.- Do not make any payment without a contract involved
No matter how attractive a property is and its price, you should not make payments online without first having visited it or without a purchase and sale contract involved. Whoever sells you by word of mouth is lying to you, remember that at the end of the day a piece of paper talks.
Searching for your property online gives you comfort, you do it at your own pace and with the possibility of pre-selecting only those that really suit your needs and budget. However, you must be cautious in the platforms you use to avoid fraud.
At SILMÉXICO we guarantee the certainty and legality of our processes, from safe navigation on our website to personalized attention at our headquarters in the City of Oaxaca and Huatulco, and by telephone.
Contact us at info@silmexico.com or call 951 127 1380 for more information.
