If you’re from a large country with a competitive real estate market, chances are you’re used to having access to several, and maybe even one, online portal that lists almost all of the current real estate listings. Finding property for sale in Andorra is a little more difficult.
In this article we will introduce you to:
- the problems you are likely to encounter when looking for a property to buy in Andorra,
- the best way to find potential properties,
- the best Andorran property portals worth checking out, and
- using real estate agents to find what you really want.
Problems of finding property for sale in Andorra
To begin with, in a tiny country with an insufficient supply of real estate, there is an oversupply of agents. If real estate agents in Andorra only listed their own shares for sale, their windows (and websites) would be empty.
Instead, many real estate agents “relist” other agents’ properties on their own website, often with prices reduced by 10%, to generate some interest. When you call to inquire, they will try to find out who they “borrowed” the ad from.
Most often, the property is sold or, surprisingly , the owner does not want to take a 10% discount and does not show any interest in it.
In many cases, the owner cannot be found because one agent has relisted a relisted property 5 times, all at different prices, few of which represent the amount of money the seller is seeking.
The simplest and most complex solution
So where can you find properties for sale in Andorra? The simple answer is to find an agent you can trust to help you find the property you want.
Simple advice, but often difficult in practice . Many new Andorran residents have been amazed at “how difficult it is to buy quality property here.”
Some agents have been known to try to sell properties that have been on the market for a long time to new arrivals.
This is usually because the price is either not in line with the Andorran property market, is simply the wrong type of property, is unfavorable due to location, lack of sunshine or general condition, or a combination of many of these factors.
When a buyer refuses and offers another property, Andorran real estate agents are often unaware of the property for sale.
So if you want to find the best property in Andorra at a reasonable price, at least some of the work will be done by you.
Where to look
There are 3 main online real estate portals where you can check listings that should theoretically have all the properties in the country. We use this word in theory because in practice, at best, about 75% of Andorran real estate is for sale.
Below we will look at where you can relatively easily find properties for sale in Andorra. In each example, we indicate the percentage of the market it covers.
Keep in mind that these numbers change regularly and there is some guesswork involved. With parts of the Andorran property market changing hands through private sales, no one knows how many properties are for sale at one time!
Busco Casa
https://www.buscocasa.ad
Market volume covered: 70%
Busco Casa is a listing site operated by Andorra. It is generally difficult to search with any precision or filter the results.
Despite the difficult-to-use interface, most agents in the country seem to use this site, so it can be useful for finding new agents as new agents open up every day.
Busco Casa tends to have the largest number of outdated listings.
Habitation
https://www.habitaclia.com
Market size covered: 50%
Dominant in Catalonia, Habitaclia tried to spread its wings in Spain, but with limited success. Today it mainly presents properties in Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and Andorra.
You will immediately find that the site is much more enjoyable to use than Busco Casa. Somehow they managed to get better quality photos from Andorran real estate agents, which saved a lot of time.
Keep in mind that the agent advertising the property may not be the one who posted the ad. If you dig deep enough, you will usually find the same property on Habitaclia 2-3 times, each time with a different price.
An idealist
https://www.idealista.com
Market size covered: 40%
You could easily confuse Idealista with Habitaclia, the site is so similar. The good news is that it is very easy to use, and property listings usually have good quality photos.
Idealista concentrates its operations throughout Spain, which is great for finding properties elsewhere, but unfortunately means it has the fewest listings of the three websites.
The good news is that Idealista tends to keep its listings up to date.
Individual agents
Regularly checking individual agent websites may be the best way to find out about new properties for sale, but even this has its challenges.
Some agents are very slow to add new properties or have lists of buyers waiting to buy and getting their first chance.
You will also find that agents typically have areas of the country that they focus on serving. A real estate agent in Andorra la Vella is unlikely to also list a property in La Massana, just as an agent in Sant Julia de Lória will rarely list a property in Ordino.
The answer here is to be on their shopping list long before a good property comes up for sale. The catch is that you may have to hit multiple listings before finding the right property.
Buyer agent
Most expats moving to Andorra will use a local representative to handle their government documents, take care of setting up a company, apply for residency, and generally help them settle in the country.
Most often, they also have a hand in real estate.
They will often have a connection with a buyer agent like myself who keeps an eye on the various listings on the market and can put you in touch with them. This is often where the best deals are found, although they may be few and far between.
Finding your property in Andorra
It may take time and hassle, but the end result is worth it. More and more people are choosing to live in Andorra for a reason; this is a wonderful place.
Keep an eye on real estate portal sites, meet local agents like me, and let them know you’re interested in buying. Soon you will find the right property in the best (for you) location.