Picking the right Agency and Agent

More often than not, when you are new to Malta you just do not know where to start your search for a property to let. The process comes in various steps, of course this depends if you want to work with an agency or not. Let's say you don't have time to look for a property yourself since you have long working hours and just don't have the energy to look after work. What should you do?

Firstly, get the opinion of your colleagues. Have they ever rented a property before? Have they had any bad experiences? Have they been in contact with multiple agencies at once? What was their feedback? Don't just get the opinion of one person, see what a few more have to say about that particular agency before contacting them.

If you have been given the names of a two or three agencies, the next step would be to check their websites. A trustworthy agency would have an easy to use system that allows you to easily check what is and is not available. The more filters it has available for your search the better. If you call about a particular property and you get an answer along the lines of “Oh sorry that's an old listing it is not updated. It's actually priced at 1000e not 500e” That should be more than enough for you to just look elsewhere.

Speak with an agency and ask for a serious agent. If that agent does not follow up with you, gives you feedback and suggestions then skip on to the next one. A serious and efficient agent will tell you: “Hi John, I know I haven't sent you any viable options, but don't worry, I'm still looking for you. Would you consider a different area with efficient bus routes? I have a 2 bedroom in this area that's just 10 minutes by bus away from the original place you asked for. No? No worries Ill keep searching in the original area”  Also has the agent listened to your conversation properly? Have you mentioned loved pet? Or how much you love some outside space and sent you AT LEAST one option and pointed it out for you.

This is a quality that some agents don't really have. They don't give you more options and usually just wait for something - that might not be worth the money but in your price range - to pop up.

So to conclude, the best agency to work with would give you constant feedback, make an effort to build a relationship with you and get to know your needs and take them into account for your search. They will update you on their search and not waste your time with pointless viewings.