Orange Casas: The estate agents who speak your language (literally!)
Recently, Around Algorfa checked in with Rob and Tracey Van Der Veer of Orange Casas, Algorfa’s only internet-based estate agent. They don’t like to be tied to an office, because they prefer to be out and about with their clients, but for those who prefer the more traditional approach to buying and selling property, you can also meet them in their comfortable office space in Almoradi, which is very close to Algorfa.
I last interviewed Rob and Tracy just over a year ago, although we meet up frequently socially, as we all live on La Finca. You may remember they had some exciting news regarding a major sale, but they weren’t at liberty to go into details, as the deal wasn’t yet sealed. To refresh your memory, or if you missed the feature, you can find it here. Now I can reveal they pulled off possibly the biggest property deal ever on La Finca, and it very nearly didn’t materialise!
Driving from La Finca to Algorfa, it’s pretty much impossible to miss the Hotel, in the middle of the Montemar Urbanisation. A couple of years ago, another Rob – Rob Truscott – fancied buying the hotel so he could move with his family to Algorfa and there would be something to keep them all occupied. It wasn’t as easy as that, though. The Truscotts tried several times to buy the hotel through other estate agencies and were on the point of giving up and finding another business venture when someone recommended they try Orange Casas. Ironically, the Truscotts were enjoying a drink in the hotel at the time!
Let Rob (Van Der Veer) explain what happened next:
The problem was, the Hotel was owned by a consortium, and nobody was able to identify the contact point so the Truscotts could negotiate the deal. I was able to find the right person through my own extensive contacts within 24 hours, and arrange a face to face meeting with the Truscotts within a couple of days. There were other issues as well, but by going above and beyond the usual sales processes we were able to complete and the sale went through.
It’s certainly a prestigious deal to pull off, and Rob and Tracey are justly proud of it, but they make a point of going beyond the call of duty for all their clients, whether they’re buying a studio apartment or a 30 bedroom hotel! Since the Truscott family took over the hotel in August 2022, it’s become a real hub of the community, with regular entertainment and family events, so the whole area has benefitted from Orange Casa’s persistence in securing the sale. And as Rob remarked:
If we can sell the Hotel, we can sell anything!
Algorfa and La Finca Golf Properties for Sale
Another innovation from Orange Casas is their private Facebook Group for residents and property seekers and sellers on La Finca. You don’t need to be a buyer or seller to join the group, but to Tracey, it’s another way to spread and share information about available housing. She explained:
Although we sell property all over the Costa Blanca, our main focus is on La Finca, because it’s our home. And local people know what’s going on – who wants to sell, who’s looking to move. We need more housing stock to sell, because we have plenty of buyers waiting. The group keeps us in touch with what’s happening on La Finca, and lets people know who we are and what we do.
Between them, Rob and Tracey have many years of experience in the industry, but until recently, anyone could set up as an estate agent in Spain. However, from October, all agents need to be API registered with the Valencian Community in order to trade legally.
Orange Casas welcome this, because it gives buyers and sellers more protection. Rob was one of the first agents in the area to complete the stringent requirements for certification, and he offers this advice:
Make sure your chosen agent is API registered, because not all of them are. And from October, if they operate without registration, they are trading illegally. Every client deserves the security of knowing they are dealing with a fully trained professional agent who will guide them seamlessly through the process of buying or selling their home in Spain.
For Rob and Tracey, it’s all about the client being happy, not just making the sale. Between them, they speak English, Dutch, French, Spanish, German and Belgian, so you can be sure they can speak your language – literally and figuratively! When making a major purchase like a new home, it’s important to understand all the details, and with their wide network of contacts, years of training and experience and love for the area they operate in, they will ensure your Spanish dream life doesn’t turn into a nightmare.
Orange Casa’s tag line is ‘Your property could be our next client’s dream home,’ and they certainly seem to be putting that into practice! In the last two weeks they have sold two properties that have been with other agents for a year or more. Maybe they can find your dream home, or help you make your next move!
Image credits: All images copyright of Orange Casas except flag image, copyright Around Algorfa.
