Q&A of the day

Q: A question for Mr. Papageorgiadis: why do real estate agencies present the price for BUILT square meter and not for the useful surface? In the notary’s grid we are presented with the useful surface. 

IP: When a developer sells an apartment, he sells the built surface. The client does not only buy the apartment, he becomes co-owner of the land and the conjoint spaces. When he buys an old apartment, he buys just the useful surface (and, in some cases, the part of the land that belongs to him). Many agents don’t pay attention to these distinctions and do not explain all these details to their clients. Secondly, the clients to not want to pay for extra services. As far as I know, you pay the notary, this professional being the representative of the state in the transaction and is better equipped to deal with the issue.

This is not an excuse, though. I agree that real estate brokers should be better organized, educated and ready to answer any question and to be able to explain every aspect of the transaction to their client. But these clients also have to pay for the work of this professional. “You pay peanuts, you get monkeys”, as the English say.

– the question was asked during the q&a session organized by imobiliare.ro –