Dream Property Marbella is a real estate agency with a dedicated client focus and a strong work ethic. These attributes, combined with their friendly approach and meticulous attention to detail, enable them to make their clients’ dreams come true. This really is the “dream team” for those looking to buy a home on the Costa del Sol!
“It is the opportunity to make dreams come true that makes life so fascinating”. ~P. Coelho
Interview by Victoria Wood
Founded in 2007 by Tatiana Pekala, this female-driven agency is a relative newcomer to the Spanish scene but has proven to deliver at every turn. With multiple languages spoken, plus qualified lawyers, bankers, and accountants on demand, they ensure the process of buying a home in Spain is as smooth a ride as possible, and quite often continue to be of assistance well after a client has completed the sale.
“‘Cada Cliente es un mundo’, it means that ‘every customer means the world’. And that’s how we perceive and treat our clients”. ~Tatiana Pekala
1-Your fantastic company name suggests you’re in the business of making dreams come true… what is your client/agency process in fulfilling this?
Indeed, our company name promises something. However, it came to me for purely selfish reasons. Twelve years ago, when in the deepest crisis, I founded Dream Property Marbella, it was primarily my dream coming true. A dream of living in this fantastic place on earth which is Andalusia and making it possible for other people to move here, or just spend their holidays here.
Our name also translates into our customer service and individual approach to each client. We listen carefully when they talk about their dreams, plans and needs. Our main target are buyers from Poland, whom we offer service in their language, the knowledge of the Costa del Sol market and the experience gained over all the years. Our clients also get access to our well-developed infrastructure: proven attorneys, banking advisors who speak their language, accountants and other specialists they may need.
Being a small company has its advantages: we can dedicate our attention to our clients. We act as their “shopping assistant” and guide them through the entire process of purchasing real estate in Spain. During this process, we answer hundreds of questions that practically repeat with each client. This prompted us to write down and publish in the form of an e-book, and a hard copy, answers to these “frequently asked questions”. This manual turned out to be a bull’s eye. Customers love to use it and often pass our e-book on to their friends.
Our clients also stay with us after their transaction. We build long-term, trust-based relationships and care about them. We want our clients to feel good in their new homes. If they have any problem – even a few years after the purchase – they can always call us and we will do our best to help. Such a simple human approach to clients makes them our best ambassadors.
2-With such fierce competition in the area how do you differentiate yourselves from other agencies?
It is primarily the customer service process based on long-term relationships that I mentioned earlier. Obviously, we can only offer it to the customers who found us. With such fierce competition, the challenge is to reach the customer. Our method is education. For several years, we have been running a blog on our website, in which we write about the real estate market in Spain and the processes taking place therein, advise how to prepare for the purchase of real estate, what mistakes to avoid, etc. We also write about Andalusia and its charms, food, wine, culture and everything that makes up the southern Spanish life style.
We reach our customers through social media, but also through traditional media, which sometimes ask us for comments on articles or information about the property market in Spain. The “education strategy” is tedious and long-term, but it works for us.
3-What are the three most important factors in your customer service?
- Listening to the client and giving factually correct, reliable feedback.
- Building a long-term relationship based on trust.
- After-sales service / care without expiration date.
4-Do you think the pandemic is encouraging people to move to Spain?
The pandemic has made many people realise that they don’t have to go to the office every day to work effectively. Business owners, on the other hand, realised that huge office spaces which cost them a lot of money do not have to be that large, because employees are equally effective working from home – wherever this home is. I have just written an article for our blog about the phenomenon of “workation”. This way of living appeared before the pandemic, but it has grown rapidly because of, or thanks to, it. Many of our new clients are “digital nomads” who have realised that they can work from anywhere – as long as there is a good internet connection of course.
Spain is a fantastic place for “workation”, especially for Europeans. Good infrastructure, access to all services, health care, nice people around and a lot more sun than in the north of Europe. All this just a few hours’ flight from home. This vision is very tempting.
5-Why do you think Marbella continues to be such an alluring place to buy a home?
Marbella has become a kind of institution. For many people, an address in Marbella means a certain prestige and social status, but that’s not the most important thing. Much more important is its perfect location, glamorous history, wonderful nature and this special “lightness of being” which attract people from all over the world. And all these people – if they really want to – will find their place here. Marbella is generous and willing to welcome new residents while sharing with them its best pieces: the climate and the lifestyle.
6-What is the most challenging part of your job?
Sometimes it happens that despite our best intentions and all the work we put in, the transaction does not take place for reasons completely beyond our control. Then it is difficult, because we are very committed. Fortunately, such situations are rare.
7-How was business affected for you during 2020?
The year 2020 started very well for us, with a kind of momentum, because 2019 was the best year in the history of Dream Property. We expected as much, or more, in 2020. The first two months were very good and as the lockdown started we had several important operations on the table, only one of which eventually closed – fortunately the biggest one. It was sad to see customers withdrawing from the other transactions, but there was no way we could convince them not to do so at that time. When something like this happens, you just feel like dropping everything and changing profile, but I knew that was exactly what we couldn’t do. All our team members were bravely at their posts, doing everything in their power to help the company survive that strange time. And we did it. Finally, we finished 2020 with a pretty good result and with the conviction that whatever doesn’t kill us, makes us stronger.
7-What is your prediction for the property market in the coming year?
2021 will undoubtedly be a very interesting year in the Spanish real estate market. Brexit, the ongoing pandemic, and buyers who have postponed their plans to purchase a property in Spain due to the coronavirus – these issues are affecting the market this year.
In 2021, the market should absorb pent-up demand that has arisen due to travel restrictions applied in various countries. When it comes to prices, they will continue rising – according to the report of the American rating agency Standard & Poor’s (S&P), quoted by Idealista. The rating agency forecasts moderate price rises in 2021, with Spain scoring 1.4%.
The lack of general price drop does not mean a lack of bargains – especially in the secondary market. Already in the second half of last year vendors were more likely to accept offers and this trend continues.
According to data from the European Commission, the desire to buy a home is at its highest level in the euro area since 2003. We note that this tendency also works for holiday homes, so we expect a rather good year!
9-How did you come to work alongside BRIGHT developments and what made you choose to do so?
This is one of the stories proving that we do our job well and that our strategy mentioned above works! The CEO of BRIGHT developments was our client a few years ago and we stayed in touch after his purchase. One day, when BRIGHT’s team was working on Villa Alcuzcuz and Vista Lago Residences projects, Michael invited us to one of the first agency presentations. We were captivated by both projects, although for me the Vista Lago concept was from the beginning the more impressive one. I decided that Dream Property would be exceptionally involved in this project. With the approval of Michael we have created a website dedicated to Vista Lago Residences for Polish clients, in Polish. We also promote the project intensively on social media.
10-Tell us what it is that you like so much about Vista Lago Residences?
In my opinion, the most important thing about Vista Lago Residences is the concept, the idea behind the project. The location, views and design are fantastic, but the most important thing is that building your client’s house, you fulfil their wishes, actually before they even think about them.
The second thing I like about the Vista Lago project is that it will be a sustainable estate, built in harmony with nature. We need such solutions, because although the climate crisis has almost disappeared from the media pushed out by the pandemic, it does not mean that it is over. On the contrary, it is deepening, so all nature-friendly technologies should be promoted. I am glad that more and more developers pay attention to this aspect.
Dream Property Marbella: https://www.dreamproperty.es/
