There's idle browsing, the kind you do at 11pm, and there's searching like someone who intends to buy. They look similar but they're not the same. The second one has a system, and the system is what stops good properties slipping past while you're not looking, and stops you forgetting which of the forty homes you've seen was the one with the good kitchen.
In this article
Let the properties come to you
The most useful habit is to stop refreshing and set up alerts. Once you know your areas and your budget, create a property alert on Kyero for each, and new matches arrive as they're listed rather than after they've gone. In a competitive area, being early is half the game, and an alert makes you early without effort.
Build a shortlist you can actually compare
As you browse, add anything you like to your favourites. It sounds trivial, but a saved shortlist is what lets you compare properly: side by side, a week later, with a clear head, instead of half-remembering a place you saw on your phone in a queue. If you're buying with someone, you each build a list and compare, which is often more revealing than discussing it in the abstract.
A good shortlist also teaches you the market. After twenty saved homes in an area you'll have a real feel for what your money buys, which listings are optimistically priced, and what "good value" actually looks like there.
Keep notes, because you will forget
When you start viewing, and even before, keep short notes on each property: what drew you, what put you off, the things photos don't show. You'll see more places than you expect, and they blur together fast. The buyers who stay clear-headed are the ones who wrote things down.
Ivan took exactly this measured approach to finding and buying his two-bedroom apartment in Formentera del Segura, Alicante, and you can hear how he worked through the search on episode 10 of the Kyero Spanish Property Podcast.
Your checklist for this step
- If buying with someone, each build a list, then compare
- Keep brief notes on what you like and dislike about each one
- Watch your shortlist for a few weeks to learn the local market
- Start a rough viewing list of the ones worth seeing in person
Search like a buyer
The free Spain Buying Guide includes a step-by-step on searching, shortlisting and contacting agents.
Download the free Spain Buying Guide →
Or carry on reading. The next post is the honest one: "I keep falling in love with properties I shouldn't."
Written by
Nick StoreyNick Storey is the Operations Director at Kyero.com, where he leads platform operations, product delivery, and commercial strategy.
Having lived and worked in Spain for 14 years, Nick began his career as an estate agent on the south coast of Granada and brings first-hand market experience to his work.
He joined Kyero in 2007 and has since played a central role in scaling the business, shaping its product direction, and strengthening how international buyers connect with agents across Spain, Portugal, France, and Italy
Newsletter
Stay up to date
Receive property recommendations, inspiration and tips on moving abroad.