Historically, since records began, humanity has always fought for power. And that power was often reflected in the ownership of land and precious metals or stones — and today, it is no different.
Just look at the major global companies and investment funds to understand that the main economic giants are linked to the real estate sector.
In Portugal, this sector experienced abrupt growth, particularly in the 1990s, which led to rising property prices and the emergence of a class known as the “patos bravos” — a term used for the newly rich, who quickly became wealthy through an adventurous foray into construction. This created in society — still marked by a certain comparative envy of “the neighbor’s hen” — the feeling that it was being exploited by speculators, leeches, and opportunists, among other unflattering terms.
These judgments persist to this day, but they no longer apply only to developers or builders. They have also extended to real estate consultants.
“This profession, today so discredited (…) has become a stage for fierce competition between flyers in the mail, magnetic notepads, and videos with Hollywood-worthy production.”
This profession, today so discredited — mainly due to the lack of formal requirements for it and the open access to it — has become a stage for fierce competition between flyers in the mail, magnetic notepads, and videos with Hollywood-worthy production circulating on social media.
Nothing against it, quite the opposite: many have revealed, in that creativity, a hidden talent for marketing. However, there are those who are so saturated by it that they now call it a “plague”… but are they really not necessary?
It’s true that, in Portugal, anyone can buy or sell a house on their own. Just as they can also decorate the house, self-medicate, or handle legal matters. Some say “we all have a little bit of the doctor and the madman in us,” but it’s when things go wrong that we remember: maybe we should have hired a professional!
“Some say ‘we all have a little bit of the doctor and the madman in us,’ but it’s when things go wrong that we remember: maybe we should have hired a professional!”
And this is where I want to get to: yes, consultants are a necessary “plague” — like all plagues in nature, they have their role. However, as in every field, there are good professionals, average ones, and bad ones. And that’s where the secret lies!
When we find a good professional, we wouldn’t trade them for anything — and we even recommend them. With real estate consultants, it’s no different.
If there are still those who don’t share this opinion, it’s probably because they haven’t had the luck of finding a good one yet.
