1. Understand the project before suggesting a property
A client living abroad may know Morocco from holidays or family. This is not enough to know what they need. Start by asking about the intended use: will they live there, come for just a few months, rent it out, or combine these uses? Who will use the home and who is contributing to the decision? If a relative is following up, clarify their role: do they have the right to view documents or represent the buyer? Kinship alone is not authorization. Agree on the language, contact method, and appropriate time to get back to the client.
The SPIN method helps you understand the Situation, Problem, Implication, and Need-payoff. For example: "If the commute remains long, what will change in your day?". The goal is not to amplify fear to pressure them. SONCAS helps us ask about safety, comfort, and other motives, but we do not judge the person by their nationality or a single answer. When they say they want security, ask if they mean documents, clear costs, or someone to follow up with them in Morocco.
Write a summary containing essential requirements, trade-offs, total budget, declared financing, and timeline. Bank simulations are not final mortgage approvals. Share the summary back with the client for confirmation before sending options. In the CRM, distinguish between a completed call, a clarified project, a scheduled visit, and an offer under negotiation. Each stage requires evidence, and every file needs a next step with an owner and deadline.
Two clients in Paris prioritise peace and convenience over interior decor. We specify viewing requirements and essential checks rather than picking properties based purely on attractive photos.
2. Compare using evidence and full expenditure breakdowns
Distinguish between what you saw, what the seller said, and what is documented by a paper or professional review. Record the source and date. A video shows angles at a specific moment; it does not confirm ownership, permits, or daytime quietness. If the advertisement states 95 m² and the floor plan shows 90 m², keep both values visible and request an explanation of the difference and measurement method. Do not pick the number that makes the sale easier and stay silent on the other.
In this hypothetical example, Property A costs 1,600,000 MAD, works cost 100,000 MAD, estimated fees are 120,000 MAD, and contingency is 100,000 MAD. Total is 1,920,000 MAD. If the budget is 2,000,000 MAD, an 80,000 MAD margin remains before uncalculated risks. Property B costs 1,750,000 MAD, works cost 50,000 MAD, with the same fees and contingency: total is 2,020,000 MAD, which is 20,000 MAD over budget. These figures are exercise assumptions, not official statutory fees in Morocco.
Using CAP or CAB, link the confirmed feature to the benefit needed by the client. "The plan shows the layout of the rooms" is clearer than "This investment is guaranteed". A major local project might prompt us to research further, but it does not guarantee rental yield or resale value. Indicate what is still missing and what could alter your advice: financing, technical condition, parking rights, or management costs.
Property A fits within the assumed budget, but noise levels, transport links, floor area, parking rights, and financing still need checking. A lower purchase price alone does not validate a buying decision.
3. Hand over a clear file to the colleague in Morocco
Before handing over service delivery, clarify your role, the local colleague's role, and the professionals taking charge of the transaction. This training alone does not grant professional licensing, the right to hold client funds, or authority to sign on their behalf. On a real assignment, service scope, fees, representation, and liabilities must be reviewed case by case. Do not copy service workflows from Dubai or France and assume they apply in Morocco without verification.
Prepare a table: each line containing a document or question, source, whether received or pending, who will follow up, agreed deadline, and how we will know the issue is resolved. Include documents requested by the notary/qualified professional, area discrepancies, roof or parking rights, co-ownership information, works quotes, and financing confirmation. You coordinate gathering details; the qualified professional responsible for the contract determines necessary legal checks. Do not send personal documents to anyone without necessity.
Handover does not end simply by naming a colleague. They must confirm understanding the context, gaps, and next step. If the client misses a visit, record the absence and do not add a completed visit. If they ask for an email next week, respect the request. Keep offer terms clear until a documented response arrives; do not invent other buyers or promise seller discounts that were not agreed. After the final contract is confirmed, organise key handover, remaining practical points, and agreed follow-up. If a dispute arises, document it and direct it to the appropriate specialist without guaranteeing the outcome.
The local colleague receives a file where financing and parking remain unconfirmed. These outstanding items remain documented, and accountability is not lost between two people.
Written exercise
Prepare a summary of the client's project, a comparison of the two properties, and a file handover note. The draft will be saved, but there is no human grading here.
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