How to work with a client buying property overseas

Start with the decision, not a catalogue

“An apartment near the sea” is a starting point, not a complete brief. A winter home requires the right everyday facilities and a realistic move-in date. A rental purchase needs operating costs and a management plan. A future resale needs a holding period and an exit discussion, not just a price-growth forecast.

Ask the buyer to rank these priorities. Using a property during peak holiday periods may conflict with the rental plan. Address that trade-off before presenting a shortlist.

A buyer brief the local team can use

Field	What to record
Purpose	Living, holidays, rental use or a combination
Total budget	Purchase allowance and a separate reserve for associated costs
Payments	Funds available now and an acceptable payment schedule
Timing	Decision date and required handover date
Essentials	Location, bedrooms, readiness and everyday facilities
Search history	Properties already viewed and reasons for rejecting them
Next step	A call, video viewing or visit with an agreed date

Do not attach passports or unnecessary personal records to an initial enquiry. Obtain permission to introduce the buyer and confirm a suitable channel for any documents required later.

Agree how the relationship will work

Before the introduction, clarify who contacts the buyer, where progress is recorded and how you receive updates. Ask what happens if the buyer already knows the company, chooses a different project or returns for another purchase. An account entry does not replace agreed attribution rules.

A shared introductory call helps everyone understand their role. Make clear which tasks the local team accepts and which services require a separate arrangement. Avoid promising legal, tax or after-sales support beyond the agreed scope.

Choose the destination around the buyer

Thailand, Bali and Cambodia are different markets. Understand why the buyer chose a country before suggesting another. For Cambodia, a newer IBG Property direction, ask for the current project list and cooperation terms. Confirm price and availability for every specific offer.

Move from enquiry to an agreed next step

Prepare the brief, discuss referral terms and create your partner account. Share the contact only with the buyer’s consent. Check the stages of work and feedback in your partner account. Contact your manager if you cannot find the answer there. The aim is a coordinated property search, not an unsupported handover of a phone number.

Explore the programme before you have a buyer

You can create a free partner account to learn the workflow and discuss the terms. You do not need to invent a buyer or send a speculative contact. When a genuine enquiry arrives, obtain permission and introduce the buyer with a useful brief.

Registration is on partners.ibgproperty.info, a separate website. The registration screen checked before sign-in was in Russian and offered Google and email options. On 13 October 2026, the signed-in dashboard and training were verified in both Russian and English using their RU/EN switch. Confirm language assistance with the team separately from the interface language.

A filled-in brief, with the unknowns left visible

This is a fictional training example, not a buyer account or a reported transaction. Do not submit it to the live CRM.

Purpose: winter stays, with possible rental use during other months. Destination: Thailand; district not selected. Property budget: up to USD 200,000; associated costs not yet agreed. Initial funds: up to USD 100,000. Timing: a visit planned for November. Essentials: two bedrooms and nearby everyday facilities. Search history: two projects viewed online, but the buyer needs to compare districts. Next step: clarify the full budget and arrange an introduction.

The gaps matter. A purchase allowance is not the full cost of acquiring and using a property. A planned trip is not a commitment to buy. Ask about both before presenting an enquiry as ready to transact.

Download the blank buyer brief. It is a plain-text checklist, not a registration form. Complete it privately; send personal details only through an agreed, appropriate channel.

A changed brief is not necessarily a lost buyer

In the Nai Harn studio account, the buyer compared districts and changed the brief from a one-bedroom apartment to a studio. The reported outcome was a reservation of a 36 m² unit for THB 4,320,000 with an individual payment arrangement. The account does not state a partner payout.

Record why a preference changes. The local team's observations can improve the brief, while a project change may require a separate check of your referral terms. Do not assume the old fee carries over automatically.

Check that the first handover worked

The checked referral form includes client contact, preferred language, location, budget and currency, a comment and a referral reference field. Use the comment for the brief rather than just an isolated number. No enquiry was submitted during this review.

Confirm that the enquiry was accepted, the next conversation is clear and the buyer does not have to repeat essential information. Review progress in your account and ask the responsible person when an answer is missing. These are practical checks, not a promise of specific automatic notifications or a fixed response deadline.