The tools and systems slowing down international property deals
Despite the pace of digital transformation in sectors like finance and transportation, international property transactions remain reliant on fragmented, manual processes.
Anyone working in the property sector, including estate agents, lawyers and notaries, will regularly need to coordinate high-value, cross-border deals involving multiple currencies, regulatory frameworks, and client expectations. But many still use tools that were never built for this kind of complexity, understandably relying instead on their years of experience.
This has served them well, but there are key areas where better implementation of technology can save you time and money – so you can focus your time on more productive work.
Here, we explore which tools and processes are creating the most inefficiency and risk for professionals.
Why relying on email puts transactions at risk
Email continues to be a common way for professionals to request and confirm banking details, whether that’s IBANs for seller disbursements, or documents confirming proof of funds.
The problem is that email is the primary attack vector for real estate wire fraud. In Spain, international buyers are 32% more likely to be targeted by cybercriminals, according to our own research. Fraudsters exploit weaknesses in the email infrastructure itself, intercepting or spoofing payment instructions in ways that are difficult to detect.
As transaction values grow and more clients engage in cross-border deals, the systemic vulnerability of email becomes even more pronounced. Sensitive data continues to travel across unsecured channels, creating an environment where even careful, experienced professionals face heightened risk and potential liability.
Addressing this challenge requires a shift away from fragmented, outdated communication channels toward more secure, structured systems. Doing so will strengthen trust in the entire market.
Card terminals and manual transfers create friction
Many agents and law firms still use physical card terminals to collect reservation fees or deposits. In other cases, clients are asked to complete a manual transfer and send a screenshot as proof.
These methods are time-consuming and difficult to reconcile, creating additional administrative burden and increasing the risk of errors. A failed transfer or a refund request can turn into hours of manual back-and-forth without a clear, digital trail to rely on.
Why manual calls and cheques slow down completions
For Spanish solicitors, preparing for completion often means calling banks to confirm incoming funds, requesting updated disbursement details from sellers, printing cheques, or reprocessing payments due to last-minute changes.
On average, this takes four or more hours per transaction.
The reality is that banking systems aren’t built to support the time sensitivity of notary meetings. If anything changes (which it often does), the entire payment flow has to be restarted.
What do professionals actually require?
These inefficiencies aren’t hypothetical. We have seen them play out firsthand, across more than 700,000 international property transactions over the past two decades.
You’ve made it clear that you need systems that are secure, transparent, and flexible enough to adapt to last-minute changes. You want tools that reduce manual errors and free them up to focus on advising clients and closing deals, not chasing payment confirmations or reconciling mismatched records.
Rather than replacing professional judgment, modern tools should reinforce it.
At Redpin, we see our role as supporting this shift. By providing secure, purpose-built payment tools, we aim to help professionals meet rising expectations with greater confidence and control, while still preserving the relationships and expertise that define their value.
