Marbella.company™
Maksym Vlasenko
Author of articles about real estate in Marbella.
Hello! My name is Maksym Vlasenko.
For more than 20 years, I built private houses and villas, and for 15 years, I was involved in their maintenance and management.
Almost 10 years ago, I moved to Marbella and founded a real estate project, Marbella Company.
Working with real estate, I encountered real situations:
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Where serious construction defects were hidden behind a beautiful facade;
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Where a minor mistake in the documents led to years of legal disputes;
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Where an incorrect assessment of maintenance costs turned a dream purchase into a constant financial burden;
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Where a rushed choice of neighborhood resulted in long school commutes and disrupted the entire rhythm of daily life.
Through my own experience, I realized how important it is to pay attention to the details that often escape a buyer’s eye.
That is why, in my articles, I share practical knowledge:
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how to choose a villa or apartment so as not to regret the purchase;
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how to check the real condition of a property before the transaction;
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how to avoid mistakes that are not always visible at first;
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how to properly organize property maintenance so that the home brings joy rather than problems.
My articles are not theoretical advice. They are a structured summary of real-world experience:
conclusions drawn from dozens of transactions, property inspections, and supporting homeowners in Marbella.
My goal is for you to make decisions consciously, to see beyond the beautiful picture, and to build your relationship with real estate on a solid foundation.
About Me
This is the story of how I began my journey in construction and how the experience gained over the years led to the creation of our family real estate agency in Marbella — Marbella Company.
In 1998, after receiving a degree in construction, I started working on building sites. We built residential buildings, constructed houses, poured concrete, applied plaster to walls, and laid floor screeds. I went through the entire process with my own hands, performing every stage of construction work.
For three years, I worked as a labourer, learning everything through practice and observing the processes from within. In the evenings, I studied architecture and read books to deepen my understanding of how living spaces are created. I have always been inspired by the idea of construction: turning a project on paper into a real, living home.
After three years, I was entrusted with leading a team of six bricklayers. It was a new stage for me — gaining experience in managing people and organising construction processes.
In 2003, my brother and I founded our own construction company. At first, we worked on small houses, then moved on to large villas, and later — entire residential developments, industrial buildings, and warehouses. Our company was named VVM, and it still operates today — now under my brother’s management.
Over these twenty years, I have learned to see beyond the surface: the quality of construction, the durability of materials, the intelligence of architectural solutions, and the real condition of finishes.
Behind a beautiful facade, hidden costs can sometimes emerge years later: the need to replace outdated systems, hidden structural defects, or poor architectural planning that can affect the comfort of living.
These insights became the natural foundation of my work in real estate.
They allow me not just to assess a home at first glance, but to understand what truly lies behind every facade — and what really matters for comfortable, safe, and lasting living in a home.
Property Quality Assessment
When a property is not new, I assess more than just its appearance. I look at the condition of the engineering systems, potential repair needs, and upcoming maintenance — regardless of what the seller says.
It’s also important to understand how well the house is planned and whether it will be comfortable to live in. Buyers often focus on obvious things — number of bedrooms, bathrooms, furniture. But true quality isn’t in the visible details. Without experience, it’s difficult to recognise how the house is actually built and equipped.
That’s why I always inspect a property myself before recommending it. Sometimes, after an inspection, we advise against a purchase — if it’s likely to bring more problems than benefit. When there are risks, I speak about them directly. There’s no value in withholding important information.
⚙️ One example was a villa in Sierra Blanca. Clients asked me to accompany them during the purchase. During the initial visit, I noticed that the air conditioning system (Daikin VRV IV) wasn’t supplying fresh air. All the windows were open, giving a false impression that the house was well-ventilated.
I went up to the roof and checked the outdoor unit — the compressor wasn’t running, and the fans were not rotating.
I brought in a VRV system specialist with experience specifically in Daikin systems. Diagnostics showed that the inverter controlling the compressor had failed — the most expensive and essential part of the unit.
A replacement outdoor unit cost around €12,000. Repairs were estimated at €7,500.
But the technician advised against repair — the system was over 7 years old, and other components were likely to fail as well.
We discussed the issue with the sellers and secured a €20,000 discount on the price of the property. That fully covered the replacement cost.
We installed a new system — Daikin VRV 5 Heat Recovery — using modern R32 refrigerant, with higher efficiency and quieter performance.
For my clients, this meant a better, newer, more reliable system — without additional cost. The seller covered everything.
Cases like this show why technical inspections matter. And not only for older homes — even brand-new properties vary in quality. Some are well-built; others have been compromised to save on cost. The difference often appears 3–5 years later.
I know how reliable different materials are, how long they will last, and when replacement is likely.
Electrical wiring can last 30 years — or just 5 — depending on quality. Plumbing pipes too — it all depends on the materials and installation.
Paint may begin to peel after two years, or it may stay bright and clean for over a decade, if applied properly and made from ecological components.
The same applies to windows, doors, fittings, and furniture. These elements directly affect the long-term condition and future valuation of the home.
It may seem like small things — but that’s what defines real quality.
Take something as simple as a door handle. If it squeaks, wobbles, or loses its finish after six months, it creates irritation, makes the home feel tired, and lowers the perceived value.
But a solid, quiet, comfortable handle that still looks good after years — you feel that difference immediately.
It’s not a matter of taste — it’s about how it feels to live in the house every day.
We pay attention to all these details, even when clients don’t ask. That’s just part of the work.
And that’s where my construction background really helps — to notice what matters, even when it’s not obvious at first glance.
Moving to Spain and a Cleaning Business
In 2014, my wife, Valeriya Vlasenko, our son Volodya, and I moved to Spain, and a new chapter in our lives began. A little later, our daughter Melaniya was born.
My wife and I opened a cleaning company for apartment cleaning services. We bought a vacuum cleaner, Karcher cleaning machines, and started a new venture. Initially, we charged 10 euros per hour to clean apartments and would clean one apartment per day. Half a year later, we were earning 20 euros per hour and began cleaning villas. In a day, we could clean two apartments or one villa. Sometimes villas were very large, where cleaning could take three days, so we hired additional workers to help.
I performed many different tasks: taking out all the trash, vacuuming, mopping floors, cleaning furniture, washing terraces, and cleaning the pool and garden (for which we hired a trained specialist).
We observed how people maintained their homes and apartments and learned how to do it properly and efficiently—why it’s needed and which aspects are crucial.
Maintaining a villa is an ongoing process. The competence of the person in charge determines the property’s overall condition, appearance, and value.
From experience, you can only sell a property at a high or slightly above-market price if it’s in perfect, well-maintained condition.
“You walk into one house and everything looks clean and tidy, but it still seems tired—like a withered flower—and many people don’t understand why. They assume it’s just old age. Then you enter another house, not new either, but it gleams and feels full of life. You walk in, and it gives you joy and a sense of awe, like a blossoming flower. A well-maintained home is always valued higher and finds a new buyer faster.”
If a person doesn’t understand what quality cleaning is, they will never be able to correctly assess the work of the people who do it.
Proper property maintenance is very important. If you get a handle on it, it’s not that complicated, and it’s easy to monitor all the processes. I’m glad to consult our friends on how to maintain their property and keep it in excellent condition.
I write instructions for people on how to look after a specific house or apartment, help them find staff, and train them in all the nuances.
We don’t just help people choose and purchase a property; we also help them maintain it well.
By operating as a cleaning company, we gained invaluable experience. Our clients included property owners and people who rented out their property. We also had partners who owned about 50 apartments for short-term rentals, and they needed continuous cleaning.
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Some owners ran their short-term rental business in a very mediocre way: they thought cleaning wasn’t important and only chased profit. In the long term, they usually lost out, as they ended up with reduced overall profits.
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Others taught us a lot: they dedicated a lot of time to monitoring cleaning and the property’s technical condition, paid close attention to every detail, thoroughly checked on our work after each cleaning, and always called if they found even a single hair on the floor. I learned how to vacuum so well that, upon entering any house, I see every speck of dust on the floor and can instantly assess the quality of maintenance.
Often, cleaners are women who have many of their own problems, and they mostly think about finishing up quickly and leaving, without considering the property’s future condition. But I would lift every rug, move cabinets, sofas, armchairs, tables, and thoroughly vacuum everywhere with my powerful, expensive vacuum cleaner. An ordinary cleaning lady physically couldn’t do this (and likely wouldn’t want to). All our clients said that nobody cleans so thoroughly, attentively, and responsibly as we do.
If two women arrive for a general house cleaning, it’s already clear that they won’t be able to do it 100%. At a minimum, they won’t be able to move heavy furniture, so dust will remain under rugs and furniture. Many don’t even look under the bed; they only clean what’s visible. But a property’s shine depends on those jobs that aren’t immediately seen yet are done thoroughly.
We learned a great deal, and now we help our friends keep their properties in excellent condition!
Short-Term Rentals and Their Nuances
The property owners for whom we did cleanings appreciated our work and efforts and began offering us the chance to rent out apartments and houses on a short-term basis. We quickly got the hang of this and took care of the properties with great diligence and love for what we do.
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We figured out in which areas it’s easier to rent out housing and in which areas it’s more difficult.
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We realized that if you want to charge high rent, you need to maintain an apartment cleanliness rating of 10 out of 10. Otherwise, you can’t rent it at a high price.
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Clients willing to pay top rates are extremely detail-oriented. For example, if children remove the cushions from a sofa and play on the floor, and there are crumbs from previous guests under those cushions, nobody will give you a top rating, and a negative review will scare away future guests.
When we clean, I use a special vacuum attachment to thoroughly clean all the furniture and every part of it. I lift up all the rugs, cover every inch of the floor; once a month, we remove and wash all the furniture covers. Any property we manage and rent out is always in pristine condition, and our ratings are consistently 10 on Booking and Airbnb—otherwise, it’s not profitable.
And if the owner decides they no longer want to earn money from renting and chooses to sell instead, the property sells easily because its condition is like new and it looks appealing.
Comprehensive Legal Support and Assistance with Documents
When we began helping people purchase real estate, we encountered issues related to documentation. We immediately brought in local lawyers—this is a very important and serious matter. Over time, we settled on two highly responsible and competent attorneys. By working with them, we are at ease, and our friends are satisfied because all their documents are in perfect order.
We help with any issues that may arise before and after purchase. We do whatever our friends might need. Here are a few examples of what we have already done:
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Accompanying clients to any organizations as an interpreter.
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Translating documents into Spanish (not all our friends speak Spanish).
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Helping obtain an NIE (Identification Number for Foreigners).
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Accompanying clients to Spanish banks to open an account.
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Preparing the necessary documents to be submitted to the developer prior to purchase.
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Preparing the reservation agreement for a property and making the initial deposit.
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Signing at the notary’s office.
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Providing post-purchase support for real estate.
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Connecting all utilities: electricity, water, gas, internet, phone service, security systems, video surveillance.
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Helping recruit service personnel: housekeepers, gardeners, nannies, chefs, drivers.
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Organizing renovations (if needed) in cooperation with proven construction companies and architects.
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Assisting in enrolling children in school (we know all the best schools in the region), arranging daycare, sports clubs.
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Taking care of property maintenance for rental: from cleaning and necessary supplies to marketing, taxes, and accounting.
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Helping open a business or company: accounting, staffing, taxes, and any necessary specialists (lawyer, notary).
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Assisting with registering all family members at the new address after purchasing real estate.
We never refuse to help our friends; we assist with everything they might need when moving to Marbella. We provide all these services practically free of charge; payment goes only to government agencies or covers minimal material costs.
Our Family Real Estate Agency in Marbella
That’s how my wife and I ended up creating our family real estate agency in Marbella, where we work every day with great pleasure and joy. Our friends are very interesting, cultured, and wonderful people who want to live in this magical and beautiful place called Marbella.
We do everything possible to help them find exactly what they’re looking for and to ensure the entire process is pleasant and easy.
Contact us, and we’ll be delighted to arrange tours of the best real estate options in the city of Marbella and its surroundings for you. Any questions or assistance will be organized on your behalf!
Get in touch with us in whatever way is most convenient (phone, WhatsApp, email) to receive:
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A free consultation
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A selection of properties that meet your needs
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Comprehensive “turnkey” support
We’re always here and happy to help!