Buyer’s Q&A
The full COP buyer journey from research to completion
Six-stage buyer journey. Stage 1: research via FAQ library, destination guides, comparison content. Stage 2: destination narrowing through property browsing. Stage 3: company introduction. Stage 4: pre-purchase due diligence (legal, tax, viewing). Stage 5: reservation through completion. Stage 6: onboarding and first stay. Typical 4-12 months from initial research to first stay.
The short answer: Six-stage buyer journey through COP. Stage 1: research via FAQ library, destination guides, comparison content (typically 2-6 months for first-time buyers). Stage 2: destination narrowing through browsing the listings. Stage 3: company introduction once buyer is ready to engage with a specific company. Stage 4: pre-purchase due diligence including legal review, cross-border tax advice, property viewing. Stage 5: reservation, cooling-off, KYC, payment, completion (typically 4-8 weeks for cash buyers). Stage 6: onboarding call, booking platform access, first stay (typically 2-4 months after completion). Total elapsed: 4-12 months from initial research to first stay for first-time buyers.
The six-stage journey in detail
Stage 1 — Research
Most first-time buyers spend 2-6 months in the research phase. Activities include reading the FAQ library (broader category education); destination guides (specific destinations of interest); comparison guides (company-by-operator and category-by-category comparisons); company profiles (individual company deep-dives). No commitment; no email gating; free education at the buyer's pace.
Stage 2 — Destination narrowing
From general research, buyers narrow to 1-3 destinations they're seriously considering. The selection supports filtering by destination, price range, share size, and company. Buyers typically have favourite candidate properties identified by end of this stage.
Stage 3 — Company introduction
Once the buyer is ready to engage with a specific company (or 2-3 companies for comparison), COP facilitates the introduction. The introduction is free; no commitment is created. The company's team takes over from the introduction point — initial conversations, property viewings, formal documentation.
Stage 4 — Pre-purchase due diligence
Three parallel activities during the diligence phase. Property viewing in person (typically 1-2 day visit). Legal review of the co-ownership agreement and SPA with the buyer's own cross-border specialist lawyer. Cross-border tax position confirmation with a tax specialist. Typical duration: 4-8 weeks.
Stage 5 — Reservation through completion
Mechanical purchase process. Reservation agreement signed with deposit; cooling-off period; KYC and foreign-tax-ID applications completed; final SPA signed; balance wired to escrow; ownership records updated at completion. Typical duration: 4-8 weeks for cash buyers; 10-16 weeks if financing involved.
Stage 6 — Onboarding and first stay
Company's owner-services team runs onboarding call (typically within 30 days of completion); booking platform access is activated; first-rotation calendar shared. First stay typically booked within 2-4 months of completion. See first-year experience.
Total typical timeline
| Buyer profile | Total elapsed (research to first stay) |
|---|---|
| First-time buyer, cash purchase, no specific destination conviction | 9-15 months |
| First-time buyer, cash purchase, strong destination conviction | 6-9 months |
| Experienced buyer (second fractional purchase), cash | 3-6 months |
| Financed purchase (any buyer type) | Add 6-8 weeks to above |
How buyers control the pace
Three places buyers control timing. Stage 1 (research) is entirely buyer-paced — no external pressure. Stage 2-3 (destination narrowing and company introduction) is buyer-initiated — COP facilitates when the buyer requests. Stage 4 (due diligence) follows the buyer's diligence completion rather than artificial deadlines.
Stages 5-6 then run to a clear, standard timeline, with the cooling-off period built in.
What COP supports at each stage
| Stage | COP support |
|---|---|
| Research | FAQ library, destination guides, comparison content; team available for questions |
| Destination narrowing | Selection with filtering; destination-by-destination editorial |
| Company introduction | Facilitate introduction to vetted companies; no commitment created |
| Pre-purchase due diligence | Specialist referrals (lawyer, tax adviser) where helpful |
| Purchase | Company handles; COP available for any cross-cutting questions |
| Onboarding | Company handles; COP available for ongoing buyer support |
What buyers should do at each stage
Three pieces of buyer-side advice. First, take time in research — the time investment pays back in better destination and company choices. Second, visit the destination and the home in person — there is nothing like standing on the terrace. Third, engage your own specialists (lawyer, tax adviser) rather than relying on company-introduced ones — independent professional advice represents the buyer's interests.
Where to start the journey
Co-Ownership Property's selection and FAQ library are the entry points for the journey.
Further reading
Get in Touch
Speak to an expert
Tell us what you're looking for and we'll be in touch.