Spaniards won't let you into their business for free. But once you gain their trust, strong relationships are formed, says real estate insider Tomáš Kaplan
- Patrik Caklos
- Dec 4, 2025
- 4 min read
The latest episode of the Global Minds podcast this year is unusual compared to previous ones. This time, the guest is not a foreign manager influencing domestic business, but a Czech who built his career abroad from scratch. "I started cleaning apartments, then accommodating guests. People who rented apartments repeatedly began to ask me what it would entail if they wanted to buy something in Spain. So, I started to find out," says Tomáš Kaplan, who has built a strong position as a real estate agent on the Costa del Sol.
You can also listen to the full interview at THIS link.
Tomáš Kaplan began his international career as a flight attendant for an airline based in Abu Dhabi. He spent five years in this "civilization hub," during which he gained a global perspective. "The Emirates are a melting pot of cultures and nationalities, but also of people from different economic backgrounds, and it was interesting to observe their different priorities and how they mix. We traveled all over the planet, albeit often on the run," recalls Kaplan.
The podcast guest mentions an interesting detail that airlines from the United Arab Emirates function as a kind of display case for the country. "The Emirates host many nations on their territory and prepare an environment for them in which it is possible to work, raise children, and simply live and function normally. And the flight crews then represent this, as they say, spirit of the UAE," he explains. "Respect for differences is paramount," he adds.
This stage of Tomáš Kaplan's life ended with the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic, which brought air traffic to a halt for many months. "I was looking for new opportunities. I missed the European lifestyle a little, but at the same time I didn't want to give up the warm climate. Andalusia seemed the best choice, where my long-time friends live and rent apartments. I am grateful to them because they convinced me to go for it," he says, describing his beginnings in the real estate business.
The dawn of business
And those were truly the beginnings. "I started out cleaning apartments, then moved on to accommodating guests," he says. But that wasn't enough for this capable and enterprising man, even though his clients encouraged him to expand his scope. "People who rented apartments repeatedly began to ask me what it would entail if they wanted to buy something in Spain. So I started researching and putting together a development portfolio on the Costa del Sol, in Malaga and the surrounding area. That's how I gained local contacts and started establishing business relationships," he says, describing the dawn of his own business.
However, it wasn't easy, because although the locals like to see foreign guests, they are less fond of competition. "Spaniards are very friendly and helpful. But when it comes to business, it's different. It takes months or even years for them to accept you as an equal. But once they realize that you are capable, you are pulling in the same direction, and it all makes sense, they are happy to help you, and very friendly relationships develop," Kaplan describes.
The new role that the podcast guest found himself in was very different from his previous one in aviation. There, he established relationships with clients in a matter of hours, while in real estate, relationships are much more long-term and require a different approach. "Aviation is very intense, but also instantaneous. In contrast, in real estate, and especially in Spain, it's just the opposite. Everything is done gradually and, above all, slowly. At the same time, you can't push them because they have their egos. Sometimes they lack consistency, and we lack their joie de vivre. In the end, they get everything sorted out, but it doesn't happen overnight. It took me a year, maybe two, to get used to this mentality," he explains.
Beginner's luck
Kaplan acknowledges that chance also helped him in the early days of his new career. "I had beginner's luck. I sold the first ten apartments like hotcakes. It was a clever project that met the demand. Only then did I begin to learn about all the legislative and commercial hurdles in the whole process. It took a few years, but now I'm at the point where I can help clients at any moment," he says happily.
As for further development, Kaplan believes there is definitely room for growth. "If you sell, say, fifty apartments in three years, which is a realistic number, you don't just leave them to live their own lives. You can build an ecosystem of related services around them, secure rentals, furnish the apartments, provide consulting services, depending on what investors are interested in. Some are interested in transferring their business, others ask about the possibility of sending their children to local schools, and still others see it only as an investment. In any case, it opens up a wide field of activity," he reveals his future plans.
What other skills acquired in aviation does the podcast guest apply in real estate? Is he planning business expansion outside Spain? And what is his goal for 2026? This was also discussed in the Global Minds podcast.
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