NAVIGATING THE RISKS
Do you know the difference between Internet Marketing and using your Real Estate Agent when selling your property?
With the influx of new technology and web-based solutions, it's no surprise that everything is moving fast and is always readily available on the internet. We can literally pull out our phones or laptops and order whatever we want. With organizations being transformed by technology, the same methods are "attempting" to be applied to the Real Estate industry and even more so to selling your own property - or is it?
We could all agree that the simplification of the process through correspondence would be most welcomed by agents and buyers/sellers alike; but the attempt to replace agents by property sites and other third-party resources, can lead to a snowball effect of disaster.
Think about real estate being smack dab in the middle of fast food and a doctor. You can use your mobile device to quickly place an order for a R50 meal, but when it comes to getting surgery, you'll want to put that phone down and visit a professional.
Now think of your Real Estate Agent being in the middle of all of that. You can use your devices to look for a home, read about the market data available to you and browse through all the images because let's be honest, it's fun! It also gives you some general ideas of what's out there, but don't take it too seriously because you need a real professional's input - the human factor.
The issue with the data online, is that it's an oversimplified version of what goes into the process of buying and selling a home. The same way it oversimplifies medical disorders and surgical procedures... you would still seek out a professional diagnosis.
That is why you deal with your local Real Estate Agent, because they know the local bylaws, the area insights, the latest property trends and relevant information which the internet doesn't always have. Although a Real Estate Agent is not a doctor, the industry has its own legalities, contracts, and processes which need to be adhered to and fully understood.
Looking for a house online and wanting to put an immediate offer in on one, can be exciting and fun, but the matters that require a professional's input, come after the initial contract is written up - that's when the real work begins.
Same for sellers, if you decide to put your home on the market and want a website that will give you an automatic offer, how do you know you're not being taken advantage of when it comes down to topics such as price? or more importantly, how do you know your interests have been protected from a legal perspective.
... There is a lot more to selling a home than just agreeing on a number!
The next time you're poring over public sites for homes on sale, and getting instant home valuation estimates, keep in mind that this is a simple process to give you an idea of the current market, but a VERY vague idea.
After you've found the perfect house or decided that the numbers make sense for you to sell, pick up your phone and call your favourite Real Estate Agent for a more comprehensive look into the market and to assist you through the formidable process of buying or selling a property, negotiating rates, getting pre-approved and safeguarding your legal interests.
Remember the internet can't help you when contracts and negotiations are unravelling, and emotions are at an all-time high because you're faced with these challenges on your own, with no industry expert or legal knowledge and the costs are exceeding your expectations.
So, use the internet for browsing, enjoy it for the amazing resource that it is, but don't replace your Agent with it...