It is said that the one constant in life is change, and that no aspect of the world is immune to the effects of change. The same can be said of the property market and how it has had to adapt to current economic and market trends.
Mike Greeff, CEO of Greeff Christie’s International Real Estate, says the real estate sector is no stranger to change. “The property market is affected by change, and more importantly, changes to systems happen on a regular basis. Real estate agents have proven their tenacity by their willingness and ability to adapt to these new systems. Make no mistake though, despite the new approaches to property sales, the need for traditional real estate practices and systems remains great. Not everyone interested in buying or selling property is comfortable with navigating the process through the click of a button. There is a large percentage of people who still rely on traditionally known methods to ensure they successfully follow through on their property goals,” he says
“The key to being successful in the property market is not for us as traditional agents to be stuck in the past or for younger agents to solely rely on new technology in order to be successful. We should rather strive to make use of new technology but keep to our traditional values and best practices. The property industry is always about putting buyers and sellers first and satisfying our clients.”
Here are ways in which both the traditional and new form a successful symbiotic relationship:
New ways of advertising still require traditional methods such as show days
Advertising properties is arguably the most crucial part of getting a property sold. Therefore, ensuring this part is executed as best possible is crucial to a successful campaign. Newer forms of advertising such as property emailers, email banners and social media ads are a sure fire way of determining the level of interest from those looking to buy, sell or invest, but the more traditional show days are not to be scoffed at. The appeal of new technology methods will be lost on many of the older generation who still want to look at a property in person, and in this way the traditional show day remains an invaluable tool.
New ways of acquiring leads should always be followed up with personal contact
With developments in the real estate industry moving at a rapid pace, there have been many new inventions and methods introduced to make acquiring leads less of a challenge and more of a reality. However, new age real estate should not lose sight of the fact that even with all of the advanced technology and targeted ways of speaking to clients, there is an immense importance to be found in the distinct human contact of speaking to a real person and not an automated email response. Thus, when implementing and making use of these systems, agents should bear in mind the huge importance personal interaction and follow-up makes.
New and easier ways of entering the industry should still be followed up with mentoring from experienced agents
While it may be possible to obtain a real estate licence online and conduct most of your work in the virtual realm, there is an immeasurable amount of knowledge to be gained from being mentored by a seasoned agent. Their experience reading clients face-to-face cannot be replaced by analytics or calculated opinion mining by a computerised algorithm. Traditionalists can, however, benefit from statistical data that shows market behaviours and trends. This information paired with their insight into their areas of specialisation would make them a force to be reckoned with.
Finally
Whether you are a tried-and-tested, traditional agent or a new age property prodigy, there is much to be said for finding a happy balance between the two styles of doing business. Why not be the best of both?
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