Choosing an Agent

So many buyers and sellers like to complain about Real Estate Agents, yet they take very little time in selecting the company or agent that they deal with. We offer a few tips to assist you.

What To Look For

• Is your Agent registered with, and has a valid Fidelity Fund Certificate from the Estate Agency Affairs Board? If not, it is illegal for them to practice. You can also check the agent's status on-line at www.eaab.org.za
  
• Does your Agent ask what price you would like for your home, or does your agent provide you with a professional written Comparative Market Analysis and jointly decide with you upon the correct pricing structure that is likely to attract the largest number of potential buyers, in the shortest possible time?
  
• Has your Agent shown you their websites and how your home will be exposed on the Internet?
  
• Have you compared your Agent's website with those of competitors?
  
• Have you checked to see how large your Agent's branch network in South Africa is and whether your property will be marketed countrywide through a large referral network via these offices?
  
• Has your Agent shown you what other marketing materials will be used and what other mediums will be used to expose your home to the widest possible audience?
  
• Does your Agent provide you with a written Marketing Plan to market your home and can you cancel this if the Agent does not perform?
  
• Have you checked the quality of your Agent's window displays and the quality of their local advertising material?
  
• What brochures and flyers does your Agent produce and when, and have you seen examples of these?
  
• Does your Agent offer local and international exposure?
  
• Does your Agent exhibit at International and Local property exhibitions?