Page 21 - Kyalami Issue 2 2021

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Thinking about Selling

or Buying a Home? The value of tradition and heritage in a digital world.

Here are some essential tips for sellers and aspiring home buyers. Make sure you also lean into During the past decade, much has changed in the way business is conducted and ongoing technological advances are irrevocably transforming many sectors, but the core
your trusted real estate professional for additional insight and guidance.
principles of business remain the same and brands that continue to uphold them will always have the edge. This is the firm belief of Richard and Sue Pinker, husband and wife
Smart Strategies for Sellers real estate agent team for Lew Geffen Sotheby's International Realty in Midrand for whom these fundamental principles were a key consideration in their choice of agency

when they entered the industry.
Putting a home on the market can be stressful, and some owners have a hard time making
objective decisions when it matters most. Technology has undoubtedly revolutionised the property sector by ushering in the era of time-saving "Lew Geffen Sothebys
convenience, but no amount of digital innovation is as important as prioritising your customers and always
Price it right Take advantage of your market debut International Realty
striving to offer the best possible service delivery. This is especially important in our industry because buying
Your agent will perform a current market Pricing your home competitively from the get-go property is as much an emotional investment as it is a financial one. Buyers are not only investing in bricks and
analysis. Look closely at the comparable increases the odds of a quick sale. mortar; they are buying a home whilst sellers are handing over not just a house, but also years of memories and received over 200 ooo
sales of similar homes in your
neighborhood that have closed in the • Most buyers screen available homes attachments. It's for this reason that the strong heritage of the Sotheby's brand appealed to them. enquiries via the local
last 90 days and take the number of on the Internet, and new listings get
available listings into account when Heritage is much like respect, it's an elusive and hard-won asset that cannot be bought or easily acquired website from foreign
agreeing to an asking price. The 4 times more web traffic. If your overnight; it can only be earned over time through careful nurturing, authenticity and sincerity. Founded in
majority of home is priced too high when it hits 1744, Sotheby's is one of the world's oldest companies and became the world's first international auction buyers who trust the
homes sold
Keep in mind: recently had the market, you run the risk that house in 1955. It has since become a pioneering world leader by diversifying and today the brand also brand"
active, qualified buyers will scroll
• Homes that have failed to attract a a minimal right past it. dominates the luxury real estate sector.
buyer in a reasonable period of time difference
may be overpriced. between • New listings are called "hot" for a Our close association with Sotheby's International Realty, also affords our clients an invaluable international reach that no other agency can offer. Between March and August
asking and reason - buyers get excited about
• Foreclosures or short sales in your selling price them. Showings are likely to cool off last year alone, Lew Geffen Sotheby's International Realty received over 200 000 enquiries via the local website from foreign buyers who trust the brand - and recognise
neighbourhood can impact your home's of between noticeably after the first 30 days on the value to be found in South African real estate. It is inevitable that the industry will continue to change, with digital technology further disrupting the traditional
market value. 7% and 11%. the market. model of agency practice but the Pinkers believe that there will always be a need for passionate property practitioners. At the end of the day, the human factor is

• It doesn't pay to set the price too high; • When weighing an offer, make sure indispensable as an agent is not only a broker but ultimately the conduit who balances the emotion between buyer and seller and ensures a seamless transaction by
most buyers will need financing and the to consider the potential costs of guiding them through every step of the lengthy and convoluted process.
bank will generally use an appraisal based holding on to your property longer Eachofficeisindependentlyownedandoperaled
on recent sales to justify the loan amount. than you want or need to (including
the mortgage, property taxes,
insurance, maintenance, etc.).
Your agent may recommend that you perform
repairs to correct visible flaws-or even suggest
staging your home so it feels more spacious and 91 % of Sellers said their home
potential buyers can picture themselves living there. was listed on the internet.