Page 34 - Kyalami Issue 2 2025

Kyalami Estates Corporate Brand Bible Design 26
3.0 Folder (Inner)
PROPERTY TALK

n this edition of Property Talk, we explore
how property valuation has evolved over
the years and how new technologies are
changing the way agents, sellers and buy-
Iers determine a home’s market value.
THE TRADITIONAL APPROACH: A
HUMAN TOUCH (WITH ROOM FOR
ERROR)
Historically, property valuations have been guid-
ed by estate agents and professional valuers,
drawing on factors such as location, property
condition and comparable sales within the
area - think recent transactions in your street,
suburb or in our case, Kyalami Estate.
However, this approach has always come with
a caveat: subjectivity. It’s not uncommon for
different agents to provide widely different es-
timates for the same property. Naturally, many
sellers gravitate towards the agent quoting the
highest figure. This often leads to one of the
biggest pitfalls in real estate—overpricing a
home in an effort to secure a listing mandate.
The result? Properties linger on the market,
generating little interest and eventually selling
below true market value. Time is a critical vari-
able in real estate sales. Serious offers should
come within the first few weeks of listing. In the
majority of sales transactions, it’s one of the first
three offers that is the best. When a property
is priced correctly from the outset, interest is
high, creating competition and buyers jostling to
secure their dream home. Importantly, this puts
the seller in a position of strength. Overprice it,
and you risk not seeing any of that momentum
and loose the upper hand.

WHAT’S YOUR HOME REALLY WORTH?

THE NEW SCIENCE (AND ART) OF PROPERTY VALUATION

B Y ROB HUD SON, RE/MA X ONE

A SMARTER BUYER EMERGES
Over the past 20 years, one of the most signif-
icant trends I’ve witnessed in residential real
estate is the emergence of more informed and
empowered buyers. In the past, determining a
fair market value required extensive research
and a degree of guesswork. Today, buyers can
access detailed market intelligence on any spe-
cific home in South Africa in seconds—for just
a few hundred rand—using advanced digital
platforms.

THE DATA REVOLUTION:
AI MEETS REAL ESTATE
In recent years, a new wave of online plat-
forms has transformed the valuation process.
Tools offered by the likes of Private Property,
Lightstone, Property24, DEEDSOnline, Loom
and RE/MAX Insights consolidate data from a
variety of credible sources, including:
• Deeds office records

34 Kyalami Estates • CONNECT • Issue 2 • 2025