Innovative South African real estate technology

Monitoring the latest technological advances both locally and across the world, it is important to assess the effects these developments might have on the property market.

One instance in particular, the inclusion of live broadcast on social media channels, has dramatically shifted the way many estate agents are approaching their marketing efforts. In the United States live broadcasts are staking a hard claim to replace the show day, inviting interested buyers to tune in on a Sunday morning and experience the virtual tour of the home, from wherever they please, succeeded by interacting digitally with the agent via comments or online chat. This can be effectively implemented with a relatively cost effective smartphone and an internet connection.

Sharing sessions

Similarly, webinars are ensuring agents can stay educated and informed at all times, avoiding the traditional long waiting periods between training sessions. These platforms create interesting sharing sessions as a wide variety of professionals usually gather, from different locations, to feed off and inform each other.

Although often it takes a while for these approaches to become daily practice in South African real estate, times are definitely a changing. We’ve noticed a dramatic increase in property consultants and business owners incorporating state of the art technologies to offer their clients a more informed service. Virtual and augmented reality is a concept now being implemented on a small scale in Somerset West but has already reaped major benefits for sellers. Buyers from all over the country, even the world can walk through a home that has not even been built yet, simply and effectively.

The days of being content with the way you service clients, interact with interested buyers and market your business and listings are long gone. Standing on the edge of tomorrow is almost a prerequisite. And this should excite every real estate professional in the country. I know it does me.