While current technology means that consumers can access a wealth of information with one click of their mouse, when it comes to buying and selling residential property, the assistance of a professional real estate agent can be invaluable. This is according to Debbie Justus-Ferns, divisional manager of Renprop Residential Sales.

“Real estate professionals provide buyers and sellers with guidance and assistance based on their expert market insights and professional knowledge to help ensure that both the buyer and seller have access to all the necessary information to help them make the best decisions,” she says. “There may well be mixed feelings regarding the value that real estate agents provide during a property transaction, but the fact remains that they do offer an extremely important service which is why they are responsible for the majority of property transactions.”

Justus-Ferns discusses the key benefits of using an estate agent:

TOP 3 BENEFITS FOR SELLERS

Justus-Ferns says that while some sellers may be under the impression that selling a property is as easy as placing an advert online and in the newspapers, there are many other details that form part of the transaction that need a professional touch. These include:

1. Professional valuation with statistics of what homes in the area have sold for over the last six months to ensure that the property is correctly priced at fair market value. This gives the seller the best chance of selling their property in a reasonable time frame.
2. Professional real estate knowledge and experience, area and market knowledge, a network of buyers and a support system of real estate professionals.
3. A detailed marketing plan based on the current state of the real estate market that illustrates how to best market the home as presenting it in the right way will ensure that the seller’s return on their investment is optimised.

TOP 3 BENEFITS FOR BUYERS:

“While an agent essentially works for the seller, they can provide a lot of value to buyers too and help them in their decision making process,” says Justus-Ferns. The top ways in which professional estate agents offer benefit to buyers are:

1. Alerting buyers to homes they are marketing that fit with the buyer’s criteria.
2. Professional agents can provide the buyer with key information about the areas in which they are interested in.
3. Perhaps most importantly, an estate agent will assist the buyer in determining what they can afford to purchase and matching the buyers budget with different home options.

Justus-Ferns concludes by saying that a professional real estate agent can be a very valuable asset during a property transaction. “An agent’s professional experience and knowledge can ensure that a property transaction is negotiated well and is concluded in a reasonable amount of time for the benefit of both seller and buyer.”