In recent times we have read many articles posted by top conventional estate agencies, stating why sellers should rather opt to use the higher commission agencies rather than the low commission estate agencies. The key points that they refer to is that you generally get what you pay for and compare themselves to using a top surgeon or settling for the cheapest. These recent articles were written by some of the usual top brands that previously owned the market place.
This article is meant to set the record straight and explain what you do get - for what you pay for via the low commission route….
I started iSell JHB just over two years ago after being a career estate agent since the age of 19, and I was a successful award winning agent at some of these conventional top firms. I have done most of the training courses that they offered and have successfully sold 100’s of properties in the span of my career. I have never had a complaint at the estate agents affairs board and never crossed any ethical boundaries. I decided to start iSell JHB (Low commission Real Estate) because I realised the economy was shifting and that sellers preferred to pay lower commissions.
We basically offer sellers a very low commission rate of only 1.95 % for properties sold over R 1 Million and a flat fee of only R 19 999 for properties sold less than a million. Over the past 2 years we have grown from strength to strength and each year we seem to be growing bigger and bigger with our offerings being a more popular option for sellers.
When sellers approach us we always begin by doing a market related valuation to guide the sellers on an expected realistic price based on current sales; once that is complete and the sellers opt to use our services, we arrange professional photography and a video tour (available in most areas). We then advertise the property on all the top property portals which is generally the same portals the conventional agencies use. We then arrange suitable viewing times and send the buyers through to the property. We don’t attend the viewings as we feel that we can arrange more viewings per property - we don’t have to attend each one which in turn gives sellers a bigger buyer turnout to each property which can then lead to a quicker sale. We qualify each buyer before they put an offer in and assist with their bond application should they require. The offer is drawn up by a professional registered estate agent and is also negotiated on behalf of the parties to conclude the deal. The transfer process is done by a top conveyancing firm which ensures that the property registers smoothly and professionally without any problems.
The advantage of our process is that you can successfully produce a top ad with video and professional photography, get the required buyers to your property and get all the paperwork done by top agents in the industry with a hassle free registration process and without paying huge fees.
All our agents are experienced and have either come from other top firms or other low commission companies, so sellers can be rest assured that their properties are in good hands.
We have produced many happy sellers who refer our business to their families or colleagues because they were satisfied with our fee structure and professional service throughout the sales process.
In my opinion, being an estate agent who previously worked at some of the top conventional agent firms, I would suggest considering using our services and save on exorbitant commission fees.
You are welcome to contact me directly should you have any questions at sean@isell.co.za or visit our website www.iselljhb.co.za for more information on our amazing offerings.
Written by Sean Sotiralis
Owner of iSell JHB.
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