Why do we need estate agents?
I had a presentation on home inspections this week to a group of estate agents who were very skeptical. These tough agents had previously been exposed to a home inspector from a rival company who had presented the case for home inspections to the local institute of estate agents. Apparently this guy messed it […]
Controlling the home inspection process
by John Graham With the growing wave of consumerism and the Google generation now starting to dominate the South African house market, the estate agent has to adapt to the changing profile of their buyers. Like the doctor facing a Google-informed patient, the estate agent is now no longer the “guru” – but rather only […]
Defects expose estate agents to risk
Estate agents who market properties which have undisclosed defects are exposing themselves to considerable risk – both under common law and in terms of the Consumer Protection Act – says John Graham of HouseCheck. Graham points out that estate agents have a professional duty to disclose to potential buyers all material information regarding the properties […]
For agents ignorance is no excuse
Everyone knows the old cliché that buying a house is likely to be “the biggest financial decision most people will make in their lives”. However, many estate agents do not take seriously enough their pivotal role in assisting their clients with this huge financial decision, says John Graham CEO of HouseCheck. Graham says that while […]
Consumer Protection Act could make estate agents’ task difficult
Sandy Walsh, head of training for the Western Cape branch of the Institute of Estate Agents, has followed up on statements made recently by Prof Henk Delport at a well attended morning conference organised by the Institute recently. Prof Delport, describing certain sectors of the new Consumer Protection Act, as “highly ambiguous and bound to […]