As a Local Property Expert in Edenvale, Johannesburg, Tracey Hicks says no two days are exactly the same. “Trust is earned and comes from knowing your game. The most challenging and fulfilling part of my job is closing a sale and ensuring both the buyer and seller are happy.”
Local Property Experts, or LPEs for short, are a vital part of Leadhome’s success. “Every player at Leadhome plays a vital role in making our customers’ experience a good one. We are driven and autonomous but cannot complete the circle without all the links in the Leadhome team,” she says.
Of course, an important link in the Leadhome chain is technology which affords agents the ability to efficiently handle more listings than traditional agencies. “The days of hammering up a For Sale-board and waiting for the phone to ring are gone. Tech, IT, data and statistics gives us the tools to perform smarter and faster for sellers. Proactively working with buyers is also becoming more key than ever before as well.”
Hicks adds that providing professional guidance is part of what makes estate agents so necessary. “There is a lot of stock in the market and we have to make sellers aware of this. Sellers ask me ‘Is it a buyers’ market?’ and I reply with ‘It’s just a market’. There will always be buyers and sellers and it boils down to what a buyer is prepared to offer and what a seller is willing to accept. By taking an in depth look at property sales and average sold prices Local Property Experts can advise clients of current market trends.”
Leadhome is at the forefront of an industry that is starting to quickly evolve thanks to the power of technology which Hicks says makes the process of buying and selling a home streamlined and convenient. “Technology allows for a far quicker process, via a call and email, thus affording all parties full exposure. Estate agents will always be necessary as no two deals are ever the same, but tech will make all our lives easier – it already has and continues to improve at Leadhome.”
