Honest Real Estate Agents

Charming house, in the right location? It's under a railway bridge and has been empty for four years.

It's also surrounded by tall buildings because the owner refused to sell to developers.

Buyers are very powerful. I’m selling my house or apartment. I want two million dollars. A potential buyer offers $1.5 million. Guess who wins?

Real estate agents love the summer because that is when we visit houses for sale. Buyers may be powerful, but they must not forget location - where the house is - because of the future. Which is? Selling that very same house or apartment after a few years.

Property for sale is online now so, do we still need agents? Yes, because they have exclusive information that is not on Google. It is that information they must declare because property is an investment whether the buyer will live there or rent it out.

Honest real estate agents will tell potential buyers that:

1. A property developer has bought out three stores and will build a high rise building. This will block the sun from the existing building, which was a selling point many years ago. The sun is gone. That’s why most owners are selling. Agents must declare that.

2. The condominium building used to be an old age home with bed bug problems. Granted, it was thoroughly disinfected but the little things are a devious lot and might retaliate. Buyers need to know.

3. The city will re-zone the area, leading to more night clubs and other forms of entertainment.

4. The owner is selling the condo because of a neighbour’s all night music and traffic, which spills into the hallway.

5. Honest estate agents will tell you that a lot of store front churches have mushroomed in the area. Example. Berea, in Johannesburg is a residential area but residents are woken up on Sunday by loudspeakers from churches, set up by immigrant fake pastors, who had no zoning laws in their original countries.

6. Honest state agents will tell potential buyers that the city might set up dump sites in the open land next to the gated community.

Agents are in the business for their commission. Buyers might not buy properties when they get this information, but it’s better that way. Potential lawsuits about what the agent knew and did not declare will ruin a company’s reputation.

By: Nonqaba waka Msimang.