There’s no arguing that technology is advancing at such a rapid pace and becoming more pervasive in our lives, where there is pretty much an app for everything that we do or need in our daily routine. We’re now in the era of rather than going to the doctor to get a diagnosis when you’re sick, we can just use an app to get a video consult and then get your medication delivered to your doorstep (WHAT?!)

 

Then there’s the conundrum of using a real estate agent to buy or sell your property – do you really need one? Can you do it on your own, seeing as there are several real estate platforms where one is able to simply put up their sale, or to look through various listings for their ideal home purchase?

 

Well, of course you can. We can do plenty of things in life all by ourselves – you can be your own doctor (self-diagnosis from WebMD FTW) or lead your own legal battle as your self-appointed lawyer. The only issue is how good you’ll be at it. I know if it’s me having to do so, I’ll likely be on my deathbed and lose millions of dollars in my legal pursuit. 

 

 

Having said that, here are some pros and cons of going down the route of doing it by yourself or using a real estate agent to get the job done: 

 

Lone Ranger

I believe the biggest issue when one considers whether to go with the option of buying or selling their home by themselves is cost. Seeing as real estate agents typically take a 1-2% cut of the final purchase or selling price of the unit. Hence by doing it on your own, you can effectively save on that cost – which can be quite a significant amount especially if you’re going with a big-ticket purchase. 

Then comes the biggest con – is it as easy as it really is as putting up or scouring through listings? Do you know the ins and outs of the buying and selling processes? And more importantly, do you have the time and effort to put into it 

 

Powering through with a Real Estate Agent

The biggest upside to working together with a real estate agent is that you’re assured of the experience they’ll have (of course, you will need to go with a more established agent rather than a newbie). 

 

Besides experience, they are highly likely to know about the ins and outs of the industry and make recommendations to you based on the situation in the market and advise you if you’re overpaying or underselling your property. In addition to that, they will be able to sort all the paperwork that’s involved in the process.

 

 

Especially with selling your flat, there will be several viewings that will need to be done with possible buyers. If you aren’t willing to or don’t have the capacity to run these viewings time and time again, it’s best you work with an agent to run this part of the show. 

 

Of course, with all this expertise and experience comes a cost, so you will need to fork out the agent fee. Remember that time is money!

 

So now that you have all the information you need, it’s up to you to decide – is it a Yay or Nay for property agents. We at SRX say Yay! 

 

Finding the gem amongst the pebbles

Even if you’ve decided to work with an agent, it might be hard to find one that’s best for you and what you’re after in your house hunting or selling journey seeing as there’s a whole host of eager beaver agents out there. 

 

 

Well, we’re here to help! Simply head on over to the SRX myProperty Concierge (it’s freeeeee!!), where SRX’s special algorithm will connect you to a real estate agent that best matches your needs. You can then have the peace of mind seeing as the SRX team will ensure they service you well to get you the best result!