Chris Fick & Associates

For most people, buying a home may well be the biggest single investment any person will ever make. No one should ever take a risk with this transaction. Buyers should involve their attorneys throughout the process.

Home owners sometimes consider selling their homes privately and ask their attorneys to help with the sale contract.  In cases like these it is advisable for sellers to consult and let their attorneys handle the whole process.

There are many legal pitfalls to be aware of in dealing with property, and various law reports show many property sale disputes could have been prevented if the right person had been employed to handle the drawing up of the contract and the sale. Attorneys are making use of developments in property technology to provide the new property service of attorneys selling properties. Some are making use of the tools provided by the Attorney Realtor Hub, www.attorneyrealtorhub.co.za (The Hub).

This initiative leverages a range of cutting edge tools and resources to achieve the best possible sale at the best possible price in the shortest possible time.

The key benefits of the tools made available by the Attorney Realtor Hub service are:

Cash or prequalified buyers are introduced to sellers.

The use of the “My Bond Fitness” application helps screen interested buyers by allowing them to perform their own online and paperless prequalifying process, so only cash or prequalified buyers will be introduced to sellers.

Viewing of properties is revolutionised with modern technology via a virtual reality tour system. Sellers are introduced to serious buyers (the buyer can do a full walk through online to decide whether to go further); without the inconvenience, disruption and security concerns of having a horde of possible buyers having to physically view the property.

Sales commission is recommended at only 2,5% + VAT. Normally a traditional estate agent is paid between 5 and 7% commission. That’s a rate that is normally explained or justified on their side due to their huge overheads, days and weeks of effort needed to introduce prospective buyers to the property, and expensive advertising costs.

Access to a huge pool of potential buyers. Working together gives fellow attorneys a large national client database, captured and managed on an electronic client relationship management tool which lists property sales mandates and properties for sale through the most advanced property listing technology available.

A qualified attorney as a property realtor assists sellers and buyers to negotiate and conclude the largest and most important financial transaction many will make in their lifetime.

Entrusting the sale of your home to your attorney is reassuring for all the role-players – existing trust relationships between attorneys and clients are expanded in the knowledge that the clients are in safe, experienced and qualified hands from the time the property is put on the market, to the time the buyer is registered in the Deeds Office as the new owner.

For further information on the Hub, visit www.attorneyrealtorhub.co.za or contact your family attorney.

To contact us, call Chris at 021 424 3937 or email chris@chrisfick.co.za