Real Estate Investor Magazine South Africa October 2018 | Page 16

TECHNOLOGY
Online
agencies
the new trend
Pam Golding’s motivation to purchase
online agency Eazi.com
BY GAYE DE VILLIERS
I
n a strategic move the Pam Golding Property Group
recently purchased the online estate agency Eazi.com.
Andrew Golding CE of the Pam Golding Property
group says that this move was made as a result of the in-
crease of internationally, residential real estate sales indus-
tries and businesses being reorganised across at least two
different and separate types of business models. Customers
come in two offerings in specific market segments. He says
the actual effect of newer modalities have yet to really gain
a dominant foothold in any market, and it is still too early
to tell with any real accuracy what the long-term effect will
be on the markets.
The first of these services is the so called ‘bespoke’
service model which is the traditional high ‘touch’, high
service, strong agent/client relationship model which is
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OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2018 SA Real Estate Investor Magazine
the cornerstone of the Pam Golding Property group and
which will continue to be their core offering. Secondly
there is the so-called ‘hybrid’ estate agency model, which
comprises a digital offering plus less agent handholding and
involvement but importantly still has an ‘agent’ involved.
The hybrid agency model has a technology platform
that enables buyers and sellers to conclude real estate
transactions including: book valuations, change prices,
arrange viewings, collect feedback, review marketing data,
send messages, make offers and agree sales 24/7. This model
uses technology to reduce costs and pass savings onto
consumers in the form of lower, flat fees.
There is a third model which disintermediates agents
completely and effectively allows buyers and sellers to
engage solely through a technology platform without any