TECHNOLOGY
NATALIE VAN ZYL
Founder and CEO of On- ShowThisWeek. com. A property portal and mobile app that allows users to search for Show Days from around the country, 7 days a week. Natalie has always had a passion for real estate, buying her first property at 23, and a further 2 properties by the time she was 28. She comes from a finance and admin background and, has never been an estate agent herself, but is now on a mission to make the buying, selling, investing and renting of property in SA, a much simpler process
IN SHORT
Q How do you think the technological revolution worldwide will impact your company over the next five years?
A Being a digital company, we strive to stay as innovative as possible at all times. We believe we are leading the way in providing people with new technology to help them find properties, anywhere in the country, in a faster and more simplified way. As technology improves and becomes more frequently used, this can only positively impact our company as well as our service offerings, so we are excited for the future and what it will bring.
Q What are some of the things you look for when buying a property?
A Bring in a professional and ask them to check for roof leaks, damp and structural cracks before putting in an offer – this doesn’ t cost much, but can save you thousands in the long run.
I have had instances where the COC certificates I was given weren’ t valid, so make sure the seller uses a reputable company for their electrical COC, etc.
Ask the seller or estate agent to get you a copy of the plans from the municipal deeds office. Often, the plans need to be updated and if not done, this cost could fall on you when you decide to sell.
Make sure that you know your numbers, have done all the calculations and that the investment makes financial sense.
navigate straight to the show days using our new navigation function.” Van Zyl’ s own frustrations regarding show houses- and the clumsy system that accompanies it- is what prompted her to start the company in the first place:“ I was a buyer on the South African property market in 2016 and found it almost impossible to find accurate and up-to-date information on which properties would be on show each week. We looked in newspapers, magazines, searched on different portals and spent hours driving around following pointer boards.”
The advantages of technology
It’ s become clear, over the past few years, that the real estate industry can only improve through technology. When asked about the speculation regarding estate agents’ futility in the near future, Van Zyl is clear:“ Selling a property is complicated and the paperwork and legal understanding required can be overwhelming. The selling process also takes time, effort and sales know-how- things the estate agents are trained in. Estate agents also know the market and the behaviours of the current buyers.” Furthermore, she explains that in an unhealthy, sluggish market, an estate agent who makes use of technology can help to secure a sale at a faster rate- and at a better price.
But, she explains,“ If estate agents don ' t adapt and embrace the latest property technology trends, they face being replaced by technology or losing potential business to agents who do. Digital reports from tech companies can be used to pull valuable information on a property, and can bring the property to a larger audience.”
Van Zyl explains that her mission is to simplify the process of buying and selling property to all role-players. Investors are given access to a dedicated Investment Properties Tab, where they only need to input selected areas and a price range. The system then displays those properties that are of interest, such as vacant land, apartments, and homes with additional rental income.
Those selling a property gain much-needed exposure through the platform. Not only is the property listed on the portal itself, but also marketed through social media. By targeting advertising to relevant viewers, Van Zyl explains that they“ are able to make sure that the property is seen by hundreds of the right buyers, helping them get better exposure.”
After a show day, visitors are able to rate and review both the property and the service from the agent. This is placed in a detailed report that indicates important data such as the amount of visitors on a show day, comments regarding the property’ s state or price, and other information that can assist in a quick sell.
Knowing how important time is in the process of selling, the platform also allows you to indicate whether or not you’ ll be attending a show house, giving the seller an idea of initial interest in the property. Users are also notified of any last-minute changes or cancellations to showings. The platform is updated in real time, explains Van Zyl:“ Our platform and marketing strategies allow us to list a show day anywhere in South Africa within minutes. We have no cutoff times to submit or cancel a show day, meaning our information is always up to date. We also double check every show day we list, as an extra step to ensure our info is always accurate.”