The arrival of digital real estate solutions like LeadHome and PropertyFox does not spell the end of every property agency in South Africa, but rather numbers the days of those agencies that do not offer an exceptional service to their clients.
While the launch of Internet Banking certainly changed the way that many clients do their banking, it has not shut the doors of all traditional bank branches and the same can be said about the arrival of online marketplace Airbnb - it has surely created a digital industry and new possibilities - but it has not closed down every hotel or guesthouse in the country.
Start-up tech companies in real estate pride themselves on a stress free and more affordable experience and these are attractive selling points as some people have indeed had previous bad experiences and are looking to test a new method.
In the case of reputable property agencies however, this will only serve as motivation to further up our game and to demonstrate to clients exactly why we earn the commissions that we do and why personal interaction in any property transaction will remain non-negotiable.