I found Estate Agents listings on Private Property's website. Why are they there?
Ultimately, it's the buyers who make Private Property successful - without them, no one would look on our website
for property, which means no property would be sold. By including estate agents listings, Private Property is
providing the buyer with more choice - the wider the choice, the more likely he or she is to keep returning to
our website.
Private sellers can still list their property for sale without paying commission, but now estate
agents can also access the busiest property website in SA alongside the other listings.
Want to know more? Find out more about estate agents listings on Private Property, or contact our call centre on
083 913 1000 for further information.
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How do I know when the property is for sale by the owner or by an estate agent?
Properties for sale by private individuals show the owner's contact details on the listing. Properties
for sale by estate agents are clearly marked on both the search results and on the listing details page. You
will also be able to see which properties belong to which agency.
You will also notice that the contact details will clearly show whether you are contacting the seller or an estate agent.
Any questions? Contact us and we'll get back to you pronto.
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Do you charge any commission when I sell my property?
Not if you have listed your property for sale privately. All you'll pay Private Property is your listing fee. Find out more about
how selling your property privately is now cheap and easy.
If you signed a mandate with an estate agent, and the estate agent lists your property on Private Property's website, and subsequently sells
your property, you are required to pay the agreed commission over to the estate agent, as per the terms of your mandate.
Please feel free to contact us, or call our service centre on 083 913 1000 with any further queries.
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Why don't you charge commission?
We do not act as estate agents. Private Property offers a highly sophisticated and technologically
advanced marketing and sale facilitation service, for which we charge a one-off listing fee only.
While both private sellers and estate agents make use of our website, we don't charge commission to
anyone for these services.
Please feel free to contact us, or call our service centre on 083 913 1000 with any further queries.
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What is the Registered Buyers Database and how does it work?
The Registered Buyers Database is the list of all buyers and tenants who have registered their contact
details with us, as well as their requirements in terms of the property they are looking for. This is a
free listing service, which allows buyers and tenants to save their property requirements
(area, price range, number of bedrooms etc) to their profile.
When a suitable property is listed for sale or to rent, our website database generates an automatic email
or SMS message to their cell phone, advising them of the listing.
Please feel free to contact us, or call our service centre on 083 913 1000 with any further queries.
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Can I list my property myself on your website if I have given a mandate to an estate agent?
Yes, you can. However, if you have give an estate agent a sole mandate (which must, by law, be in writing)
and you have not reserved the right to sell privately in such sole mandate agreement, then you cannot sell
privately until the sole mandate which you have signed has expired.
Many estate agents are also listing their mandates on our website - why not ask your estate agent to advertise
your property on Private Property, and get the best of both worlds!
Find out more about estate agents listings on Private Property.
We don't allow duplication of listings on Private Property's website, so you aren't able to list the property
yourself and then have your estate agent list it.
Please feel free to contact us, or call our service centre on 083 913 1000 with any further queries.
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An Estate Agent has listed my house for sale on your website, but I haven't given them the mandate. What should I do?
Many estate agents are part of a listing network, and they open up selected
mandates to other agents within the network who are not from their agency in
order to get the property sold more quickly. If you have signed an agreement with
an estate agent, it is possible that your property has been made a network listing,
and that another estate agent, who is eager to sell your property, may have advertised
it on Private Property's website.
If you are not pleased that your property is advertised on our website
(although we can't see why you wouldn't be!), please contact your estate agent directly.
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What things should I keep in mind when selling privately?
Ensure that your selling price is market related, and remember that there is
no agent's commission associated with your sale. Pitching your price too high
most often simply delays the sale or even discourages a buyer from making a
call to you in the first place.
Most importantly, list your property for sale on the Private Property website
and market your property effectively to the nation and the world.
Find out more about the options available when selling your property privately,
or contact our service centre on 083 913 1000
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How long will it take to have my property listed on your web site?
Usually, no more than 48 hours from the time we receive your instruction and payment,
providing that no long-distance travelling is involved. However, if you live in an
outlying area, or if you've opted to include a virtual or video tour on your property
listing, then it could take a little longer.
Find out more about adding a virtual tour or video tour to your listing in our selling section.
Please contact us in order to list your property on South Africa's busiest property website.
Alternatively, you may simply telephone our national service centre on 083 913 1000.
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How many photographs can be included on my Internet listing?
Regardless of whether you're listing the property yourself, if Private Property is
listing it for you, or if your estate agent is uploading your information, Private
Property has stipulated that a minimum of 3 photographs must be included in each
property listing. However, we'd like you to include more photos to show off your
property to its best advantage, so you can include up to 12 photos in total with
your listing.
Please feel free to contact us, or call our service centre on 083 913 1000 with any further queries.
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How long is my listing valid for?
If you've listed your property yourself, then the time your property spends on our website
depends on which package you've opted for. We offer options for a 1 month, 6 month and 12
month listing; however you can renew your listing if your property hasn't sold yet. Find out
more information on selling your property privately.
If your property is advertised by an estate agent, you'll need to query with your agent how
long they intend keeping your property on our website - it's entirely in their hands.
If you're an estate agent and you want to find out more about advertising your mandates on
Private Property's website, please contact us.
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How does Private Property assist me once I have found a buyer and agreed on a price?
Private Property does so much more than just advertise your property for you. Once you've
found a buyer and agreed on a price, you can contact your appointed conveyancing attorney for
assistance with the transfer of your property, and they'll assist you with your sale agreement
at no extra charge. The conveyancing attorneys on our panel ensure that you are in competent,
professional hands when it comes to the transfer of your property - and will also ensure that
your buyer gets quick efficient service and the most competitive rates should he/she require
mortgage bond finance. Please see the relevant sections of this web site that provide more
information on conveyancing and bond finance.
Please feel free to contact us, or call our service centre on 083 913 1000 with any further queries.
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Do you provide a For Sale board?
Our For Sale boards are bright, attractive and eye-catching. We will erect a board, depending
on which listing package you have opted for, when we visit you to take the photos and capture
the listing information. Your For Sale board is a very important selling aid and will channel
potential buyers to your Internet listing - where all is revealed!
Find out more about the options available when selling your property privately, or contact
our service centre on 083 913 1000.
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Do you assist with newspaper advertising and is it necessary?
Newspaper advertising is comparatively expensive and, as a general rule, not an essential
element in your marketing campaign. As such, we don't advertise any property listing in newspapers.
But we do advertise your property listing on other websites, such as Grav!ty, IOL Property, Vottle
and Jump Shopping.
Please feel free to contact us, or call our service centre on 083 913 1000 with any further queries.
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What are the most important things that I should know about selling privately?
There are many benefits associated with selling privately. You can do it, and, with a little
help from Private Property, selling privately is not nearly as daunting a prospect as it may at
first appear. Who else is more informed, more enthusiastic or more committed to selling your
property than you are? Selling privately can be a really interesting experience, quite a lot of
fun, and it definitely promotes a more open and healthy buyer/seller relationship - apart from
also saving you both (buyer and seller) a very considerable amount of money. The Private Property
system of selling has been carefully designed to make the process as simple, safe, user-friendly
and successful as possible. Our system delivers the goods and our growing list of success stories
speak for themselves!
Please feel free to contact us, or call our service centre on 083 913 1000 with any further queries.
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I am an estate agent. How do I advertise my properties on Private Property?
Private Property is looking for new estate agents to sign up to list their properties for sale
on our website. To find out more about our packages and our service offering to agents, please
contact us.
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I am a private seller and would like to sell my property privately. How do I do this?
Private Property is still the champion of the private seller, and we offer a wide selection of
ways to sell your property. Check out how selling your home privately is now cheap and easy, or contact
our service centre on 083 913 1000.