Dear Agency,

Today I want to start by asking you a question. What is the meaning of "estate agent"? If you cannot answer this question you are for sure in the wrong business!

An estate agent or property agent is a person who links up buyers and sellers of properties. Estate agents advertise houses and arrange viewings to enable a sale.

I can hear you all say.."Ah, I knew that". Now, I want you to go and think about the next question... What makes an estate agent the best estate agent?

I am going to take it one step further today. I am also going to answer a question. How can CyberAgent assist the estate agency to make that sale?

We at CyberAgent give our programme user maximum Internet exposure.

Did you know that when you update your properties to your website it will simultaneously update to the following websites at NO additional cost?

• www.cyberprop.com
• www.real-estate-south-africa.com
• www.tiscali.co.za (the old worldonline)
• www.sundaytimesproperty.com

NEW!
We now also advertise on: www.searchengine.co.za

Before I sign off...don't miss out on the reading the article "Finding the best estate agent"

Enjoy!
The editor

To read more about our new and exciting programs click on the following links:

• Bond registrations - high commissions paid - www.cyberbonds.co.za
• Bridging finances on agents commissions - www.cyberprop.com/main.bw
• Home maintenance - www.homemaintenance.co.za

For more information email support@cyberprop.com

Our first training - info session for 2004 is on it's way!

Date: 13th and 14th of April 2004
Time: 10:00
Venue: Midrand (Venue Conformation on Booking)
Cost: R100 per person

R.S.V.P. at support@cyberprop.com or at 011 955 9100 (limited seats per session)
Program - Overview of the CyberAgent programme focusing on the 9 different modules

Soon we will also be in:
Cape Town
Port Elizabeth
Durban

If you can assists us with venues for the above locations, please contact Nolan at 011 955 9100. Dates will be emailed as soon as we have confirmation of the venues.

To enable us to give you the full benefit of these training sessions we would ask you to complete the "Agent User Questionnaire". Click here go to our on-line Questionnaire now or go to www.cyberagent.co.za/agques.cp

Staying ahead is what we value most of all. To give these upgrades to our users for FREE is what makes us proud.

New changes includes the following:

• Property24 Module added to CyberAgent!
  Yes - it's finally here. As an added feature of CyberAgent, you can now download listings and pictures from Property24 directly into your Property Manager and you can upload listings to Property24. This development was done as an added feature to CyberAgent, without the assistance of Property24.
• Homeloan Application and Bridging Finance now available from within CyberAgent!
  Two new buttons with quite exciting implications have been added to the Sales Transfer Manager. They are Bond Application and Bridging Finance.
  Bond Applications
  In order to start using the Bond Application feature, you need to be registered with CyberBonds - If you're not registered you will be prompted to do so when you try to send your first application.
  Bridging Finance
  When you click the Bridging Finance button, you will be prompted to select the type of finance you're interested in. After you've indicated your interest, a consultant will get in touch with you.
  For more info and online applications, visit www.cyberbonds.co.za

New Version of CyberAgent available for download

Having announced the new additions to CyberAgent - we're happy to announce that these additions are available as of NOW! To get the latest update, inside CyberAgent, go to Utilities > Update Version and click on Download File. If you're still on version 2 of CyberAgent - please contact our office on (011)955-9100 so we can arrange for your upgrade.

What Makes A Good Site
High production values. Consumers will not buy from an amateur page or Web site.

Most visitors to your site will not find the idea of researching online unusual. So you need to inspire sophisticated visitors with confidence, that yours is the kind of company that does things right, and that if I contact you, it will be a good experience.

Click here to read more.

Are you aware of the CyberAgent wish list? This is an unique function allowing us to see in which ways we can assist our CyberAgent users. All wishes can be placed on the message board.

This section was created for you, the user!You will find it under the button "contact us" (http://www.cyberagent.co.za/wwthreads/). This is where you can communicate with the company and also with fellow users. Here you can:

• Ask questions
• Give advice
• Share information etc.
• Place your wish list

You get Free exposure of your website when you submit a news article as a valued CyberAgent customer. This newsletter is a very valuable tool in marketing the CyberProp website, http://www.cyberprop.com/ and also YOUR own website. This newsletter is going out to thousands of subscribers on a weekly basis and is presented in such a way that it allows the reader to:

• seamlessly go onto the CyberProp.com website
• seamlessly go onto the author of the news-article's website
• read the news article by keeping it interesting

What to write? Anything relating to the industry! You can send your articles to: news@cyberprop.com

Warm welcome to all new Agencies:

• Carol Stark Estates
• Le Sue Pretoria
• Bianca Properties
• Houses Heavenly
• Adriatic Properties
• Hamiltons Property Portfolio
• North & South Cost Properties
• Tinus Strydom North West
• Tinus Strydom Midrand
• Tinus Strydom Noord Oos
  

We trust that by now you are well aware of what CyberAgent can do for you. If you need any assistance, please do not hesitate to contact Jaco at support@cyberprop.com or phone us at: +27 (0)11 955-9100 or 086 112- 9237

Most Internet enquiries:

The following agencies received the most Internet enquiries for February 2004

• Wendy Machanik Properties 77 enquiries
• Firzt 60 enquiries
• De Huizemark JHB 59 enquiries
• Hall Real Estate 50 enquiries
• Kilokor Properties 46 enquiries

Property100

On Friday, 20 March 2004 we presented our CyberAgent programme to over 30 Property100 agencies. Thank you to you all for your warm welcome, participation and enthusiasm! We at CyberAgent wishes Property100 and their agencies the best for the year ahead!

Property of the month/week

You can now display a property of the week or the month on your website. Should you wish to make use of this facility you can contact support@cyberprop.com

Your contact details

First of all - thank you all who have completed your contact details! But then to the other 70% of clients who have not revised their contact details - please guys, this is very important for us and for yourselves! To update your details, CLICK HERE.

Important notice to all CyberAgent users

When making a payment into the USP Designs Bank Account please use your Branch ID as a reference number to help us with the allocation of funds and prevention of errors on your statement.

The CyberAgent user questionnaire

The user questionnaires are assisting us to evaluate the need for support and training seminars, it also assists us in preparing the content of those seminars.

We've received quite a few completed questionnaires - for those who haven't completed a questionnaire yet, click here

Advertising on CyberProp.com

Yes you can now make use of this opportunity by advertising your PRIME properties on the homepage of CyberProp.com. Property of your choice would be displayed for a period of one week and only one property at a time. An opportunity not to be missed!
For more information contact: advertising@cyberprop.com

New enhancement

Estate agencies now receives an email after a successful update of property to their website. If you do not receive an email pls. follow up with support@cyberprop.com

CyberAgent Branding

If you are a CyberAgent user the CyberAgent logo can be used on your marketing material, agency boards, letterheads etc. We would like to create a stamp of approval branding for buyers and sellers to relate to. The CyberAgent logo will tell buyers and sellers that you are a professional real estate agency using professional tools. To receive the logo please email support@cyberprop.com

A few weeks ago an article was places in our CyberProp.com newsletter advising our subscribers on how to find the best estate agent.

I am going to share this article with you so that you can measure yourself.

Finding the best estate agent:

There is a lot more to selling your home than simply getting the best price. A home often holds fond memories. So choosing an agent to sell your home is a little like finding the right baby-sitter for your child.

The agent has to be as passionate about the house as you are, there must be an acknowledgement of its good points and an acceptance of the flaws. While it’s important that you feel comfortable with an agent there are some vital factors to take into account before you hand over that sole mandate.

• The agency must be in good standing. Look for a company that has been around for a while and enjoys a good reputation. Have a look at their marketing, do they have good exposure in the press? Do they have a good mix of houses on show?
• A good way to get a feel for the agency is to visit one of their show houses, chat to the agent and see how he or she represents the client.
• A professional agent will set a realistic price and provide you with a list of what other houses sold for in your area. If you ask more than one agent to provide a valuation and one of them is much higher than the rest, don’t assume that theirs is the right one (a natural thing to do). If they price the house unrealistically just to get you to place the mandate with them, you will both lose.
• As a seller you also have responsibilities. You must be prepared to divulge the true circumstances pertaining to your move. If the agent knows that you need to move in a hurry she may push harder for a quicker sale, if you have time on your side she may hold out for a higher price. Sometimes the cost of holding a home for a few months could equal the extra money you hope to see on the bottom line. Do your homework on this one. You also have to allow reasonable access to your home, and keep it as tidy as possible.
• Remember that you are members of the same team: the agent is working for you, the seller, and will try to achieve the best price possible. A good way to make sure that you are on the same page is to identify the top 10 features of the home and 10 areas for improvement. Tell the agent what you will or will not do to make the home more sellable. This will circumvent the “tennis match” type of communications that frustrates everyone.
• Finally you have to know that the agency can deliver. If the support team at the office is efficient, the management are of high integrity and they are passionate about real estate, then you are on a winning team.

Do you qualify as the best estate agent?