Dear CyberAgent user,

Last month we covered the importance of the Internet and how important it is to stay in touched with the needs of your clients.

We told you that we have formed relationships with other property websites and currently update the properties of our CyberAgent users to these as well as the numerous in-house websites (40+ websites) giving you the client maximum exposure! This monthly we can announce that CyberAgent are now the preferred property partner for Webmail and that your properties will be marketed on their property portal, www.webmailprop.co.za for FREE!

What’s happening in the property sector? “The fundamental problem,” says Ivan Neethling, the Chairman of the Western Cape branch of the Institute of Estate Agents (and National Treasurer to the organisation), “is not so much high interest rates - although a drop here is always welcome: it is the lack of finance. The banks are unable these days to issue enough bonds and on those they do allow the deposits are very high. This is a recipe for a complete slow-down in the property sector

Statements that bond/mortgage originators no longer have a role to play in the residential market was a shock for those operating in the property industry. Standard Bank will not be granting any bonds through Origination channels until further notice. ABSA on the other hand has successfully renegotiated its agreement with bond originators regarding commissions paid to them and the quality of applications submitted to the bank. Gavin Opperman, the group executive of SECURED LENDING AT ABSA RETAIL said agreements with the major bond with major bond originators had been concluded and negotiating with smaller originators would be finalised by the end of the month. Read more in Bond Originators must stay

CyberAgent is 10 years old! The growth of the company has been exponential in these years with over 1300 users. We now not only have one of the cheapest real estate office solutions in the market but offer by far the best real estate marketing solution you can get for your property. Development and enhancement of our software solution happens on a daily basis. Read more in What’s new

Good Luck!
The editor

New and improved maps:

It's HERE we've upgraded our maps on www.CyberProp.com! Have a look at www.cyberprop.com/search.qck for a look at how cool it is!

We're still tweaking it a bit and in the course of March we'll be sending out a news flash confirming its availability for you to list your agency on the maps through an interface that we will make available.

Long SMS messages now supported!

In the past we used to allow only 160 characters per SMS message - you will now be able to type a message of any length, the system will indicate the number of SMS messages as you compose the message - you will be billed according to the number of SMS’s your message spans. The usual confirmation and feedback screens will also detail exactly how many SMS messages will be sent. Enjoy!

Click Here for printable .pdf file

AGENTS IN 2009 WILL BE BETTER QUALIFIED, MORE COMPETENT AND MORE RESPECTED, SAYS APKF MD

The fact that some 20,000 agents have left the residential property marketing sector over the last year to 18 months should not deter others from entering the profession now, even if they have never been in it before. This was said recently by Lanice Steward, MD of Anne Porter Knight Frank...

THIS IS A WARNING ONLY!

Your properties (33) will no longer be listed on the following websites SHOULD YOU NOT UPDATE SOON

If you have received this warning and was perturbed about it, do not fear. Why this warning?

We do maintain a high standard of quality of the properties listed on CyberProp and our affiliated websites with respect to the period of time a listing has been displayed on the websites – there’s nothing less appealing to a person browsing a website than seeing the same old things week in and week out. We have therefore adopted the measure of removing a property from the www.CyberProp.com website if it had been uploaded more than 30 days ago.

This means plainly that if you have not updated your website (and thus also www.CyberProp.com) in over 30 days – your properties will be taken off CyberProp. You will receive email confirmation of the fact on the day the properties are removed and notification to update prior to any removals.

For more information contact support@cyberprop.com

Shiraaz Hassan, Marketing and Projects Manager at the Cape headquartered Asrin Property Developers, one of the three largest development companies at the Cape, has added his voice to those of others in the property sector who are calling for a further 2% drop in the interest rates sooner rather than later.

“Only a drop of that size,” said Hassan, “can revive an industry that has seen turnover fall by 50% in the last 18 months...

We now provide you with FREE training session in the following areas;

• Gauteng
• Kwazulu Natal
• Western Cape
• and the Garden Route

During these training sessions more information will also be provided on:

• CyberAgent Anywhere
  
• Keep me Informed Function
  
• New developments in CyberAgent
  
• New Update Manager
  
• REEP (Real Estate Evaluation Portal)

A warm welcome to all new Agencies January 2009:

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 us at support@cyberprop.com or phone us at: +27 (0)11 955-9100 or 086 112- 9237

Most Internet enquiries January 2009:

Everyone knows that there are hundreds of thousands of South Africans living in Perth and London, but not many are aware that there are also 30 000 living in Florida in the US, and thousands in the states of Georgia and Michigan.

This emerged at the recent National Association of Realtors (NAR) conference held in Orlando, Florida and attended by several SA representatives, including Dr Willie Marais, national president of the Institute of Estate Agents (IEASA), who says: “Since 1994 the world has been open to South Africans and while many have chosen to emigrate permanently, many are also just working overseas to broaden their experience and before returning to SA...

Auditing and Trust Accounts

The Submission of Auditors’ Reports, Trust Accounts Interest Earned on Trust Moneys and Related Matters

Q. When and who must open and maintain a current trust banking account?

A. Every estate agency business must open a cheque trust account with a bank and at the time of opening the account ensure that it has the following designation in the records of the bank "Trust account opened in terms of Section 32(1) of the Estate Agency Affairs Act, 112/1976" ("the Act"). Without such a designation the account does not enjoy the special protection envisaged by the Act and in the event of death or sequestration of a sole proprietor or the liquidation of the estate agency firm, trust creditors (members of the public who have entrusted moneys to the estate agent) run the risk of losing their moneys paid in good faith as trust moneys...