7 Lessons I Have Learned as an Estate Agent
Being a real estate agent has taught me many lessons.
- Beware of dogs, especially Staffies and other terriers. Once bitten, twice shy.
- Watch out for electric fences. The slightest touch can result in a shocking experience.
- Be careful when knocking on doors. I recall two armed guards suddenly confronting me, rifles in my face.
- Don’t expect people to arrive on time or at all. More than once, I’ve waited endlessly for a prospect to arrive for a viewing appointment. Eventually, they’ve not shown up or communicated or apologised.
- Dress for success. I have occasionally discovered that I wasn’t properly dressed for Johannesburg’s changeable weather. I fondly remember being caught in a hailstorm while waiting for the owner to open up for a valuation.
- Termites do exist. I remember moving a cabinet and the next minute being faced with an army of termites.
- Do your research. Is it common knowledge that the property you’re selling is a house of ill repute?
