Interview: LeadHome, CTO John Murray speaks about tech disruption in real estate

Source: IT News Africa

South African human/tech hybrid estate agency, Leadhome, was launched two years ago and helps homeowners with buying and selling property. The modern estate agency provides solutions using technology in a bid to simplify estate agency processes.

Earlier this year the company launched Simpli, a first-of-its-kind and only platform in South Africa. Simpli uses the latest technologies to empower buyers and sellers, and significantly improve their experience of property transactions. The platform will be expanding and developing over the coming months with additional features set to go live soon.

IT News Africa interviewed Leadhome’s Chief Technology Officer, John Murray to find out about the impact of technology in the industry .

1. What inspired the start of Leadhome?
The establishment of Leadhome was inspired by the need for transformation in the real estate industry. Customers are charged enormous amounts of money for a service that many are unhappy with, and the industry largely still works on a model that hasn’t changed in decades, with very little use of technology.

After some intensive research into the industry, Leadhome was established in late 2015 by CEO Marcel du Toit and Principal Harry Hattingh. The agency combines the best of traditional real estate agencies and modern technology to provide an online, 24×7 service combined with expert real estate agents that guide clients through the process of selling their homes – from start to finish – for a flat-rate commission fee (R29 995 excl VAT).

2. How would you describe the role of technology in the overall success of the organisation?
Technology enables us to provide a superior customer experience, at a very low cost. Using technology, we provide our customers with insights into how to best price homes to sell them rapidly. We have developed a platform that connects buyers and sellers 24×7, wherever they are, allowing prospective buyers to schedule viewings for properties when it suits them rather than having to wait until a show day is scheduled, or an estate agent to phone them back, to view a property they may be interested in.

Technology has simplified the process of buying and selling, making it faster, stress-free and cheaper.
For instance, with our dashboard – Simpli – sellers can see how much interest there is in their property, set their availability, schedule viewings with prospective buyers and get real-time information on…

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