While new technology can be exciting, it can also be scary; just ask anyone who has seen an episode of Black Mirror. On one hand, it can make life easier on the other it can present an existential threat.

This is evidenced on a company level with the rise and fall of Xtra Vision and Kodak and on an Industry level where even terrestrial television is threatened with obsolescence. This would have been unheard of 10 years ago. The recent rise and focus on AI has brought all of this to the forefront of people’s minds.

The property industry is no different where the Property Technology (Proptech) sector either aims to assist or threatens to disrupt. There is nothing new here, Purplebricks in the UK, was set up in 2012 with the aim of eliminating the need for estate agents. For some reason we’re still here, they just can’t get rid of us!!

Buying or selling a property is a very personal thing and it’s very difficult to navigate without a form of agency, i.e. someone in the middle to ensure a smooth(ish) transaction. Many variables are involved in selling property in Ireland, from finding a purchaser to dealing with legal and structural issues.

The road can be a bumpy one, where emotions are high and things can get personal. A good agent can protect their client from this, keeping a level of equilibrium and crucially the sale moving to completion.

Some agents have completely embraced technology and built their businesses with technology at its core even to the point of undermining the very nature of estate agency. This form of selling can be cold, and unyielding and often fails to notice the cues about buyers and timings that can lead to higher prices and higher sale completion rates.

Other agents turn their back on technology, adopting “old school values”, which is admirable but can lead to inefficiencies and a lack of transparency, causing frustration for both buyers and sellers.

We believe technology can be a friend and a blended approach can marry the best of both worlds. One thing I have encountered when talking with purchasers is the suspicion that the agent is fabricating bids.

In all honesty, I have never heard of an agent doing this, however, the uncertain feelings remain. To counter this and ensure transparency we use an online bidding platform for all of our private treaty sales. To place a bid we need to ensure the below:

• The bidder has seen the property
• Funds are in place
• Proof of ID is supply
• Proof of address is supplied

Not only is this best practice, but bidders can be confident that anyone they are bidding against has the wherewithal to complete the transaction, as it would be very unfair for someone without funds in place to drive up the price.

It is now possible for viewers to see on our website all available viewing slots and book themselves into one of these times or request an alternative time. This makes the viewing experience more accessible and efficient.

Our aim in the future is to have draft contracts for each property available on our website. To do this each vendor would need to be contract-ready (see our blog entitled Contract Ready); greatly reducing the time from sale agreed to sold.

Technology is only part of our offering, at our core is a commitment to high levels of customer service, driven by people who care. Selling and buying property can be stressful and we want to support both vendors and purchasers on their journey.