José Rozados, director of Real Estate Report, defines the real estate personal shopper as someone who is in charge of finding the property that best suits the client's requirements, responding fully objectivity and independence. In the United States and Europe, this figure has been positioned for at least a decade, even being, university-trained professionals who can work independently or as employees for real estate agencies.
Despite being an incipient trend in Argentina, the first to join are real estate companies, training part of its teams to work exclusively for the buyer. It is important to note that, unlike in the United States, where the real estate agencies that represent the seller do not charge commissions to the buyer, in Argentina both parties pay commissions, so a third cost makes the purchase of a property more inaccessible. For this reason, some real estate agencies now offer the personal shopper service to buyers free of charge.
How a real estate personal shopper works
Rozados highlights that the first condition to provide an efficient real estate personal shopper service is to deeply understand how the market and its different actors work.
"In addition, it is essential to have knowledge of architecture and construction to evaluate the quality and condition of the properties, as well as analysis and diagnosis skills to clearly identify the objective demand based on the client's needs," he specifies.
Regarding the work process, Rozados emphasizes that the first, and possibly most important, task of a real estate personal shopper is to know their client. This goes beyond responding to an objective request, it involves understanding the tastes, the functioning of the person or family group, and their relationship profile.
Although in Keymex Immobilier Argentina They are not called personal shoppers, their agents are trained to act as such. According to Ignacio Andrada, Executive Director of the French chain, when they meet with a buyer for the first time, they interview them using a extensive questionnaire that allows them to obtain a detailed profile of the client, their needs and preferences.
Knowing the preferences and needs of the buyer, the personal shopper begins to search for properties, filtering the options available on the market to present only those that meet the buyer's requirements. Some, according to Puebla, even offer virtual tours.
«At Keymex we do the searches first within the network, but if we don't find the property we need, we go out to look for it on other networks or with individuals. We even do it with colleagues from other networks business rounds; everything to give the buyer an immediate and efficient response,” Andrada remarks to iProfesional.
In Argentina, where the purchase of a property is made on average once in a lifetime with savings or through a bank loan, the purchase price is not a minor issue. For this reason, Andrada explains, the role of the personal shopper includes negotiate, verify documentation and ensure the transaction is as smooth as possible for the buyer.
Although the real estate personal shopper does not have signature power, a role that in Argentina can only be played by a licensed public auctioneer, its service simplifies and speeds up the purchasing process.
When someone puts their property up for sale, Andrada explains, they usually stipulate a high price for what that house or apartment means to them, without taking into account that the market does not care if it is the house where they grew up or raised their children. «These biases, like so many others, we know well and we know how to work on them respecting the emotional value, but making them understand that the story has no value for the market, thus achieving real values«explains the Keymex executive.
The real estate personal shopper, according to specialists, is a trend and is here to stay in the Argentine market. Its ability to offer personalized service, save time and minimize risks is winning over buyers looking for a more efficient and satisfying property buying experience. Now, they say, the challenge lies in consolidating this trend in an ethical and professional manner, to guarantee its long-term success.
