Before 2008, becoming an estate agent in South Africa required little more than paying a registration fee, leading to unqualified agents and frequent failed transactions. The global recession and new legislation drastically changed this landscape, enforcing higher professional standards and reducing the number of practitioners from around 80 000 in 1996 to about 30 000 registered with the Estate Agency Affairs Board. These changes eliminated opportunistic “fly-by-night” agents and left behind committed professionals. Today’s agents must understand market trends, legal compliance, and client expectations while managing marketing, showings, and negotiations—often at their own cost. Despite the perception of easy earnings, agents face long hours, uncertainty from failed bond approvals, and delayed payments of up to six months after a sale. The result is a tougher but more credible and service-oriented industry, where only dedicated, qualified practitioners thrive, ultimately raising the quality and trustworthiness of South Africa’s property sector.
