Tips for Selling a Home Online in South Africa

Back in the day, the grapevine and word of mouth were often the most successful way of getting word out. In 2025, it’s all about going viral, getting indexed and “found” by LLMs and AI. Selling property is no different: it’s all online and it’s a complex combination of art and science.

From the burgeoning social media options and property portals to hyper-local WhatsApp groups and communities, not to mention personal microsites, it’s hard to know where to focus. Whether you are a real estate professional looking for tips to up your game further, or simply a homeowner who might be considering a private sale, here are some pointers that will give you some insight into where and how to sell a home online…

Word of Advice:

“What truly makes the difference is working with a trusted agent who not only understands the local market but is deeply rooted in the community they serve. They bring the relationships, insight and experience that connect sellers with the right buyers, confidently rising to industry challenges using all the tools and platforms at their disposal. That’s the power of doing real estate right: empowering people to move forward with certainty and success," says Regional Director and CEO of RE/MAX, Adrian Goslett.

The digital landscape: where should I list a home for sale?

1. Property Portals

For many buyers, the property portals are their go-to online marketplaces. When adding a listing to these portals, it is important to pay attention to the listing quality score.

What is this, you might ask? Well, the portals reward users for adding all the relevant property details, because this helps buyers decide whether they’re interested in the property or not. Essentially, the more information and visuals you add to the listing, the more points you get. Listings with less complete information (things like providing the street address, a full listing description, the cost of levies or rates, etc.) will automatically appear lower in users’ feeds than listings that have provided all the relevant information.

Apart from paying attention to your listing quality score, in our visual world, it’s critical that your listing is appealing. That’s why it’s so important to use professional photos and virtual tours. Selecting the right holding image for the listing card is also crucial, as this will determine whether the user clicks on your listing or keeps scrolling.

Caution for Private Sellers

There is a cost for listing on the property portals, and while they do get high volumes of traffic because they’re most buyers' go-to starting points, people often view private sales with a certain amount of suspicion when compared to listings from established, reputable property brands.

2. Social Media

Social media is another great online resource to help you reach potential buyers. Organic posts – those you don’t pay for – can be a great place to start. Also known as the “post and hope” approach, this is where you upload photos and relevant content to your usual channels, hit publish and let your followers (and the algorithm) do the rest. To decide on which platform to post, you need to define your target audience. For most listings, Facebook and Instagram should be a safe option. To reach a younger audience, try platforms like TikTok.

For estate agents, not only can organic posts be used as a way to sell listings, but they also help you to build brand loyalty and trust. Through regular organic posting, you can slowly build up followers to your page so that your organic posts have the potential to reach a wider audience. Sadly, if you’re a private seller, you’re unlikely to have as large of a network as an established real estate professional would — this is where community groups can be helpful.

Whether you’re an agent or just a private seller, it is a good idea to join local community groups, (like school groups or bric-a-brack groups, etc.) where you can either post about your listings or reach out to locals through commenting on their posts. You could even join community groups on mobile apps like WhatsApp and Telegram. Just keep in mind that each of these groups will have their own sets of content restrictions and guidelines so you’ll need to abide by their rules or risk getting banned from the group.

For those who are willing to spend a little bit of cash, it can also be incredibly helpful to boost or use paid-for ads that target your specific buyer, location and demographic. This is a bit more complicated to set up than doing organic posts, but with a little research or with a help from a digital marketer, you could get this running in no time.

Tips for how & what to post

• Reels, short videos and quality photos with captions like “Just listed in xxx suburb” on your posts. Put the contact link in the first comment with “Link in comment” in the caption because some platforms down-rank posts with external links. Always monitor your results and test which option gives the best result.
• Create a headline as your caption to make your property listing stand out on busy social media feeds. Instead of generic descriptions, use angles that speak directly to buyers’ emotions or lifestyles. Here are a few suggestions you can adapt for your own posts:
  • Lifestyle Angle: Wake up to mountain views and morning coffee on your private balcony. This x-bedroom home in [Suburb/City] is perfect for family living. Ready to make it yours? Book a viewing today
  • Emotional Angle: Imagine your kids in this garden, or summer braais with friends. Homes like this in [Neighbourhood] sell quickly, so message us now to schedule a private viewing.
  • Location Angle: Live just 5 minutes from [Popular School/Shopping Centre/Beach]. This [Type of Home] in [Suburb] combines convenience and comfort. Click the link for full details or DM to book a viewing.
  • Investment Angle: An investment opportunity not to miss! This modern apartment in [Suburb] offers excellent rental returns and is priced at just R[x]. Secure your piece of [City] property today.
• Have a call to action, e.g., contact me to find out more or DM to book a viewing and always link back to a trusted source (your portal listing, microsite – see more below – or agency page).
• Always use hashtags (#). These are like digital signposts that ramp up your visibility and create connections. When you click on a hashtag, like #propertyforsale or #justlisted, you’ll find a whole host of posts around the same topic. It’s a good idea to check out what hashtags are being used on similar listings when you craft your post. There are also free tools that can generate targeted hashtags for your property listings.
• Adding a human touch by appearing in your own videos and personally introducing the property makes for authentic engagement that buyers can relate to. Use integrated social media tools to boost engagement through simple polls such as, “Would the pool or the braai area be your favourite spot?” These touches don’t just market a property, but they can help potential buyers see themselves living there, which stops them scrolling and encourages them to click through and make that all important enquiry.
• Equally important, don’t forget the really critical information about your property: price, location and special features that will appeal to your targeted buyer. Buyers want to see more than just beautiful photos, they’re also looking for practical details that will help them make informed decisions. Always include key facts upfront, such as the monthly rates and levies, the erf size and any recent upgrades or renovations - spark interest by showing before-and-after posts and images of the transformation.
• Last but not least, post when you know that people are most active. Your social media account/profile insights will help here, so if it is evening and weekends, be prepared to respond to comments, DMs and enquiries, almost immediately. It’s the old story of if you snooze, you lose. On social media, it’s a case of fastest fingers first, so as they say, strike while the iron is hot, dealing with DMs and engagement on your posts as quickly as you can.
• When that bite comes, and you think you’ve hooked a prospective buyer, you will need to be aware of potential scamsters and the risks that can come with any online sale, so be sure to screen buyers and take all the necessary precautions or better still, mandate an agent.
• If you are an agent, to help strengthen your credibility, consider sharing testimonials or success stories from past sales. For example, highlight how quickly a previous listing sold or share a buyer’s feedback about your service. These small and powerful touches reassure potential buyers that they’re dealing with a reputable agent, which will encourage them to take the next step and book a viewing.

3. Landing pages / websites

Landing pages and websites are the most technical and complex options. As an agent, if you belong to a reputable brand, you should have your own landing page or website — and this is where you will link to when posting on social media. Real estate brands spend a lot of money, time, and effort to optimize their agency website and ensure high traffic volumes to maximise the reach on all their listings. This can be tricky to replicate on your own.

Private sellers, on the other hand, have no such option unless they build their own website on a content management system, e.g. Wix or WordPress, depending on your technical skill and confidence levels. While you are in total control, just like a private listing on one of the big property portals, you are an unknown, which may deter prospective buyers. Then, there’s the challenge of ensuring that a buyer will find your site, and unless you’re both tech, SEO and all sorts of other net-savvy, this is a difficult, time-consuming and complex task.

Pointers for making your microsite or landing page stand out

• Select a mobile-first theme, which means:
  • A layout with clear headings and thumb-friendly buttons
  • A sticky Call-To-Action (call, WhatsApp or enquire)
  • Short enquiry form (name, number, one question) to help reduce friction
  • Fast load: compressed images and minimal scripts

• Make your microsite or landing page easy to find AND share with -
  • A custom, readable URL (web address), e.g., yourbrand.co.za/parklands-3bed.
  • One-tap share buttons (WhatsApp, Facebook, email) near the gallery and call to action
  • Solid on-page SEO with a clear H1 heading, descriptive title tag, meta description and alt texts for images

• Tips for agents to build trust
  • Take full advantage of all that your brand offers by utilising the office or agent page on your brand’s main website. Why waste your time and effort creating something if your brand has already provided you with all that you need?
  • Make sure that your bio, PPRA/FFC information is current; include the correct contact info (phone + WhatsApp tap-to-chat)
  • If possible, include client testimonials or updates about recent sales
  • Finally, if your agency website hasn’t already, it’s important to include a POPIA-friendly privacy note on or close to your contact form

Final Thoughts

“It’s your property’s online presence that determines whether buyers click, call or scroll past your listing. It’s a competitive online space, so you need to put in some work to stand out. Our website attracts more than 230,000 local, and 50,000 international, visitors each month, giving our agents an unfair advantage with their online presence,” says Regional Director and CEO of RE/MAX, Adrian Goslett.

Electing to use an estate agent with an established online presence will save you from getting tangled in the interweb and from the challenges associated with pointless enquiries and screening purchasers.

In addition to multi-channel marketing, which comes standard, REMAX is rated as Southern Africa’s number one real estate brand with global reach. If you’re considering selling your property, contact your local RE/MAX office.

Have more unanswered questions? Here are some related questions – and answers – that might help…

Do I still need an attorney if I sell online?

Yes, you will still need an attorney if you sell your property online. It is a legal requirement to use a conveyancer (transferring attorney) to handle the transfer of the property into the buyer’s name. Read more about selecting the right attorney for your transfer.

What are the legal requirements for selling a house online in South Africa?

When you sell a house online, the legal framework is exactly the same as a traditional property sale, i.e. proof of ownership, compliance and rates clearance certificates. You will also need to disclose any defects and a signed offer to purchase. There are also POPIA considerations if you are capturing people’s private information.

How to avoid scams when selling property online?

The best way to avoid being scammed when you’re selling property online is to take steps to verify that the people you are dealing with are who they say they are. For example, if you’re using an agent, are they registered with the PPRA, and do they have a fidelity fund certificate? If you’re going it alone, vet your prospective buyer: meet them in person in a public place, verify their identity and ask for proof of funds via either a letter from the bank, a bank statement or a pre-approval letter from the bank or bond originator.