Is a Property Agency a Sunset Business?
Since the 1990s, we’ve heard the same prediction over and over: the property agency business is finished.
First it was the internet. Then property portals. Then owner-direct listing platforms. Now, AI is supposedly the final nail in the coffin. Every decade brings a new technology that promises to wipe agents off the map. And every decade, the same claim resurfaces: property agency is a sunset business.
They are all wrong.
Why Agents Are Still Here
Far from dying, the industry has produced more and more professional agents over the years. Why? Because the fundamentals that drive demand for agency services keep growing:
- Population growth. More people need more homes, offices, and investments.
- Globalization. Expats, cross-border buyers, and international investors need guidance.
- Ongoing development. New projects and urban expansion create endless opportunities.
- Wealth creation. Malaysians today are far wealthier than in the 1990s.
And through it all, property remains the most trusted asset class. Unlike stocks, crypto, or even businesses, property is tangible. Owners can touch it, live in it, control its use. Land doesn’t vanish in a crash or a server shutdown. It’s indestructible—and that sense of control keeps fueling transactions.
Why Technology Alone Can’t Replace Agents
Technology is powerful, but it has limits. It cannot:
- Perform a viewing. Someone still has to open doors, arrange times, and walk buyers through a property.
- Handle keys and access. Security, handovers, and physical control require trust and presence.
- Resolve unexpected events. From loan rejections to title defects to last-minute seller concerns, real estate deals constantly throw curveballs that only experienced humans can manage.
Most importantly, networking and trust play a critical role. A successful match between buyer and seller doesn’t just “happen” online—it’s curated by agents who leverage their connections, knowledge, and credibility.
The strongest proof? Sellers are paying higher and higher commissions to agents. If direct buyer-to-seller models really worked, commissions would be shrinking, not rising. The fact that they continue to grow is the clearest sign that “innovative” shortcuts have failed miserably.
Why Negotiation Needs a Human Front
In real deals, the front matters. Many sophisticated sellers and buyers choose to let agents lead negotiations precisely because it levels the playing field. When principals go head-to-head, one party often sizes up the other—reading urgency, income signals, or inexperience—and the result is either a lopsided deal or no deal at all.
Effective negotiation isn’t just about price. It’s about sequencing, face-saving, and creating bridges:
- Information control. Agents filter noise, correct assumptions, and release facts at the right time.
- BATNA building. They frame credible alternatives so both sides move, not dig in.
- Concessions with purpose. Every give is tied to a get—whether it’s timelines, defects, financing, or rent-back.
- Cultural fluency and tone. Skilled agents calibrate words and gestures to keep egos intact and deals alive.
This is big wisdom — pattern recognition plus human judgment. No AI or portal can replicate the delicate work of calming tempers at midnight, reframing a deadlock, or preserving face so both parties walk away satisfied.
Why Critics Keep Calling It “Sunset”
So why do people keep predicting the end of the industry? Mostly because they don’t understand it.
Many critics come from outside fields, determined to “fix” what they see as a blood-sucking commission structure or unethical practices by a minority of agents. But punishing the whole industry for the sins of a few is neither fair nor realistic. In fact, these so-called disruptors often underestimate the complexity of property transactions—and quietly fade away while agents continue to thrive.
What the Industry Really Lacks
The property agency industry doesn’t need saving—it needs innovation.
The missing ingredient isn’t demand; it’s systems and structures that elevate professional standards, reduce inefficiency, and restore trust. Other countries have shown how unity and technology can lift the entire profession. Malaysia needs its own wave of innovation, built by people who actually understand the day-to-day struggles of agents.
This is why tools like ListingMine ERP matter. It’s not the “final solution,” but it’s a step toward addressing fundamental problems—commission management, co-broking coordination, and scalable team support. The industry doesn’t need outsiders predicting its death; it needs insiders building its future.
No, It’s Not a Sunset Business
Property agency is not a sunset business. It’s a sunrise business — one that evolves with population growth, globalization, and technological progress.
Every prediction of its demise has missed the same truth: as long as property remains the asset class people trust most, professional agents will remain indispensable. The industry’s future doesn’t hinge on survival; it hinges on innovation, unity, and raising standards.
