HUIZEMARK GROOT MARICO DISTRICT
What are your top three secrets to success?
(1) Never give up – some will – some won’t – so, what next? (2) Keep contact with all clients regularly. Phone ‘old’ clients on birthdays or just to say “hello”. Phone ‘new’ potential buyers regularly. You might not have something for them right now, but the next listing might just be what they are looking for. (3) Don’t ever promise and not deliver. Stick to your word and always be honest.
What is the one thing you wish someone had taught you or told you when you first started out in property and why?
I wish someone had taught me that buyers are not always honest. What they initially say they need and what they actually buy in the end are worlds apart. I wish someone had taught me to look and listen more closely.
What is the most vital business tool that estate agents should have at their disposal in today’s market and why?
I am at totally lost without my laptop, my camera and my financial calculator. I mostly work on farms and small holdings in the Groot Marico District. I email a lot of photos to clients as most of the clients are from out of town, therefore good quality photos are my best sales tool. My camera: I try and capture more than just the buildings on the farm. I try my best to capture the ‘feel’ (ambience and character) of the farm. My calculator: I don’t have the luxury of a nearby bond originator and I think it‘s very important that when you start to talk about finances, you must be able to advise the buyer properly on all the different financial scenarios that might occur.
Do you remember the first property you sold? Please tell us about it.
It was a property sold in an average neighbourhood to first-time buyers. Our appointment was for late afternoon. We viewed the property and we were just about done when another agency arrived with buyers. My buyers did not even want to go back to the office – they signed the offer to purchase under the streetlight on the bonnet of the car! I had to present the contract to the sellers immediately because the buyers were scared of losing the property. A couple of years later, I sold another property to them, which they kept and rented out.
What advice would you give to new kids on the block about making a success in their career in property?
The first four years are difficult. You have to persist and work consistently in getting your name and your face out there – becoming a known entity, a face people associate with property in your area. It becomes easier after that – and a lot of fun!