CHAS EVERITT INTERNATIONAL WEST RAND
What are your top three secrets to success?
(1) Having been in real estate for 12 years I have built up an extensive database and a large part of my business is repeat business and referrals. (2) Service is also a key factor – constant feedback and information both in writing and face to face ensures a customer for life. (3) And keeping up to date on area information and stats is essential.
What is the one thing you wish someone had taught you or told you when you first started out in property and why?
I would have to say “stick to the basics”. Often people drift away from the basic income chain steps and try a shortcut, but it’s a waste of time and energy because once the basic income chain is broken your income will decline.
What is the most vital business tool that estate agents should have at their disposal in today’s market and why?
My cell phone and Internet connectivity are my most vital tools because all my properties are advertised electronically and I generate a lot of leads and turnover from the website.
Do you remember the first property you sold? Please tell us about it.
It was a property listed for R1.25-million – a high price in the marketplace of 2001. I received a call from a buyer that another agent had declined to take to the property because he thought the buyer could not afford it. Needless to say this buyer bought the house through me, and the lesson I learned was never to assume anything and to keep asking questions.
What advice would you give to new kids on the block about making a success of a career in property?
To be prepared to work hard and understand that you never give real estate a ‘try’ unless you want it to ‘try’ you. It is not for the faint-hearted, but once it gets in your blood it’s very hard to give up.
