RE/MAX celebrates success in the Cape
02 March 2010, 02:31:05 PM
RE/MAX of Southern Africa kicked off 2010 with awards breakfasts held around the
country to celebrate outstanding successes achieved in 2009, one of the toughest
years in the property market by far.
Hosted by internationally renowned speaker, Michael Jackson, the fourth and
final national RE/MAX awards breakfast, made possible by the support of its
long standing business partners, Betterbond and Standard Bank, was held in Cape
Town at the end of February. Out of the 360 awards presented nationally, 127
awards were handed over at the Cape event.
Before the ceremony got underway, Peter Gilmour, Founder and Chairman of RE/MAX
of Southern Africa, together with his wife Val, were welcomed back into the
RE/MAX of Southern Africa Family. The Gilmours, reacquired the RE/MAX of Southern
Africa region under a new Master Franchise Agreement late last year and with
more than 20 years of experience with RE/MAX, their experience and support will
undoubtedly lead the company to greater heights in 2010.
Addressing the room of RE/MAX Broker/Owners, Sales Associates and support staff,
Adrian Goslett, Regional Director and CEO of RE/MAX of Southern Africa, said
that despite the fact that 2009 was dubbed as ‘the toughest year in real
estate’, RE/MAX continued to grow through and out of the recession. “Since
September last year,” he said, “we have seen month-on-month sales
growth with November equalling record months of 2007.” Goslett also noted
that 111 new agents joined the RE/MAX brand in the last three months of 2009
and a further 15 agents were welcomed back into the RE/MAX family.
Talking about what is in store for RE/MAX in 2010, Goslett said the year started
off with a bang. “In the first month alone 55 quality agents joined the
company with a further 10 family members returning. We also concluded six franchise
sales in the first five weeks of the year.”
Goslett believes the group’s success is due to agents that can change
their business strategy to be more efficient and more effective because they
belong to a system that allows them to be entrepreneurs; agents that lead change
in an industry as opposed to being influenced by it and agents that know that
client relationships are more important than sales and listings.
This ability to adapt to changing market conditions became evident when the
awards were handed over to those Broker/Owners and Sales Associates who, despite
the odds, achieved phenomenal successes in 2009. The awards categories were
tiered in accordance with sales results and commissions earned over the past
12 months.
Broker/Owners and Sales Associates within the Cape region racked up 45 Executive
Club awards and 61 100% Club awards for their remarkable sales results over
the past 12 months. A total of 16 Platinum Club awards were handed over to Sales
Associates and Broker/Owners in the Cape region, with four Chairman’s Club
awards presented in recognition of outstanding sales performance. Gerlinde Moser
of RE/MAX Living and Ari Voyiatiz of RE/MAX Property Associates each received
a Diamond Club award for their outstanding achievements in 2009.
Of the 29 Career and Special Awards presented nationally, the Cape Region laid
claim to 10, with nine Hall of Fame awards presented to those Broker/Owners
and Sales Associates who have achieved exceptional results during their career
with RE/MAX. Cheryl Bluff of RE/MAX Elite was presented with a Lifetime Achievement
Award. To be eligible for this award, Cheryl needed to have dedicated at least
seven years of her real estate career to RE/MAX, aside from achieving outstanding
sales results.
The Cape region also managed to scoop several national awards, including Best
Small Office of 2009, which was awarded to RE/MAX Lifestyle Estates, a RE/MAX
office that is deeply involved in its local community, and one that achieved
a 30% agent growth in 2009. The national award for the Best Multi Office with
the highest sales volume by registered commission was presented to Caron Leslie
and José de Abreu of RE/MAX Property Associates, as was the prestigious
multi-office Broker/Owner of the Year award.
The top five sales associates by registered commission were, ranked from one
to five, Karyn Cartoulis of RE/MAX Living; Debra Peters of RE/MAX Property Associates;
Marius Jordaan of RE/MAX Living; Harriet Engelbrecht of RE/MAX Living and Peter
Kotze of RE/MAX Property Centre.
RE/MAX Property Associates cleaned up the award category for the Cape’s
top three sales teams by registered commission. The winners were announced as
Ari Voyiatzis; Jacqui Kvalsvig and Trevor Chute.
The top three multi-offices by registered commission were RE/MAX Property Associates;
RE/MAX Living and RE/MAX Property Centre. The top three single offices of the
year for the Cape Region were RE/MAX Oaktree; RE/MAX Helderberg and RE/MAX Prestige.
All the successes celebrated above could not be achieved without the assistance
and dedication of support staff, for which Alicia Havenga of RE/MAX Property
Associates was awarded as the Regional Office Administrator of the year.
Another fact worthy of celebration is that RE/MAX of Southern Africa has raised
over R6,4-million for Reach for a Dream since it first started supporting this
worthy cause in 2004. During 2009, R313 000.00 was raised for Reach for a Dream,
and a cheque was handed over to a local representative of the Foundation from
RE/MAX of Southern Africa. This donation was made possible by voluntary contributions
from Broker/Owners and Sales Associates around the country. The highest contributing
office to this worthy cause regionally and the highest average contribution
per Sales Associate for the region came from RE/MAX Lifestyle Estates.
Goslett concluded by saying that 2010 is the year of opportunity. “The
market has certainly turned but it is up to us to go out there and make it happen.
We need to exude passion and energy in all we do and we need to get back to
the one thing that sets us apart from our competitors, our willingness to succeed
and the core values that we represent in our Formula.”