THE FUTURE OF PROPERTY
19 March 2010, 01:46:06 PM
THE FUTURE OF PROPERTY
The Nedbank Property Association Roadshows gave property professionals a sneak peak into the future of the market, and tips and tricks to make the most of the opportunities that 2010 will bring
The Nedbank Property Association Roadshows, which were held in major regions around the country earlier this month, were once again well received by the real estate community, with over 2500 agents in attendance.
Rudi Botha, Convenor of the Property Association, opened proceedings with the picture of a rather ragged looking rooster that had certainly lost some feathers. For Botha, the picture summed up the property market’s performance in 2009 perfectly. But, he said, we need to move forward, and as custodians of the real estate industry, in fact the only national body to recognise real estate professionals across the different brand denominations, the Property Association is committed to promoting the image of estate agents/property professionals to the consumer and adding value to real estate professionals in 2010.
Botha also said the Property Association wants to celebrate success in the industry and reward those who have worked hard to earn it. He encouraged estate agents to enter the annual Nedbank Property Professional of the Year awards, to be held in September, where the industry’s top achievers are recognised and rewarded each year.
The 2009 Nedbank Property Professional of the Year winners, Joel Harris and Michael Mosselson of Firzt Realty, presented a short motivation for success at the Gauteng events. Perhaps one of the most profound statements in the presentation by Harris was a quote from Victor Frankl: “In the Auschwitz concentration camp, I discovered the ultimate human freedom, the ability to choose your attitude irrespective of circumstances.”
Harris summed up by saying that life is about being:
Clear on the cost and be willing to pay the price that goes with it
Having a support team that believes in you
An organisation that keeps the focus clear
Investigating all your options and playing the movies to the end
Coming to grips with my dreams (the most powerful motivator) and
Emotional stamina
Nedbank’s chief economist, Dennis Dykes, gave some sobering insight into world economies, which, while they are showing signs of recovery, are a long way off from where they used to be. Dykes believes that property markets, both domestically and internationally, appear to be on the mend as the effects of the financial market crisis abate, however, while recovery may be underway and the outlook positive, it will be a slow one that could be adversely effected by many different factors. However, the good news, as presented by Dykes, is that South Africa is fairing exceptionally well. Dykes noted that South Africa has been higher in output over a three year period than developed world economies in terms of GDP, and he expects the country to show a 3,2% growth rate in the fourth quarter of 2010.
Some uplifting comedy and motivation, much needed after a relatively flat economic outlook, was the order of the day when key note speaker, Vusi Thembekwayo, took to the stage. His self-inspired talk, Big Mama & the Horse, bore relevance to everyone who attended the Nedbank Property Association Roadshows. He spoke of the dangers of “the eye of the tiger” approach, where you just keep looking straight ahead and go in without looking around you to consider alternatives or different methods of approach.
This is a sentiment echoed by Botha, who believes the estate agents most likely to succeed in the years ahead are the ones who can take stock of the environment around them, assess how it is changing, and adapt appropriately to the new and unique needs of their clients.