WAKEFIELDS ACHIEVER AWARDS

This is always an exciting time on the Wakefields calendar, as those who’ve headed up the leader boards, are named and acclaimed at a glittering function! We chatted to some of the winners about their journey, their successes and their secrets…

Each year, Wakefields invites their qualifying sales consultants to a lavish venue in a beautiful part of Kwazulu-Natal in order to celebrate their achievements. This year - the 2017/18 financial year – they were treated to a glamorous awards affair, at the stunning Cathedral Peak Hotel in the Drakensberg. Out of 400 sales consultants across 31 offices in KZN, this select number of achievers - the top one percent in the Wakefields fold - took the top positions in a number of categories.

Whether a new sales consultant or an experienced one, everybody acknowledges that the excellent, comprehensive training offered by the Wakefields Academy goes a long way towards preparing sales consultants for the road ahead. It’s a solid platform on which to build a career in property, and forms part of that all-important product knowledge which gives confidence to both the consultant and, of course, the clients.

Selling property isn’t about luck, even though luck can pop up and play a surprise role. When the same person comes in the top three repeatedly, that’s something else, not luck. And it happens all the time.

We chatted to our prize-winners in some of the categories, and snatched a few sound bytes from them, on what they consider to be their leading edge. There are characteristics and work ethics which are common to them all, but personality is everything when creating relationships. 

THE TOP FIVE

Kate Butler of Kloof seized the top spot overall in Wakefields Real Estate – it’s the second year she’s been top broker in the entire company. Kate’s lived in Kloof a long time, so knows the territory well, and equally, the community, so referrals from previous clients are her mainstay. She believes an ability to read people well and interact with those from all walks of life, is key: “I had a pretty humble upbringing, and that’s stood me in good stead. I’m comfortable with very different people. Empathy goes a long way – few people realise how very emotional a property deal is.”

Tracy Maharaj of Pinetown walked away with a number of awards, including second place overall. She’s taken on the commercial property portfolio, too, and has risen to the challenge of that sector: “I don’t work hard, I work smart. I’ve learned over the years that there are smart ways to provide a great service to buyers and sellers alike, such as prequalifying clients. And I never skimp on aftersales service.”

Caroline Elgar of Durban North - 3rd overall in the company - has spent eight years at Wakefields, and topped the Durban North board for three consecutive years. Caroline describes herself as ‘hungry’: “I want to have a good life, so I work extremely hard. But the reward is not just about the money. It’s so satisfying to see that you’ve put it all together for both buyer and seller, and it’s heart-breaking when it doesn’t go that way.” She adds, “Every day’s a school day in real estate - every client, every property, every buyer, every circumstance is different, and you need to constantly be open to learning new skills.”

Caroline Cobb of Pinetown seized fourth place overall. She’s been twenty eight years in the industry, and from Day One, considered this career as ‘running my own business’: “I’m a highly organised person, pay fine attention to detail, so being independent with my own working hours has been perfect for me. I have goals – financial and otherwise – and I work to achieve them.” Caroline’s years, experience and expertise means referrals are a major part of her client base: “It’s all about building relationships – interacting consistently with clients until long after the transfer is through, that’s what builds genuine relationships.” 

Lesley Lorimer of Hillcrest, fifth place overall, believes she has a very corporate attitude: “I go into every quarter with goals to achieve, so I’m quite strategic, and I’m tough on myself. I look at it very much as a business programme – when I shake hands with a seller or buyer, or step into their home, my intention is to get the mandate, sell the house. I don’t allow myself to be swayed by whether the market is good or bad, whether it’s school holidays or winter…I believe there is always motivation for a seller to sell, or a buyer to buy, and I make sure I achieve that.” If by any chance Lesley doesn’t meet her targets for that quarter, she works it out so it’s achievable by year end: “I need constant forward movement,” she smiled.

TOP TWO DEVELOPMENT BROKERS

Mandy Pannell’s 16 years of experience and ‘consistently hard work’ – as she calls it – shows, as she took first place in this category. So too her good reading of clients: “The Le Domaine and Cotswold Downs clients are entirely different. Experience has taught me to read between the lines of what clients say, which helps me to ask the right questions, pinpoint more accurately what they’re looking for, and how and where to find it.”  

Wendy Swift took second place, and she believes that with the client profile at Le Domaine in particular, it’s about relationships, but not just client-consultant: “This is an entire community that interacts and socialises, so we’re operating within a broader context. We’re dealing with an older clientele here, so we need to be sensitive to their financial situation, and advise them carefully. We cannot put them in a situation where in five years’ time, they can no longer afford their accommodation. Referrals are important, so sustaining Le Domaine’s excellent reputation is paramount.”

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

Ed Thornton of Durban North, may be Rookie of the Year – but he brings to the role a wealth of experience in fields which have assisted him significantly. Add to that his love of property and his property portfolio of fifteen years to back that up: “I studied mechanical engineering, worked extensively in a factory environment, owned my own premises, and  worked for the bank…so, dealing now largely in the commercial property space, aspects like return on investment come naturally to me. I can walk in the shoes of clients. My experience over the years, all comes together to identify what it is that’s required.”

TOP BRANCHES OF THE YEAR

Yellowwood Park, first, and Chatsworth, third – both branches under the management of Peter Lomax. With 34 years under his belt, Peter’s experience with people runs deep: “I run happy offices. There’s always laughter and fun, I don’t like a staid office…and I very, very seldom moan at anybody - it doesn’t achieve anything. I’m also a big fan of common sense! In each of these two offices, I’m part of the team, I’m available 24/7, and my door is always open. I believe I have the respect of the staff…they often send me Call Backs,” he laughs. Peter admits to getting emotional when his staff member Vuyi walked up on to the stage to accept her award: “When Vuyi joined Wakefields, she had no experience and no car. Today, at 7th position overall, she has just finished higher than any other Yellowwood Park broker has ever done, has been top agent for two consecutive years, has a stunning little car, and has just been to New York to visit her daughter. She’s such a success story, and I felt so proud.”

Kloof’s Glen Elstob, snatched second position. He joined the property world at age 30, when he realised he was having no fun in the mining industry. He describes his management style as relaxed and informal: “For me, it’s all about growing an office, and building up a team of good human beings, not good agents. Good human beings make good agents.” He believes that creating a great atmosphere in the workplace is conducive to sales, and that’s what he focusses on.

TOP YELLOWWOOD PARK BROKER, AND 7TH OVERALL

Vuyi Mahlasela started working in the field before she even joined Wakefields: “I was unemployed and a newcomer to Yellowwood Park. I began to walk around and familiarise myself with the area. I saw Wakefields boards everywhere, and I learnt all the agents’ names from the boards.” Then the local community paper plopped into her postbox, and Wakefields was advertising for sales consultants. Vuyi applied even though she had no car.

Yellowwood Park manager Peter Lomax interviewed Vuyi, and employed her. His reaction to her not having a car? “That’s fine, if you know how you’re going to manage.” Vuyi nodded enthusiastically. She admits to having had no idea how she would manage, but she was entirely focussed on succeeding, and ‘had faith’. She set to work: “I noticed how many open mandates there were, and began there. I visited these sellers, and left with sole mandates. That’s how I began.” And clients…how did you take them out? “I went in their cars. Or I walked.”

Vuyi was highly successful: “I gained all the knowledge and lessons I needed from my boss, Peter. He was always there to give me support.”

And, yes, Vuyi bought a brand new car. She says she’s so well-known in the community now, she doesn’t worry about not getting mandates: “I make sure that everybody has contact with me in some way or another, and they remember me when it’s time to sell or buy. I get  the mandates. I’m strong on after-sales service, and I always, always give feedback to sellers, whether it’s good or bad.”