GENEVIEVE AND HER STRIKING BILLBOARD

FAMOUS words associated with great leader Mahatma Gandhi helped to inspire the move by property expert Genevieve Hutton, of Meyersdal in Gauteng, to join the Dormehl Phalane Property Group family.

It was on April 1 - and this is no joke! - that real estate agent and branch principal Hutton embraced the company headed by Owen Dormehl and Daniel 'Tau' Phalane, joining an ever-growing stable with almost 80 branches countrywide.

"Be the change you wish to see in the world"... that was the Gandhi quote that ignited fresh direction for Hutton, who had previously spent eight years in Meyersdal working under another real estate franchise.

Now operating with 15 agents - among them Dean Hutton, Genevieve's husband of two years - the branch's new moniker is Dormehl Phalane Property Group Meyersdal.

"We are the same people with the same management team, just with a different approach," is how Hutton puts it.

Gandhi's words inspired her to look into change and not be afraid of it, she explains. 

"I believe the dividing line is not between those who want to change the world and those who do not - there is no one alive who can view the suffering and injustices of the world without wishing that things could be different.

"The dividing line, then, is between the warriors of hope who believe that another world is both positive and necessary, and the many who have given up and abandoned that dream," she adds.

Hutton’s offices are in the same spot where she operated under her previous franchise - 7 Meyersdal Mall, on the corner of  Hennie Alberts Street and Michelle Avenue.

Visit and you can't miss it, as one section of the building showcases a striking, blow-up photograph of Genevieve seated on a stool, one leg crossed over the other. It's a black and white photo, but with Hutton's shoes a popping blue.

Even more eye-catching is that it is on a billboard which, measuring 6.6m x 4.2m, covers two levels of the building and proudly announces her association with the Dormehl Phalane Property Group.

Hutton says the billboard cost a cool R24 000 but its clout has reaped rewards, and not only among the many visitors to Dormehl Phalane Facebook pages, where a photo of it has seen people pressing the 'like' button and offering praise for the novel marketing approach.

Hutton smiles when she chats about it, pointing out that the billboard has sparked a lot of interest since it went up more than a month ago.

It's but one of many marketing exercises by the branch which recently also linked up with the Rietvlei Lifestyle Centre in the south of Johannesburg to sponsor races, the first being a successful mountain bike race a month or so ago. In addition, a series of Sunday decathlons are planned there in coming months, the first Deca Run having been scheduled for June 10.

"Also, in winter, every Tuesday and Friday morning, we set up a gazebo at street intersections and promote the branch by handing out rusks and sachets of coffee - and, in summer, cool drinks and cookies. People love it."

The change in her company was a wonderful opportunity that presented itself, Hutton explains.

"The Dormehl Phalane group ethos is one fully aligned to our personal motto/ethos of creating a positive and prosperous South Africa for all. Almost overnight, our decision was made - and although it was an easy one, it wasn't taken lightly. 

"We are now the Meyersdal and Alberton face of Dormehl Phalane Property Group, the first South African real estate firm that has taken transformation seriously, with highly successful offices, based originally in KwaZulu-Natal but spreading like wildfire throughout the country."

Hutton, who has a four-and-a-half-year-old son named Blake, has high praise for Owen Dormehl and Tau Phalane, pointing to their constant support.

She says her team is excited for the adventure that lies ahead: "We are here to offer our clients a fresh and enhanced service offering, to ensure that their greatest investment is marketed professionally and with passion."