GO-GETTER BARBARA: A GOOD LISTENER

"DISCIPLINE, hard work, knowledge and skills to operate as an agent. I can create opportunities and I am a good listener who can identify exactly what a client is looking for."

These are the words chosen by Barbara Lourens - who joined the Dormehl Phalane Property Group family (DPPG) only last month, November 2018 - to describe her strengths as an agent.

Barbara's main focus is property in Waverley, Pretoria, where she has lived for the past 12 years, having started her career in real estate in 2015.

She completed her NQF 4, received SETA accreditation, wrote her PDE in November 2017 and is now a full-status agent.

Barbara worked in the banking environment for 23 years, holding various management positions, then started her own bond origination business 10 years ago. She needed a new challenge and decided to start a career in real estate.

The real estate agency at which she worked in 2016 named her Agent of the Year and she was rated third overall in her office for accomplishments during 2017.   She also received various awards for sales in 2016 and 2017.

Barbara puts her success down to hard work, and says the knowledge and skills she acquired while working in the banking industry, and dealing with marketing strategy, hold her in good stead.  

She can identify and create opportunities, and has developed good listening skills to determine exactly what her clients' needs are to match them to a property. 

Her high success rate is admirable, with 80% of her sole mandates on properties being sold within two months or less, from date of listing. 

Barbara has a solid corporate background and strong ethical values. She ensures she always acts in her client's best interest.  

She believes DPPG is the leader of the property pack in this country because "the company focuses on the individual and has a sense of urgency to ensure a person has the necessary exposure, tools and knowledge to become a successful agent".

Barbara, whose DPPG branch is at 1170 Moulton Avenue, Waverley, Pretoria, has these words of advice for anyone who feels it is not necessary to have an agent to sell property: "A real estate agent has the education and experience to sell the property; he or she knows the neighbourhood and comparable sales prices... and has a data base with clients that they can sell the property to".

Of Owen Dormehl, who heads DPPG with Tau "Daniel" Phalane, Barbara says: "Owen has a passion for the real estate business. He is a leader who empowers his people. He is close to the business and the agents, so relates to the day-to-day running of the business. He is a firm believer in developing and training his people".

Some things about Barbara that the average person is not likely to know?

"I have Italian blood - my father was Italian - and I grew up in a small town in Trichardt in Mpumalanga. I am the type of person who is happy to keep myself company. I love 'alone' time and a simple, uncomplicated life."