Real estate agent finds this career fulfilling and challenging

SECUNDA – When she was five years old, Ms Tamsyn Rafferty wanted to become an attorney.

Twenty-two years and many adventures later, she is finally studying for an LLB degree, but for completely different reasons this time.

Much has changed and as the managing director of her real estate agency, she is thankful for the experience that has brought her this far.

“I decided at 18 to take a gap year and as I was interested in film production, I went to London to pursue a diploma in production to gain experience.

“I worked for a company that did mostly advertisements and music videos, and gained a lot of experience.

“I was even part of the team that worked on a Sugababes music video, and what stood out to me most about this industry, was how hard people were willing to work to pursue their dreams.”

After a year in London, she returned to South Africa and studied for a communications degree through Unisa.

She was then accepted into a strenuous post graduate diploma course in management with the focus on entrepreneurship at the University of Cape Town

Once again the determination of her fellow students and the glimpse into big industry inspired her, and after coming to Secunda with her partner, she was motivated to go into real estate after a chance meeting with a local agent.

“During a viewing of a property, I met a well-known local agent and I was in awe of her.

“We began talking and she offered me a job.

“I Initially worked for a number of real estate agents, working in rentals, sales and getting experience in management, and finally, a few years ago, I decided to carve out my own niche in the market.”

Ms Rafferty explained she has always been ambitious and was excited to see what her specific experiences could bring to a company.

She opened the doors of her real estate agency exactly five days before her wedding in 2015, and has not looked back.

“One of the most important things to understand if you want to be a successful real estate agent, is that you must build your brand.

“Decide what your vision for your business is and keep your focus on that every single time you interact with a client.”

Professionalism is extremely important to her and she hopes to be an example to young agents coming into the business, but she also believes in being generous with her knowledge.

For this reason, Ms Rafferty has chosen to further her studies and hopes to finish her LLB degree soon.

“There are many confusing and contradictory guidelines out there that make it difficult for young agents to register and to get the proper qualifications, so I want to be involved with training and skills development.

“I am working on making short introductory videos to help young people understand what it takes to be a real estate agent, and to get them excited about delivering a professional service to the public.”

Ms Raggerty stressed the importance of shadowing a real estate agent before you make your final decision and to try and get as much experience as possible.

“See what it is like to work in rentals and sales, but also what it takes to manage an agency or to work with corporate clients.”

For people who are looking to enter the property market, she advised them to find an agent that they feel comfortable with and to have a vision for their homes.

“It is a privilege to help a client find their home, their safe space, and a client should never feel pressured or uncomfortable.

“It is something that I am proud of at my agency, there is an agent for every type of client.

“If you have lived in Secunda your whole life, we will probably have an agent who knows you and if you are brand new in town and prefer to speak to someone in your own language, we can do that for you as well.”

The biggest reward for Ms Rafferty is when she gets to sell houses that she had sold previously.

“The return clients are my favourite, seeing the way they have improved their properties and helping them find the next perfect spot, whether their family has grown or they are down-scaling, makes me feel like I am making a difference.”

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