In the last half year the Rawson Properties group has helped 21 new franchisees set up in business. Eleven of these are in Gauteng or its surrounding provinces, including the Free State.
Sean McCauley, a Rawson Properties Director, has said that, although his Chairman, Bill Rawson, would have liked to have seen more new franchises established, the sales rate this year has been 'very satisfactory' considering the blow that the economic downturn has dished out to the residential property sector.
'Across the whole of South Africa,' he said, 'we are now finding that some people are turning their backs on corporate life. Lets face it, this has often not suited the middle rank manager with ambition and a strong entrepreneurial instinct. This, however, is the type of person we find we can attract to property franchising'
McCauley warned, however, that Rawson Properties still take on only one in twelve of the applicants for a new franchise and that, due to the educational qualifications which have now become obligatory in the real estate marketing sector, a new franchisee with no property experience might have difficulty setting up as a principal until he has completed an internship. However, he said, there are still ways of arranging this. Rawson is one of few estate agencies that is facilitating and assisting with this process.
By contrast, said McCauley, those with some or all of the necessary experience and qualifications are now steadily coming across to Rawson Properties from both their own independent organisations and from other agencies where they held subordinate positions.
'Many people, seeing the need for ongoing training and educational qualifications,' said McCauley, 'are now coming to us so that they can get these as part of our very comprehensive package.
'Others are coming to Rawson Properties because they recognise that sellers now look for a big well branded company, one with a reputation to defend and a higher authority to whom they know they will be able to appeal if not satisfied'
Many of the new franchisees recently set up in Rawson Properties northern territories, most have in fact worked previously in property. New Rawson Properties franchisees at Germiston, Wilgeheuwel and Secunda have all been in property already and of the new franchises established in the last 18 months some 70 % also had property experience.
The star performers among the new franchises, said McCauley, had been Kensington, Glen Vista and Rand Park with North Riding, Morningside, Ferndale and Midrand also turning in very good performances
'The fact that our franchises have been able to perform and survive in these extremely difficult conditions augers well for our future,' said McCauley.
