In 2020, Ria Taljaard expanded her existing two-franchise footprint, taking over a poorly performing real estate agency in Kimberley and completely turning it around.  Ria Taljaard’s Just Property Kimberley franchise achieved 27% growth year on year for 2021/22. Her Kuruman branch saw 30% year-on-year growth and her Kathu branch also showed growth of 9,3%.

How did she achieve this in such a short time? When she took over the Kimberley franchise, Taljaard said she would apply the lessons and values she’d learnt from her father to build Just Property Kimberley into a thriving business to be proud of. Ria has indeed raised the bar in real estate through respect for all people, a can-do attitude, and a hands-on, “lead-from-the-front” approach. Her door is always open to her clients and she provides them with her personal contact details.

She also invested a lot of time in training. “I believe knowledge is what sets an excellent agent apart from the rest,” she says. “Our focus is on how we can enhance the experience of every person we make contact with." She also believes in providing the best-in-class systems and intelligent assistance for her agents.

Google reviews show the success of her approach:

"Very professional and efficient company… amazing service and caring touch through all our interactions!" – Samantha Hartzenberg"Excellent service … efficient, friendly and a pleasure to work with" - Sadhiya Cassim"The best experience I've had with an estate agent in my life. She has gone above and beyond [to] get qualified buyers and take the process through right to the end. I highly recommend her!" - Henko Spangenberg"Nothing but the best service from Just Property Kuruman. These ladies are friendly, professional and a delight to deal with. I will gladly recommend them to any home buyer, seller or tenant. Hope to do much more business with them in the future.” - Carmien De Ru

Looking back, Ria acknowledges that it was tough but says, “Building my business from the bottom provided me with a rich experience I can draw on, and for that, I will always be grateful. To reap the rewards for your hard work is a blessing.”

And reaping the rewards is exactly what Ria and her team are doing. Out of all the Just Property franchises around the country, they walked off with 11 awards at the group’s recent annual awards ceremony:

Best Customer Experience (awarded to the franchise with the best processes and attitude to dealing with clients and Just Property’s Customer Experience Team) - Just Property Kalahari (Kathu)Exceptional Growth In Letting, 6th place - Just Property KalahariExceptional Growth in Sales, 7th place - Just Property KimberleyTop Revenue Earning Franchises In Letting, 8th place - Just Property KalahariTop Revenue Earning Franchises In Letting, 9th place - Just Property KimberleyTop Revenue Earning Franchises In Sales, 6th place - Just Property KalahariMost Residential Properties Sold, 10th place - Just Property Kalahari

It’s an impressive haul when you consider the major metros Ria and her team were up against. But success, for Ria, is more than awards - it’s the ability to contribute towards making the world a better place. "It is such a blessing to experience the joy of handing a buyer the keys to their very first home," she says. “It’s also an immense responsibility. I love the Northern Cape’s sense of community. I aim to bring the best possible knowledge, skill and service to my community through the work that I love.”

Ria’s immediate focus is on growing her team by attracting experienced agents who have a proven track record of success. "My dream is to continue to provide exceptional service to the communities of Kimberley, Kuruman and Kathu in all aspects of property,” she concludes. This sentiment is echoed in her team’s mission; “raising the bar in real estate”.

For more information on Just Property, please visit www.just.property or call (087) 583 3333.