Let’s face it, being a real estate agent is no walk in the park—unless that park is a luxury listing’s backyard, and even then, it’s probably a hot day, and your phone won’t stop ringing. It’s a profession that demands resilience, sharp instincts, and an ability to smile through a storm of viewings, negotiations, and last-minute buyers’ cold feet.
Every agent wants to hit those jaw-dropping numbers—the kind that makes the office leaderboard look like their own personal résumé. Closing one deal can feel like climbing Mount Everest, however this team of Tyson agents in the Southern Suburbs has made it look as easy as a Sunday stroll through a staged open house.
With a string of record-breaking sales, flawless negotiations, and enough ‘SOLD’ boards to wallpaper a mansion, they’ve turned the hustle into an art form. Racking in R150 million in 2024 between four agents.
“Starting a team has allowed me to grow as a person and become a mentor for the members on our team who are just starting out,” said Filipe Espinha (33), shareholder and team leader.
For aspiring agents looking to make their mark, strap in because this team has some golden nuggets of advice.
Unfortunately, it’s not all big commissions and glitzy open houses. It’s endless viewings, late-night calls, and back-to-back weekends spent working while everyone else is out brunching and sunbathing on Clifton’s 3rd beach.
Listings don’t just arrive at your doorstep. If you are a brand new real estate agent with little to no network, you have to put in the work to build a personal brand. “Real estate is a cut-throat industry,” states Filipe.
To take your reputation from ‘good’ to ‘great’, you need to “get the basics right”, as Gabriel Walsh (23), area expert for Kenilworth and Wynberg emphasized.
And it all starts with cold calling. As a newer agent entering the industry, the best thing you can do for yourself is pick up the phone! “The hardest part in real estate is making those dreaded phone calls, but once you put in the work and get past the line, that hard work will lead to results,” Marco De Abreu (39), area specialist for Rondebosch and Kenilworth Upper explained.
A mistake that some people make when becoming a real estate agent is thinking that it’s easy – when in reality, it’s not and there is actually a lot that goes into making a single sale. You don’t just walk in with a name, a massive network and a whole lot of listings to sell – you have to work for it and build a name for yourself.
Gabriel said that over time you will learn the ins-and-outs of selling, legalities, building a rapport, how to read people, how to understand a client’s needs, the psychology of real estate, and listening to your clients.
“Starting out, things might feel slow, but once the ball starts rolling and you know what type of agent you are, things will go a lot smoother and quicker,” Marco said.
But once your name becomes a ‘player in the market’, rapports and stats will demonstrate your abilities.
Real estate agents are called ‘area experts’, but you can’t call yourself an area expert if you don’t know every square inch of it. Once you get to know your area you can make more informed decisions for your clients that will suit their needs. “I now know my area even better, to the point that I can identify a block just from some pictures,“ says Gabriel.
Building a network can be hard and building a relationship with clients can be even harder. Real estate agents aren’t always painted in a good light. People sometimes view real estate agents as vultures.
Marco wants to remind new agents to know that they will make mistakes, but the important thing is to take accountability for those mistakes and lay out a solution instead of pointing fingers. The better man will always admit that they were wrong and that in itself makes people value and trust you more. It will increase your credibility.
Now that you have the client, it doesn’t mean you’ve got the commission in the bag. “Honesty and transparency will get you a lot further than you think,” said Gabriel.
“You are not a robot! Don’t just sell to sell. As an agent you have your own subjective views on all things property,” Gabriel continued. Do not completely disregard your clients wants and needs, because you’ll end up wasting their time and your own.
“What I’ve learned over the time is that the power of listening to your clients actually goes a long way to getting to the finish line of a deal,” said Gabriel.
Once you have figured out how to do that, clients will become more susceptible and appreciative to what you have to say. As the team explained, your honesty will make a client trust you more, knowing that you have their best interest at heart and you aren’t just trying to make a sale.
With each client interaction, the relationship continues to grow and they will come back to you. Clients are more willing to work with and recommend you as an agent, if they had a good experience in the past.
“It’s very rewarding knowing that you can be the person who helps someone find their dream home,” said Andrew Garside (28), area specialist for Plumstead and Diepriver.
Consistency in these tasks will bring you a step closer to your goals and closer to becoming an outstanding agent.
This team can attest that behind every ‘SOLD’ board is a grind that’s anything but glamorous. It’s a job that is 90% hustle and 10% luck. “There is no replacement for good old-fashioned hard work,” said Marco.
Agents don’t get a salary, so the harder you work, the more it will pay off in the end. Hard work will always be rewarded. “If you want to achieve success, you never give up,” said Filipe.
You are going to experience ups and downs in this industry, but if you have a passion for what you are doing, you’ll always find a reason to keep going and keep working harder. “The hardest part is closing that first deal, but once you do, you’ll feel like this is the start of something big,” said Andrew.
“Whenever I’m going to work, it doesn’t feel like I’m going to the office, because to me it feels like I’m off to experience some amazing properties and meet some really cool people,” tells Gabriel.
Having a passion for the industry is going to be something that will motivate you many times over. As Marc Anthony said: “At the end of the day, if you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life”.
“My motivation comes from the people around me,” said Filipe.
Surround yourself with a team and people who are willing to work towards the same goals as you. “The best part of joining this team is the comradery that was built,” emphasised Andrew.
Real estate agents know that this hasn’t been an easy year. There has been an extreme shortage of stock due to high demand and real estate agents all over Cape Town have had to show more perseverance throughout 2024. This team overcame it by remaining positive and by putting in double the amount of effort and work. They turned a challenging year into an exceptional one. “We are not just a team, we are like a family and each person looks after one another,” Filipe emphasized.
So, go pick up the phone and make your calls – because in this industry, legends are made one cold call at a time.
This article was proudly sponsored by Abrahams & Gross Attorneys.
