Johannesburg - South Africa has become the fastest growing region for the US-based franchising estate agent group Keller Williams.
The company entered the SA market about a year ago.
Keller Williams started selling franchises in the US in 1991 and became the largest real estate franchise in North America in 2013.
It currently has approximately 700 offices and 95 000 agents worldwide.
Keller Williams' number of agents increased from 25 000 in 2005 to the current figure of 95 000.
“Our South African region is truly setting a new standard,” said Keller Williams Worldwide president Chris Heller.
One of the local franchisees is Werner Burger, chief executive of IFA Hotel and Resorts in South Africa, who bought the franchises for the northern region of Kwazulu-Natal and for the Western Cape.
Burger said he was attracted by the business model, which is very different from the norms that are currently used in the South African market. He believes that the Keller Williams model will be the most successful.
There are now thirteen offices in South Africa with more than 200 agents. Agents pay for the cost of support services, but only up to a point, after which they keep all their commission.
Cronje predicts that technology will revolutionise the local industry.
He is particularly impressed with the model that helps agents to generate leads from their database. As impressive is the mobile apps that enable agents to be operational wherever they are. More than 90 000 individual apps have been developed for agents.
Another first in the industry is the growth share model which enables agents to earn a passive income.
The company entered the SA market about a year ago.
Keller Williams started selling franchises in the US in 1991 and became the largest real estate franchise in North America in 2013.
It currently has approximately 700 offices and 95 000 agents worldwide.
Keller Williams' number of agents increased from 25 000 in 2005 to the current figure of 95 000.
“Our South African region is truly setting a new standard,” said Keller Williams Worldwide president Chris Heller.
One of the local franchisees is Werner Burger, chief executive of IFA Hotel and Resorts in South Africa, who bought the franchises for the northern region of Kwazulu-Natal and for the Western Cape.
Burger said he was attracted by the business model, which is very different from the norms that are currently used in the South African market. He believes that the Keller Williams model will be the most successful.
There are now thirteen offices in South Africa with more than 200 agents. Agents pay for the cost of support services, but only up to a point, after which they keep all their commission.
Cronje predicts that technology will revolutionise the local industry.
He is particularly impressed with the model that helps agents to generate leads from their database. As impressive is the mobile apps that enable agents to be operational wherever they are. More than 90 000 individual apps have been developed for agents.
Another first in the industry is the growth share model which enables agents to earn a passive income.