Bayleys continues to thrive in the real estate market despite COVID-19
As the team of Bayleys Real Estate (Fiji) Pte Limited continues to work through the various stage of the COVID-19 era, they were able to make sales even though the settlements were slow.
Plans for 2020 and 2021 was simply to stay in business. For 2022, the company catch cry was to “Step on, and Step Up.”
Bayleys managing director/partner, Philip Toogood said they hoped to grow their team, but not at the expense of its brand and everything it stood for.
“Key to us is working with our clients as partners. Fair partnerships have a balanced share of benefits. We are not big on “winner takes all” relationships,” he said.
“We know who we work for. Our clients, who pay for our service. But we also understand the need to represent our clients fairly and ethically when working with customers.”
Mr Toogood said when they ran a specific campaign with a fixed time, they would expect to get somewhere in the order of 20 meaningful responses.
“But of course, this could vary widely depending on the property,” he said.
“Many residential properties stay on the market a long time, but we track our web traffic in real time and know just where the people viewing are located.
“The number of viewings a rising dramatically and that is, we hope, the forerunner to more sales activity. Our sales on Denarau over the last 6 months reflects that.”
Bayleys has dedicated and long serving team of 7 salespeople. One in Savusavu, two in Suva, and four in Nadi.
Growth during pandemic
Mr Toogood said: “In October 2021, when the Government announced the 1st December reopening date, it was like a switch had been turned on.
“One of the key components of the real estate world is confidence. Across the whole country, at all levels of society, there was finally
hope, and a plan to make that hope a reality.”
He said a buoyant real estate market required clients and customers to make decisions.
“It requires banks to open their purses, the legal, accounting and valuation sectors and government agencies and departments to step up to deliver faster and more accurate responses, and it requires real estate salespeople to deliver sound advice, and offer champion levels of service to deliver the aspirations of the marketplace,” he said.
Teamwork
He also said motivation of the team was a key issue for him.
“Commission only earners who were struggling to achieve anything like previous sales levels responded well to our constant communication,” Mr Toogood added.
“We encouraged maintaining a fixed routine during the many weeks of working at home, with time periods for business and pleasure.
“Zoom sales meetings became more like chat sessions, comparing Netflix movies viewed for example, and even swapping recipes.
“Equally important was the health and safety needs of our team and their families. The pandemic caused a lot of personal anxiety. Our priority is always family first, with any business gaps being filled by a supportive team.”
Demand
New Zealand and Australian life style investors have returned, with almost daily enquiry from well qualified families looking to make Fiji their permanent holiday destination.
“Investment properties are also on the shopping list for business people.
“New and growing businesses are looking to move ahead with new premises. It’s a busy time.”