Alexander Swart Property, Rawsons' top franchise goes independent

In a move that has shaken the Cape residential property world, Andre Swart, formerly franchise principal for the Rawson Property Group’s Brackenfell franchise (which also owns and controls the group’s Kraaifontein franchise) and Rowan Alexander, the franchise’s operations director, have broken away from the Rawson Property Group and have established a new independent residential real estate trading company known as Alexander Swart.

The new company has taken with it almost all the 40 strong staff and agents of the franchise and is operating from the same premises on the corners of Brackenfell Boulevard and Frans Conradie Drive in Brackenfell and Jannie Rossuow Street and Darwin Road in Kraaifontein.

To understand how significant this move is in the property world, it has to be appreciated that under the leadership of Alexander and Swart the franchise was the top performer in the nationwide Rawson Property Group  four times in the last five years.

Equally significantly, this operation has regularly had two or three of the top five estate agents in the Rawson Property Group, while Rowan Alexander himself has three times been the top agent in the group and  clinched the biggest ever deal secured by Rawsons, a contract whereby they took responsibility for the marketing of some 500 homes built on 80 ha over a five  year period at Brackenfell’s Burgundy Suburb. During their time with the Rawson Property Group, Alexander and his teams facilitated the sale of some R1.7billion worth of property. 

Rowan Alexander said recently that Swart and he had been ‘forced’ to go independent because further growth, which they are determined to achieve, could only be brought about by expanding into other territories where in most cases the Rawson Property Group already had a franchise up and running.  What is more, said Alexander, many of their clients were interested in property prospects in other areas but did not want to negotiate with other estate agents.

“We have been told time and time again that the service we provide is superior to that of most agencies,” he said, “and therefore people were reluctant to go elsewhere.”

Already, he said, Alexander Swart has listed R37 million worth of residential properties outside their former operating territory – and has already sold six of these newly listed homes.

Furthermore, said Alexander, Alexander Swart has already established an office with five staff at Durbanville in Mikahaja Court, which is strategically sited in the heart of historic Durbanville opposite the Town Hall on the corners of Church Street and Pampoenkraal Road.  Recruiting of further staff for this office is continuing.

Alexander stressed, too, that the team believe that their operations in Brackenfell and Kraaifontein still have potential for increased turnover.

“We by no means believe that we have reached our peak in these areas,” he said.

Looking ahead, Alexander said that the new company plans to establish offices in Kuilsriver, Bellville, Stellenbosch, Table View, Blouberg and Parklands.

“We see our future as being linked mainly to the Northern Suburbs of Cape Town and the Atlantic Seaboard,” he said.  “In both areas property prices continue to rise satisfactorily, albeit not at the same spectacular rates we have seen in recent years.”

Asked to predict future turnovers for the new company, Alexander said that it should be possible to hit an annual figure of R500 million within 18 months and to pass the R1 billion mark twelve months thereafter.

“What we have going for us,” he said, “is that we are truly passionate about property and thoroughly enjoy our work.  Furthermore, from the start of the Rawson Property Group franchise in 2009, Andre Swart has inculcated a mindset of genuine service.  He himself will go to any lengths to meet a customer’s requirements and this attitude has been ingrained in every one of our hard core of agents.  It is this that has made us respected and successful. So passionate is he about property selling that he is now working as an active agent at our new Durbanville office, a role he has not played since 2009 . As is well known, he also previously (before 2009) enjoyed great success as a top agent for the Pam Golding group.

For further information contact Rowan Alexander on cell phone number 082 581 3116 or by email rowan@asproperty.co.za.