RE/MAX Egypt’s Top Agent of the Year 2020

Olivia Menassa from RE/MAX The Address in Heliopolis

Claiming the title of Agent of The Year for her first time, Olivia Menassa has shown the spirit and determination it takes to secure a foothold in a fast-moving and dynamic industry. Although she only joined RE/MAX in February of 2019, her natural aptitude, aligned with the carefully Structured RE/MAX business structure, quickly propelled her to the top of the game. She gave us her insights into what made it possible.

What are your thoughts on being awarded the title Agent of the Year?

Becoming the Agent of the Year has been my dream since I first started working at RE/MAX, so it felt like I finally made it.
I couldn’t be more proud and happy and I am glad that my efforts, patience and resilience brought me this recognition. But I’m taking into consideration that this was my first step, being able to remain the top agent is my main challenge now.

What do you feel contributed to your success?

I had set a target I wanted to reach, which was to be the agent of the year, so that gave me motivation to work hard to achieve it. My two bosses, Mohamed Hisham and Mohamed Gamil gave me constant support and encouragement.

I have always tried to find out complete information about any project, because a client appreciates when you have a good knowledge of the whole market. I decided to focus on one compound so I could be more specialized and professional when dealing with clients. Being professional with clients and knowing how to communicate the interests of the clients is essential, as well as building a good network with them. You need to learn how to qualify buyers and sellers and build stable relationships, not only be seeking to close the deals.

How did you set out in your career in real estate?

I started out as an administration manager in a small company, but I believed that I had potential for more than that. I went to another company as a property consultant, and felt it was that exciting career I was looking for, then a friend of mine informed me about RE/MAX The Address. It was challenging at first, as the position was only commission based, but then I came to realize that those commission levels were excellent, the potential was there for an excellent income, so long as I met my targets.
I learned the model and followed the steps exactly, and attended all the orientations to know everything about all the projects and developers in the market, and from there I began to direct each client to the suitable project for his needs.

Challenges aside, what special strengths can women bring to the sales force in real estate?

Women are generally great, efficient workers; all they need is a chance. In my field I see many women who are mothers as well, they have a good network, patience to deal with clients, and a talent for getting into others’ minds and probing for info. Also being within the RE/MAX model, they have a chance for flexible working hours, so they can slot in their meetings, viewings and office hours perfectly with their life style. It makes the equation perfect; they can have plenty of fun, engage with their network, and make their own money.

Have buying patterns changed with Covid-19 influencing our lifestyles?

Of course! With the first wave of Covid-19, all the buyers were afraid of what was going to happen to the world, not just in real estate, where buyers were considering holding their cash until the case was clear. But it didn’t take much time before some owners decided to decrease their selling prices as they were in need of cash, creating a very good opportunity for the buyers. End users and those seeking ready-to-move houses were the ones who started getting back into the market. Some investors took the risk to grab the under market price units, and after 3 months everything was back to normal. Also, we started taking viewings to a more technological level when we started using video conferencing.

What are the most important points you keep in mind when matching a potential buyer to a property?

Well, what can I say, buyer qualification is the keyword. First of all, I take an overview with the client over the phone about his general needs, and I set a meeting date. During the meeting I start to dig deeper through his lifestyle, family, kids, schools, work and so on. We mainly go over his needs and priorities and try organizing them and rationalizing his request.
Once I understand his needs, matching him with a property is just a piece of cake. This helps me save time and effort; instead of getting him irrelevant options, I just pick him the best.

How do you see the market looking for 2021/2022?

In spite of still suffering from Covid-19 with all the challenges, I can tell 2021 is a very good year for real estate. Even developers, either in the New Capital or on the North Coast, are launching new projects, which gives the clients the feeling that the market is strong and stable. As I always say, the need for a home will never stop. People won’t stop upgrading, and moving and looking for better places to enjoy living during 2022.
I pray that it will be even more amazing than this year, as also new resale areas will be available, rather than just the current existing ones. I believe the market will get stronger, with more properties to satisfy a variety of clients, and hopefully we will be able to fulfill all the buyers’ needs.