Pola Jocum celebrate 30 years with Seeff Camps Bay

Pola Jocum joined real estate in late 1989. Together with her daughter, Nadine Jocum, they are the most successful and awarded agents in Camps Bay, having sold billions of Rands worth of property over the last thirty years with Seeff.

From modelling to property
Pola says that having reached the age in modelling where she needed to take the next career step, and although still lecturing to businesses on motivation, professional appearance and conduct and so on, she was looking for a new career.

At that time, she was offered the agency for an Israeli swimwear brand Gottex; a start-up at the time but today a global brand, but her heart was not really leaning towards selling fashion or clothing. So, when approached to join property, it immediately appealed to her, largely as it is about people and families and helping them with their biggest financial decision and being an instrument of affecting that.

Thrown in the deep end and making her first sale
While she was due to join real estate in 1990, she was “thrown” into it in late 1989 when called in to help take out buyers to view six properties. She had no training or knowledge of Camps Bay or the properties, except for the last property that the clients viewed. Getting to the last property, Pola cheekily told the clients that this would be the property that they would buy, and so they did. That was her introduction to property and first sale. Pola has gone on to sell that particular property, being 25 Athol Road, three times.

How is Camps Bay doing in this market?
Pola looks backs and shares that in 1990, the average selling price for a house in Camps Bay was just R33,000. We had one on the market for R90,000 but it was totally overpriced, she says. Today, the entry price for Camps Bay is around R9 million, but you will find very little on the market for that price, she says further.

Generally, you would need to look at upwards of R14 million. Interestingly, despite the challenges of the Covid-19 lockdown and economic decline, Pola says that they are currently seeing excellent interest in the market and have just sold a beach bungalow for R18 million, which is another achievement for this market.

Looking back over the last 30-plus years, Pola notes that Camps Bay is offering one of the best buying opportunities. Investing now means that you can benefit from a real opportunity for capital growth. There is no more land left in Camps Bay, hence you are buying a property for the value of the land.

You have spent over 40-years in the profession, what keeps you so passionate?
Pola says that being a well-known model certainly helped at the beginning, and now, being so well-known and trusted in the real estate industry continues to fuel her passion. Property is not static, every day is new and different, and it keeps you on your toes. You are always learning something new.

Advice for women in real estate
You can never take your eye off the ball. You must constantly adapt or innovate or you “die” in this industry, says Pola. Know your area, the properties and target customers. Build up credibility and a great reputation. My reputation allows me to recommend a property to a buyer because it is a good buy, not because I need the pay cheque, that is very important, she says.

Know that it is a 24/7 job and it will impact your family commitments if you have children for example. You need to learn to work around that because to be successful, you must eat, sleep and dream the job!

Pola highlights a few career highlights
Selling 40 properties in Camps Bay in one year and career sales of well into the Billions of Rands and being one of the most awarded agents. Pola was recognised by Nedbank as one of the top estate agents in South Africa, is a consistent highest Seeff Sales Achiever Award winner and the winner of the sought-after Seeff Chairman's Award.

Further, Pola earned a DipAPP (Diploma of Advanced Property Practice) which is a very stringent one-year course. Pola was also the only estate agent who won a 10-day case in the Supreme Court on a commission dispute on the basis of proving 'effective cause of sale', the most difficult case to prove which provided a 200-page case study.

Samuel Seeff, chairman of the Seeff Property Group says Pola is the consummate professional, unbelievably dedicated and committed to Seeff, the industry and above all, clients (buyers and sellers alike). She never rests on her laurels and always looks at how she can improve her skills and service.

She is one of the most awarded agents at Seeff and within the industry, which she has served for some four decades, putting 1000s of buyers and sellers together and generating Billions of Rand in real estate sales.

Her daughter and business partner, Nadine Jocum says that she is fortunate to have received the best “boot camp” training from her mom, Pola. She learnt that a successful sales deal must be a “win-win” for seller and purchaser. In a negotiation, each must feel that they have gained more or given up less.

Nadine says further that Pola also taught her to listen more and talk less because those who speak first, are on the backfoot. Also, a sales deal is never dead; Pola once revived a deal at midnight!

The best compliment from a buyer is to call you when they want to sell their property, even if 10 or 20 years later or when they recommend you to others. Pola and Nadine Jocum are proud to be at the forefront of the Camps Bay property market as it continues to evolve to meet the needs of sellers and buyers.