A Whole New Ball Game

Born and raised in Cape Town, Meyer Swanepoel spent his early years playing flanker for Western Province and the Sharks before moving to Italy where . he played for Mogliano and Benetton Treviso. After his retirement from rugby two years ago, Meyer established himself as one of South Africa's top real estate agents, where today he is known as an influential voice within the industry.

BY ELSKE JOUBERT

For a rugby player turned estate agent, Meyer Swanepoel, being active in the real estate space is all about people. “I work with the most extraordinary range of people who are brought together by the need to move homes. With my experience in architecture, design, and photography, I am able to speak with honesty and authority rather than resorting to clichés. I am proud of what I do.”

The evolution that I strive for in life is to constantly push myself and grow.

In an industry that is synonymous with mistrust, Meyer hopes to provide people with a warm and genuine approach to buying and selling homes. “I believe that a home should lift the spirits. The purpose of a building is to provide shelter, but in the hands of the right architect, it can frame space and capture light in a life-enhancing way.”

Meyer’s journey thus far has been a positive one, but not without many lessons learned along the way. Commenting on his biggest challenge, Meyer notes, “My biggest struggle has been starting out in an industry that I knew nothing about. I quickly realised that it boils down to who you know, rather than what you know.”

Meyer sees himself changing the traditional ways of the industry by using his love for design, architecture and digital media to tell stories about the homes he sells. “It’s easy to sell a home and to move onto the next one. What sets one apart is the ability to tell a story. With social media, and the consumer’s attention being almost 100% digital, it makes our jobs easier to gain their trust in an authentic way.”

For Meyer, getting an early start is crucial in setting the tone for a productive day. “I find that running first thing in the morning clears my mind and sets me up perfectly for the day. Being awake early in the morning makes me feel like I have the upper hand, as I am able to accomplish so much more during my working day.”

Commenting on who or what inspires him, Meyer says, “I admire a lot of people, but especially the kind of person who understands what it takes to make their dreams a reality; someone who knows hard work is the only variable. It doesn’t matter what you do for a living, or where you are on your journey, if you have these qualities I will be your biggest fan.”

And the one thing that drives him to succeed every day? “The evolution that I strive for in life is to constantly push myself and grow.”