By Tare Youdeowei

REAL estate tycoon and Managing Director UPDC, Hakeem Oguniran, has highlighted segmentation , research, credibility, among others, as essential requisites for driving sales in the real estate sector in this difficult economy.

He made this known at Poise Group’s free Real Estate Seminar themed; “Business Skills Needed in a Difficult Economy,” where he spoke as Guest Speaker on the topic; “Selling Real Estate in a Difficult Economy,” held at Poise Alcove, Pinnock Beach Estate, Lagos, last week.

His words;”Selling real estate in a difficult economy speaks for itself. Lack of title is a major challenge realtors in Nigeria face. Court judgements are passed and people find themselves re-buying land they have already bought. “Regardless of these, real estate entrepreneurs need to know basic sale drivers. You need to find the right customer by segmenting based on social class, life styles. Sell what people want to buy it helps set the price of the building or estate, thus raising value. Do not ever assume want customers want, do proper research. Know why the customer is buying and market intensively. Basically, there is need to meet new people, make personal connection, follow up every lead no matter how trivial it seems and understand the personality of the buyer.”

Stating the aim of the seminar, Group Chief Executive Officer, Poise Group Nigeria, Mrs. Mavi Isibor, said; “This gathering is because of the bad predictions of hardship in the economy. We are here to rub minds with industry professionals on how to go through this year together, to wade through the storm successfully.”

She continued; “Real estate will however be least affected this year. Nevertheless, because real estate’s patronage is the rest of the sectors of economy, it might affect patronage or investment. To survive this storm, realtors need to be trustworthy, truthful, particularly because real estate is the easiest sector to be duped. Credibility is key, thus it is not hard skills, but soft skills; credibility, trustworthiness and ethics.

Elucidating the place of Poise Group in the scheme of things, Mrs Isibor said: ”Today the issue is to not just to build yourself but to build your workforce and monitor the workforce. Our job is to partner with you to build the kind of organisation or sales theme that the world would be looking for this year. To build the system that will engender truth in your organisation. When the going gets tough, the only way to sell more is to build trust. This forum also has to do with packaging real estate so the publics know who the legitimate realtors are.”