Ellmarie Spencer

Q & A with Ellmarie Spencer

How long have you been working in this area?

I’ve been working in Umhlanga and Umdloti as a real estate agent for about 14 years. Before that I was a developer for about 14 years.

What do you love about the suburbs that you work in?

I live here in Umhlanga so obviously I love it. There's enough space for people to have beautiful sea views from most of the houses. I love the area, the calmness of life here compared to Johannesburg and the other metropolitan areas. Umdloti is one of the very special places. You have beautiful sea views, you have beautiful beaches, stunning restaurants, lovely investment opportunities here and a holiday place or permanent residential place, it doesn't matter, it's equally suitable for both.

What’s the biggest lifestyle difference between a place like this and the big city?

Well, I think that it's a much healthier in lifestyle to live in Durban or in Umhlanga – you actually get up in the mornings and go for a walk on the beach. There's a beautiful promenade where people takes walks. It's very family oriented which is very nice. You have a bit of outdoor lifestyle and it’s a smaller community. It's just a wonderful place to live… And normally the sun shines! The other thing that I really like about Umhlanga is that you can swim in the sea.

What is it like to work as an agent here?

The area is superb for people to invest in. Some people want to commute back to Johannesburg, their families stay here, and the husband commutes up and down. You have a lovely lifestyle for the children, because you have Nippers for them on Sundays, they can go to the beach and swim, they do long distance swims every month. And the surfing, of course – I have a son who loves surfing. It’s just a healthy way of living. A lot of people, if they could, would choose to live here. Those that can, do, those that can't, well, they’re just jealous!

What kind of people live here?

Across the board. You've got the gated estates, you've got the free-standing houses, you've got townhouses, you've got apartments. So everybody who chooses to live in the area can find the right place to live.

When and why did you choose to get into the property game?

I think the property game got into me before I got into the property game! When I came down to Durban from Johannesburg I wanted to change my life. I decided that I would like to get into property and sold property for a while. I then decided I wanted to be a developer and I developed in Zimbali, on the beach in Ballito.

When I retired, I didn't like retiring. I wanted to go back into the property market, and that's when I joined Pam Golding. And I've been with Pam Golding for the last 14 years. I have a simple philosophy: you have to love what you do, and you have to do what you love – and that's what I do.

What is your favorite part about working as an agent?

People. I love the people that I meet. My passion is to find the right property for the right person, and I think that's my most important mission when I meet somebody: to make sure that they buy what is perfect for their family.

Why did you choose Pam Golding?

Because of the brand name, I really think that it's important to be with the right brand and there's no doubt that Pam Golding is a top brand in South Africa, and Africa for that matter. We've been awarded many national and international awards for being the top brand.

What do you love about the property industry?

I really, really could not have wished to do anything else with my life. When you work in the property industry, your first and foremost thought is people, because if you don't like people you can't work in this industry. In life, I think the most important thing is your interaction with people and your relationships with them. And in property, that is probably the most important aspect of being successful: your interaction with your clients, your sellers, your buyers.