Meet Richard Matengambiri of Rawson Properties Harare

Table of Contents

• 1. How Richard Got Started
• 2. Rawson Properties Overview & Mission
• 3. Areas of Expertise & Industry Edge
• 4. Current State of the Zimbabwe Market
• 5. Success Stories & Notable Achievements
• 6. Recent Developments in Real Estate
• 7. Staying Ahead of Industry Trends
• 8. Community Involvement & Social Responsibility
• 9. Attracting & Retaining Top Talent
• 10. Popular Neighborhoods for Buyers
• 11. Future Goals & Vision for 2030
• 12. Parting Advice for Readers

1. Alright, thank you so much Richard for agreeing to share your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?

RM: Thank you for affording me this opportunity to be part of this interview. It’s a long story but to summarize it I must say since I was in primary and high school through to the University, I was a firm believer of financial independence through entrepreneurship. So I made sure that everything that I was doing must point or head towards establishing my own business that can impact the world especially through sustainable employment creation.

Late 2006 I just felt that I had worked enough and acquired enough experience and confidence, and ready to face whatever challenges that would come my way, so I incorporated RM-Africa Property Consultants together with my co-partner Elizabeth Matengambiri, which started trading and operations in 2007, with a big vision to list on the stock exchange. In 2010 I acquired the international Rawson Franchise brand from the Rawson Property Group so that I could easily expose myself to doing business at international level and that has proved to be one of my best decisions ever, as we are one of top 5 property companies.

2. Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next can you provide an overview of Rawson Properties and its mission in the real estate industry in Zimbabwe?

RM: Rawson Properties is an international franchise headquartered in South Africa, and our mandate is to serve the Zimbabwean market. We are currently operating with 2 offices: our Head Office is in Eastlea and a Branch office is in Borrowdale. In total we have 50 highly experienced and motivated team members.

As a brand, our mission is to help our chosen target market buy or sell their properties at the highest possible market price within the shortest period of time, in a hassle-free manner, and providing well-researched and professional property valuation to help our clients make well-informed decisions.

3. Tell us about your experience as a real estate agent and your areas of expertise. What sets Rawson Properties apart from other real estate agencies in Zimbabwe?

RM: I have over 20 years experience in the real estate industry practice specializing in Property Sales, Property Development, and Property Valuation & Advisory Services. I am a qualified and certified registered estate agent with The Estate Agents Council of Zimbabwe and a Registered Valuer with The Valuers Council of Zimbabwe.

What sets us apart is our unique focus on training and development of our human capital. We invest heavily through our Rawson Training Academy from our International Property Group in SA. This gives us a unique position in how our team members pay attention to marketing properties, closing deals, and providing superior customer service.

4. How would you describe the current state of the real estate market in Zimbabwe, and what challenges and opportunities do you see?

RM: Generally, the real estate sector is on an upward trend. In the residential sector, construction activity is high across the country. We are also seeing significant increases in notable commercial retail centers like Highland Park Shopping Centre in Harare.

Exciting Opportunities include:

• Increasing appetite for modern secure gated cluster housing. For example, Aspindale Park has seen vacant stands fetching a minimum of US$135/m2 compared to un-gated developments struggling to pass US$50/m2.
• Review of local development plans, such as the ED Mnangagwa way (Enterprise Road) becoming a commercial corridor.
• Strong demand for residential stock that accepts mortgage facilities.

Challenges include: Limited stock due to high demand, land availability, and the need for improved urban social amenities like reliable water and electricity.

5. Could you share any recent success stories or notable achievements of Rawson Properties?

RM: Rawson Property Group recently received 2022 Global Brands Awards for Best Real Estate Marketing Brand and Most Innovative Real Estate Brand (SA). Locally, we have been awarded the CEO with HR Orientation Award, Megafest Company of the Year, and Zimbabwe National Real Estate Awards - Company of the Year 2018, among many others.

6. What are some of the current trends or developments in the real estate market that you may want to share with our readers?

RM: Key trends include landowners pursuing densification via cluster housing, a drastic improvement in the quality of houses built in rural areas, and the "CBD exit" where blue-chip corporates prefer suburban offices or peripheral houses renovated into modern office parks.

7. What measures does Rawson Properties take to stay up-to-date with industry trends and adapt to changes in the market?

RM: Being part of an international group gives us a strong research arm. One of our core values is continuous training and development, and we leverage the Rawson Training Academy to keep our team ahead of the competition.

8. Can you speak to any community involvement or social responsibility initiatives that Rawson Properties is involved in?

RM: We are sensitive to the education of the less privileged and currently sponsor 7 students from Primary to University level. I also run the Matengambiri Soccer Tournament in Nyanga to encourage youth participation in sport.

9. What strategies does Rawson Properties employ to attract and retain top talent in the real estate industry?

RM: We believe in a customer-centric culture that includes our internal staff. We maintain an open-door policy, provide empowering training, and religiously reward our top achievers with monthly, quarterly, and annual awards—including motor vehicles for top performance.

10. From your experience, what are the most popular neighborhoods for buyers at the moment?

RM: As Neighborhood Experts, we see Borrowdale Brooke remaining the No.1 address for security. Aspindale Park is a record-breaker in the high-density market, and Madokero Estates has been a massive hit due to solid infrastructure and the modern Madokero Mall.

11. Looking to the future, what are Rawson Properties' goals and vision for the company in Zimbabwe?

RM: Our vision is to be the No.1 most trusted property brand in Zimbabwe and to list on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange by 2030 through our parent holding company, RM-Africa Property Group.

12. Any advice or parting words you would want to share with our readers?

RM: Thank you for following our story. I want to invite you to come to Rawson Properties and be part of our exciting journey toward listing on the Stock Exchange.