When you spend a lifetime doing something you love, you tend to get the hang of it at some point.

If you do really well, you may even achieve something to be proud of before you call it quits one day.

I have been blessed with the opportunity to carve out a career as an estate agent in Gqeberha and feel incredibly honoured that my efforts have been recognised by Remax.

Officially, they call it a Lifetime Achievement Award. In reality, it should be a Lifetime of Learning Award.

The cliché that there is no substitute for experience is long in the tooth but, oh boy, still so apt.

I could not have learnt what I had in the past 21 years without having faced all types of challenges.

You would rather be tarred and feathered like the miscreants of old when these surface, yet, having to man up helps you build a knowledge base for next time.

As candidate agents two-plus decades ago, we would sit in a hall to write a multiple-choice exam. If you passed, you were in and your education was expected to continue as you went along.

That meant the barriers to entry were extremely low. But, in recent years, there have been huge changes on the compliance side as the industry is pulling out all the stops to re-professionalise itself.

The NQF Level 4 real estate qualification is now mandatory, resulting in many existing agents being forced to comply to remain active in the sector.

It also became a prerequisite that candidate estate agents need to work in step with a mentor to learn the business before being able to sign agreements or list properties without oversight.

Even if you have been an agent for decades like yours truly, you are now subjected to annual Continuous Professional Development training to acquire a prescribed number of CPD points over a given period to ensure you remain on top of your game and an asset to your clients.

Even after having jumped all the hurdles, it can be difficult for newcomers to break into the industry as sellers tend to have more confidence in agents who have been there and done it all before.

The fact that income is based on commission rather than a fixed salary that can keep you going initially also makes it exponentially harder to make your mark.

And let’s spare a thought for those who lack not only a track record but trips around the sun – especially if the potential client has lived a long and fruitful life.

However, despite their obvious shortcomings, let me assure you that the current crop of youngsters has plenty to offer, too.

They are as serious about business as anyone out there, understand the importance of compliance and are better educated now than we were back then.

They are incredibly eager and prepared to put in the hard yards, while, let’s not forget, younger people tend to be tech-savvy and therefore their ability to hit the market in the social space needs to be recognised.

Yes, there are challenges in every single deal and those who can draw on past experiences to negotiate these are the ones who do well now, but they will learn and eventually prosper if they are worth their salt.

In closing, partnering with a brand that embodies your values can be critical and remember to thank your significant other every day as your sacrifices are also theirs.