This year the RE/MAX brand celebrates its 40th anniversary as a leading international real estate group, and to mark this amazing achievement, many of the offices around the country have taken it upon themselves to give back to the communities in which they work and live.
Domonick Lodewick, Broker/Owner of RE/MAX Lifestyle Estates which is located in Langebaan, says that his office has taken the brand’s ethos to heart regarding community involvement and has managed to raise R33 511 through the RE/MAX Foundation for charity and local community upliftment.
“Each one of our estate agents has dedicated a percentage of their commission towards this initiative, so whether it’s from the sale of a property or a property rental, part of the money goes into the fund to give back to the community,” says Lodewick. “With this structure we will be able to keep raising funds and contribute to various projects in and around the Langebaan area, as opposed to just a once-off donation.”
He notes that R23 457, which is 70% of the total money raised, was presented to their nominated charity - the Langebaan Community Policing Forum (CPF). The remaining 30% balance will be retained by the RE/MAX Foundation for allocation to other national causes.
“We decided that the Langebaan CPF would be our nominated charity because of the outstanding work that they do and the various ways in which they get involved in all aspects of the community and the people that live here. Donating this money is a way for us to acknowledge and contribute to the work that they do,” says Lodewick.
As a formal link between the South African Police Service and the community they serve, the Langebaan CPF identifies community policing challenges and raises support to overcome these challenges in various ways to build a crime-free society in Langebaan. They give essential feedback to the public with regard to current crime levels and outline various crime prevention actions.
Lodewick says that with so many South Africans having been affected by crime in some way, making an area a safer place to stay is a top priority. Adrian Goslett, CEO of RE/MAX of Southern Africa, says that from a real estate perspective security has a major influence on where homebuyers choose to live. “As real estate professionals we understand the importance that groups such as Community Policing Forums have within a community. If a community is safe, that has a direct impact on the value of property in that particular area. It is vital to us as a business and as well as to the members of that community,” he says.
“Our aim is to continue with our involvement with the Langebaan CPF as well as other initiatives within our local community which assist in making it a better place to live. Community upliftment is our passion and we are dedicated to making a positive impact in the Langebaan area,” Lodewick concludes.