DANIEL LOMBARD
Learning on the job
At that time , Daniel believed that working in property meant you were either an estate agent or property developer .
“ There ’ s only one boss rule in the office , and that ’ s don ' t call me boss .”
“ I ' m thankful that my father convinced me to go work as a casual for 3 months in the Deeds Office and then another 3 months in an attorney firm which did registrations and then another 3 month stint at the Companies Registrar ’ s Office . It was a school of hard knocks but I ' m grateful for the practical , hands-on education , and that experience helped shape the businesses we run today .”
“ Although I didn ’ t study at University , nowadays I strongly advise any young person to pursue their academic studies before starting a career or business . It gives a good foundation and widens your network . I know there have been times when having a University Degree would have helped me . I have learnt some expensive lessons along the way , probably more expensive than any University and that ' s why I encouraged my children to study before joining the business .”
In the beginning
Daniel ’ s plan when moved to Cape Town with the family in 1991 was simply to flip houses on the residential market for a tidy profit . It wasn ’ t long before he saw $$ sign opportunities at property auctions and Sale In Executions where he could buy property under value and make even tidier profit for himself and a few new investors who joined for the ride .
“ The business really picked up in 1996 when the interest rate jumped from about 12 % to over
SA Real Estate Investor Magazine OCT 2022 15