TERRA FIRMA REALTY: THE NEW KID ON THE BLOCK

Welcome to our first blog!

TERRA FIRMA REALTY is a new brand in real estate. The new kid on the block is here to stir our imaginations.

JONATHAN STYLES, the founder, has been in real estate for some 15 years and has successfully started and grown various agencies.

Combined with his strong business acumen and his visionary ways, he also has a burning passion to be part of ushering in just conditions in South African Society. I head up Terra Firma’s Legal Division and over the past number of years Jonathan has been a stalwart supporter of my work in the pursuit of Access to Justice for all. I am the founder and current head of Access to Justice an NPO which exists to mobilize legal and dispute resolution resources for vulnerable individuals and communities. I also run ADR Network SA which has trained and developed mediators and arbitrators over the past decade.

So as Jonathan was establishing a new brand in Realty, he felt the time was right to integrate his passion for justice and vision of a more beautiful world and so part of the vision of Terra Firma will be to establish the Terra Firma Access to Justice Foundation.

Some of what we will be doing is:

1.       Every Terra Firma agent will undergo advanced negotiation skills training and will train as certified mediators through ADR Network SA. Underpinned by the philosophy of restorative justice and restorative practice, each agent will be expertly trained in non-adversarial problem-solving methods.

2.       Resources will specifically be allocated to assist marginalized individuals in training to  become estate agents.

3.       Terra Firma will concentrate on ongoing education and training.

4.       As a service to the community in which it operates, each office will be obliged to operate a Terra Firma Access to Justice Foundation Desk which will offer Pro Bono legal and dispute resolution advice on at least one day per week to those who may not be able to pay for those expertise.

5.       In time, TFR also aims to become specifically involved with developers who have a vision and appetite for inclusive housing developments. Our next blog will unpack what this may look like.

We are excited for what lies ahead and whom we may meet along this journey. In week’s to come we will be unpacking interesting and informative topics in Real Estate, Property Law, Negotiation and Access to Justice.

Please email me on sheena.j@terrafirmarealty.co.za and let me know of any topics you would specifically like to see addressed.

Until next week, peace.

Sheena Jonker