Business zoning made easy

When zoning business property, there are four clear sub-divisions.

Business 1:
This is the zoning one would use if you planned to build shopping centres. A great advantage of this category is that it is generally unrestricted. The developer would be allowed to have almost any type of shop on the premises using business 1 zoning.

Business 2: 
This is also a form of zoning for a shopping centre, but it comes with certain restricted businesses. An example of this would be due to the location or immediate surroundings of the shopping centre, a restriction may be placed on opening a pet shop or a bottle store.

Business 3:
This is a much more strict form of zoning, which will not allow a wider variety of businesses to open and operate in the centre. Do your homework before applying for Business 3 zoning.

Business 4:
This is the last category for business zoning and it does not involve shopping centres. Business 4 zoning provides for office use (with or without residential use). This type of zoning has become very popular within urban centres around SA. These office parks typically accommodate small to medium sized businesses.

An example of this would be a 4 000m² property with the usual 40% coverage and 0.4 floor area ratio. One could place a maximum of 1 600m² under roof. Assuming the developer has been allowed a maximum of two storeys, the developer would typically build three double-story office blocks of 530m² each (1 600m² divided by 3). Each block could be further split into four office suites of 132m² each.

by Cherie Eilertsen

Property zoning for business

Pointers to build a dynamic property website

Now you may already have a comprehensive property website, which is doing the job for you and your team, but is it really driving traffic, developing a reputation and generating sales and results. The following suggestions are guidelines to fine-tuning your website to generate optimum results.

An Estate Agency website design should include the following:

Search box – A user can click on a drop down list of your area, select a price range, house type, number of bedrooms etc.

An advanced search facility – If a user does not get the desired result they are looking for, consider an advanced search facility. View Google’s version of this on the right hand side of their logo on their home page.

Keyword search – If your website is well populated with information, articles etc. You might want to include this facility to speed up the searching process of a user. Remember that they don’t want to read your entire website – they just want results and they want them fast.

Route finder – This is a detailed “line for line” explanation on how to find your offices

Map – This is a general map outlining the area, roads etc.

Newsletters – To build reputation, consider offering a regular newsletter on information in your area. Give them information which they can use or benefit from like the number of sales in your area, the average price and the number of sales your company made.

Mailing lists – Encourage readers to join your mailing list. This is called permission marketing as they want to be contacted by your company.

Survey – A great way to estimate readership is to offer a regular survey on your website. Once you have received the feedback remember to post in on your site for all to view.

Enquiry forms – This form feed will cost about R50 extra per month to have on your site, but is is well work it as people are able to enquire about a specific product. This encourages a two-way chat, which are the building blocks of sales.

Most recent listings – This facility on your website helps regular readers go straight to the new stuff on your site.

Previously sold properties – Build that reputation with a paper trail of your past successes.

Customer testimonials – This facility is not negotiable.

Property forum – Consider joining or starting your own property forum as you learn from the experts in real time. Google forums for more information on this communication tool.

Booking an appointment form – When you get appointments via this facility, you know that they are serious clients.

Bond/currency calculator – This tool helps keep reader on your site for longer and keeps them coming back to use the tool.

Saved property searches – In order to save your reader time, add this facility to your website to help them refer to what they have already viewed.

Ensure that your website has easy navigation as the reader will want to locate the property of their choice as quickly as is possible. Some facts and figures in the form of articles will convince a potential customer that the agency is knowledgeable in the property market.

Cherie Eilertsen