CEO MONTHLY / AUGUST 2025 15 Changing Real Estate Markers and Growing Communities in Hartbeespoort Aiming to go beyond facilitating property transactions and instead elevating local communities across Hartbeespoort, Property Tree has established itself as a leading real estate agency since opening its doors in 2017. An agency that is proud to be locally owned, Property Tree’s distinction lies in its dedication to rentals, sales, developments, and home building alike. This full-service approach sees it deliver solutions tailored to the specific needs of both its clients and the communities it proudly represents. Across his role as Property Tree’s CEO, Henk de Ridder takes on a wide range of responsibilities, all of which contribute to both the growth and overall success of the agency. Whether he is developing and implementing its vision and goals, identifying the most pursuit-worthy industry trends, setting measurable growth targets, or simply overseeing daily operations, Henk’s dedication to cementing the agency’s frontrunner status is on full display through the encompassing approach he takes to his leadership duties. Of course, Henk could not do it all on his own, and he leads a team of professionals equally dedicated to real estate excellence. The culture of motivation and collaboration that arises as a result – stemming from Henk’s own ‘people come first’ philosophy – sees all members of the team here afforded the tools and resources they need to excel. This includes personal and professional development opportunities, many of which are spearheaded by Property Tree’s own Trevor Gaw, who serves as both the agency’s trainer and mentor. Henk told us how such initiatives have resulted in “a well-balanced team with a mixture of cultures and languages”. However, this is just the beginning, as Henk’s people-first philosophy extends beyond agency internals to cover its approach to others – from clients and stakeholders to the wider community. He continued: “I believe if we prioritise the needs and wellbeing of the people we serve, everything else will fall into place.” Guided by this belief, Property Tree aims to boost quality of life through its work in this space. The passion Henk has for improving lives through property dates back 20 years to 2005, when this future CEO began in this space by building spec homes. Then, even as he studied financial management and played fulltime rugby over the next few years, Henk remained active within the property market. Both of these disciplines would prove invaluable in building the Property Tree brand within the following decade, teaching him the necessity of honing teamwork and self-discipline across any corporate setting. With these attributes to boot, navigating the endless string of challenges this industry throws at him has been manageable for Henk, whose rigorous planning and goal setting have seen his agency overcome challenges such as COVID-19 and rising interest rates, both of which have impacted Property Tree massively in the last five years or so. Thankfully, the market is in a much better place now, and it is a great time for those looking to buy real estate in the Hartbeespoort area to take the plunge. As for Property Tree, this has resulted in the agency having a number of exciting projects in the pipeline, including a development of 68 homes Henk is currently leading. This reflects an agency that takes a proactive approach to sourcing opportunity, rather than a reactive one. Transforming Property Tree into a one-stop-shop for property development, Henk has ensured that the company is the only real estate company that exceeds all expectations in developments, completing 54 apartments in Hartbeespoort thus far – extending to Phase 4 and 26 retirement units in Phase 2. Ultimately, this is just one of the ways that Property Tree goes above and beyond at every turn, exceeding expectations as a result of its commitment to the cornerstones of excellence, trust, and outstanding service. It is as a result of this that we are proud to recognise the man at the helm of this operation, Henk de Ridder, as the Most Influential CEO 2025 – Gauteng (Real Estate) in our Most Influential CEO Awards 2025. Contact: Henk de Ridder Company: Property Tree Web Address: https://www. property-tree.co.za/ AIM-Jul25226 The small resort town of Hartbeespoort, situated just a short distance away from the popular South African province of Gauteng, is comprised primarily of permanent residencies and holiday homes surrounding the grand Hartbeespoort Dam. From its home in this tranquil town, Property Tree is embarking on an ambitious journey to redefine local real estate, providing an outstanding service and developing trust-based relationships. Company CEO Henk de Ridder, recognised here as the Most Influential CEO 2025 – Gauteng (Real Estate), was on hand for more.
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