WeTrade Property's return to PayProp proves the value of the right software partner

When WeTrade Property opened its doors five years ago, it had ambitious plans for growth.

What started as a boutique agency has expanded into a nationwide operation with more than 180 agents across South Africa, supported by head offices in Cape Town and Sandton.

Behind that growth was a commitment to building the business on strong operational foundations, and that included secure, scalable and sophisticated technology powering its rental operations then and into the future.

For Wendy van Heerden, Principal and Managing Director, choosing PayProp from day one felt like a natural fit. After all, Wendy and her team weren't simply looking for software. They wanted established partners trusted by the market to understand the property industry inside and out.

From the beginning, the partnership with PayProp delivered exactly what WeTrade Property needed. The business grew quickly with the rental portfolio under management peaking at R1 billion, and operations ran smoothly.

“For a business like ours to be able to scale, there is a certain value-add that PayProp has that other services just don’t have.” Wendy van Heerden, Principal & Managing Director

Within a growth context, that value-add is PayProp’s undisputed data leadership, which it has achieved with a rigorous data-centric approach to enabling client growth, offering:

• Regular client portfolio performance reports (business performance)
• Unlimited management reports (business and market intelligence)
• Data publications like the quarterly PayProp Rental Index (anonymised bulk transactional data) and the annual State of the Rental Industry Report (surveying thousands of property practitioners)

As avid readers of the PayProp Rental Index, WeTrade Property gained access to a detailed view of South Africa's rental landscape, helping them track trends in important business levers like regional rental growth and values, sophisticated tenant affordability indicators, arrears, and other market performance indicators.

Those insights have helped Wendy and her team make more informed business decisions, particularly when entering new markets.

Before opening its Sunninghill office, for example, WeTrade Property used PayProp Rental Index data to better understand local conditions, identify opportunities and anticipate potential challenges. Rather than relying on assumptions and instinct, they were able to build their growth strategy around real market intelligence and hit the ground running.

The allure of “shiny new toys”

As growth took off, however, a familiar temptation emerged: the belief there might be something better out there.

As WeTrade Property’s portfolio approached R1 billion, comfortably supported by effortless PayProp automation, alternative software providers began to circle, promising greater scalability and shiny new capabilities. Convinced there might be an opportunity to accelerate growth even further, Wendy decided to make a change.

The reality was very different.

Rather than creating efficiencies, the new platform introduced additional complexity into everyday operations. Processes became more cumbersome, productivity suffered and the business started seeing its portfolio decline rather than grow.

"What took one step on the PayProp platform took three steps on the other software." Wendy van Heerden, Principal & Managing Director

Over time, the impact became impossible to ignore. After two years of frustration, Wendy made a decision that many business leaders find difficult: admitting that a change hadn't delivered the desired results.

More than software

As soon as WeTrade Property came back to PayProp, the impact was felt across the entire organisation.

For operational teams, processes became significantly more streamlined. Tasks that had previously taken multiple steps could once again be completed quickly and efficiently.

Finance teams appreciated the simplicity of reporting and audit preparation.

“With PayProp, it’s just 1, 2, 3, done, send it to the auditor, Bob’s your uncle.” Cammy Hurter, Financial Manager

Tenant-facing teams benefited from features such as the Tenant portal, which gives tenants easy access to statements and important information without the need to tie staff up in support.

Agents also found value in the clarity of the platform. Easy-to-understand dashboards and reporting made it simpler to communicate with landlords and provide meaningful updates on portfolio performance.

Perhaps most importantly, staff confidence returned.

The software was no longer something employees had to work around. It became a tool that helped them do their jobs more effectively.

For some team members, the return to PayProp felt surprisingly emotional.

"It's absolutely awesome. It's like family with PayProp, and you're just coming back home." Mearle Franks, Agent

The PayProp difference

WeTrade Property also once again had access to a team that deeply understands the property management industry, understands their goals and actively helps the business achieve them.

PayProp Client Success Manager Cathi Geyser explains that her team takes a proactive approach to client relationships; analysing business performance, identifying trends and looking for opportunities to improve outcomes.

Before meeting with clients, the team reviews data, prepares reports and performs detailed analyses to ensure they're providing meaningful guidance rather than generic advice.

That level of dedication is one reason PayProp consistently receives positive feedback from clients, according to Senior Client Success Manager Johan Burger. Clients frequently mention the responsiveness of the support team and their ability to provide timely answers when it’s needed.

Coming back stronger

It's easy to be attracted by bold promises and flashy features, but for WeTrade Property, the secret to their ongoing success was there all along – having the right partner who understands your goals, supports your growth, and provides help and guidance when it matters most.

For WeTrade Property, PayProp had already proved its value once. Returning simply reminded the team why they chose it in the first place.

And if Wendy's experience has taught her anything, it's that growth is easier when you're not doing it alone.

"We could never have done it without a partner like PayProp.” Wendy van Heerden, Principal & Managing Director