About Us

Built on Service. Driven by Innovation

Founded in 1992 by Sonya Gusson, Cornerstone Realty Specialists is based on the simple principle: the mission of a service company must indeed be service. The company quickly established itself as one of the most innovative real estate firms in the eastern suburbs of Johannesburg. Cornerstone Realty Specialists also recognized the important role that a technologically sophisticated environment could play in the conduct of a service-based business in a rapidly evolving economy, globally. As a result, Cornerstone Realty Specialists became recognized as a leading firm that provides its clients and customers with real tools and resources to achieve brilliant results. Sonya Gusson, a mainstay in the industry for over 28 years, excelled at great heights in her field thanks to her exceptional knowledge of the market, proven flair for successful deals, and strong relationships with clients and peers alike. Our unique approach ensures that our clients, customers, and properties get the attention they deserve. Sonya Gusson' illustrious real estate career has afforded her to also commit to many humanitarian projects of great interest and importance to the well being of our planet and the environment. Thus her holistic approach to life on all levels is highly sought after by her clients and peers.

Our Philosophy

Our philosophy is one of simplicity. Reducing the use of paper, plastic, water, fuel, and electricity, and recycling and planting trees as much as possible wherever we can as a company.

Our founder committed to a personal pledge 28 years ago to adopt a Vegan diet. Adopting a Vegan diet can halt as much as 80% of global warming, eradicate world hunger, stop wars, and promote peace.

It will free up Earth’s waters as well as many other precious resources, offering a lifeline for the planet and humanity.

In short, it will, according to the world’s top scientists, very quickly halt many of the global warming problems facing humanity right now. We already know about the efforts to reduce emissions, such as from industry and transportation; however, changes in these sectors are taking too much time.

One of the most effective and fastest ways to reduce the heat in the atmosphere is to eliminate methane production. Methane not only traps up to 72 times more heat than carbon, but it also dissipates from the atmosphere much faster than CO2. So if we stop producing methane, the atmosphere will cool more quickly than if we stop producing carbon dioxide.

We can start by cutting down on the biggest methane producer in the world—that is, animal raising. So if everyone in the world would adopt this simple but powerful practice of an animal-free diet, then we could reverse the effect of global warming in no time.

One may employ other green measures, such as planting trees or switching to green technology, but those take longer to take effect. The Vegan diet is the fastest way to cool down the planet. Make your pledge today!

Go Vegan one, two, three, or more days a week, thus making a large contribution to the Earth’s well-being!

Our company’s environmental endeavours

Our company endeavours to encourage developers, builders, and owners to “go green 2 cool down the planet” by reducing each household’s carbon footprint. With today’s technology, there are so many new innovative ways that one can make one’s home green!

Green technologies, such as:

  • Natural heating and cooling; natural lighting (design of buildings to make optimal use of daylighting); and LED lighting technologies.
  • Energy Generation: photovoltaics, wind turbines, solar water heaters, flat panel collectors, evacuated tubes.
  • Heating, Ventilation, and Cooling, Greenwalls, Glazing, and Windows, Solar Shading, Greenroofs, and Cool Roofs, Permeable Paving, Water-Efficient Technologies; Structural Insulated Panels;
  • Alternative Building Technologies

Another simple and cost-effective idea is simply to have an organic vegetable garden! Did you know that tillable soil used to plant organic vegetables absorbs up to 40% of the carbon dioxide from the atmosphere?

So an organic vegetable garden in your backyard can do so much for the environment without too much stress on you!

Bamboo is another wonder “tree.”  Bamboo absorbs much more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than trees do, so plant some glorious bamboo! It’s good for your “feng shui,” too!

Meet our Professionals

Sonya Gusson
Principal
Sonya Gusson
Principal

Sonya Gusson, a mainstay in the industry for over three decades, excelled in her field thanks to her exceptional knowledge of the market, proven flair for successful deals, and strong relationships with clients and peers alike. 

 

Lisa Malander
Bond Originator
Lisa Malander
Bond Originator
George Raccanello
Conveyancer
George Raccanello
Conveyancer

We have a proven ability to deliver excellent results to our broad client base, and we are committed to finding innovative legal solutions while maintaining the highest levels of service, trust, and integrity.

Read Our Newsletters

Transfer Duty, Capital Gains & Estate Duty Act

TRANSFER DUTY Transfer duty is paid by the purchaser on the acquisition of any immovable...
Continue reading

Guidelines to finding your home

Define your search parameters This typically includes price range, location, size, type of...
Continue reading

5 Insider Tips for Home Buyers

1. Be a Pre-Approved Buyer: A pre-approved buyer always has the advantage in an offer situation....
Continue reading

Tips for Sellers: Avoid the Top 9 Selling Mistakes

Serious about selling your home? Read about these common mistakes that home sellers make:1....
Continue reading

What Our Clients Say

Awesome Service!!! As first-time home buyers and not understanding everything that needs to be done to secure a bond, what started out as a nightmare soon changed direction and became one of the best deals we have ever done. Sonya guided us with bond applications, pointed us in the right direction with steps we needed to take, and gave us advice and encouragement at times when we thought all was lost. And the end result??? We will move into our dream home in the not-too-distant future. Cornerstone Realty Specialists is a fantastic company and we have secured any future business we may have in the property market!
Matthew
Published on Hellopeter.com
In this respect, she has been instrumental in matters such as improving the appearance of the complex, securing the best people for building and maintenance work to be done, collecting levies from recalcitrant owners, and ensuring that essential contracts such as management, employment, and conduct rules have been correctly drawn up. Her expertise in running her own estate agency, Cornerstone Properties, has equipped her extremely well with extensive knowledge of all property matters, the Sectional Titles Act, as well as financial and insurance matters. She is an invaluable asset, a trustee who is dynamic, responsible and shows great management skills. In fact, she has single-handedly turned this complex from an ailing, poorly run establishment into one that is well run and profitable.
Anita Kruger
Trustee
Sonya, a very professional real estate agency, provides honest and accurate advice and goes beyond the expected service of a real estate agent.
Sandra Dos Santos
Purchaser
Working with Sonya and Cornerstone Realty Specialists has been an absolutely awesome experience! Not only did they achieve a better price for my home but also went the extra mile with their service. Sonya undertook every single step of the selling and transferring process with great care and dedication and provided constant communication. Driving us to the conveyancers to sign our documents and assisting the purchasers with the same service set them apart from the industry. Truly an outstanding display of caring, attention to detail and alleviating a bunch of stress, making it enjoyable for us. We will definitely be using their services again in the near future!
Mellissa
Seller