After 10 years with another agency, Ellis Schofield made the move to Area Specialist in August 2025, bringing his partner, Georgia, along to create a team focused on growth and exceptional client service.
“I felt that my previous office really didn’t offer the kind of growth or opportunity for true ownership that I craved,” Mr Schofield said.
“Area Specialist gave me that control of my own business and my own future. It appealed to me because it allows me to run my own business under a respected brand.”
From hospitality to real estate success
Mr Schofield’s journey into real estate began 11 years ago, though he admits he had an interest in the industry since high school, but initially lacked the confidence to pursue it.
After starting in hospitality, a fortuitous connection changed his career trajectory.
“I worked with a lady that used to be in real estate. She was a function manager at my job, and she thought that I would be pretty well suited to real estate,” he explained.
“She took me to open homes and introduced me to agents. Got me a couple of interviews and that was it. I haven’t really looked back.”
His early career benefited from strong mentorship, working directly under the number one and number two agents in Frankston at the time. Within his first year as an associate, he had already completed approximately 50 sales.
Frankston’s diverse property market
One of the aspects Mr Schofield most enjoys about working in Frankston is the diversity of properties and clients he encounters.
“I’ll sell anything from your lower end units and apartments all the way up to your $2 million properties with views of the ocean,” he said.
“That’s one of the things that draws me to Frankston itself, because you’re selling different style of properties every day. I can sell a unit one day or a development site the next, so you’re dealing with all different types of people.”
The current Frankston market is seeing strong activity from interstate investors and first-home buyers, a demographic Mr Schofield particularly enjoys working with.
“It’s nice to see people buy their first homes. It’s always exciting and guiding them through that process is rewarding,” he said.
Market knowledge as a competitive edge
What sets Mr Schofield apart from other agents is his meticulous approach to market analysis and continuous professional development.
“I kind of obsess a little bit over knowing what’s happening in the market,” he said.
“I run spreadsheets on median house prices, days on market, monthly sales, and what’s for sale across all the suburbs that I track. I’m looking at that every day.”
This dedication to market knowledge is complemented by his commitment to improving his negotiation skills, an area where he believes many agents fall short.
“I think a lot of agents think negotiation starts when a buyer comes through the home and they like it. But the negotiation starts a lot further back than that,” Mr Schofield explained.
Benefits of the Area Specialist model
The move to Area Specialist has delivered significant benefits for Mr Schofield, both financially and in terms of lifestyle.
“The higher commission split obviously gives me a lot more freedom on how I market myself and what I can earn,” he said.
Beyond the financial advantages, Mr Schofield has found a better work-life balance and superior systems support.
“I think I’ve got a nice work-life balance at the moment, so that’s definitely improved since I’ve come on to Area Specialist,” he said.
“I felt that the other office I was at was all about work and life kind of came second to that. Since moving over to more of a boutique style company, their systems have really surprised me. They are so streamlined and their admin support is fantastic.”
Future growth plans
Looking ahead, Mr Schofield has ambitious goals for his business. Having consistently achieved between over $450,000 in GCI, he aims to reach $600,000 in the 2026-27 financial year, then $800,000 the following year, with a target of hitting his first million shortly after.
“It was quite limiting at the old company. I felt that if I did beyond that, it would require another staff member and there just wasn’t enough of a split in it to be worth it,” he explained.
With the improved commission structure and business ownership model at Area Specialist, Mr Schofield and his partner Georgia are now positioned to achieve the growth they’ve been planning for years.
“Area Specialist gave me that control of my own business and my own future,” he said.
Area Specialist is a real estate platform for top-performing agents, providing the systems, tools and technology they need to create, grow and power their business. For more information visit beyourboss.com.au
