Imagine moving halfway around the world to restart your real estate career from scratch.
That’s exactly the position Louise Barton found herself in when she took the plunge and booked a ticket from Scotland to Sydney.
Armed with a working visa and the belief Sydney was one of the best real estate markets in the world, Louise set out to forge a fresh career in a town where she knew no-one and had nothing but a suitcase worth of clothes.
She would either make it or come home, tail between her legs…
Five years later and Louise has built a readily recognisable brand as an agent with Richardson & Wrench North Sydney.
But it wasn’t always easy or without its hurdles. There were temp jobs along the way and the temptation to shift careers totally.
However, persistence has well and truly paid off for an agent who had an unshakeable belief in her skillset and an unwavering faith she could make it in one of the most competitive real estate markets in the world.
In this Courageous Conversation with Leanne Pilkington, Louise shares what drew her to Sydney, how and why she backed herself, and what changed the playing field to see her interviewing agencies, rather than vice versa.
She offers an insight into the mindset that helped her attain success, along with how she’s used social media to build an established brand.
Along the way, Louise talks about her approach to customer service, the skills that translate regardless of what market you’re operating in, and how she’s setting her team up for success in a Sydney market that’s quickly turning.
“I’m up against people that have been born and bred here. They’ve done it for a very long time, but luckily I always believed in my ability and failing wasn’t an option. And I think if you’ve got that mindset, then you are going to make it. You’ve got to believe in yourself. And then everyone else around you will start believing in you.”
Louise Barton
Louise and Leanne also discuss:
- How Louise went from Scottish standalone agent to a stint in recruitment then found her feet in Sydney real estate sales.
- Why Louise felt Sydney was the place to be, and how she overcame the challenge of no local network and little market knowledge to build a successful Australian real estate career.
- What Louise did to find an agency that aligned with her vision and how she used that to build her own social media brand.
- Why Louise never lost sight of the fact she had the sales skill set required, and how she shifted the power balance to select the agency she wanted to work for.
- What inspired Louise to take a major leap, and why she knew she was in need of a totally new challenge.
- Why culture and vision emerged as the most critical agency attributes Louise was looking for and how she avoided falling into ‘the shark’s pit’.
- How Louise re-started her sales career at the height of the pandemic, and why true real estate skill is all about shaking off property market hype.
- How Louise is building a Sydney team that gets back to selling basics, regardless of what the property market is doing.
- Why real estate skills are transferable to any market, anywhere, and how Louise is using that knowledge to build her own brand.
