In 2017 Trever Molenaar and Troy McNeice opened the doors to a different kind of real estate agency. Mr Molenaar, a former owner of a large franchise with three office locations across the Illawarra, and McNeice, one of the top agents working there, joined forces to begin Molenaar + McNeice.
Known for their standout pastel pink colour scheme, the brand came from almost nowhere to the most prominent and highest number of sales in a short period of time.
Fast forward almost two years to the day and the pair has opened their second location in Wollongong CBD.
“It was an obvious move for us both from a geographic point of view and also to be able to open up larger property management market” Mr Molenaar said.
According to Mr McNeice, the location was a “no-brainer” as it carried 155,000 cars a day and had plenty of parking, making it easy for customers.
“We have been working on this for around a year and whilst many are reducing their operations, we are going from strength to strength” Mr McNeice said.
The pair threw the rule book out the window when it came to the “normal” way it’s done in the real estate world. They did away with stuffy suits and ties and corporate masculine colours, opting for a different dress code and switching their focus towards a female target market.
“It was a brave move to go with pink,” Mr McNeice admitted. “No one had used such a colour palette successfully in the region, let alone an independent brand starting from scratch.
“But our research showed a big percentage of our clients were female and the idea was born.
“We tweaked the way we sell property to adjust to this market and its climate, and we have a clear road map for our agents and clients.”
And so far it’s been a raving success, with Molenaar + McNeice already bagging a swag of awards, including Illawarra business chamber Start-up Super Stars.
“We have a great team and we couldn’t be doing this without a super-efficient and caring team,” Mr McNeice said. “Every person is handpicked to make sure the client experience is a great one.”
The pair said they will continue to innovate and test the boundaries when it comes to what could be done and what was your typical real estate experience.
The doors to the new Molenaar + McNeice office open this week at 6 Flinders St, Wollongong.
