On getting into real estate
I have always been that kid who asked if I could look around your house – it would drive Mum mad! My parents are not surprised that I ended up in real estate.
The happiest moment in my career
I have absolutely loved the auctions I have worked on. Working on the marketing, pulling it all together on the day, and having properties sell under the hammer, often above reserve, is exhilarating. I’ve worked on a couple where the profits have been donated to charity, so the feel-good factor was even better!
The most memorable moment
An old, art deco home in Cottesloe with 180-degree views of the ocean. The owner was a well-known local lady who passed away. We took the property to auction and had many people try to put offers in prior to the day, but the estate was clear that they wanted to take the property to auction. On the day we had many registered bidders, but one lady turned up who wasn’t registered, hadn’t been through the property or spoken to any of the sales team. She bought the property, cash on the day, well into the millions. To top it all off, all proceeds of the sale went to a local charity.
Best advice she’s received
Stop talking and listen! When you listen, you learn. An agent who has been in real estate for many years and mentored me said this to me on my first day working with him, and it has been the best advice I have ever received.
Biggest challenge
Like many other service-based industries, real estate has to evolve. People want information immediately. They want interesting, informative content in the shortest time possible. We have to ensure that we, as agents, are keeping up with these requirements by embracing new technologies. If you don’t keep up, you are going to be left behind because the consumer requires more than what we have been offering in the past.
Change for good?
In WA specifically, I would love for the general public to embrace auctions. In my experience they are the best way to sell a property, yet so many vendors over here are unwilling to use this method of sale. So often I hear “they do that over East…” Yes, there is a reason they sell so many homes through the auction process, because it is effective. This begins with education, which I am trying to do, one vendor at a time!
‘Elite’ agent means
An elite agent is an agent whose core values are honesty and integrity, who isn’t afraid of hard work and is dedicated to their clients
#WeAreRealEstate is a series of short interviews with 140 agents all over Australia exploring the industry’s hopes, concerns, future challenges, and what it really means to be an Elite Agent.
