How does your usual day look?
I start the day by making my way through any emails and voicemails that have not been attended to. I check my calendar for appointments and ensure that I am prepared for the day ahead. I then check all listings and campaigns and ensure all landlords are up to date. I chase all leads, and potential tenants and buyers.
From there, my day consists mostly of non-stop phone calls and driving all over the Bayside. I try to keep one day a week for less driving and more in-office catch-up work. Most days finish with blowing off some steam at either football (soccer) training and gym.
How did you start your career in commercial real estate?
Post high school, I completed a trade and was a qualified cabinet maker. After a few years, I decided that it wasn’t the path for me and I wanted to do something more people-centric. I began working in a residential real estate business which was attempting to do commercial “on the side”. This meant a lot of long hours and a lot of cold calling regular residential house lots with residential B zoning. It was painful but it was a start.
I then had an opportunity to do some work experience with Michael Keddy and Nathan Moore at Ray White Commercial Bayside. I was lucky enough to be offered a full-time role with them and have never looked back. That was nearly 10 years ago!
What do you enjoy most about working at Ray White Commercial? What makes Ray White Commercial different?
The confidence from customers that is instantly instilled because of the Ray White name. The fact that it is still family-owned and run, and that the White family make an effort with each and every agent in the network.
The support that is provided by not only the Bayside team but also from Ray White Commercial corporate, and their constant efforts to be industry leaders. I leave all conferences, networking events and training days with a real sense of pride. We also have many fantastic operators in our group.
What are your go-to property marketing methods that you present to your clients?
Primarily signage and digital marketing. Print is used for our larger sale campaigns, especially investment stock. We are lucky that in this particular area, signage is still a hugely important way to capture buyers and tenants.
Tell me about a unique success story?
58-68 Delancey Street, Ormiston
I was fortunate to be involved in the successful transaction of Fairfax Media’s former print site. The site was sold following an expressions of interest campaign, with Nathan Moore from my office, and Andrew Burke and Matthew Fritsche from Ray White Commercial Special Projects.
The 5.19HA site was sold to developer Steven Lambourne of SS Signs for $7.425Million. Steven plans to occupy parts of the 5,160m2 himself and then turn the site into a state of the art medical facility. The campaign registered 85 inquiries, which then turned into eight offers. The site’s location was always going to be a major drawcard for buyers, and this story was unique for me due to growing up within close proximity.
Do you auction?
Not enough in my opinion, however since changing my mindset earlier in the year, I took a property to auction a couple of weeks ago and sold it under the hammer. There is no doubt that creating competition within a room can deliver the best result.
Conversely, I know I’ve achieved better results for clients under less transparent conditions when demand for stock was low. To achieve the best result, buyers have to be ready to make an offer on auction terms so the property does need to be ‘squeaky clean’ without many complications.
What’s the one thing you know now, that you wish you knew when you first started out?
You can't do all the deals. If you miss out on something, don’t dwell but instead just move on and proceed to the next one immediately. And just pick up the phone and make the call that you have been putting off - it’s never going to be as bad as you anticipate.
What is your outlook for the industrial market in Capalaba over the next 12 months?
Due to low amounts of stock currently available on the market, both for sale and lease, we will see rent rates and property values rise. Very little industrial land is available apart from the two last remaining blocks on Hook Street and one last remaining block on Smith Street. Hook Street looks to be developed in the foreseeable future while Smith Street is currently on-market for sale.
What product to come out of the ground here shall be interesting. There is also very little investment stock available with rent rates still recovering, however, investors will most likely start to look at lower returning investments to simply acquire assets.
Contact details
Phone: +61 421 383 668
