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An industry veteran of over three decades has gone virtual in his new venture, maintaining that these days, a shopfront isn’t necessary for success.
Sunshine Coast real estate agent Greg Pratt has witnessed big changes since he started selling property 34 years ago in Ipswich, Queensland. But the seasoned agent is rolling with the punches, as evidenced by his decision to go online-only, launching a new business via @realty’s OASIS’s platform.
Mr Pratt’s experience in real estate has included executive roles with PRD in Brisbane and Darwin, and he served for two decades in statewide management roles at First National in Queensland and Tasmania. But in the veteran agent’s view, the traditional model is in for a shake-up.
“The industry is no longer about having an office with big windows, a prime location and profile in the newspaper or on television,” Mr Pratt opined. “These days, you don’t need a shopfront, and if you want exposure on Domain or Realestate.com.au, it just comes down to how much you’re prepared to spend.”
For him, a purely online office was the way forward after he moved on from First National. Teaming up with a friend, he’s launched the new agency Coastal Edge Real Estate, which operates in the Sunshine Coast region.
“We wanted to be virtual, independent, but we also understand the value of having support,” he said.
Mr Pratt felt that the OASIS platform’s offerings of marketing, tech, and administrative assistance suited the kind of assistance they were after.
“Yes, we are an independent brand but we are also part of a network with 600-plus agents that assists when pitching to clients because they can see we’re part of a big group,” said the agent, who has learned the value of support during his many years in the industry.
A veteran in the truest sense of the term, Mr Pratt embarked on his career in real estate after spending six years in the Australian Army.
Having worked across Ipswich, Toowong, Gympie and Darwin, he credits an experience in the Northern Territory capital that impressed on him the importance of his work in the property market.
The experience selling the home of a woman who was parting with her 60-acre property so she could look after her ailing father was a formative one in Mr Pratt’s eyes.
“In 12 months, she had only three groups through, and she was desperate to sell,” he said.
Taking over the listing, he was able to get 30 groups through over several weekends after convincing the seller to commit to marketing. It sold on auction day under the hammer, with the seller “beside herself with joy,” according to Mr Pratt.
“That is what real estate is all about – helping people.”
He’s looking forward to continuing to apply the lessons and expertise he’s learned over his many years in the business to his latest venture and this new way of working.
On their part, @realty was pleased to welcome someone with such impressive industry credentials to the platform, according to managing director JJ Taylor.
“Greg has vast experience with major franchises and systems and so he knows when something works, and OASIS clearly works.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Juliet Helmke
Based in Sydney, Juliet Helmke has a broad range of reporting and editorial experience across the areas of business, technology, entertainment and the arts. She was formerly Senior Editor at The New York Observer.
