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No agent could reach the top of their game without a robust team, something Jellis Craig Doncaster director Andrew Keleher can attest to.
The agent placed fifth in the REB Top 50 Agents Victoria 2023 ranking after selling 165 properties valued at $247.8 million in Victoria during the 2022 calendar year.
The agency sold everything from one-bedroom apartments to $4 million homes, but primarily sold family homes between $1.5 million to $2 million.
It also sold townhouses where builders purchased a block of land off them and built four to eight units, which Mr Keleher and his team subsequently sold.
The team behind the results
Speaking to REB, Mr Keleher credited his team for his achievements, particularly Jellis Craig Doncaster partner Nicole Qiu, and licensed real estate agent and senior sales consultant Anthony Pittas, who have been with him for seven years.
“We’re all good senior agents and we all contribute,” Mr Keleher said.
“Nicole and Anthony are just as important or more important to my team than me. Building a team of like-minded people who wanted to grow has been critical to achieving my numbers.
“The longevity of my team has also contributed to our consistency. Nicole was inexperienced when she joined my team but she’s now one of the most experienced agents in our marketplace. Anthony was a good agent but has now become an amazing agent.”
Providing ongoing training and imparting his wisdom have contributed significantly to their career progression, according to Mr Keleher.
“I’ve probably annoyed them because I tweak every other phone call they make and try to help them with little bits and pieces,” he quipped.
“My team is currently bringing in the business. I assist them with listing properties. We’ve got 60 staff in our office. It’s not me who is ranked fifth in my state. It’s our team. It’s not about who writes the business in the team. It’s just about making sure we win the business.”
Doing the hard yards
Besides his team, Mr Keleher underscored that his accomplishments boil down to sheer hard work and dedication to his clients.
Returning to basics since the COVID-19 pandemic, including picking up the phone and ringing clients, sending them thank you notes, and communicating with them via text has helped, he said.
“We did a lot of those little things during COVID that we would have done at the beginning of our career,” Mr Keleher said.
“As a result, we’ve had an incredible three years, but specifically the last 12 months.”
The power of social media
Social media has proven to be a useful tool, too, particularly for Ms Qiu, who has amassed an extensive following.
Born in Beijing, China, she is fluent in English, Mandarin, and Cantonese, which enables her to communicate with a broad cross section of Melbourne’s growing Asian community as well as overseas Chinese buyers looking to transact within the Melbourne property market.
“She’s got a huge WeChat following so she’s pushed out videos to deliver information to the marketplace. This strategy has worked well for her,” Mr Keleher said.
“Selling a home and posting on Facebook that you’re amazing is easy. Everyone is doing that on a Saturday. So, it’s about digging a little deeper and providing more information to our clients.”
In it for the long haul
Referral business has also supported Mr Keleher, who has been in real estate for 33 years.
Indeed, he said that during some years, between 10 to 20 per cent of his business originated from real estate agents outside his area referring business to him in his marketplace.
Referral business has become essential as the number of buyers and sellers shrink in the marketplace, along with stock, he noted.
“You sometimes need to connect with clients before they come back to the market,” he said.
As for advice on how agents could replicate his success, Mr Keleher said having comprehensive knowledge about the market is imperative, as is going above and beyond for their agency and clients.
“Real estate seems to have become a bit of a part-time job, especially since COVID, where people want to come in late, leave early, and do the minimum,” he said.
“However, those who go harder will dominate real estate for the next decade, while the rest will disappear.”
He concluded, “If you feel like you’re a bit over it, put your head down and have a red hot crack for the next six months. Success does not happen overnight. It’s hard work. It’s taken 33 years and a sound team for me to reach this level.”
Click here to see the REB Top 50 Agents Victoria 2023 report and ranking.
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