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Will Torres is Queensland’s fourth best agent, according to the 2023 REB rankings—but his journey to the top was rocky. He recalls how he arrived in Australia as a refugee, how real estate gave him financial independence, and why his profession is his hobby.
Mr Torres is the director of Brisbane-based Torres Property, and has placed fourth in REB’s Top 50 Agents Queensland 2023 ranking.
The agent – who has also placed in the Top 100 2023 ranking – sold 129 properties in the 2022 calendar year for a total of $157.3 million. His average sale price was $1,219,074.
The recognition feels especially hard-earned for Mr Torres, who told REB that he arrived in Australia as a refugee from El Salvador when he was five.
He lived in public housing for almost 20 years with his mother and sister, including four years after launching his real estate career as a co-agent in 2003 when he was around 20 years old. He became a fully fledged agent in 2009.
Mr Torres said he entered the field by getting on the horn to his contacts and building relationships, a skill that has served him well throughout his career.
Real estate is not just a job
Living in public housing as a refugee – and enduring the financial struggles that accompanied it – motivated Mr Torres to dedicate his life to his career, which he views as a hobby more than a job.
“That’s not a cop-out. I work eight days a week,” Mr Torres quipped.
“If you spoke to any one of my 30 staff at Torres Property, they would mention that I just keep going.”
When asked how he avoids burnout, his response was simple.
“I was tired of not having an income,” he said.
“I was tired of being on welfare. I was tired of living in public housing. So, when you ask me if I’m tired of working long hours to make money, that’s not tiring for me. I was tired when I wasn’t making any money and going into a state of depression.”
A few years into his career, Mr Torres said he bought his first property, and has since amassed a portfolio of 25 properties.
“I recently got my mum out of public housing as well – the same place that I lived in with her for almost two decades. I bought her a place in the inner-city suburbs of Brisbane,” Mr Torres said with pride.
Contacts the cornerstone of success
Commenting on how he achieved his sales figures, Mr Torres credited it to a strong team, an energetic market, and a “never-give-up attitude”.
Building relationships with vendors and buyers was also key, Mr Torres emphasised.
“When I meet most of my clients, it’s not just a tick and flick,” he said.
Mr Torres explained that he goes above and beyond by conversing with his clients about topics outside of real estate such as their family and children to understand their goals and future plans.
He asks vendors about their circumstances and their plans for renovations, painting, or redoing their driveway.
“I might follow up on when that driveway might be ready and ask if they need me to refer a tradie,” Mr Torres said.
“Developing these kinds of relationships has definitely resulted in higher sales prices. But my priority is demonstrating that care factor and servicing the client well.”
Relationships build road to referrals
It is common for Mr Torres to make 70 to 100 phone calls a day to prospect for clients, and while he might speak to 20 to 30 per cent of the people he calls, he leaves messages for as many people as he can, he said.
Making phone calls has become an art form for Mr Torres, meaning that because he frequently contacts clients, he is able to extract the necessary information in five to 10 minutes.
“It’s about getting to know them and having a continued relationship, which leads to them referring business to you because you become a friend and adviser rather than just an agent. I feel this catapulted me to the next level,” Mr Torres said, adding that over a third of business is derived through referrals.
“A lot of the future sellers and possible buyers that I speak to are in the market to do something in the next one to two to four years. Staying in touch and building trust helps you stay in their minds.”
Phone is the path to a pot of gold
As such, he advised new agents to make the phone their friend to build strong relationships with clients.
Mr Torres concluded: “Some people are ducks to water. However, it could take others a year or two to find their feet and know exactly where they stand in the business.
“But if you consistently make 70-100 calls a day, including cold calls, and you build those relationships, you’ll start seeing the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.”
Click here to view Top 50 Agents 2023 rankings for Queensland.
In a podcast episode with REB, Will Torres recounted his journey, including how his early childhood provided a foundation to build his career on. He also outlined how the 2023 Olympics could shape the Brisbane market. Click here to listen to the full episode.
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