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Steven Cross
Working within a large real estate network can create familiarity with consumers who are now buying and selling their home more regularly, according to the director of a Melbourne-based franchise office.
Toby Parker, director at hockingstuart Balwyn and Hawthorn, said buyers and sellers who regularly move around the Victorian capital not only begin to recognise the brand, but the network also recognises them.
“hockingstuart as a brand sells home in all areas in all price ranges from $200,000 up to seven or eight million dollars,” he told Real Estate Business.
“Because Melbourne is becoming so transient with people moving from suburb to suburb, and they're actually moving quite frequently, and people who buy from us usually end up selling with us.
“hockingstuart is a dynamic brand," he continued. "We deal with a lot of people looking to scale up and the target market for us is a lot of young couples. Our network of 48 offices means that a lot of people will sell or buy with us a number of times."
“So the good thing for vendors is that we’ve already met the buyer before they’ve even sold their house most of the time.”
Mr Parker, whose office turns over in excesss of $3 million in sales and has more than 700 properties on its rent roll, said that building strong relationships with a client is vital to winning listings over competitors.
But Mr Parker stressed that the brand can only take you so far.
“I think that it comes down to the individual as well as the brand," he said. "If you’re hardworking, honest and a trusted advisor, then you’ll be selling homes in all price ranges.
“I don’t think the brand is necessarily the big driver behind that.”
