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A local real estate agency reached new heights when it partnered up with a TV empire.
For 39 years, Baulkham Hills local Trevor Leslie has listed and sold properties in Sydney’s leafy north-west.
The area has seen plenty of changes since the agent started out – a metro line and brand new business park being among them – but the region’s reputation as Sydney’s suburban heartland remains unchanged.
“Everybody that lives in the area tell me one of the main things they enjoy about it is that it’s a great area to bring your children up,” said Leslie.
“You don’t have to go to a private school for your children to have a great education – the public school system here is absolutely outstanding.
“It’s a very, very comfortable environment to live in, and it’s a great family-oriented area.”
Long known as Sydney’s Bible belt, and just a stone’s throw from the paddocks of Dural and Arcadia, the Hills Shire has earned a reputation for tradition.
But for Leslie, it was innovation that threw his agency into the local limelight.
After decades running an independent business and operating under a conventional franchise, Leslie “wasn’t having any traction”.
“I spent hundreds of thousands of dollars promoting the company, and then after the end of five years very few people still have ever heard of them,” he said.
When getting ready to change to another network, the agent took an unconventional step: he took his dilemma to the community.
“I did a survey for myself, I went out and spoke to everybody that I could meet, I said: ‘Have you heard of Better Homes & Gardens?’ And they said to me: ‘Oh, the magazine? Oh, the TV show? Love it’.”
Joining an agency with a massive media presence proved a windfall for Leslie.
“Compared to when I was a sole trader, our enquiry rate now is six to one,” he said.
For him, the exposure now means he is “more than just an agent; you’re a well-known company”.
It’s still early days Better Homes & Gardens Baulkham Hills, and for now Leslie is continuing to draw from his experience to sell a wide array of properties.
“We have homes in Winston Hills and Baulkham Hills that date back to the ’60s, they’re the more affordable homes for somebody wanting to come in – plus we cater for housing up to $3 million in the area, so if you’re looking for something prestigious, we have it all.”
“I also have a property stock and station licence, so we can do acreage and we can do the more prestigious homes anywhere through Dural,” he said.
With two young trainee agents aged 18 and 20 at his side, Leslie has his hands full sharing his experience with the agents of tomorrow.
“You can do real estate all your life,” Leslie said. “When you go out there and market yourself, then people will take to you and warm to you, so it’s giving you the opportunity to list properties, sell properties, and your income is unlimited.”
“If you have the desire and you’re serious about wanting to move forward, then this is an absolutely brilliant business to go into.”
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