The biggest sellers in Geelong real estate are among regional Victoria’s top agents, including a northern suburbs dynamo selling more than 150 homes in a year. SEE THE LIST
Barry Plant Geelong’s Chari Emirzade chalked up 155 sales in 12 months, the highest sales volume in regional Victoria and the second highest seller in the state.
Geelong region agents made up seven of the 20 top selling agents in regional Victoria, according to realestate.com.au figures.
Market conditions have further improved in May following five consecutive months of price growth.
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Buxton Highton agent Tony Moorfoot recorded 91 sales, while Harcourts North Geelong director Joe Grgic and McCartney Torquay boss Tim Carson both handled 76 sales over the same period.
Barry Plant Highton principal Kieron Hunter and Hayeswinckle director Michelle Winckle, both Highton agents, each sold 74 properties over the year, one ahead of Armstrong Real Estate agent Jayden McHenry, who had sold 73 properties.
The list was compiled from properties an agent has sold between April 2022 and March 2023 where they were the lead agent and was published on realestate.com.au.
Mr Emirzade said his days usually start at 4.30am, a discipline earned from his military service in Cyprus, but he attributed a lot of his success to his team of four personal assistants.
“My job is constantly to prospect and find sellers and at the same time find buyers and put them together and close deals,” he said.
Chari Emirzade has sold 155 properties in a year.
“In nine years I sold just over 1750 properties.
“We don’t just wait for buyers to reach out to us, we actually find buyers for the individual properties and that’s why our vendors hire us for.”
The northern suburbs of Norlane and Corio are known for their affordability, with 50 per cent of purchased made by first-time buyers, Mr Emirzade said.
With a median house price is now approaching $500,000, investors made up around 40 per cent of buyers, he said.
Most investors come from Melbourne or Sydney, so doing the legwork such as providing videos and building inspections has become a critical part of selling a property.
“I’ve developed an amazing relationship with Sydney investors to the point where I’ll fly to Sydney once or twice a year and do seminars to introduce the northern suburbs,” he said.
But communication was the critical part of his job, he said.
“One of the biggest complaints from buyers is they send an email or a text message and no one gets back to them. If the email comes in, we need to call them within half an hour to 45 minutes. They are non-negotiables.”
Tony Moorfoot calls an auction in East Geelong.
Buxton Highton director Moorfoot said two out of every five properties he sells came via a referral.
“I’ve been in real estate for about 18 years now, so I’m fortunate enough to have sold for many people. Once you do a good job, generally people will refer you or will sell with you again.”
Mr Moorfoot said while advances in technology have allowed agents to track buyers’ habits to help tailor marketing, negotiating and communicating were still an agent’s most important skills.
“My job is to give the seller value by getting them the best price, he said.
“All while continuing to communicate with the buyer and seller, as servicing clients is so important to have a great rapport and keep everyone up to date.”
Families, first-home buyers and downsizers were the big three in Geelong’s southern suburbs, he said.
“It’s a bit of a cycle, first-home buyers are wanting to get in to the market, then they become families who are always looking for the larger home with the bigger backyard.
“From there kids move out and mum and dad generally look for something smaller and low maintenance so they can go travelling and enjoy retired life.”
Harcourts, North Geelong director Joe Grgic.
Harcourts, North Geelong director Joe Grgic sold his first property in 1999, but spent much of his youth in the office of the family real estate business.
“To me it’s all about getting the best result for the client,” he said.
“For some people the idea of selling a home is so stressful, so trying to make it as stress-free as possible and just make it as good experience for them is important.”
Mr Grgic said the past year had been one the trickiest in real estate.
“Since interest rates started going up, we’ve had the biggest decline in pricing and buyer activity since I started in real estate,” he said.
“But I think we’ve been very lucky in Geelong where we are just blessed geographically with Melbourne being 50 minutes away and the Surf Coast and key great beaches not far away. “And our city has come so far – it’s growing, and people want to be here.
“People who bought here 20 years ago have done very well for themselves just by simply wanting to live in a place.”
Michelle Winckle is among the top-selling agents in regional Victoria. She has sold 74 properties in the past year.
Hayeswinckle co-owner Michelle Winckle said real estate was not a career, it’s a lifestyle.
“You can’t control when things happen. So if there’s a sale going on at 7pm at night, you’re going to be keeping that vendor informed,” she said.
“That’s why I’ve done so well in my career because I’m very fussy about making sure that all my clients are kept in the loop. I’ll never go to bed without returning a phone call or making sure that everyone’s been updated.”
Ms Winckle said 95 per cent of her business was referral based, a fact she attributes to the hard work in her early days in real estate 16 years ago.
“I was a single mum with two really young kids and it was really hard. So I was determined to put in the best groundwork to set myself up for the future,” she said.
“I’ve got to have three more kids in real estate and it’s been a lot easier because the clients that come to me know me and trust me, and they already had that rapport.”
Barry Plant agent Kieron Hunter calls plenty of auctions in Highton.
Ms Winckle said a supportive family network helps
“My husband has been a stay at home dad and he’s been incredibly supportive.
“And Daniel (business partner Daniel Hayes) and I are very clear with our roles. He’s in charge of running the business, which frees me up to be in the sales side and on the ground. “And the beauty of that is we’ve got an owner of the business that is actually working on the ground with the clients, so I know what’s going on in the current market.”
McCartney Real Estate director Tim Carson.
Armstrong Real Estate agent Jayden McHenry.
Tim Carson, the McCartney Real Estate, Torquay director has had a hand in selling some of Torquay and Jan Juc’s most expensive properties.
While the Torquay local has negotiated some of the biggest deals ever seen on the Surf Coast, people have flocked to beachside hot spots such as Torquay and Jan Juc during and after the pandemic.
Kieron Hunter is managing director of Barry Plant offices in Highton and Leopold.
The principal at Highton, Mr Hunter has a love of Mid Century homes, which are a staple in the popular southern Geelong suburb.
Jayden McHenry is an agent with Armstrong Real Estate in Armstrong Creek, after having sold residential land in the growth area for many years prior.