Place Estate Agents aims to double its footprint over the next eight years

After 22 years growing and refining its offering a well known Brisbane real estate agency is calling for new partners to help double its footprint over the next eight years.

Place Estate Agents has launched an ambitious growth strategy for the next eight years.

Place Estate Agents will be more than doubling its footprint over the next eight years.

The residential agency has been matching people with their dream homes for the past 22 years and is calling on existing business owners and agents to get on board.

It currently has 18 sites in the greater Brisbane area and is seeking an additional 19 in Brisbane, Ipswich, Logan, and Moreton Bay regions up to 2032.

Place chief executive Damian Hackett says the company has spent the past 22 years investing, redefining, and perfecting a “unique” business model and now they were ready to responsibly scale and partner with exceptional people.

“At Place, we do things differently,” he says.

“Twenty two years ago we started as a company owned business and then we went into the franchise model. We stopped that in 2011 and now we have a partnership model where someone can buy into the business and focus on sales and property management while we do the rest.”

The rest means recruitment and HR management, marketing, training, finance, legal and technology, leaving the agents free to engage in invaluable face-to-face client interactions

and negotiations.

Place is renowned for its quirky office fit-outs with its Bulimba site having a Hamptons feel; Greenslopes is a speak-easy; and Gumdale reflecting a barn and country location.

“We urge anyone who joins with us to set up an agency with the fit-out reflective of their area and history,” Hackett says under Get Smart’s Cone of Silence at Place’s James St Head office.

“Our goal is to help agents become great leaders and build genuine partnerships with great people, and help them find their happy place.”

Place Estate Agents directors Damian Hackett, Sarah Hackett and Paul Curtain

Changing of the Guard

SAS Group foundation managing director Peter Costantini is stepping down from the role on June 30, after 15 years in the job.

Malcolm Cole – who has been a partner in the advocacy and public relations business for 10 years – will be taking over the role,

Costantini says the “time is right for a baton change”.

“Malcolm will do a terrific job leading our team to the next level of service and trust in a rapidly changing business advisory world,” he says.

“Malcolm joined the SAS Group as our director of Media and Communications in 2014 and has been integral as we created Queensland’s largest and one of Australia’s most experienced public advocacy organisations.”

SAS Group was launched in June 2009 with political heavyweights – the late Con Sciacca and Larry Anthony who is continuing as chairman. Costantini will remain with the business in a strategic advisory capacity for clients and a mentoring role for staff.

New job

Specialist law firm Barry Nilsson has appointed its insurance and health Law principal Peter

Murdoch, as chairman for a two-year term.

Starting on July 1, Murdoch succeeds Rhett Kennedy who has finished his two-year term.

Murdoch has ben with Barry Nilsson since 2001 and brings a wealth of knowledge and leadership to the role of chairman.

His strong industry reputation in insurance law includes recognition in Doyle’s Guide as a Preeminent Public & Product Liability Lawyer since 2015, and ongoing recognition in Best Lawyers for Insurance Law since 2016.

Law firm Barry Nilsson's new chairman Peter Murdoch.