Ray White Bundaberg director reveals new Bargara location

In just six years a Bundaberg real estate agency director has taken a team of two to 23 and now he’s ready to open another branch. Here is how he did it.

In just six years Bundaberg real estate agent Warren Hitzke took his team from two to 23 members and is now getting ready to open at a second location.

Mr Hitzke hopes his new Ray White branch at Bargara can capitalize on those moving to the region in search of a sea change.

He said it was a desire for a lifestyle change that drew him to the industry almost two decades ago.

“I initially bought and sold a few properties through agents and realised I had a real passion for real estate and sales,” he said.

He decided to get his licence and went hunting for an employment opportunity, offering his services as commission-only to get a foot in the door.

Ray White Bargara snapped him up and within six months he was poached by the Bundaberg office.

Ray White Bundaberg director Warren Hitzke is opening a new branch at Bargara.

By 2016 he was offered a director position at a new Ray White Bundaberg office as the existing office closed.

“Ray White were happy to support a second franchise, and wanted to keep me in the industry,” Mr Hitzke said.

“It was scary because we had 30 days to get serious, we really needed to get going.”

Mr Hitzke and a fellow agent took over a small office space and got to work building from the ground up.

Subscriptions with realestate.com were organised, insurance was finalised and clients were obtained all while calling on favours from friends and family to kit out the shop front.

“We didn’t have a lot of money to spend at the time, we purchased a hand held phone and leased a printer,” he said.

Mr Hitzke found growth quickly, but knew he couldn’t afford to poach other highly regarded agents from around the region.

Warren Hitzke (centre) said he gives all his staff the opportunity to expand and explore their roles.

“So I thought I’m just going to put the time into my sales agents, and give them the skills and training to become better sales agents,” he said.

He credits this as a key factor in his success in such a short time, and said he treats his new real estate agents like apprentices and will put up to three years of training into each staff member before turning them loose on the sales market.

“All my team, from administration to sales to property management recognise how we conduct ourselves is very important and our integrity is top of the tree,” he said.

There were several setbacks along the way from business partner breakdowns to restructuring of the business model to fending off competitors.

A long term planner, Mr Hitzke said he is already looking to the future and hopes once established in Bargara he can expand his presence into rural real estate.

“We want to become a one-stop-shop where we have the expertise in rural, residential and coastal,” he said.