Ranked: FNQ’s most influential real estate titans
The Cairns Post ranks FNQ’s most influential developers and real estate agents for 2022. SEE THE LIST
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THEY are the geniuses whose visions are shaping the future of Cairns and whose business acumen we rely on with our most valuable assets.
Here, we have ranked Far North Queensland’s most influential developers and real estate agents for 2022.
#14 Nicole Bragg, Explore Property
Well-deserved accolades have come Ms Bragg’s way as she was recognised from among 35,000 agents in the top 100 for 2019 and 2020.
She firmly believes she is working in an industry that has life-changing results for both sellers and buyers.
In the last 12 months, Ms Bragg has sold 88 properties at a median of $420,000.
Very recently, she sold 144 Hillview Crescent at Whitfield for $880,000.
A highlight for the Explore Property team may have been the $2m sale of 17-19 Tognolini Close, Redlynch, by Tarren Olufson.
#13 Michelle Champion, Champions In Real Estate
Successful agency Champions In Real Estate moved into swish new digs at Mooroobool and hasn’t looked back.
Michelle and Wade Champion kicked off the business in 2019 – the proud parents of Harry and Charlie were unfazed by starting a family and a business simultaneously.
A highlight for Ms Champion last year would have been the $2.5m sale of 5 Carmelo Close, Whitfield.
In the past 12 months, Ms Champion has sold 65 properties at a median of $495,000.
#12 Therese Plath, Ray White Cairns South
Perhaps the most dominant player in the southern suburbs, the principal of this boutique agency Ms Plath epitomises professionalism and has detailed industry knowledge.
In the last 12 months she has sold 83 properties at a median of $427,000.
Born in Cairns, Ms Plath has lived on acreage at Edmonton for more than 30 years.
She has been awarded number four top selling principal in Queensland among many gongs; she was the first real estate sales person to be inducted into the Cairns REIQ Hall of Fame and has won Cairns Businesswoman of the Year.
#11 Nadine Edwards, LJ Hooker Edge Hill
Rocked by the sudden and unexpected death of family patriarch and real estate icon Ross Moller aged just 66 last January, LJ Hooker Edge Hill director Nadine Edwards has done a truly admirable job of ensuring the agency remains among the leaders. The family-oriented business has Mr Moller’s widow Despina as principal and Ms Edwards’ brother Nick Moller among its sales consultants.
The ever-efficient Ms Edwards holds degrees in both law and accountancy and practised law with big firms in Brisbane and Melbourne before joining the family business in March 2004.
She has garnered many industry awards for her achievements in real estate.
Ms Edwards is backed by a strong team including agent Kim Ryan.
#10 Ben Johnston, Property Shop
Working as a buyer’s agent for several development companies, sourcing development sites throughout Queensland and negotiating multimillion-dollar deals has given Ben Johnston, who founded the Property Shop Cairns, an intricate knowledge of development.
So it is no accident that he is the selling agent for some of the biggest developments in Cairns.
He represents the 1350-lot Smithfield Village Estate, the 350-lot The Palms, the 15-lot Pinecrest, 58 lots at Freshwater Pocket, a 20-lot subdivision at Trinity Beach, and will soon launch a 25-lot subdivision at Edmonton.
He sold 274 blocks of land across Cairns in 2021.
Mr Johnston started in real estate more than 20 years ago in a family business.
Mr Johnson has a significant interest in several building developments too.
He was also named as one of the region’s top property developers in 2020.
#9 Karl Latham, Twomey Schriber
Twomey Schriber Property Group is a formidable force with very savvy agents including Shira David-Stern, Rachel Blok and Karl Latham, who is another to record volume in sales, with a median price of $551,000.
Only two real estate agents from Cairns made the REA Top 100 Excellence Awards, from 9,000 agents - Mr Latham was one, ranked at number 53.
A 2021 achievement was the sale 18-20 Zanzoo Close, Redlynch, for $1,975,000, along with 3 Gayundah Close, Earlville, for $1.07m.
He recently sold an interesting home at Gerbera St in Holloways Beach for $885,000.
#8 Nicholas Slatyer, Belle Property
With Nicholas Slatyer at the helm, Belle Property Cairns absolutely pummelled all others at the prestige end of the market with a probable highlight being the sale of a stunning estate at Mission Beach for $8m, reportedly to Cotton On part-owner Ash Hardwick.
Belle Property Cairns broke the $1m mark on 34 properties in 2021 including two properties at Peacock St in Trinity Beach which sold for $3.5m and $2.5m respectively.
Mr Slatyer has been selling property in the Far North since 2003 and has the highest median sale price in the region.
He has just been named among the top 100 agents in Queensland, from a field of 9,000.
Mr Slatyer was ranked number 89 in the prestigious list.
#7 Ray Murphy, RE/MAX
One of the most dominant names in the Cairns property scene is the affable and unassuming Ray Murphy, who is broker and owner of RE/MAX Real Estate Services Cairns.
Leading a team of more than 25, Mr Murphy has a garnered an impressive trophy cabinet of awards including membership of Elite Gold and the 100 per cent Club.
He attributes his success to a “never-give-up” attitude, obsessive focus and a natural propensity to connect with people.
Many of Mr Murphy’s properties are affordable family homes sold for a median of $382,000 – but he leads the pack on the sheer volume of properties sold.
Mr Murphy’s was also named as one of Cairns’ most powerful real estate agents in 2020.
#6 Renee Straguszi
Cairns Property Office agent Renee Straguszi is wearing a new hat with land at Gordonvale owned by the Straguszi family since 1935 being transformed into the Cutter’s Rise residential development.
Work started in late December at Cutter’s Rise, which will ultimately comprise about 400 residential lots along with 142 apartments, a 162-unit retirement village, childcare centre and supermarket among community facilities.
Lot sizes in stage one range from 672sq m to 1086sq m, with bigger lots selling fast.
The development is on a 42.5ha.
Ms Straguszi’s grandmother, the late Rose Straguszi, resided in a home on the land until she died, aged 92, in April 2019.
#5 Edward Earl .
Edward Earl has deep ties with Cairns and heads up a group spearheading the innovative Botanica Over 50s Lifestyle Resort, the lucrative Avalon development at Goldsborough and Redlynch Valley Estate.
His grandfather and namesake Edward Earl was Mayor of Cairns in 1906 and his father Gordon Earl was a past chairman of the Cairns Port Authority.
He has delivered the 1000 lot subdivision Redlynch Valley Estate, and Millstream, a 1000 lot rural residential subdivision that stretches from Ravenshoe to Wild River. A
The minimum block size at Avalon is a massive 4000sq m and stage one is almost sold out.
The $90m development Botanica at Caravonica aims to create a country club lifestyle for residents in a gated community with a pool, spa, cinema, tennis, and pickleball courts as well as the central Botanica House
#4 Dean Cocker
A new kid on the block landed last May with the surprise purchase of developer David Dale’s Sugarworld Heights by Tasmanian Dean Crocker, who heads up the family-owned JAC Group development company.
The company diversified from its wineries, hotels and commercial development focus in the early 2000s, with more than a dozen residential subdivisions throughout Tasmania and has more than 5000 residential lots under development or sale.
Blocks at the site will range from 3000sq m on the hillside to 600sq m on flat land, and the sites will be divided into two precincts – The Terraces and The Heights, with sites on the latter offering city views.
Stages one and two sold within 40 days last October.
Limited lots as large as 2946sq m will be available at the exclusive enclave The Heights.
#3 John Richardson
Philanthropist and highly astute businessman John Richardson is keen to stay right out of the limelight – but his impact on development in Cairns is substantial.
As the biggest home builder in the Far North, Mr Richardson owns Ken Frost Homes among a slew of companies.
Mr Richardson sponsors the Cairns Taipans and is a generous donor to many charities and groups throughout the city.
Recently he supported Kick On for its work around mental health.
Mr Richardson has homes being built at Endeavour Estate, Vistas at Redlynch, and Mt Peter and house and land packages are selling before hitting the market.
His latest development is the 206-lot Deep Creek Estate at Clifton – 77 blocks will be offered in stage one of what will be a prestige estate on a former canefield.
Houses are being built for stage four of Mt Peter Estate, which will ultimately have more than 1000 homes.
About 175 families already live there and work on stage 8 is under way.
Mt Peter Estate won the prestigious Urban Development Institute of Australia’s Queensland branch regional project award.
Rainforest Edge at Mt Sheridan has six stages and about 135 lots.
Work at Deep Creek at Clifton Beach continues with 77 blocks in stage one.
The last seven house and land packages at Endeavour Estate at Trinity Beach will be complete by May.
#2 Darren Halpin
Persistence paid off for prominent Cairns developer Darren Halpin, who succeeded in making his $300m The Palms Collection at Kewarra Beach, a reality when an out-of-court settlement was reached with a group opposing the project last June.
The visionary development combines tourism facilities with a 330-lot housing estate and 30ha of green space including 5km of walking and cycling trails between and around each enclave.
The former golf course opened in 1990 after being developed by the Japanese company Daikyo Corporation.
A decade later, the asset was placed into receivership before being bought by Mr Halpin and a group of investors, known as PPNQ Developments, in 2015.
Mr Halpin shut the unprofitable course in 2019 and revealed plans to undertake a massive redevelopment.
The Palms will have a Catholic primary school, a tourist caravan park and villas, water park, retirement village and open-space wildlife corridors.
It will also feature a large amphitheatre, parklands and community facilities.
A total of 87 lots were released in mid-October in Enclave 1, which comprised stages 1 and 2 of the development – few remain.
#1 Frederik Kroymans
Among the most ambitious residential developments in the Far North is Pinecrest in the southern corridor of Cairns and it is being created by Townsville-based Dutch expat Frederik Kroymans, who is relocating with his family to live there.
The $500m development on 100ha is potentially the biggest masterplanned development ever undertaken in Cairns.
With 826 lots in store, it will ease the pressure on a real estate market where houses are scarce and buyers are plentiful – and really big blocks with plenty of open space are the norm.
The first stage of the development – Rocky Creek Precinct, with lot sizes from 799sq m to 1242sq m, was released last year and has all but sold out.
Stage 2 of the giant development is set to go.
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Originally published as Ranked: FNQ’s most influential real estate titans
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