Dubbo’s top real estate agents reveal tips for success | Full list
Between them they’ve sold billions of dollars worth of property during their careers and they’ve got no plans to slow down. Meet Dubbo’s top real estate agents.
Dubbo News
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Throughout the Covid lockdown our homes have become the centrepiece of our world. They’re the office, classroom, playground, retreat, temple and more.
And having sold hundreds of properties between them during the past 12 unprecedented months, these are some of the Dubbo real estate agents handing over the keys to dreams in our region.
We’ve rounded up seven of the most popular and successful real estate agents based on feedback from The Dubbo News Facebook fans and data from online review platform RateMyAgent.
JODIE BRIGHTMAN, RAY WHITE DUBBO
Seven years ago Jodie Brightman was managing a Jenny Craig weight loss centre when she decided it was time for a career change as her youngest son Jackon started school and her eldest two children, Sarah and Sam, left home.
“I had no idea what it was that I wanted to do, but when I saw the ad for a property manager role at Ray White I decided to drop in my resume and give it ago,” Mrs Brightman told The Dubbo News.
“I received a call from Debbie O’Çonnor to come into Ray White for an interview. As nervous as I was, it all seemed to go really well.
“I didn’t have to wait very long and I received a second phone call from Debbie who said, while she was really happy with our interview, she thought my experience outweighed a property manager position.”
Ms O’Connor, a director at Ray White Dubbo, asked Mrs Brightman if she could come back for a second interview with other directors and it led to her being offered a position within the sales team.
When asked about her sales figures and record, Ms Brightman said she was unsure exactly what her sales figures were and the job for her was about more than just numbers.
“Yes, sales figures are important, but this job is more about the service we provide and the clients being happy with the outcomes achieved,” she said.
“I drive myself to list and sell peoples homes and be the best agent I can be to create long lasting relationships and to get return business … it’s not all about the money. I absolutely love what I do.”
The best thing about being a real estate agent, according to Mrs Brightman, is the variety the job offers.
“Even if you have a plan, sometimes that can all change in a minute,” she says.
“It‘s not always perfect and can be very challenging, you need to be able to think quick and make decisions that are going to help everyone involved. There are lots of wins but, there also are lots of losses … it’s like a roller coaster, sometimes we are up and sometimes we are down, sometimes we are laughing and sometimes we are screaming.
“It‘s all part of the job, but at the end of the day, I don’t believe I will ever want to do anything else. I love real estate and I love my job.”
SAMUEL SHOOTER, SJ SHOOTER REAL ESTATE
In the past 12 months alone Samuel Shooter’s sales figures show he’s sold more than $51 million worth of property.
His business, SJ Shooter Real Estate, was also named the Best Small Agency of the year at the 2021 Real Estate Institute Australia National Awards for Excellence.
For someone who has been in the industry for a little more than nine years, Mr Shooter’s success story is nothing short of inspirational.
“I‘d been teaching musical instruments, predominantly guitar and violin, since I finished school in 2000 and while we had developed a successful music tuition business, I had become restless to try something new and set myself the challenge of starting a completely new career,” Mr Shooter explained.
“After getting some experience in property management and sales, I took some time off and after six months away from the industry, I started SJ Shooter Real Estate from a bedroom in our home.”
When Mr Shooter talks about “we” he’s referring to he and his wife Laura, who started the business together and runs it in partnership as equals.
“It was a slow start, with only a few listings coming on initially and it was six months before my first sale, but Laura and I were resolute in our desire to build an agency that viewed people as our highest priority and that would become part of the fabric of our local community,” Mr Shooter said.
“Since our start in mid 2015, we’ve gone from a bedroom in our home with just me, to occupying an iconic CBD building and working in a team of 11 wonderful people.”
When asked what he puts his success down to, Mr Shooter describes a mix of factors.
“We built our business with values as one of the cornerstones,” he said.
“By doing so, we have non-negotiable parameters around which our processes, systems and client engagement have to be measured. This helps ensure a consistent experience for the people we interact with.”
Another factor integral to success has been acquiring and demonstrating a deep understanding that SJ Shooter isn’t in existence simply to sell homes.
“I’m being asked to help people transition from one stage of life to the next,” Mr Shooter says.
“That could be a family moving into their dream home, a couple downsizing after all the kids have left home or someone that’s selling because of a relationship breakdown or due to the death of a loved one.
“Each of these scenarios, and every other, requires emotional intelligence and what people are actually doing when they engage you is asking you to walk alongside them as they prepare and move towards the next stage of their life. They’re displaying a lot of trust and vulnerability and it’s my job to treat that with genuine respect and due consideration.”
Mr Shooter also said it was important to have fun in the job because it had an infectious effect on sellers and buyers alike.
Hard work and a strong support are also critical.
“I make literally hundreds of calls a week, sometimes more than 100 in a day.
“This job can be lonely and very draining, but with the right people in your corner and on your team, the load is shared and the burden lightened. I‘ve had the great privilege of working with my wife Laura since our agency’s inception, and with some great coaches, and it is fair to say that without them, I would not have had the courage or tenacity to achieve what I have achieved personally and what our incredible team has achieved in the last few years.”
KAREN CHANT, BOB BERRY REAL ESTATE
More than three decades ago, Karen Chant started her journey towards becoming a stalwart of the Dubbo real estate industry.
In 1986, she started working for Bob Berry Real Estate and it was a completely unexpected career move.
“After quitting university, I returned to Dubbo with few skills but a strong desire to work hard and get ahead,” Mrs Chant said.
“I walked the streets and dropped in around 50 resumes to various businesses. As fate would have it, I dropped one into Bob Berry Real Estate and Bob was looking for a receptionist at that stage.
“It really was a life changing moment for me because it was the start of a long career which has been very fulfilling.”
In the past 12 months, Mrs Chant’s sales data shows she has sold $29.7 million worth of property, but the values aren’t on their own what she measures success on.
“I’m really proud of that figure when the median sales price in Dubbo has only recently hit $400,000,” she said.
“I measure success on the satisfaction of clients. The fact that past clients keep returning and referring business is extremely gratifying knowing they think so highly of my service and results.
“I also consistently have the lowest median days on market combined with a high median sales price among the top selling agents in the Dubbo region.”
Mrs Chant has a strong track record of high achievement. In 2018 she managed the sale of a record breaking $1.25 million prioerty and in 2020 she secured the highest residential sale price for a three-bedroom property at $981,000.
In 2019 and again in 2020, Mrs Chant took out the RateMyAgent Dubbo Agent of the Year title.
“There is really no secret to success,” she says.
“It’s about the right attitude, hard work, preparation, focus, consistency, dedication and being results oriented. It’s also about having a strong desire to help others. You can’t fake authenticity – reputation, integrity and trust is everything in this industry.
“I have a very strong work ethic and my goal is to always provide amazing customer service and results. Being empathetic and supportive is a big part of my job. Optimism also helps you perform better and persist. Attention to detail is also very important to me. When details are overlooked or missed, costly errors can occur.”
Having a focus on coming up with solutions and adapting to change as market factors evolve and negotiations take place has been critical to Mrs Chant’s success.
She also never rests on her laurels.
“I’m committed to excellence and so am always asking myself how can I improve the service I deliver? How can I make it easier for my clients?
“I really appreciate my clients and the business they give me so it’s important to me that their experience with me is a positive one.
“With over 30 years’ experience in the real estate industry, I have had a lot of practice and I have been very fortunate to have been coached by excellent mentors over the years, especially Bob Berry. I also have a great team around me. I couldn’t achieve the results I do without their help and support, especially our admin assistant, Lesa Towart, our licensee in charge, Graeme Board and my very understanding family.”
While she started out in the real estate industry more about 35 years ago, Mrs Chant said she has left the industry multiple times “to follow other pursuits including working in admin at Essential Energy, training and support for software company, teaching at TAFE NSW, opening The Fast Lane Drive Thru with Paula Anderson and spending a year working with the great team at Crown Lands”.
“I think it’s important to try different things which increases your skills and knowledge and helps you become well rounded,” Mrs Chant said.
“My first job while I was at school was with KFC and it really provided me with a huge range of skills – a lot of which I still use today. There is something to learn in every job and skills are transferable.”
MATT HANSEN, MATT HANSEN REAL ESTATE
Popular Dubbo local Matt Hansen started working as a real estate agent 14 years ago and like the other agents we’re celebrating, his career trajectory is awe-inspiring.
“After getting involved in auctioneering competitions at school age, I’ve long held an interest in not only auctioneering but residential and rural property,” Mr Hansen said.
“My wife Tina and I are also keen property investors, with real estate sales and property management being a natural fit, and a shared passion. I met my wife Tina when she was working as an agronomist at Narrabri, and with her now holding a diploma in property, we both love the property industry and running a busy real estate agency.”
Mr Hansen has sold more than $35 million worth of property according to the RateMyAgent website, although that figure is likely higher in reality.
He puts his success down to a team of dedicated staff.
“Our business has grown from humble beginnings to a busy office in the Dubbo CBD.
“We are blessed to have dedicated staff, who have taken on and completed some of the highest levels of real estate training available in Australia. We are lucky to have them.”
Before Mr Hansen started his career in real estate, he worked at BCF.
“I’ve long held a love of sports fishing, travelling to many places throughout Australia and the world … it was from selling fishing gear and tents that I progressed into a local real estate office as a junior.
“I worked hard to grow into my own business and a directors role.”
The gratification that comes from knowing he’s helped people get ahead and unlock more freedom is what motivates Mr Hansen to forge ahead with his career.
“Helping vendors achieve a great price for their property gives me a real buzz,” he said.
“Even after the hundreds and hundreds of sold signs that have gone up, it is such a good feeling to see a homeowner and a buyers elation when a good outcome is reached.”
BRENTLEY GOODWIN, RAINE AND HORNE DUBBO
Brentley Goodwin is one of the most well known and respected real estate agents in Dubbo and after 11 years in the industry he says he’s never “looked back”.
“My Mum had the task of selling my grandparents home back when I was in primary school and my passion for property and people commenced when I watched the agent sell that family home for my grandparents,” Mr Goodwin said.
“Crazy to say but real estate has been my passion ever since – I have always loved houses and enjoy a chat with anyone.”
Mr Goodwin said the opportunity to be able to complete his real estate studies through TAFE while he was still a senior high school student at St Johns College had helped him immensely.
“This helped me walk straight into a job with Raine and Horne pretty much the week I finished my HSC,” he said.
“I knew real estate was it for me and often talked at school with my peers that was all I wanted to ever do.”
The success Mr Goodwin has achieved in such a short time has been put down to his team.
“We are one big real estate family at Raine and Horne and have the best staff who all work together to achieve great things,” Mr Goodwin said.
“Every day is different … every client comes with a different story and every home provides many different memories.
“It is a very special job where you are apart of many different milestones with many different clients. Repeat business also keeps me passionate … I am very grateful and honoured when clients come back with a new story wanting my guidance.”
SAMANTHA SIMS, RAY WHITE DUBBO
Samantha Sims is one of Dubbo’s newest real estate agents but she’s worked her way up with a combination of grit and determination to become one of the most popular agents in town.
In 2011, Ms Sims started working in an administration role with a local business before gaining experiencing in account and strata departments.
“In 2020, I joined the team at Ray White Dubbo and I am now a licensed real estate agent,” she said.
“I have always had an interest in real estate and wouldn’t dream of doing anything else. My family has regularly built, renovated homes and worked in the industry which has encouraged me to follow that path.”
Sales has always been where Ms Sims’s passion lies, she says.
“I did take the time to move around a bit before I returned to Dubbo to build my career and start a family, in those years away I spread my wings and obtained qualifications in other areas but my heart always led me back to sales where I am most passionate about,” Ms Sims said.
“When I was given the opportunity to join the team at Ray White Dubbo, I was excited to really sink my teeth into the possibilities and the opportunities and I haven’t looked back. I think I am really at a pivotal point in my career, I am committed and I am climbing the ladder with as much professionalism and passion as I can.”
Unashamedly ambitious and determined to achieve success in what was once a male-dominated industry, Ms Sims said the measure of her success would never be solely based on dollar figures from online websites.
“It’s great that people can share their experience and information online for people to see and make decisions with, but websites … aren’t completely accurate there’s lots of factors that can make up the property sector in terms of economic output and value to industry,” she advised.
“In saying that, I also don’t know that counting the dollar value on a website is the best measure of success, the clients, their stories and helping people find their dream home or sell their home as they move to the next chapter – that’s where I see the success.”
LACHLAN CUSACK, PLATINUM PROPERTY GROUP
Platinum Property Group director Lachlan Cusack started his working life at the age of 11, as a box boy for his family’s supermarket in the small town of Warren, located 112 kilometres north west of Dubbo.
At 15 he was asked to join a local optometry practice, where he worked after school and on weekends.
“This really challenged and rewarded me and I got to work with a passionate optometrist who spent a lot of time mentoring me,” Mr Cusack said.
“After finishing Year 12, I studied optical science in Sydney while still working and remained in the industry until Melbourne Cup day in 2017.”
A few months later in January 2019, with the goals of helping more people an taking on a new challenge, he decided to enter the real estate industry.
“I took some time off to decide my next path and was at a Dubbo Chamber of Commerce function where I was approached by the director of a local agency who asked me to come for an interview and discuss a job,” Mr Cusack said.
“A few weeks later, I began working in a large office with a team of agents. I worked with this agency for nearly two years progressing through and learning the ropes from property management to commercial real estate to residential and lifestyle acreage sales then established myself as a stand-alone agent, in the sales department.
“I started out as an assistant agent, then went on to gain my licence and accreditation as an auctioneer and at the age 22 went on to become the youngest agency director in the region.”
After quickly making his mark on the local real estate scene, Mr Cusack said he spent time focusing on how he wanted to conduct business for his clients.
“I made a drastic change and decided to make a transition that I thought, would benefit not only me, but my clients I had worked so hard for,” he said.
“At the age of 22 my dreams became my reality, it was a big change moving from a large franchised agency to a small bespoke agency and people told me I was mad. Fortunately I have never looked back.”
Mr Cusack said he quickly realised owning, running and working in a business was his passion and in July 2021 he marked one year with the Platinum Property Group.
After being asked about sales figures of his which were listed on an online website, Mr Cusack, like other agents, cautioned against using such sites.
“The funny thing about those websites is that they heavily rely on what the agents feed into them,” he said.
“This data really isn’t a true reflection of an agents or my performance as it relies on what data the agents disclose. I don’t spent my time inputting information to a computer to make myself look good, it’s just not my way of doing things. I find my time better spent working with clients to achieve great results quickly and efficiently.”
Mr Cusack said what motivated him to be one of the best in the business was his passion for people.
“I’m often described as extroverted and conversations with anyone from princes to paupers comes very naturally to me,” he said.
“In my role, I get to transition people from their castle to the next and I am heavily involved in the biggest decisions of their lives …. where to live.
“The thing I love most is settlement day, the day where people’s dreams turn into an address. It’s such an honour to be invited into peoples homes and the people from all walks of life I have met so far in my career, all come with a story.”
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