Albury-Wodonga’s top 12 real estate agents revealed
From industry veterans with decades of experience to new guns changing the game, The Albury Wodonga News has named the region’s best real estate agents.
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From industry veterans with decades of experience, to young guns with hunger to change the game, The Albury Wodonga News has named the region’s top real estate agents.
Agents were chosen by their firm based on their connections to high-profile people, their volumes of sales, their community contributions and how they have made a mark on the border towns.
Here are Albury-Wodonga’s top 12 real estate agents.
Would you like to nominate an agent? Get in touch.
Andrea Lever — Ray White Albury
Being “down to earth” is what Andrea Lever believes makes her one of the best in the business.
According to realestate.com.au, Ms Lever sold the most homes out of any agent in the Albury region in the past year, at 77 — and climbing.
Ms Lever has been employed with Ray White since 2008. She started running the rental division until four years ago when she moved to sales.
She took over as owner of Ray White Albury in December 2020.
Ms Lever said she believed it was good, old fashioned, customer service which made her and her team so successful.
“The feedback I get is they find I am real and down to earth,” Ms Lever said.
“We chat to people, we’re approachable, and most of our business is referrals which is the best compliment you can get.
“I have a really great team and I couldn’t do any of this on my own.”
Nicholas Clark — Stean Nicholls
After gaining his real estate license in 2004, Nicholas Clark started making his mark in the game in 2009 while working in Canberra.
In 2014, Mr Clark returned to his home in Albury, joining the team at Stean Nicholls.
Seven years later, Mr Clark is one of the agency’s top brokers, selling homes in Albury, Wodonga, and the surrounding regions.
According to realestate.com.au Mr Clark sold 61 properties in the Albury-Wodonga region in the past year.
Mr Clark said he believed, from feedback he received from clients, that it was his genuine attitude that made him so successful.
“Real estate is more about people than it is about houses,” he said.
“It’s a great joy and a great privilege to be able to connect people with the right house and help people achieve financial goals.”
Ray Mack — Ray Mack Real Estate
Ray Mack wasn’t sure what to do after he was made redundant from his job with the Wodonga council when he found real estate.
He kicked off his career working for Professionals Real Estate in Albury-Wodonga, before working for online business All Homes in Canberra.
It didn’t take long for Mr Mack to take it on himself, opening Ray Mack Real Estate in 2014, focusing on the Lavington and Thurgoona areas.
According to realestate.com.au Mr Mack has sold 48 properties in the past year.
He said there was never a dull moment in real estate.
“It’s the challenges and the diversity in the job,” he said.
“The thing that interests me the most if there’s so many different aspects to it.
“You’re on 24/7 — you go for a ride, or a walk, or a run, and all you’re thinking about is real estate.”
But Mr Mack said he wasn’t your typical real estate agent.
“I always thought I’m not really a salesperson,” he said.
“I don’t really look at the sales side of it, I just say it as it is.
“My advice is to be honest and truthful.
“Real estate isn‘t about houses, it’s about people, and being able to talk to and read them and listening to their stories.”
Manny Gonzalez — Elders
After leaving a 14 year corporate sales career, Manny Gonzalez wanted to connect with people – that’s when he fell in love with real estate.
Born in Manilla in the Philippines, Mr Gonzalez grew up in Albury and has a passion for helping people.
He started his career in real estate in 2013, and now works as a sales executive with Elders Albury-Wodonga.
According to realestate.com.au Mr Gonzalez has sold 46 homes in the Albury-Wodonga region in the past year.
He said moving into real estate was a big change, but his sales experience came in handy.
“There are a lot of jobs out there that aren’t as emotionally fulfilling,” Mr Gonzalez said.
“It’s a tough slog and it’s seven days a week a lot of the time, but there are a lot of benefits.
“It’s humbling and I get a bit of a kick out of it.”
Jake Spargo – First National Bonnici and Associates
After selling TV and radio advertising, Jake Spargo decided he didn’t want to be tied to a desk all day, and started his career in real estate.
“Real estate is something where you see something different every day which excites me,” Mr Spargo said.
Mr Spargo started working for First National in 2016 and now, at 27 years of age, he believes his hunger for real estate is what makes him one of the best.
“I pride myself on my very high communication skills and communicating regularly with vendors and buyers, and I have the backing of a great team behind me as well,” he said.
According to realestate.com.au, Mr Spargo has sold 46 houses in the past 12 months.
He said working with people in the Albury-Wodonga community was one of his favourite parts of the job.
“I never lose that feeling when someone gives me the keys to their house and puts their trust in me to sell for them is probably their biggest asset.”
Clinton Harvey — Wodonga Real Estate
Real estate is a “passion and an obsession” for Clinton Harvey, who has worked in the real estate industry in Wodonga since he was 24.
Now 47, Mr Harvey said not much has changed.
“It’s (still) an obsession and a passion. You have to be 100 per cent invested or you’ll get left behind,” he said.
“You’re always doing something different, it mixes things up.”
Born and raised in Wodonga, Mr Harvey has worked for Wodonga Real Estate for 12 years, working for another agency for 11 years before that.
According to realestate.com.au Mr Harvey has sold 42 properties in the past year.
Mr Harvey said he had a long history of success.
“I like to think I’ve been on the top of my game for 23 years, and there’d be very few agents who can say that,” he said.
James Seymour — PJ Murphy
James Seymour’s passion for real estate started from a young age as he moved from house to house with his father Tony who worked in the construction industry.
“We moved from house to house and it got me interested in different areas, architecture, and styles of house,” Mr Seymour said.
Entering the real estate industry in 2012, Mr Seymour started working at realestate.com.au in Melbourne before moving back to Albury and starting as Albury sales manager for PJ Murphy in 2018.
According to realestate.com.au, Mr Seymour has sold 34 houses in the past year.
Mr Seymour said his product knowledge and his passion for the industry were what made him a strong agent.
“I think realestate.com.au helped with that understanding of facts, figures, and trends,” he said.
“I’m also passionate about real estate and that really helps.
“It’s the first job I’ve had that I really love.”
Narelle Robinson — Ray White Wodonga
In the early 2000s Narelle Robinson had enough of working in administration at Wodonga TAFE and La Trobe, and decided to switch to real estate.
In 2001 Ms Robinson started working in admin at Ray White Wodonga and, before she knew it, she was working in sales six months later.
After working for a few other agencies, she bought Ray White Wodonga in 2016.
Ms Robinson said her knowledge of the local market was what made her successful.
“I’m born and bred here so I know the local market,” she said.
“And everyone’s circumstances are different and you have to put yourself in their shoes in order to be able to work with them.”
According to realestate.com.au, Ms Robinson has sold 33 properties in the past 12 months.
Ms Robinson also won the Rate My Agent award for Wodonga and West Wodonga for the past three years.
Drew Cameron — Que Property Group
After finishing high school Drew Cameron started his real estate traineeship in his home town Cobram before moving to Albury-Wodonga in 2012.
From admin, to property management, and now sales, Mr Cameron has done it all, and is now working as a sales executive for Que Property Group.
According to realestate.com.au, Mr Cameron has sold 31 properties in the past 12 months.
Mr Cameron said he found his job a rewarding career path.
“It has its challenges like every job, but you get to match people to property and find them their dream home,” he said.
“But also in terms of the selling part of it, it’s their biggest asset and there’s a lot of responsibility that goes with that.
“So it’s very rewarding when you get a good price in a good time frame, it‘s a blessing to be part of that.”
Mr Cameron said he believed it was his personable and friendly approach that made him so successful.
“I think I’m pretty personable and approachable, but I think being a good communicator is the main thing,” he said.
“The biggest part of any sales person is being a good negotiator, but making sure you’re approachable and ready to communicate is important.”
Gabrielle Douglas — McGrath
Born and raised in Albury, Gabrielle Douglas joined the industry in 1992 and never looked back.
Now co-principal at McGrath Albury-Wodonga, Ms Douglas focuses on residential sales.
“What I like most is working for people and helping them get the highest and best price for their home,” Ms Douglas said.
According to realestate.com.au, Ms Douglas has sold 27 houses in the past year.
After working for McGrath in Sydney in 2003, Ms Douglas moved back to Albury and had her own business, Zelle real estate, with co-principal Philip Bell.
The pair then decided to join the McGrath network together in Albury-Wodonga.
Lucinda Morgan — Leading Property Group
After finishing her HSC on a Friday, Lucinda Morgan started her career in real estate the following Monday.
Now, with 21 years experience under her belt, Ms Morgan runs her own agency — Leading Property Group.
After returning from maternity leave, and deciding she wanted to be her own boss, Ms Morgan started Leading Property Group in 2015, focusing on property management and sales.
“I found there are very limited owners of real estate agencies who are also hands-on with property management,” Ms Morgan said.
“I found a hands-on director who focuses on property management that was lacking in Albury-Wodonga.”
Ms Morgan sells and manages properties on both sides of the border.
According to realestate.com.au, she has sold 24 houses in the past year.
She said she loved working in real estate because it was never boring, and she believed her ability to negotiate through challenges was what made her a top agent.
“You get to deal with a variety of people and there’s challenges along the way,” Ms Morgan said.
“But it’s about being able to negotiate your way through the challenges and come to a resolution for both parties involved, and help them achieve what they want to achieve.”
Christine Nesbit — Albury Wodonga Real Estate
Christine Nesbit’s passion for real estate shows through her work with the Real Estate Institute of NSW, as well as owning and operating Albury Wodonga Real Estate.
Ms Nesbit has been in the real estate industry since 2001, and opened her own business in 2003.
She focuses on sales, rentals and strata, and is now the deputy chair of the strata chapter or REINSW.
“I love real estate, in all its forms,” Ms Nesbit said.
“It gets challenging at times, I do everything on both sides of the border.
“I am very passionate.
“I also do webinars and seminars for the real estate institute.”
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