Luxury homes, fast cars, big sales: Inside the lives of Melbourne’s high-flying real estate agents
She’s sold homes worth $25m. One of Melbourne’s top real estate agents takes us inside the world of the mega property deals.
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Big homes and bigger sales are the bread and butter of Melbourne’s top real estate agents.
From the Peninsula to Brighton Beach, they’re selling prestige listings the average person can only dream about.
But who are the people behind the flashy listings and multimillion-dollar price tags?
And what’s it really like rubbing shoulders with some of the city’s biggest names?
Five of Melbourne’s best performing real estate agents tell all.
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MARCUS CHIMINELLO
Marcus Chiminello has been named Melbourne’s “king” of real estate after overseeing $200m worth of sales in a single month.
But he’s remaining tight lipped on the clients he sells to, or how much the homes sold for, except to say the majority fell within the “$12m-$18m price point”.
The high-flying director of Marshall White Stonnington was behind the major Toorak sales of Boost Juice founder Janine Allis’s 9 Whernside Avenue pad and celebrity chef Shannon Bennett’s mansion at 43 Lansell Road — both understood to exceed $20m.
Buyer’s advocate David Morrell said the “on the ball” agent set a Victorian record in April by transacting $200m worth of prestige property in about four weeks.
Mr Morrell said his own clients were among those who recently bought from Mr Chiminello, and the agent’s contact book included celebrities and individuals who ran in Melbourne’s most elite circles.
“He’s the new king of Melbourne,” Mr Morrell said.
“This guy’s just shot ahead of the pack. He’s smart. He’s confidential, which is increasingly very important at the top end. And he’s getting the deals done.”
Mr Chiminello confirmed to the Herald Sun on Tuesday he’d transacted $200m worth of sales in recent weeks, but he said the timeline was closer to about seven weeks rather than four.
All the sales were undertaken with the “highest confidentiality”, he said, adding he would be “crucified” if he divulged the names or prices of his biggest transactions in the Toorak, South Yarra and Armadale areas.
He said he’d never seen demand so high for prestige property and he hinted many of his most interesting sales happened behind closed doors and were never made public.
“Melbourne is a conservative marketplace and a lot of purchasers don’t want industry people or colleagues to find out what they’re paying for a home or where they’re living,” Mr Chiminello said.
“The transactions that are occurring, it’s a lot of established wealth and a combination of new money.”
MATTHEW PILLIOS
He’s sold homes for some of the biggest names in AFL, but to Matthew Pillios — the so-called ‘agent to the stars’ — they’re just “good friends”.
The 42-year-old has a call log many would envy — Richmond star Jack Riewoldt, former Melbourne captain Nathan Jones and AFL great Paul Roos, just to name a few — which has been aided by his background in sports media and own footballing talents.
But the Marshall White Brighton director, who has won Agent of the Year two years running, said it was “consistency, energy and high results”, as well as being “genuine”, that got him to where he was today.
“It’s an absolute great privilege and honour (to work with A-listers) because I respect how hard they have worked to get to where they are,” he said.
“Whether they are high profile or of great wealth, they’ve earned every part of it.”
And with big names comes big money.
Among Mr Pillios’ most notable sales are actor Asher Keddie and her artist husband Vincent Fantauzzo’s Elwood abode, which sold for $2.715m in 2020, and two of Riewoldt and wife Carly’s former properties in Whyte Street, Brighton.
“It was like selling for family with Jack,” Mr Pillios said.
“He is no doubt one of the best property-savvy players I’ve sold for — he had amazing knowledge and was on the ball all the time.”
He also recently sold Essendon premiership player Justin Blumfield’s family home, at 48 Middle Crescent in Brighton, for almost $4m and Shane Warne’s ex-wife Simone Callahan’s beachside Brighton pad, which had been advertised for $3.5m-$3.8m.
The well-known Bayside personality considers ex-Sydney and Melbourne coach Paul Roos — whose luxe Brighton home he transacted in just four days for $5.53m last year — a close friend, too.
“I looked up to him as a mentor and then I sold a house for him and we ended up being great friends with he and his wife Tami,” he says.
“He rings me for property advice and I ring him for life advice.”
Despite his star-studded connections, Mr Pillios said he didn’t “take it for granted” and knew getting a good result for all his clients was what really matters.
He added celebrating “behind closed doors, with the owners, usually over a nice meal and glass of red” was always welcome.
Sarah Case
Known for her stellar fashion and her fierce property brain, Sarah Case has an impressive resume.
Her life isn’t too far removed from those shown in glitzy American TV show Selling Sunset — but without the drama, and with tons more class and hard work.
The RT Edgar Toorak director and working mum said she had “sold many sensational homes in the past 20 years”, with her most expensive, an incredible $25m property, occurring last year.
The transaction of Australian Finance Group co-founder Malcolm Watkins’ trophy home at 4-5 Myvore Court was one of three Ms Case completed on the street within three months — totalling a whopping $50m.
“I’d sold 2 Myvore Court first, then we sold the land next to it at No. 3, and then I sold 4-5 Myvore,” she said.
“I originally sold 6 Myvore Court many years ago as well as 6 Benson Avenue — that’s on the corner but fronts onto Myvore — so it’s only 1 Myvore Court I haven’t sold.
“I think Myvore Court needs to be called Case Court.”
Ms Case’s Instagram is a vibrant collection of her family, friends, fashion and cocktails — as well as a glimpse into some of the flashy homes she has the privilege of stepping inside.
She refrained from naming names, noting, “I do offer a discreet service to my clients who don’t want to be named.” But she said many high-profile and cashed-up clients had become close friends.
“One client I have sold for six times and I consider him and his wife in my closest circle of friends,” Ms Case said.
Outside of property, her seven-year-old son Tex — the “love of my life” — and husband Ben keep her grounded and help her celebrate the big wins.
“I don’t stop and celebrate the sales enough and I should, but once it’s sold you’re on to the next one and so on,” she says.
“But my husband made me stop on this ($25m) one. So I bought a new dress and I went to Attica for their amazing degustation and matching wines.”
And after starting out as a determined 21-year-old, Ms Case said she still found real estate as “thrilling” as ever.
“I never get sick of it,” she said.
“I love the changing landscapes, as each home is always different from the last and they each have their own story to tell.
“I see a lot of stunning houses. But the best part of my job is meeting such a diverse range of people, not only from my vendors to the purchasers, but also anyone that walks through the door.
“They all have a story and I love talking to them and learning what they do or where they have come from and what their background is.”
Zed Nasheet
From humble beginnings growing up in war-torn Afghanistan to posting pictures on Instagram with Australia’s biggest stars, Zed Real Estate director Zed Nasheet’s trajectory has been nothing short of incredible.
The 31-year-old gets around in flashy sport cars, bought a $6m home in 2019 and his social media stories rack up 12,000 views in 24 hours.
He counts AFL stars and celebrities among his biggest clients.
Mr Nasheet launched his career 10 years ago at Harcourts, before moving to LJ Hooker where he was named their No. 1 sales consultant. Then two and a half years ago, he took the plunge and opened his own agency.
In that time, he said he had sealed the deal on $1.4bn worth of property.
And with a television show due out later this year — think Australia’s version of the hit American show Million Dollar Listings — a book in the works, and plans to take his company global, he said the sky was the limit for his business.
“I can’t drop any names, but they (the people I work for) are celebrities, footy players, cricket players,” Mr Nasheet said.
“I recently had a deal with Ricky Ponting and the funny thing is, I called him Ricky Martin and he just started laughing.
“I went to an event last week, Run the Tan, and Shane Warne gave me his number and said, ‘mate, I’m looking for something on the water’.”
Mr Nasheet said his television series would give the public a glimpse inside Melbourne’s most beautiful homes.
He said he’d seen everything from $300,000 units to homes with $300,000 basement pools and gold inlaid into the walls throughout his career.
Zed Real Estate had the biggest online following of all Australian agents, he said, and it was common for him to sell properties in the space of hours after they cooled their heels on the market for months with other agents using traditional marketing methods.
“That’s why other agents hate our guts, they hate what we do. If they don’t change what they’re doing and jump on social media, they’re dead,” Mr Nasheet said.
But success came with a lot of grunt work, pulling “24-hour days” and living and breathing the job.
“I’ve got a ‘Zold’ tattoo on my wrist, it’s in my DNA,” Mr Nasheet said. “I’m married to my job, my kids are my properties.”
Those who work hard, play hard. And Mr Nasheet is no exception.
“Who doesn’t like nice stuff? It was my dream to have a Lamborghini and I bought my first one at 25,” he said. “You work hard, you’ve got to treat yourself.”
Kevin Chokshi
Arriving in Australia at just 17 years old with a suitcase and $2000, Ray White Cheltenham director Kevin Chokshi is a self-made success story.
From bustling India to one of Melbourne’s ritziest patches, he’s built his business on strong relationships and a stronger work ethic — as well as a few glasses of champagne.
The up-and-comer, who is “by far” one of the youngest directors and auctioneers in the field, works with regular Joes up to high-flyers who base themselves along the famous Beach Road.
And while the big price tags were nice, he said the people he met were the highlight of the job.
“Our business is built on family — to us our clients are not clients, they’re family,” Mr Chokshi said.
“A lot of the time, after a sale, I’ll randomly rock up and have a glass of champagne with the vendors. Any homeowner I meet that has a pet, we design them a custom-made pet bowl — wine and pet bowls bring me more business than anything.”
And with a yearly $10,000-plus wine bill, usually from Rochford Wines, you’d hope so.
“It’s an experience game for me,” he said.
“When you buy a Louis Vuitton you don’t just buy the handbag, you buy the experience. “They remember the experience we give them.”
He knows looking the part is just as important as playing it, too.
“It’s a part of my brand,” Mr Chokshi said.
“If I was employing someone, I want them to be genuine but look sharp. Last year we spent $6000 on Balenciaga and other designer handbags for the girls (in the team) … and next week, we’re taking our entire team out to the city to my tailor to get custom suits.”
He’s also in this midst of filming for a TV show. And while he couldn’t disclose the details yet, Mr Chokshi said it was going to be epic.
But the agent, who is expecting his first child any day now, said he still pinched himself about the life he had created.
“Some days I walk into the office and I just have this one line. I say, ‘what a great time to be alive’,” he said.
“I’ll go home and ask my wife, ‘how did I get so lucky?’ This migrant kid selling beautiful homes.”
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