Roger Wardy is a real estate agent and auctioneer with Di Jones Real Estate. He has a particular focus on Kingsford and Kensington, where he has lived his whole life.
How did you start in the real estate business? Have you always worked in this industry or did you do something else previously?
My father always wanted me to get into real estate. I was 16 when I got my first job in a local real estate agency and from that point on I knew it was what I wanted to do.
What do you love about your job?
I love the challenge of this industry as it is so competitive, I’m very determined and I want to be the best. I also love the thrill of achieving record prices for my clients and genuinely helping them through to the next chapter in their lives.
Is real estate a good profession?
Real estate is a great profession for men and women alike. It’s not a 9 to 5 job, the more you put in, the more you get out of it. The sky's the limit. It offers flexible hours, new people to meet everyday and working with amazing properties, especially properties that haven’t been on the market before.
What would you like to see done differently in the real estate industry?
I would like to see more honesty in this industry. I get quite a few calls from vendors who are signed up with other agents and are frustrated and asking for my advice.
What’s your advice to a young person thinking of entering the real estate profession?
Get into it and go all in! Oh and start a database of everyone you have met.
What do you think of talk that Sydney is headed for an inevitable property “bubble”? What’s your outlook for your area?
Kensington and Kingsford properties are still selling for great prices, these areas are up and coming, people are starting to realise how good they are. Kensington had 24.3% growth in last 12 months and current median house price is $1,865,000. Apartments had 10.6% growth in the last 12 months with a median apartment price of $708,000.
Kingsford had 18.1% growth in last 12 months with a median house price of $1,523,000. Apartments had 17.6% growth in last 12 months and median apartment price is $700,000.
Where do you live now?
I live in one of the best streets in Kensington. It’s a really family friendly street with a great atmosphere, it's a great place to bring up families. Convenience is the one word that would describe Kensington to a tee, close to anything you can think of: beaches, shops, CBD, highways, airport, UNSW etc. The list goes on and on.
What’s your dream home, anywhere in the world?
I would love to design my dream home and build it in the street I grew up in, in Kensington.