When Joe Mavrikos's family moved from Sudan to Australia in 1989, his family opened a milk bar in Clayton, Melbourne. Mavrikos's first job was behind the counter. At the age of 23, Mavrikos bought a home for his family, and discovered a passion for real estate. He loves helping clients through the often life-changing process of buying and selling property.

Joe Mavrikos won hockingstuart's Sales Agent of the Year in 2015 and 2016, and is senior sales consultant and licensed estate agent at hockingstuart Melton.  

How did you start in the real estate business? Have you always worked in this industry or did you do something else previously?

I’ve been in the real estate industry for around five years, three of which have been at hockingstuart’s Melton office.

We arrived in Australia from Sudan in 1989 and my family moved to Doncaster. A few years later they opened a milk bar in Clayton, so my first job was helping them to run the store. I didn’t speak a word of English when we first arrived, so it was a pretty steep learning curve! 

After school I went on to do a degree in business, banking, finance and international trade at Victoria University. I went on to work in event management for around ten years, but property was always an interest of mine.

When I turned 22, I wanted to be able to do something for my family, so I bought us a home in Endeavour Hills. We lived there together until I bought a home for myself in Hillside. A friend of mine worked at hockingstuart and saw I had a real passion for property – he encouraged me to get into the real estate business. I gave it a go, and here I am today! 
 
What do you love most about your job?

I love the challenges that come with my job, but above all I love serving people. Buying and selling property is a really personal moment in many peoples’ lives, and for most people it’s the biggest financial decision they’ll ever make. It’s a privilege to be there to help make the process easier for them. 

One client always sticks in my mind. He owed money to the banks and they were threatening to take his home from him. I managed to help him sell the house in just three days, and he made more money from the sale than his debts were worth. I’ll never forget that smile on his face – it absolutely changed his life. 
 
What would you like to see done differently in the real estate industry?

I think the quality of training to get into the industry should be tightened. Only a handful of people make it in this industry because they think it’s going to be easy – you’re thrown in the deep end after a one week course so you either sink or swim. Engaging the wrong agent could be damaging and can cost the vendor thousands of dollars hence why training is very important. 

We’re in a service industry, so for an agent to be able to service a client they’ve got to be properly trained. 

Similarly, ongoing training is key. I chose hockingstuart because they invest a lot into training and professional development, and have one of the best auction accreditation courses available proven to get the best results for the vendors. 
 
What’s your advice to a young person thinking of entering the real estate profession?

My advice would be to make sure you’re passionate about what you’re doing. That’s what’s going to motivate you to do your absolute best for your clients, and to go beyond their expectations. 

Also honesty and integrity go a long way in the real estate industry. Making the decision to buy or sell a property can be complicated and stressful, and clients need to be able to trust you. 

The best real estate agents are also great listeners. They take the time to find out exactly what the client is hoping for from a sale or a purchase, and makes a note of the details that matter to the client. Also remember to always work hard and dream BIG.
 
Where do you live now?

I live in Hillside,  with my wife Joanne. We’ve been here for about four years now and we love it. It’s a friendly and down-to-earth sort of place, full of families and hard-working people.

Fishing is my way of recharging the batteries but I also love getting involved in organising some of the local community’s events and festivals. 

Melton is home to a wonderful community, and the location is spot on. It takes me just ten minutes to get to the office in the morning, and Joanne works at the primary school just around the corner from our house. As well as having all the benefits of living in the countryside, it’s only a short drive from the CBD. It’s really got the best of both worlds!
 
What’s your dream home, anywhere in the world? 

Anywhere in the Greek islands, overlooking the Aegean or Mediterranean seas.

See also:

Get to know Gennavieve Lyons

Justin Nickerson reflects on his auctioneering win

Get to know Leonard Teplin