Drew Davies is Co-Director at Place Ascot in north-east Brisbane, one of the best performing agencies in the country.

With a background in architecture, Drew has dedicated the last 9 years to creating a world class property experience for his clients. He’s one of the most followed agents in Australia, with a combined following over 70,000 people across social media channels and, with over $120 million worth of property sales across Brisbane in the last 12 months, he ranks in the top 1% of agents across the nation.

Image: Place Ascot Co-Directors Patrick McKinnon and Drew Davies at 25 Mullens Street Hamilton. Source: Drew Davies

For the last 3 years, Drew has worked alongside his close friend and Place Ascot Co-Director, Patrick McKinnon. Within this time, Drew and Patrick have quadrupled their business, thanks to favourable real estate market conditions, likeminded thinking and complementary strengths.

Outside of real estate, Drew is a proud husband and Dad to two boys.

Source: Drew Davies

LUXURY LIST spoke to Drew Davies about the Brisbane property market.

Are you noticing any changes in buyers’ and sellers’ actions/expectations in 2022?

Buyers are scared of missing out, they are acting with more speed and greater confidence than I've seen previously. Sellers are a little more cautious as many are faced with the decision of what to buy when they sell. These sellers are looking passively to purchase off-market when opportunities arise.

What advice you would give to vendors for the best outcome?

It's no surprise that a well-planned and staged marketing plan is essential to achieving a premium result in this market. It can be tempting to rush properties to market but ensuring your home is presented in the best possible light is critical to the outcome. Buyers are frustrated with the current lack of homes on the market, which provides a huge opportunity to have yours stand head and shoulders above the crowd. The key is leveraging a social media campaign to reach buyers who are not on the real estate portals and create a premium price for vendors. The social media strategies we implement are achieving incredible results, especially with those international and interstate buyers who are willing to purchase sight-unseen with the right guidance.

Image: Balcony of Riparian Plaza apartment Source: Drew Davies

What advice do you give buyers?

Have your finance in order and a crystal clear understanding of what you're looking for, there is always a compromise to be made, so understand what your non-negotiables are. Don't be that buyer holding out to find a property that ticks every box, those buyers are still looking! Many perceived compromises can be overcome with a little creativity and some money spent.

What are vendors saying?

It's no secret Brisbane's property market has made up for lost time and it's been a favourite topic in the media so it's no surprise that vendor’s expectations have soared. In many instances, these expectations have still been met and often even exceeded due to the increased demand we've seen. The current topic of conversation is trending toward how interest rate rises will affect the market, with many potential vendors bringing plans forward to sell now.

Source: Drew Davies

What are buyers saying and where are the buyers from?

Buyers are still just as hungry as ever. In my area I'm seeing a mix of interstate, international and local buyers looking predominantly for a substantial upsize purchase. Many of these buyers are frustrated with missing out at auctions or multiple offer situations and are looking for off-market opportunities, and quite often willing to pay a premium to secure something uncompleted.

As Director of Place Ascot, can you share your leadership strategy in building the strong team culture that is reflected in Place Ascot’s success?

Both my business partner and I believe culture is the most important aspect of our office and that environment is key to agent performance. We do our best every day to lead by example; it's a ‘do as we do’ culture, not a ‘do as we say’ culture. We encourage collaboration amongst our agents and offer multiple avenues for skill development at all levels, along with multiple lead streams. Giving back to our community through school sponsorships, quarterly auction events and individual charities is high on our priority list and we believe this is crucial to our continued and shared success.

Source: Drew Davies

What personal hobbies/interests outside of real estate do you enjoy in your down time?

My foot has been to the floor with this office of ours for the past few years and I can't see that changing anytime soon. I'm a creature of habit so 5 days a week my day starts at 4:45am and I'm at the gym by 5:30am, I'm always at my best mentally when physically fit.

Source: Drew Davies

I have two boys, Harvey and Frankie, who are 3 and 4, so any spare time I have is spent with my wife and boys in the pool or at the beach. They'll be kicking a footy around on the field any day now, so keep an eye out for that over-enthusiastic dad running up and down the sidelines.

Image: Proud dad Drew with sons Frankie and Harvey. Source: Drew Davies

What is one thing you have learned over your years as a luxury sales agent?

I'm constantly learning and refining my skills, but If I was to sum it up very simply: resilience and consistency are the keys to success.

Related reading:

Hamilton Hill property with Brisbane city views sold for $7m – Place Ascot

c.1890 Ascot Queenslander sold by Place in 1 week

Substantial Clayfield home for sale on 1,011sqm - Place

Get to know Patrick McKinnon, Director of Place Ascot