Raine & Horne Unley, under the leadership of Mr Con Pappas and Mr Jacky Yang, continues to make waves in the Adelaide real estate market, kicking off the year with a 63% surge in listings from 1 January to 28 February compared to the same period in 2024.

Mr James Trimble, General Manager of Raine & Horne SA, praised the remarkable achievements of the Unley office, which has only been in operation since 2020. “Raine & Horne Unley has rapidly established itself as one of the strongest offices in Adelaide, and we’re excited to see its continued growth,” he said.

“Jacky, Con, and their team have built an impressive business in just five years, ranking as Raine & Horne’s number one office in metropolitan Adelaide. They have consistently delivered outstanding results, growing stronger each year.”

The ‘interstate exchange rate’ is driving demand

A growing factor in the Adelaide market is the ‘interstate exchange rate,’ where South Australians returning from Sydney and Melbourne find their money stretches further.

“Cashed-up South Australians who’ve built wealth in Sydney or Melbourne are returning to Adelaide, where their dollar buys significantly more,” Mr Trimble said. “At auctions, we’re seeing people fly in from Melbourne and Sydney or have family bid on their behalf via FaceTime.

“The interstate exchange rate is a noticeable trend in Inner Adelaide, where $2 in Sydney or Melbourne stretches to $3 in Adelaide.”

Beyond housing affordability, Mr Trimble highlighted how the interchange exchange rate extends to education costs. “Private school fees in Sydney and Melbourne are far higher than in Adelaide. A family selling a $2.5 million home in Melbourne can buy a $1.5 million home in Unley and still have plenty of spare cash left to fund private schooling. That’s a major drawcard.”

Mr Trimble noted that Adelaide’s vibrant event scene also attracts people to the city, with major global events such as LIV Golf, the Tour Down Under, and the Motorsport Festival making it an attractive place to live and invest.

Market-leading performance metrics

Apart from the 63% increase in listings, Raine & Horne Unley has slashed its days-on-market metric to 33 days following a recent switch to three-week auction campaigns from the traditional four-week campaigns, reducing sales times for their vendors. It helps that Raine & Horne Unley also operated at an auction clearance rate of 87% in 2024, exceeding the SA average of around 70%.

Moreover, their buyer enquiries between 1 September and 4 March were 3,784, compared to the national market average of 434, and they have an impressive 52 five-star reviews on realestate.com.au, compared to a market average of seven. It’s worth noting that Raine & Horne Unley has 244 five-star reviews in total.

Raine & Horne Unley is also making its vendors almost $60,000 wealthier by achieving a median house price in Unley of $838,000, surpassing the market average of $780,000.

“These stellar metrics result from relentless hard work and a strategic marketing approach,” Mr Trimble said.

“Con, Jacky, and their team maximise their listings through adopting innovative digital tools such as Raine & Horne’s first-to-market AI-powered social media marketing platform Amplify, its proprietary proposal tool, DigiKitPlus, realestate.com.au, and Raine & Horne’s website.

Winning with auctions and marketing innovation

Raine & Horne Unley has established itself as the biggest single auction office in the Raine & Horne network in South Australia. With two qualified auctioneers on staff, the team frequently captures auction footage for online engagement, attracting new clients through social media platforms and their extensive marketing reach.

“The Unley team conduct street auctions to showcase performance and often secure future listings from onlookers attending the under-the-hammer sales, as well as from those watching live by means of the social media platforms,” Mr Trimble said.

“They also consistently leaflet drop, ensure professional photography is used for every listing, and have fully embraced the new Raine & Horne branding,” Mr Trimble added.

“It’s been a five-year journey from a cold-start office to 117 transactions a year, making them the number one metro office and the number two office in the Raine & Horne South Australia network overall.”

Tapping into Adelaide’s multicultural market

Mr Yang, Vice President of the Chinatown Association, has leveraged his understanding of Adelaide’s diverse market to ensure properties reach all potential buyers. “Every listing is professionally translated into Mandarin and marketed through Chinese media channels, including WeChat,” Mr Yang said. “We invest in this for every property because we know the importance of engaging all market segments.”

Mr Pappas also highlighted Jacky’s unwavering dedication, noting, “Jacky has signed agency contracts to sell houses on Christmas Day two years in a row. That level of commitment helps set us apart.”

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