McGrath Paddington agent, Reuben Packer-Hill has sold many interesting properties throughout his career, including a home that was once the backdrop for a mens magazine.

He recently sat down with WILLIAMS MEDIA to chat all things real estate.

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

To some people’s surprise (because of my ‘babyface’ look) I started in real estate back in 2007. I often can’t believe that ten years has flown by so quickly.

A few weeks after I finished high school, I started in real estate as a rental receptionist waiting to start my business and law degrees. About six months in, I knew that real estate was the industry for me.

I loved the nature of the business and have always been considered a people person. I deferred my studies and started sales a short time after, and sold my first property at 18.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

At the risk of sounding cliché, the people are the most interesting and rewarding facet of this business.

Selling houses happens to be the vehicle, but the destination is much more philosophical than that. Selling or buying a property is considered one of the biggest and most stressful situations we can go through, and I do really enjoy being able to navigate that path for my clients and customers, with professionalism and knowledge. Easing that process is the most enjoyable takeaway.

I also love the platform that real estate provides in being able to assist the community and local organisations. I am actively involved with local sporting clubs, schools and not-for-profit organisations, and we are lucky to have the means to support these groups in person and financially. 

What is the most challenging aspect of your job? 

There can be many challenges faced by real estate agents on a daily basis. The ups and downs can be enormous; however the skill is in managing expectations and having a resilient mindset.

Once you master that, you can have a huge impact on your clients, staff and everyone you come into contact with. I am a big believer in energy and where you spend that energy. It is important to be conscience of that and that can sometimes present a challenge in identifying what situations deserve what levels of energy or attention.

Can you tell us about an interesting property you’ve sold?

I find every client and property interesting, so trying to identify one particular standout is difficult.

A few years ago I sold a property for the founding Director of QPAC. Tony and his wife were just both such lovely, charismatic people that it was a real pleasure helping them through their journey.

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There is always something of interest presented to me each day, whether it is in the negotiation of a multi-million dollar prestige home, large development sites or even the challenges that can arise with a smaller property.

Related reading: Sinnamon Park house smashes suburb record $2.5 million

If we are talking about interesting homes though, I once sold a luxury property which had previously been used as a backdrop for a men’s magazine. Certainly, some interesting history there…

What’s your advice to someone beginning their career in real estate?

Play the long game. I mentor quite a few young entrepreneurs and most of which are at some checkpoint in their real estate careers. I do believe in some form of karma, so it is important to always take the high road, and remember that you will get back from the universe what you put in.

I see a lot of entry level agents burn out, by chasing too much ‘now’ business, as opposed to concentrating on actually getting to know the people in their markets and building quality relationships. The business will naturally come to you, if you put the people first.

Secondly, I also find that some people underestimate the power of simply working hard. There is no overnight success, and even ten years in, I am still usually the first one in the office and often the last one home. 

If you could change one thing about the real estate industry, what would it be?

The level of integrity. For many decades, the industry has been plagued by a perception that all agents are deceitful and ‘cowboys’. There is still a long way to go, but the industry is becoming much more professional with an apparent ‘changing of the guard’.

More and more people are choosing real estate as their careers, as opposed to a reactive decision for a midlife crisis. For that reason, agents are much more open to learning and spending the necessary time required to master the profession.

Training and industry education is as prominent as I have seen it, so it is only a matter of time before we hear many more positive stories and outcomes from consumer’s interactions with real estate agents. I believe that we are already seeing that dynamic shift now.

What’s your outlook for the Chapel Hill/Brisbane market for the next 12-18 months?

Unfortunately, you would be better placed asking a market commentator for their views on Brisbane as a whole given the diversity of the types of markets at play, however I see very positive signs for my local market in Chapel Hill.

Stock levels remain the lowest that I have seen them in ten years, so couple that with low interest rates and attractive buying conditions, we have seen good price growth over the last few years. Nothing out of control, but positive increases per annum. For that reason, when we do eventually see a slow-down occur (all markets move in cycles), we are likely to see a flattening of the market temporarily, as opposed to negative percentages.

The Chapel Hill market is dominated by young families as it is such an amazing, beautiful place to raise a family. Families will always need somewhere to live, and for that reason in particular we will always see relatively strong demand.

Where do you live now, and what would be your dream home if you could live anywhere in the world?

I live local to my market and choose to do so after growing up in the area. With a family of my own now, it is the perfect place to ensure that my children grow up with the same benefits, conveniences and opportunities that I did.

To be frank, if I could live anywhere in the world, I would probably stay in Brisbane, and most likely Brisbane’s western suburbs. After all, it is world-class.

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