Get to know William Manning of McGrath Edgecliff
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Dec 7, 2018
Get to know William Manning of McGrath Edgecliff
Sales agent at McGrath Edgecliff, William Manning was inspired to work in the industry by his mum.
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Image supplied by McGrathPictured: William Manning, agent at McGrath Edgecliff
With a formidable career spanning 20 years, William Manning has his mum to thank.
As a teenager, William helped his mum, Sally Manning, on his school holidays and weekends before being offered a full-time job at the age of 18.
His mum is now part of his four-person team at McGrath Edgecliff.
WILLIAMS MEDIA caught up with William to chat all things real estate.
How did you get your start in the real estate industry?
My first job in real estate was with McGrath in 1996, when I was 18. That was when they had one office in Juniper Hall in Paddington. It was my first full-time job.
I got into real estate because my mother was in the industry and I had helped her in my spare time, on my school holidays and my weekends, and that’s where my fascination for the industry came from. I grew up on a horse property in Cootamundra, and then went to school in Sydney.
So I started with McGrath in 1996, stayed there for a few years, then left to start my own business in the commercial cleaning space, where I managed a team of 50. Then my fascination with real estate drew me back into the industry and I’ve been here ever since.
I was able to get the best training from the McGrath experience, and then I worked with some other franchises, LJ Hooker in Double Bay and then a small boutique called Ballard Property Group.
I then developed a profile with Paddington and Woollahra records and thought that I had got to a point in my career where I began talking to senior management at McGrath, a company that had transformed from one office when I was there to now having over 95 offices and being a publicly listed company.
I knew by joining them, they’d help take me to a completely different level.
Is your Mum still working in real estate?
She actually works with me now in my team. I have four people in my team.
What areas do you cover?
I’m a little more diverse in that I don’t focus on a particular suburb. While I have set records for Woollahra and Paddington sales over the last few years, I’ve had the opportunity to sell in Elizabeth Bay as well as Watson’s Bay for example.
I love the flexibility to work with my clients, however, Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs is definitely where my concentration is.
What do you love about your job, selling real estate in Sydney?
I have an unbelievable passion for people, and a drive and determination to exceed the vendor’s expectations. I’m lucky that I’m in the residential sector because it is often people’s biggest asset or it’s going to be the biggest acquisition in their lives.
I’m incredibly self-driven and I thrive on making a difference. I went to boarding school when I was 10 and I think that really gave me an understanding of the notion “home is where the heart is.” Obviously, that and Mum being in the game was an influence.
What would your advice be to a young person thinking about getting into the industry?
You definitely need drive, dedication and determination, that’s key. You need to be able to think on your feet and think outside the square.
It’s become an incredibly competitive marketplace out there, there are low supply and high demand in the area that I work in, the eastern suburbs of Sydney.
You need to be able to have a point of difference, and a basic understanding of being able to pull together deals.
Structure and organization is key to being successful in this industry too. Having a supportive team around you enables you to do scale.
If you’re young in this industry, then you have to be with a big brand. You need to work closely with other agents and understand the power of mentors.
How do you stand out in a crowded market?
In terms of open homes and presentation, I have a stylist that goes to the flower markets up to twice a week; styling and presentation are paramount for me.
People have to walk in and think that a $4 million property is a $6 million property, or a $1 million is a $1.75 million property.
I definitely believe you can get between 5 and 10 per cent more if a property is beautifully styled.
With top-end properties, I’ve had clients stay the night in a property with the owner’s permission. That has worked. I don’t know too many other agents who have done that or suggested that.
On second and third inspections, I will walk out of the property and give them a few hours in the house. Obviously, we know them and that they’re serious at this stage.
I also structure deals differently, for instance, a purchaser may not have sold their property and I will suggest we do a 3, 6, 9, 12-month settlement.
That then allows the purchaser to purchase the property without feeling like they have a lot of pressure on them to sell their home to the first person that comes along.
The reality is their homes sell between the first 20 to 40 days and then settlement occurs after that. We then advise the vendor that we can sell well before the 6-month period, and that often gives them the comfort to purchase.
I’m all about making a transaction as easy as possible.
Where do you live now?
I’m never happier than when in a plane circling Sydney Harbour waiting to land. I think this is without question the most beautiful city in the world. I live at Bondi Beach.
I love the ability to get up in the morning and do exercise on the beach and feel the energy from the surf. It clears my head and gets me ready for my day.
If you could live anywhere in the world, would you still pick Sydney?
Anywhere in Sydney that has a water connection, I’d be happy.
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