Bryce was just 15 years old, working as a greeter at Target in Cessnock, when he met the real estate agent who had recently sold his parents’ home.
“I just said, good afternoon, Mr Fisher. How are you going?” Bryce recalled.
“And on the way out of shopping, we got talking again. He gave me a business card and said come and give me a call, I’m looking for a trainee.”
That was in 2001, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Bryce became the first school-based trainee in real estate in New South Wales, balancing his HSC studies with learning the ropes of the industry.
The government’s school-based apprenticeship program was originally designed around retail industry jobs, and there wasn’t really a recognised real estate stream at the time.
“I was the first part-time school-based trainee for real estate in New South Wales,” he said.
“The Department of Education was expanding beyond retail, and my school asked for a real estate course.”
Building a foundation
The unique arrangement gave Bryce an opportunity to develop his skills without the pressure of full-time performance targets.
“I had an opportunity to have none of the pressures of having to perform directly because I only had to do enough to keep the traineeship people happy,” he said.
“But it also gave me a good opportunity that I could cut my teeth and sort of come out of the end of it as having sold fifteen, twenty homes while I was still at school.”
He acknowledged that timing played a role in his early success, with the market conditions of 2001-2003 comparable to the COVID boom years.
However, Bryce didn’t rely solely on market conditions. He invested heavily in his education, completing over 1,500 hours of face-to-face training within his first five years.
“What I don’t make up for in years I make up for in qualifications,” he said at the time.
Taking the leap
By 2005, just two years after finishing school, Bryce had joined LJ Hooker’s Captain’s Club for top performers.
In February 2008, at just 21 years old, he took over ownership of the entire business.
“Mom and dad helped me by putting up their house to secure the loan,” Bryce said.
The timing was challenging, coinciding with the Global Financial Crisis, but Bryce persevered.
“National Australia Bank lent us money at something like 21 or 22 per cent interest,” he said.
“We pushed through with them for twelve months and then pivoted to other borrowers.”
Over the next decade, Bryce not only paid off the business but purchased and renovated the office building, expanded his team, and grew market share across the region.
The Cessnock market
Bryce operates across the Cessnock LGA, covering a 40-45 minute radius from his office in the heart of the Hunter Valley wine country.
The area, located 45 minutes to an hour west of Newcastle, is Australia’s oldest wine-growing district and has transformed from a coal mining region to a lifestyle and tourism destination.
“Our average sale price is around $668,000,” Bryce said.
“We’re sort of bread and butter, two to four bed, one to two car, one to two bath, freestanding homes.”
The market attracts diverse buyers, from first-timers and investors at the lower end, to tree-changers from Newcastle and the Central Coast in the middle market, and Sydney metro buyers seeking acreage properties at the top end.
A unique approach
Bryce believes his combination of qualifications and experience sets him apart.
“I’m the only fully licensed agent that I’m aware of in town,” he said.
“I’ve got all four real estate licenses plus I’m a certified practicing valuer, plus a graduate certificate in management.”
“There’s no other agent in town that’s as qualified. But I’ve also done the time. So not only have I got the street smarts, I’ve also got the book smarts.”
At 40 years old, Bryce said he offers clients a wealth of knowledge and steady hands, while still having “plenty of runway still to run.”
A team effort
Bryce is quick to credit his wife, Melissa, who joined the business in 2009 and has been instrumental in its success.
“Our business success is as much hers as it is mine,” he said.
“She does a fantastic job in property management and has pivoted to doing more of an office manager general manager role.”
Melissa handles compliance, staff coaching, and property management, allowing Bryce to focus on sales.
“We’re probably one of the last husband and wife teams left,” he said.
“I think it’s a dying business model. There’s not too many people that want to work with their significant other six days a week.”
Award-winning success
The partnership has proven highly successful.
In 2022 and 2025, LJ Hooker Cessnock was named the Real Estate Institute of New South Wales Small Agency of the Year.
Last year, the couple received the Sir Leslie Hooker Award, the highest honor LJ Hooker bestows upon its franchise owners.
“That’s not just based on performance,” Bryce said.
“It’s sort of how we work with other offices, how we help the network, how we help the community overall.”
Community commitment
Community involvement has been central to the business since day one.
When cash flow was tight in the early years, Bryce donated time rather than money, volunteering at barbecues and community events.
“Cessnock’s a growing town but it’s still a small town at heart,” he said.
“It’s good to be able to help someone and know someone and then be able to have that relationship.”
The business now supports numerous organisations, including Legacy, the Mark Hughes Foundation for brain cancer research, and Ronald McDonald House, where Bryce serves as charity auctioneer.
“Last year we helped raise over $360,000,” he said of a Ronald McDonald House event.
Looking ahead
As LJ Hooker approaches its 100th year in 2028, Bryce is excited about the future.
His office currently ranks in the top three across their core areas, holding the number one position in two of them.
“Our goal was always to be in the top three, so I’m really happy that we’re there and just want to keep consolidating that,” he said.
“But above all else, keep doing good work because awards are great, accolades are fantastic, but customers and clients are happy and we’re doing good work – that’s the place I want to be.”