HEM Property is a finalist in the New Business category of the 2017 Greater Port Macquarie Business Awards.
The young business was started five months ago by three agents who wanted to make customers their focus.
Naomi Hunter said she and her fellow directors David Evans and Kristian Murphy know the client comes first, given how deeply emotional and personal buying and selling property can be.
“We operate as a team,” said Ms Hunter, who has been a Port Macquarie resident for 32 years.
She said the secret to their success is communicating with the client and listening to their needs.
“The customer wants to be listened to. Communication is lacking in the industry and we need to take the time to listen to the client’s needs, whether they are a buyer or purchaser.
“Too many agents think real estate is about getting around in a nice car, putting on a nice suit and getting around to nice houses. It’s not about that. It’s about helping people.”
Her number one piece of advice she would give to younger agents coming through the ranks is always to put the customer first.
“Never lose focus on what the job is all about. It’s not about us; it’s about people that you’ve been entitled to assist. It’s a huge honour and privilege to have someone trust you to sell your home. A lot of agents think it’s a God-given right that they can step into somebody else’s home, but it’s not.”
She stresses that this applies not only to smaller towns like Port Macquarie – agents in the big-smoke capital cities should take note too.
“Real estate is an industry where you have the ability to make a good income, but it shouldn’t be about that; it should be about helping people. We get involved with the community, such as sponsoring school fetes, and recently we had a design-our-sold-sticker competition. They will appear on our sign boards next week.”
Ms Hunter, who has been in the industry for almost six years and is from an event management background, loves her job and that passion for the industry plays a part in success.
“I love the interaction I get with people in this job. Seeing people happy at the end and handing over their keys and a big bunch of flowers, it’s the best feeling.”
