LJ Hooker has announced the launch of LJ Hooker Avnu, a full-service agency using transformative technology to reshape the home-selling and -buying process.
The company-owned full-service agency will provide clients with access to advanced tools and data to give a transparent view of their journey through a transaction in real time. This includes the stages of pre-launch, the property marketing campaign and finally settlement.
Jason Chuck, a former local founder and Managing Director of eHarmony and Houzz, and prior to that Head of Marketing for Google, is the CEO of LJ Hooker Avnu. He is supported by a top team of engineers and industry leaders seeking to build its proprietary platform and business.
The team includes Ajeya Vempati, former Google Engineering lead, consultant for LinkedIn and Twitter, and Principal Engineer, Innovation at Qantas, who’s joined LJ Hooker Avnu as its Chief Technology Officer; and Christine Mikhael as Director of Sales and Performance.
LJ Hooker Avnu is a separate business to LJ Hooker, and allows agents to serve clients through a technology-enhanced full-service agency. By streamlining much of the administration demands of their day-to-day activities and utilising platforms and tools which create much greater efficiencies, agents are freed up to spend more time on client-facing activities.
LJ Hooker Avnu’s end-to-end platform will centralise and streamline tasks such as data sourcing, property marketing, compliance and contracts, which in the past have been fragmented with heavy reliance on vast numbers of third-party suppliers and products.
The first LJ Hooker Avnu agency will open on Sydney’s busy Military Road in Neutral Bay. The Lower North Shore is a marketplace that LJ Hooker dominated for seven decades.
“There are about 200 steps between listing and settlement that an agent, vendor and buyer need to navigate, but the LJ Hooker Avnu platform will make this process simple and transparent,” Mr Chuck said.
“The platforms we’re developing for our agents and our clients will facilitate unprecedented efficiency and transparency.
“By arming our clients and agents with the tools and data they need, we can give them comfort, information and control in the moments they need it most – whether that’s early auction day, or 3 o’clock in the morning. It’s real-time real estate.
“We know success is only as good as implementation, and our in-house team is agile, smart and progressive. They’ll always be analysing the technology and the agent/client experiences to develop enhancements when and where needed.
“Better data is a trump card in this sector and this is one of our top priorities.”
LJ Hooker Avnu is launching with experienced Mosman agent Adrian Bridges on board.
“The industry has been yearning for a group to offer a truly differentiated and modern experience,” Mr Bridges said.
“My clients are savvy. They know you no longer need to drown in reams of paper to process a contract; they want to sign on glass and delivery between parties to be instantaneous. They want to be updated in real time on the stages of their sales campaign – from the appraisal right through to settlement.
“The LJ Hooker Avnu platform will streamline my life as an agent by reducing my reliance on the dozens of third-party tools I needed to engage. Most importantly, LJ Hooker Avnu will give me back time to concentrate on what I strive for, which is exceeding the expectations of my clients.”
John McManus, Principal of LJ Hooker Willoughby | Artarmon, said leadership in innovation being piloted with the LJ Hooker Avnu brand can only benefit the wider LJ Hooker network.
“LJ Hooker is celebrating 90 years of innovation and industry leadership this year, and that gives us, and companies associated with us, permission to shake the market from the inside out.
“The digital platforms and learnings from LJ Hooker Anvu will provide an even greater experience for everyone that engages with the brand – both customers and agents.”
