A Sydney real estate agency has taken out the top sales accolades at the annual Starr Partners Awards for the second consecutive year.
Winning awards in 10 categories, Starr Partners Merrylands achievedย Top Office of the Year and Top Property Management Office at the ceremony last week, withย Director Daniel Starr taking home the brand’s most coveted honour, Starr Partners Salesperson of the Year. Coming a close second was Starr Partners Merrylands Director, Matthew Carpenter.
Mr Starr has generated 130 sales since last year’s awards worth a total of more than $68 million. Despite the challenging market conditions, most of those sales have been generated this year alone, with standouts, 21 O’Neill Street Guildford, 117 Bennalong Street, and 66 Monitor Road, in Merrylands, all achieving sales of more than $1.2 million, higher than Merrylands’ median property price of $800,688.
“It’s been a challenging year in the real estate market, which means we’ve had to think strategically and adjust our processes and structures to generating sales accordingly,” Mr Starr said.
“Knowing that I’ve won such an award while going through a tough market, is very gratifying.”
Mr Starr said he believed that having the right mindset is an important part of making sales.
“Without getting too spiritual, if you believe that the market is down, then it will be. Despite a down market, there will always be people who want to buy homes. If you look at it this way, there shouldn’t be excuses as to why we aren’t making sales,” he said.
“Having the right attitude, combined with a well-organised and process-drive team, has enabled us to do well during a difficult property market around the Merrylands area.”
To add to Starr Partners Merrylands success, Mr Carpenter โ in addition to taking home a Salesperson of the Year award โ was named the Top Auction Lister and won the Top Lister Award.
“The market has been challenging to marry a buyer with a seller, but we’re very fortunate to be in an industry of emotion, where we need to understand people’s emotions in order to move them from home to home,” he said.
Mr Carpenter added that consumer confidence had impacted the number of properties sold at auction more than anything else.
“During macroeconomic events such as the recent Federal Election and interest rate cuts, there was an oversupply in the market and the demand fell because buyer confidence has dropped,” he said.
“Real estate is a long-term game. It’s about connecting with people and the more relationships you build, the more successful you are. At the end of the day, you become an advisor and a friend more so than a real estate agent.”
Starr Partners CEO Douglas Driscoll said Starr Partners Merrylands consistently achieved outstanding results for their clients.
“Daniel and his team go above and beyond their buyers and vendors expectations, ultimately putting them ahead of the game,” Mr Driscoll said.
“This allows them to continue to flourish in the face of a softening property market.”
Another notable winner from Starr Partners Merrylands was Brandon Hudson, who was named Strata Manager of the Year.