Rachel Buglisi began her real estate journey fresh out of school when her father connected her with the owner of a local agency in Traralgon.
“I started working there at 18 on reception,” Rachel said. “I just loved the job and meeting people.”
From reception, she worked her way through various roles including contracts manager and sales assistant before taking the leap into sales.
“I was the first female agent to come into the office,” she said. “I didn’t think I could sell a thing in my life, but I just built it from there, and it’s taken off.”
A catalyst for change
After spending years building her reputation in the Latrobe Valley, COVID became an unexpected turning point for Rachel’s career.
Working remotely during lockdowns and selling properties without even attending in person, she began to question the traditional office model.
“I was just pretty much a new mum, and I thought, you know, I’m able to do this on my own, I wasn’t sort of getting any referrals from the office at that time. It was just clients that had dealt with me previously coming back to me, repeat business,” Rachel said.
“So it started getting me thinking about taking the step and going solo away from the agency.”
Eventually, she made the move to Area Specialist, and nearly four years later, she hasn’t looked back.
The Latrobe Valley market
Rachel operates primarily in the Latrobe Valley, with Traralgon as the main hub, along with surrounding areas.
The market has undergone dramatic changes in recent years, particularly over the last 12 to 15 months.
“A couple of years ago there was a lot of stock on the market, but now our market’s really tight and lots of properties are selling before they get listed to investors and buyer’s agencies, and that sort of pushed prices up as well,” Rachel said.
The surge in interest from buyers’ agencies and investors has transformed the local market, creating new opportunities and challenges for agents operating in the region.
A client-first approach
Rachel attributes her success to her genuine commitment to achieving the best outcomes for her clients.
“I really just enjoy meeting with people and wanting to get the best result for them,” she said. “Being understanding, attentive, being able to sort of connect with them as well too and let them know that I’m working hard for them genuinely.”
She recognises that selling property isn’t something people do every day, and they need an agent they can trust.
“They want an agent that they can trust and that they know that they can call and I’m gonna be there sort of backing them, supporting them, and working hard for them,” Rachel said.
The Area Specialist advantage
The transition to Area Specialist proved to be a game-changer for Rachel’s business and lifestyle.
“Now I can be my own boss,” she said. “There’s flexibility in there as well too. So just being able to work my days how I want them to be and working with clients to be available to people.”
The financial benefits have been substantial, with Rachel’s income increasing dramatically since making the move.
“I don’t have an agency taking 60% commission. It’s 100% of what I make I keep,” she said. “I’m on four to five times what I was earning back then. So it is really rewarding.”
The success has enabled her to employ a full-time assistant, allowing her to focus on the core aspects of real estate while her assistant handles administrative tasks.
“She does that for me so I can be out showing people through properties, meeting vendors, negotiating for clients, and winning business,” Rachel said.
Growing presence and future plans
Rachel’s hard work is paying off in terms of market recognition. As a solo agent, she’s competing directly with larger agencies that have multiple agents.
“I’m right behind them as a solo agent on realestate.com,” she said. “Just even the last couple of months, you run into someone down the street and they say, oh, we see your signs everywhere.”
The next major milestone is the opening of a physical office in Traralgon’s CBD, giving her business a prominent local presence.
“It’s a big step for us,” she said.
With three young children, Rachel is taking a measured approach to growth, focusing on maintaining quality of service rather than rapid expansion.
“I don’t want to grow and get too big where I lose my quality of service,” she said.
However, she’s open to bringing on additional agents and potentially expanding into property management as her children get older and she has more time to focus on business development.
Rachel also gives back to her community through sponsorship of the local Ballarat football club.
Looking back on her journey from reception to what she now considers a leading independent agency, Rachel reflects on how far she’s come.
“When I first joined Area Specialist, I thought if I can sell one or two properties a month, I’m happy,” she said. “But it’s taken off completely, which is good.”
Area Specialist is a real estate platform for top-performing agents, providing the systems, tools and technology they need to create, grow and power their business. For more information visit beyourboss.com.au.