Craig Taylor has spent eight years at Ray White Rural Murwillumbah. Now he and his wife Sonya are taking over the business.
Craig joined the office in 2017 after two decades in the industry spanning commercial leasing, property management, and residential, commercial and rural sales.
Sonya brings corporate sales and recruitment experience to the ownership team, stepping into an administration and compliance role.
“With all the legislation and compliance changes in the industry we felt that we needed to focus to ensure we do right by our clients,” Sonya said.
“We are structured for both stability and growth.”
The Murwillumbah market presents particular challenges.
Situated on the Tweed River between Byron Bay and the Gold Coast, the area carries flood risks that Craig says require honest conversations with buyers and sellers.
“Good honest information is so important and is the foundation of trust,” he said.
“That’s not something you can manufacture. I use that to genuinely empower vendors and buyers to make confident and informed decisions – that builds reputations.”
The Taylors are positioning quality over volume in a market that has shifted significantly since the pandemic boom, when border restrictions drove intense buyer demand.
“Most people buy or sell a home once, maybe twice in their lifetime. They deserve an agent who respects that and makes the entire process easy for them,” Sonya said.
Sonya grew up in Murwillumbah, where her family worked in real estate.
She spent over 15 years in corporate sales and recruitment before nearly a decade in education.
The couple are upgrading technology and processes at the office while maintaining their community focus.
“Operating under the Ray White banner gives us something rare in regional real estate – the credibility and reach of Australia’s largest real estate network, combined with the intimacy of a locally owned, community-driven office,” Craig said.
Ray White Rural CEO Matt White welcomed the transition.
“Craig and Sonya have been part of the Ray White family for nearly a decade, and seeing them step fully into ownership of the Murwillumbah office is a proud moment for our entire network,” he said.