Luke McAuliffe was born and schooled in Canberra. Having remained in the local area he is now a part of the sales team at Peter Blackshaw Real Estate Gungahlin, where he has worked for the past three years. His career now provides the reward of satisfaction in finding the perfect homes for others.
What motivated you to get into real estate?
I’ve always had a passion for the real estate sector. My father operated real estate franchises in Canberra for over 20 years, and his influence guided me to join the industry. My prior employment in both the mortgage broker industry and in construction helped me gain insight into the property buying and selling process. As I have high energy, I was looking for a fast-paced career and something that allowed me to control my income.
What are your biggest challenges so far?
My biggest challenge so far was moving from being a sales assistant (which I was for my first 12 months) to a commission- only agent last year. The leap forward was scary at first, as having a set income felt safe; but I embraced the challenge and charged forward. I don’t plan on looking back at all. I am currently competing for the Office Sales Person of the Year for 2015, after receiving the Rookie of the Year award for 2014.
What or who inspires you?
I’m inspired by the success of those I work with and I’m proud to be working under the Peter Blackshaw name. The support I receive from our administration staff allows me to service my clients with a 110 per cent positive attitude as my commitment to them is paramount. I also have positive quotes around my desk and a photo of Hawaii, which is my holiday destination this year. I recently received the gift of a blue heeler, Buddy, from my girlfriend for my last birthday, which was the best present ever. I look forward to coming home to them each day.
In your briefcase right now is … My briefcase is like a part of me; I always have my property brochures, iPad, business cards, pens, and agency agreements – lots of these! You never know who you may meet each day.
What could you not live without?
Downtime is very important to me in my career as a sales agent. More often than not we’re on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. My family have been a great support of my move to real estate and I can say ‘I love coming to work each day’ as I love my career.
Favourite piece of technology?
Where would we be without the use of phones, computers, iPads and search engines? I’m never far away from any of these – including my client database, which is the most important resource I have on all my devices.
What do you enjoy most about Elite Agent magazine?
As always, there are lots of publications doing the rounds of real estate offices, either by hardcopy or by email. I first heard about Elite Agent through Facebook and we also have an office subscription. I enjoy reading about the different ideas other agents have, other agents’ experiences, information about the local and interstate markets and anything that will enhance my skills and knowledge.
What advice would you give someone just starting out in real estate?
I would advise anyone just starting out to work with an experienced agent for the first 12 months. I was sales assistant to a multiple award-winning agent and during this time I gained insight, knowledge and confidence to allow me to adapt and grow quickly in my role as a sales agent. From here I was able to grow a client database before I started working solo.
Find and have a great mentor; my principal, Michael Braddon, is someone I hold in very high regard. He always has time to share his knowledge regarding the industry – not only to me but to our whole team. We benefit from taking on board his experienced views.
Work within an agency that can give you premium administration support to allow you to list and sell. We have fantastic admin support at our office, which gives my colleagues and me extra time to be out in the community meeting new clients.
