At just 25, Jackson Rameau has already carved out a formidable presence in commercial property. Previously named the No. 1 Individual Auction Sales Agent internationally within the Ray White Commercial Group, he is known for a direct, no-frills approach.
Now Managing Director of Ray White Commercial Pacific Group, Jackson built his career at the coalface of the sector, cutting his teeth on industrial assets many overlook.
From selling scrap yards and ageing factories to overseeing $14 million transactions with 14-day settlements, his progression reflects a deep understanding of value, relationships and execution in a market often misread as purely transactional.
After eight years with the group, Jackson has recently taken ownership of his own franchise and leads a team of nine.
In the industrial space, where credibility is earned through outcomes rather than appearances, his age has proven largely irrelevant.
Logic versus emotion: Why the owner-occupier always wins
While industry veterans often claim commercial real estate is driven solely by logic and spreadsheets, Jackson has observed a significant shift toward emotional urgency, particularly among owner-occupiers.
This psychological shift is redefining how properties are priced and contested in the current market.
“The commercial market is always said to be logical and calculated,” Jackson says.
“However, I would say an emotional owner-occupier wanting to purchase something to use themselves will always pay much, much more than a calculated investor that might want to buy something based on a return.”
This shift is driven by a fundamental necessity that transcends a simple ROI.
While investors can afford to walk away if the yield doesn’t sharpen, businesses facing expiring tenancies or expansion requirements are operating on a different clock.
“If someone desperately needs to move their business, and that’s their core place of income for their family, they still get quite erratic,” Jackson explains.
“Whether they’re a national tenant or private, they have to purchase. It’s actually quite funny when people say residential is emotional and commercial is logical. When someone needs to move their business to survive, it gets very emotional, very quickly.”
In the current Queensland landscape, specifically the Gold Coast, Jackson sees a clear hierarchy in buyer demand.
While the national narrative often paints a grim picture for office spaces, the local reality is more nuanced, requiring a sophisticated understanding of stock levels versus sentiment.
According to Jackson, the current appetite for assets ranks as follows:
- Large-format retail showrooms
- Industrial facilities
- Fast food and medical suites
- Premium office spaces
“I would hate for a comment to go out to say office real estate is the worst on the Gold Coast,” Jackson clarifies.
“It’s actually one of the tightest markets because we only have a limited number of quality buildings.”
The speed of these transactions is also accelerating; while residential sales are often bound by standard cooling-off periods and financing hurdles, Jackson notes that commercial deals can move with startling velocity.
“With commercial, if it’s a large industrial facility, it’s four concrete walls and a slab. We sometimes find quicker settlements. I had one recently … a 14-day settlement for a $14,000,000 asset. They can move incredibly fast when the need is there.”
Building a brand on grit, not glamour
Jackson explains his success is rooted in a conscious decision to distance himself from the “glossiness” of luxury residential real estate.
Despite his age, he has deliberately avoided the stereotypical trappings of the “young gun” agent, opting instead for a brand built on transparency and industrial grit.
“I literally have a slogan on my brand, and it’s ‘no nonsense,'” Jackson says.
“We’re not the white-shoe brigade. We’re not flashy. It’s all about showing up and getting the job done. We sell dirty factories and scrap yards; we don’t need to make it look pretty, just be straight up.”
This authenticity has allowed him to bridge the age gap with a client base that averages 61 years of age.
Jackson realised early on that longevity in commercial real estate comes from deep-rooted trust rather than high-volume churn.
“Someone owns one house to live in, but in commercial, they could own hundreds of properties,” Jackson says.
“If you aim to do a 110% job for a smaller amount of clients, you actually do better. I don’t need to post my fast car or my watch. I just push into being the commercial industrial agent. If you stay straight up, the statistics speak for themselves.”
For Jackson, the draw of commercial real estate over the residential development path of his family is the intellectual variety.
Every appraisal is a deep dive into a different industry, requiring him to understand the mechanics of how people make their living.
“The reason why I enjoy my job every day is because I get to walk in and learn for 20 minutes about different businesses,” Jackson says.
“One day I’m appraising a mall, the next a go-karting track, a racehorse track, an island, or a jet ski shop. It all changes, and getting that insight is exciting.”
As he looks toward the future of Ray White Commercial Pacific Group, Jackson remains focused on the fundamentals: hard work, astute negotiation, and a refusal to let the ego of the industry get in the way of a settlement.
By treating every warehouse and showroom as the lifeblood of a client’s business, he has secured his spot at the top of the international leaderboard.
