Autumn is traditionally a time of great optimism for the real estate industry as the carefree days of the Australian summer end and the market’s attention inevitably turns to achieving their next property goal. That could mean buying a first home, expanding an investment portfolio; upsizing, downsizing or rightsizing; or finally securing that long-awaiting holiday escape.
The unusual confluence of a late Easter running into an Anzac Day long weekend followed by a federal election — and both Gather Round and Magic Round for those who celebrate — means momentum has been a tricky advantage to capture and maintain.
Agility is something we’re proud of at LJ Hooker and, pleasingly, we have managed to adapt to these various speedhumps, accomplishing much in 2025, with plenty still to come in our pipeline.
Over the last few months, we’ve opened nine new offices in New South Wales (Liverpool, Parramatta and Cabramatta), Victoria (Sunbury and Paynesville), Queensland (Mudgeeraba, Caboolture); and in New Zealand (Pokeno in Waikato and Auckland).
When we speak with new franchisees about why they have decided to branch out into their own agency, the common themes we hear about are the impact our successful brand reset has had in creating a point of difference in a crowded space; our innovative Accerler8 marketing portal, which brings together eight digital tools to save time and money; and our effective public relations outreach.
It's hard to underestimate what an impact our brand reset has had for our agents. It’s never easy juggling the demands of history and tradition of an iconic, 97-year-old brand with the modern realities of real estate.
Savvy vendors and investors are looking for a clean, stylish brand reflecting their personal values and LJ Hooker has responded by furnishing agents with wide array of customisable assets to promote both their personal brand and the properties they are marketing.
This played a part in LJ Hooker Property Experience, led by the brilliant duo of Frank Newton and Rebecca Halton, renewing their franchise agreement and expanding their Perth operation north into Mandurah.
Rebecca attributed her agency’s phenomenal property management success, in part, to her growth as a leader and newfound strength in strategic thinking.
“I started building my profile as the face of the business, putting out content that highlights our team’s success, our growth, and our values,” Rebecca said. “This shift has been powerful. It’s helped attract talent, open conversations with potential clients, and position us as leaders in our market.
“When I stopped being busy, I gave myself space to think, plan and grow. Today, we’re gunning for 10,000 properties under management in 10 years, with a $10 million net profit. It’s a big goal, but it’s clear, focused and achievable because I’m no longer drowning in the day-to-day.”
This perfectly encapsulates the LJ Hooker Difference. Our franchise network is an environment where talent can flourish and ambitious targets can be achieved.
Consider the accomplishments of LJ Hooker Hampton Park general manager and agent Alistair Shearer. He has leveraged state of the art financial management software to level up his rent roll fourfold in only a few years.
“I can only imagine how inefficient it would be if I’m running 1,300 properties and receiving payments and all the additional old-school trust accounting processes,” Alistair said.
“It gives our landlords reassurance that their property is being managed by a professional who is going to be very responsive when the rent is late. There are no excuses because it’s an instant payments platform.”
These are just two examples of the LJ Hooker Difference, where growth is built in the model.
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