Joanne Vines

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one agency CELEBRATING 20 YEARS IN REAL ESTATE

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Celebrating 20 years as a real estate agent and 10 years as Coffs Harbour ’s first solo female real estate principal, Joanne Vines chats to Sam Dawson in an open and candid interview about what has driven her to be so successful in a very competitive industry.

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ow did One Agency begin?

I was at the stage in my career where I felt it was time to realise my dream, which was to own my own real estate business. I was offered an opportunity to buy into the business where I was working, which became the catalyst for me to

make the leap into my own business. I knew I wanted to set a new benchmark for real estate and to achieve my vision, I felt the most positive and logical step was to open my own office! I didn’t want to pick up where someone else had left off; I wanted to pave a new way with a fresh start.

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Instilling my own morals and values was At the end of the day, it’s easy to follow fundamental to the office culture that I wanted the guidelines and regulations set out by the to create. The word “culture” is thrown around Office of Fair Trading; which is common sense loosely, but I knew exactly the type of real estate and basically translates to treating people brand that I wanted to develop. with respect and the way you would like to be I was confident that with 10 years’ treated. experience, the training and knowledge I had Having my first child, Ngahine, at seventeen gained over time placed years old has been a me in a great position, as massive, positive, influence I made the leap into my on my life. Certainly, at new venture. I remember the time, it was daunting; thinking to myself that if I was forced to grow up I DIDN’T WANT TO I didn’t know something, quickly, and I needed PICK UP WHERE I would make it my duty to become immediately SOMEONE ELSE HAD to find out and continue responsible. This LEFT OFF; I WANTED to learn and advance. experience has profoundly TO PAVE A NEW WAY I am incredibly influenced who I am and WITH A FRESH START. fortunate that my what I set out to achieve husband, Pryde Vines, in life. has always been an Interestingly, I am a amazing support. He deep thinker and full of really believed in me and my decision. I had ideas, so when I do things, people can tend to girlfriends who said after the fact, although they be surprised! were supportive at the time, “I feared for you”.

As soon as I had started One Agency Coffs But, I love to challenge myself, and I knew it was Harbour, I was approached by three other real time to take my next step. estate principals who asked to join me. But now In the real estate industry, we are legislatively that I had made this bold move alone, having required to adhere to strict rules and regulations, left a highly successful position, I wasn’t going which is paramount to the way we practice and to be swayed from accomplishing my goal. I leads to exceeding our clients’ expectations. It had a wonderful personal assistant, Hattie, at is disappointing when a small number of real the time, who joined me, and that’s how One estate agents do not act with integrity and ruin Agency Coffs Harbour was born! it for the conscientious and honest agents.

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CELEBRATING 20 YEARS IN REAL ESTATE

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garage, until one day my husband said, “It’s time to move out of the house and spread your wings elsewhere!” We moved to an upstairs office at The Promenade, located at the Jetty area of Coffs Harbour. As we evolved, we needed more room to grow. Fate intervened, an opportunity presented itself, and we migrated downstairs to a space twice the size. We love being positioned IF THERE’S ONE THING in the main entry of The Promenade and being by I UNDERSTAND ABOUT the water. It’s a lovely space to conduct business REAL ESTATE, IT’S THAT and to bring people.

NOTHING COMES EASY; IT What drives you Joanne? And are you glad REALLY IS A CRAFT AND you took that risk all those years ago?

REQUIRES DEDICATION Absolutely! There has definitely been an AND COMMITMENT. IN evolution of Joanne Vines from 20 years ago to THIS INDUSTRY, YOU now. My lifestyle has changed completely from the HAVE TO CONSTANTLY early days, as I am no longer raising children and I PRACTICE AND MASTER like to party a little less now that I’m more mature.

YOUR PROFESSION BY Today I focus on my work/life balance.

APPLYING YOURSELF AND I’m proud to say that my business has a BEING PERSISTENT AND woman’s touch, considering the real estate CONSISTENT. industry as a whole is a predominantly male orientated industry.

I’m passionate about life, I naturally connect with people and believe I’m genetically dispositioned to be driven. I’m lucky to have a lot of energy, which I harness by getting up at 4:30am five mornings a week to exercise. However, my main love is yoga, which keeps me One Agency Coffs Harbour was born 10 years ago and centred and balanced. I take pride in looking after myself, and I believe that it all began in a cupboard! Please tell us that in turn reflects in the way I run my business. I encourage more! my staff to do likewise, which is reflected in our overall office Yes! Our office was initially a converted cupboard in my culture. home, which we soon outgrew, so it expanded into the fourth As a young teenager, I planned to go to university and join bedroom and then encroached into the third bedroom and the the airlines, but fate had other plans and I became a mum and

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REPUTATION IS EVERYTHING, AND I BELIEVE THAT EVERY ACTION HAS A REACTION. WE REFER TO OURSELVES AS ‘THE ONE TEAM’. WE ARE A COHESIVE GROUP OF TALENTED INDIVIDUALS WORKING TOWARDS A COMMON GOAL. WE RELY ON EACH OTHER’S PERFORMANCE, STRENGTH, ENCOURAGEMENT, EXPERTISE AND HUMOUR TO ENSURE THAT WE DELIVER AN EXCEPTIONAL REAL ESTATE EXPERIENCE!

wife instead. As a young mum, I turned my attention to a career where I could work, study and learn at the same time. When I first moved to Coffs Harbour, I worked as a dance teacher and I considered a career in interior design. My neighbour, Chris Peers, worked in real estate and encouraged me to consider real estate as a career, and I’m very grateful to him! Before I jumped in, I researched all the agencies in Coffs Harbour, before I

made a decision as to where I would like to work. I knew I would thrive where I worked predominantly with people. I am a highly motivated, hardworking person and when I started in real estate, I was in my element, and I knew I had found my niche!

What sets you apart from other real estate agents?

If there’s one thing I understand about real estate, it’s that nothing comes easy;

it really is a craft and requires dedication and commitment. In this industry, you have to constantly practice and master your profession by applying yourself and being persistent and consistent. It’s not a career where you learn and then become complacent - at the end of the day, you’re only as good as your last client and the impression you’ve left!

Real estate is ever-changing, and

technology has meant radical changes since I started in 1999, from how we initially connect with people to how we deal with people on a daily basis. The power of the internet has revolutionised the real estate industry, by assisting with selling and leasing homes but realistically, real estate is all about relationships and connecting the right people to the right properties.

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CELEBRATING 20 YEARS IN REAL ESTATE

The art of real estate is understanding what people need; often what people think they want is not necessarily what they need. It’s giving people options that they may not have considered before.

It’s so lovely seeing clients happy and completely satisfied, and it’s great to think we’ve had an impact on the decision they’ve made; there’s nothing more rewarding!

But it’s not just about homes; it’s about ensuring the right fit! Consider this: a child’s Tupperware Shape-O toy! The shapes cannot be threaded through, unless they’re the right shape, and that’s what real estate is all about: matching the people to their right “fit”. You

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have a responsibility to make sure that you get that right.

This also flows through to rental properties; One Agency Coffs Harbour is proud of making sure that tenants are matched to the right environment, where they are safe and comfortable.

Fundamentally, we have an obligation to clearly ascertain the client’s needs. We try to maintain a high standard, and we believe that if we wouldn’t be happy to live in a property, why would we expect anyone else to live there?

For example, you would not suggest a home with stairs for older people with bad hips or knees. We have an ethical obligation to get this right for each person. It’s asking the right questions, seeing what lifestyle they lead and introducing people to options they may never have even considered before.

It’s about selling the Coffs Coast, and understanding the demographic of the areas is important too. Families who love the beach may fit perfectly in a coastal suburb, for example, Sandy Beach, Emerald Beach or Sawtell, or Coffs Harbour, Boambee or Bonville, depending on the schools and activities they enjoy and the surrounding communities.

Connecting our clients to the right properties brings about a sense of belonging.

I have never planned to be the biggest real estate business in Coffs Harbour; however, my goal has always been to be the best - by always exceeding expectations and delivering more than we promise. I believe that competition is essential to keep you thinking and learning. We choose to lead rather than follow, but remain respectful to our competitors.

Who makes up your team, and what do they do?

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IT’S EXCITING TO START FIRST HOME BUYERS ON THEIR PROPERTY JOURNEY AND THEN UPSELL THEM INTO A BIGGER PROPERTY AS THEIR FAMILY GROWS. WE APPRECIATE THAT MUCH OF OUR BUSINESS IS REPEAT/REFERRAL BUSINESS, AND WE LOVE THAT SO MANY OF OUR CLIENTS REFER TO US AS FAMILY AND FRIENDS.

Sharon Gill-Wood has been with ONE for over six years. She is an integral part of our business and has the very important title of “Office Guru”, which says it all. Sharon oversees sales and property management and is definitely our work “Mum”, who remembers everyone’s birthdays and cooks all the good cakes! Sharon is gold; she is a very loyal, hardworking and an experienced employee.

The property management team is made up

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of Natalie Scott, “Rental Hotshot” and Josh Melbourne, “Rental Ranger”; they take care of all our landlords and tenants.

Natalie has 13 years’ experience and loves property management; she combines her love for property management with being a mum of two. Josh is a people person who connects easily with everyone; he loves to be busy and connecting the right people to the right properties. Combined, they are hard-working, well-centred, down to earth people who com-

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plement each other and do a ONE-derful job managing our rental portfolio.

Josh and Natalie’s ethos is: “We’ll care for your property as if it was our own”; they take property management very seriously and understand the importance and the huge responsibility bestowed upon them.

We appreciate the value of our landlords and focus on attracting landlords who are serious about investing. We believe the right properties attract the right tenants. Most of us have been a tenant at some stage in our lives, and we love the positive feedback we get from our tenants.

Zak Vines, my son, has been with One Agency Coffs Harbour for six years. Zak is a great support to me and is an all-rounder. He

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can turn his hand to almost anything, from reception to open homes! He is an integral part of the business and specialises in sales and property management support.

Julie Sechi, “Property Diva”, has been with us for four years. Julie works alongside me in the sales division and is a dedicated sales representative who deals with clients with compassion and empathy. She treats everyone with respect and is also an expert in the cake department!

I am currently expanding the ONE team and looking for great people to join our sales team.

If you believe you are a dynamic, high-achiever who loves people, has loads of energy and is hardworking, I’d love to talk to you!

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ONE BIG THANK YOU, COFFS COAST, FOR SUPPORTING ME FOR THE PAST 20 YEARS!

Do you believe that it is important to be part of the Coffs community?

Absolutely! I have offered a dance scholarship at Woolgoolga Dance Studio for the past 12 years, which enables an up and coming young dancer to further their talent. I am all about empowering young women to be the best version of themselves.

I am involved in the “Stars of Coffs Coast”, which is an initiative of the Cancer Council. I was a Star in the first “Dancing with the Stars” event in 2011 and have volunteered on the committee since. The Coffs Coast community is a great support to me and my business, and it’s very

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important to give back.

One Agency Coffs Harbour is involved with International Women’s Day and sponsor the event, which recognises the work of exceptional women on the Coffs Coast. We have also been involved in the Mary Help of Christians Spring Fair and Coffs Harbour Ballroom Dance Titles and The Coffs Harbour Showgirls Competition.

One Agency Coffs Harbour inaugurated and sponsors the ONE Shining Brightly Award in five Coffs Coast schools. This award highlights a student who shines the brightest each month; they are awarded with a Park Beach Plaza Gift Voucher.

Final words?

I feel truly blessed, and I’m grateful that I work in an industry where I have the opportunity to assist people to move on to the next stage of their lives. Each day is different, and I love the opportunity to meet such a diverse range of amazing people.

It’s exciting to start first home buyers on their property journey and then upsell them into a bigger property as their family grows. We appreciate that much of our business is repeat/referral business, and we love that so many of our clients refer to us as family and friends.

The Promenade, 321 Harbour Drive (02) 6651 8111 coffs@oneagency.com.au @oneagencycoffsharbour one_agency_coffs_harbour