Growing up as the daughter of high-profile real estate agent Nena Snooks, Natalie spent her childhood immersed in the industry, even helping her mother place sold stickers on properties during evening drives around the neighborhood.
“I grew up hearing about real estate,” Ms Snooks said.
“It was something I was always interested in.”
Despite initially pursuing a career as a Chartered Accountant for seven years, the pull of real estate proved too strong.
What started as annual leave helping in the family business turned into a 26-year career in the industry.
“In that time, I’ve seen many different markets, both good and bad,” Ms Snooks said.
After working alongside her mother for 20 years and then spending five years with another agency, Ms Snooks made the decision to forge her own path, joining Area Specialist three years ago.
The move to Area Specialist has allowed her to create the business model she always wanted – small, personalised, and family-focused.
“I really didn’t want to be the biggest and have reps running around,” she said.
“It’s just a very small personalised business.”
Today, Ms Snooks operates primarily in City Beach and Wembley Downs, where she’s witnessing significant market evolution.
“A lot of the older homes now are being redeveloped,” she said.
“But due to the astronomical increase in the cost of building, buyers are now more interested in what they can do with existing dwellings rather than having that appetite to bulldoze and start again.”
In an exciting development, Ms Snooks has now been joined by her children in the business.
Her 20-year-old son Riley has proven to be “quite the natural,” while her daughter has taken on an administrative role.
“They’re both in their 20s, so we’re moving into a new phase now, which is pretty exciting,” Ms Snooks said.
Ms Snooks’s success stems from her genuine care for clients and attention to detail in preparing properties for sale.
“I’m big on getting the home ready for sale,” she said.
“The decluttering, the painting, the maintenance – it makes a huge difference, both in terms of days on market and your ultimate price.”
Her direct, honest approach has also become her trademark.
“I don’t dance around the issues, and I think people really like that,” she said.
The decision to join Area Specialist has proven to be transformative for Ms Snooks’s business model.
“Michael Choi did everything he promised to do, and some,” she said.
“What you see with him is what you get, which is extremely refreshing.”
Looking ahead, Ms Snooks continues to focus on what matters most – delivering exceptional service to her clients while working alongside her family.
“We really enjoy work, and I think when you enjoy what you do, that’s half the battle,” she said.
“Many of our clients become good friends, and these associations can go over decades.”
Area Specialist is a real estate platform for top-performing agents, providing the systems, tools and technology they need to create, grow and power their business. For more information visit beyourboss.com.au
