When Jack Gilchrist started in real estate, he never imagined he’d become the top agent in South Gippsland.
But his unique approach to selling homes in regional Victoria has set him apart from the competition.
“I don’t spend my day to day focusing on KPIs and chasing listings,” Mr Gilchrist said.
“To me, the job is about so much more than that so that will never be my focus.
“I’ve always just strived to be different from the typical real estate agent cliché because it’s not what a country market wants, it’s not who I am, and it’s not what I want to be as an agent.”
Mr Gilchrist’s journey into real estate began unexpectedly.
After finishing high school and being accepted into a Law degree, Jack took a part-time job cleaning holiday houses, which then led to managing the holiday rentals.
This was the beginning of his love for the real estate industry.
When an opportunity for a real estate sales role came up, his boss encouraged him to give it a try.
After a challenging start in sales, Mr Gilchrist found his footing in property management, spending three and a half years building relationships and connections that would prove invaluable in his future sales career.
“Property management is an important place to start because that’s where you build your connections and those connections are what make you successful,” he said.
“I’ve got landlords now that have followed me ever since the beginning.”
Two years ago, Mr Gilchrist made the decision to join Area Specialist, a move that has allowed him to grow his business significantly while maintaining his unique approach to real estate.
“The move to Area Specialist was a great one,” he said.
“It’s something I definitely don’t regret.
“Absolutely never looked back since I did it.”
Operating in the regional town of Korumburra, with a population of around 5,000, Mr Gilchrist’s approach to real estate is vastly different from city-based agents.
“It’s all word of mouth, it’s all just meeting people, talking to people,” he said.
“There’s a lot more focus on actually just being involved with the community.”
This community-focused approach has paid off.
Mr Gilchrist and his team are now the number one agency for the entire South Gippsland region, and he has been the top agent in Korumburra for almost four years.
“We’re the number one agency for the whole South Gippsland region, not just Korumburra,” he said.
Mr Gilchrist’s success is built on a foundation of genuine care for his clients and community.
He and his team sponsor around 10 different local sporting clubs and support local charities, events and community groups.
“That’s what it’s all about in the country – supporting the people that support you,” he said.
His approach to selling homes is straightforward and client-focused.
“Our mission is to be here as a friend, to go through the process, take away the scary side of this process and make our clients as comfortable as possible,” Mr Gilchrist said.
“It doesn’t have to be complicated.
“It doesn’t have to be stressful.”
He was recently awarded the Top Regional Salesperson and the Community Engagement Award at the Area Specialist Awards.
Despite these achievements, Mr Gilchrist remains focused on providing excellent service rather than chasing awards or hitting targets.
“If you look after someone now, it’s a long game,” he said.
“You know, it might take years, but eventually down the track, they will always remember the service that they received, and they will always come for that service again.”
For those considering a career in real estate, particularly in regional areas, Mr Gilchrist said agents need to set a high standard and then the opportunities will flow.
“You shouldn’t be chasing listings,” he said.
“You want the listings to chase you and if you are focusing on being a helpful, caring presence those listings will come.”
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
