LJ Hooker Gungahlin has expanded into the growing regional market, having opened a new business serving townships on the ACT and NSW borders.

Director Rachael Thompson said the new agency, called LJ Hooker Country Canberra, was already resonating with sellers and buyers in communities such as Bungendore, Yass and Murrumbateman. 

She is joined in the venture by husband and former NRL player, turned sales agent, Troy Thompson and her father, Matthew Herbert, a real estate veteran and multiple franchise owner with the LJ Hooker network.   

LJ Hooker Country Canberra has already listed two land subdivisions, with a view of taking on further housing developments, along with existing residential property, acreage and farm sales. 

“There are a lot of new housing estates in Gungahlin and organically we started to gain listings over the border as well as our local area, so it made sense to expand into these markets,” Ms Thompson said. 

“A business came up for sale from an independent operator with a small rent roll and it presented the perfect acquisition for us to grow the business into these markets.”

Mr Thompson said the agency was looking to gain significant market share in this niche market.

“There are a lot of small agencies in these regions but no one has taken on that space to say, ‘We are the rural and land experts’, the benefit of LJ Hooker is we are local people but with national reach, so we see this as an opportunity to become a strong and knowledgeable brand in these communities,” Mr Thompson said.

General Manager of Network, Stephen Mutton, congratulated LJ Hooker Gungahlin for identifying and expanding their business into a new market. 

“During Covid, people’s dream home changed and acreage living and lifestyle estates emerged as a popular category in property,” Mr Mutton said.

“The outskirts of the Canberra region offer numerous opportunities which LJ Hooker Gungahlin, being a leader, could see and have decided to take advantage of this growing and ever-popular section of the market.”

The Southern Tablelands and South West Slopes are also attracting young families due to their affordability and larger lot sizes. 

A house and land package on about 400sq m in Gungahlin or Belconnen typically costs $1.2 million while 15 minutes away in Murrambateman, house and land packages on 1000 to 1200sq m are $100,000 cheaper, with a larger home on two to three times the land.

LJ Hooker Country Canberra will initially operate from the LJ Hooker Gungahlin office until a suitable space is found. 

Kim and Daniel Gilbert, who ran the smaller independent office acquired by the agency, have also joined the Country team as sales agents. 

To promote the business, Ms Thompson said they would distributed brochures and DL cards, investing in large signboards and have also purchased a billboard truck that regularly visits the border townships. 

The agency also sponsored the Murrambateman Field Day, one of the area’s premier events. 

Ms Thompson said locals had responded positively to the LJ Hooker brand in the region. 

“People have trust and assurance behind the LJ Hooker brand and that benefits our agents and us in the marketplace to immediately have some recognition and confidence around our people and the standard of service we will deliver,” Ms Thompson said.