TWO of Bathurst's well-known real estate professionals, with more than 20 years combined experience, have partnered to start a new agency.
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Representing their partnership, realtors Jay Cleary and Sandy Fairbrother have called their new venture Cleary Fairbrother Property.
They explained that, while they are independent, the agency operates with support from Smile Elite.
"Smile Elite is the franchise, but all they do is offer us marketing and administration support," Mr Cleary said.
"The day-to-day running of the business is all us and all the local connections deal directly with us."
Mr Cleary and Mr Fairbrother have worked closely over the last decade and their decision to start their own agency was driven by that, their similar values and ideas for how to make a difference in the Bathurst property market.
"Once we'd made the decision and seen the offering we could put to the people of Bathurst, that made it a lot easier [to move on]," Mr Cleary said.
Mr Fairbrother added, "What we can now offer is more beneficial. It also offers more flexibility, greater opportunities for vendors and buyers, and more accessibility."
After months of preparation, they officially launched their agency on June 25 and have already attracted several listings.
Their first open homes will be held this weekend.
When asked what they thought had contributed to the number of listings, they agreed that their longevity in the industry was likely a factor.
They are hopeful that the good reputation they built and tried to maintain over the years will continue to serve as a reason for people to consider Cleary Fairbrother Property for their real estate needs.
"We pride ourselves on having a good reputation in the industry," Mr Fairbrother said.
"We're established, it's not like we've only been here for a couple of years, we've been doing it for a long time. We think that offers comfort and reassurance to people."
At this stage, Cleary Fairbrother Property will operate remotely without a fixed office.
While the door is open to one day offer property management, for now, the agency will focus on offering property purchase and sale services.
"We want to do that right, rather than branch out too quickly," Mr Cleary said.