William has been working and living in Balwyn for over 15 years, and his love for the area is as strong now as it was when he first came here. ‘It’s a lovely leafy area, there are more parks in this suburb than in any other suburb in Boroondara,’ he says. ‘It’s a great family area, with a lot of great schools and a great sense of community.’
Building a community has been one of William’s favourite parts about working in real estate, ever since he first began as a business IT specialist in a commercial real estate firm 15 years ago.
‘When I was first working in IT, I was drawn to the business mindset of the real estate agents, and I wanted to be part of it. I’d already worked as a salesperson in China, and my brother is in sales as well, so I suppose the sales gene is part of my family!’
Now that he’s a director, he cherishes the relationships he’s been able to build through his work. ‘I meet people at open inspections who become friends, and then buyers and vendors, so building my network has been one of my favourite parts about this journey.’
Over his career, he’s observed many changes in the way real estate operates. ‘Social media really changed the game a lot,’ he says. ‘When I started, we really just relied on print media for advertising. Now a lot of our buyers come to us through social media, which is something that is still very new in our industry.’
However, even with technological updates, William still believes the most important requirement for a successful career in real estate is good, old fashioned hard work. ‘I think a lot of people think real estate agents just work hard on Thursdays and Saturdays, but really, a lot of it is about what we do behind the scenes.’
