R and R Property Podcast With The Real Estate Girl Denise Haynes Denise Haynes

Today Denise Haynes from r and r property and Lisa B talk about discrimination in real estate, (the boys clubs) how to juggle children, staff and running an office and what it’s like being in rural real estate.
Denise is one of our contributing authors in the book Real Estate Agents What You Need To Know Now!
I asked Denise to be a contributing author in this book as she is not only a fantastic business person, she is also an amazing real estate agent and an outstanding marketer (and mum!). Denise’s commitment to her office, her town and the residents of the area where she lives is simply remarkable.
Claim your free copy of the paperback of Real Estate Agents What You Need To Know Now! click here.
or buy the e-book on Amazon, click here.

Firstly Denise can you tell us a little bit about your area –
Regions/Councils: Our area is quite vast because we cover a number of council areas, from Port Stephens,Great Lakes & Dungog.
Rural and Residential: We also work in rural and residential areas.
Population: Within the town of Stroud where we have one of our offices the population is only about 700 but there is a large farmland area surrounding the town. We are the only agency with an office in Stroud, but there are numerous agencies that work within the area.
Country to Coast: We are so lucky that our areas cover coastal strips through to rural so we really do get to enjoy the best of both worlds.
Community: We have an amazing community that all work together and help each other out. As a business we find that our community supports us so much – it’s wonderful and we love to return that by sponsoring whatever local event or causes we can. Lots of customers make mention that they have found our community to have such a great vibe.
Andrew Winter: Actually that is also something Andrew Winter from Selling Houses Australia said upon his arrival and when we featured on the Lifestyle show. He was truly amazed at the vibrant feel we had for such a rural community.
We love to share the area: The team count their blessings everyday living in this area,and that’s why we love to promote it and share it with new locals whenever we can.
You have an all female team and you are in a rural area.   Tell me about your experience in rural and how you are qualified to sell rural property.   
Does anyone ever think you can’t do the job as well as a man?   
Born & bred: I’ve grown up rural, being born and bred in this area so it comes as second nature to me but from the real estate perspective,
Training: I’ve trained extensively; amongst other things I’m a licensed stock and station agent. But honestly where you learn the most is from being in the field so to speak.
Experience: I started my career in Real Estate in 2004 and it was within an agency that sold rural property, from this job I acted like a sponge and soaked in all the information I possibly could. I also live on a 300 acre beef cattle farm so you learn from that too of course.
Reluctance Because We’re Females? : Honestly yes we do get some buyers who initially are reluctant to deal with us regarding rural but the minute I start speaking with them they realise that I know my business.
Excellent Reputation: Our vendors are well aware of our excellent reputation as rural sales agents, so they don’t hesitate.
Working in Hardware: It’s similar to when I worked in my family’s hardware business – H & D Timber & Hardware in Raymond Terrace for many years. All the tradies had no hesitation in dealing with us ladies in the shop, because they knew we were knowledgable. It was the weekend warriors we had trouble with if any, but it didn’t take long to sort them out.
Market Share: We are an award winning agency with a massive market share, so that doesn’t come without extensive knowledge.
Sales: My rural sales over the years speak volumes!
You have 2 offices now in the area,   Where are they exactly…
I also want to say that I always see your new listings and sales coming through on social media – you really are going amazing. What’s your secret to success?  
We have offices in Stroud and Bulahdelah
Sheer hard work and determination!
The support of our community who are a lovely bunch of people.
Team: An amazing hardworking and passionate team who treat the business like they own it.
I truly am blessed with that combination!
New Team Members: I am always looking for passionate new team members to place into R & R Property whenever I can. I love seeing them thrive and create themselves a career and immense self confidence.
Staff Going into their own businesses: I’ve also been blessed enough to have trained up and seen a couple of my team members gain the confidence

Award Winning Agency – Why Should You Care?
If you had a life threatening heart condition would you use a specialist to give you advice and treat your illness or would you choose the cheapest alternative?
I have no doubt that you would use the best in the field that you possibly could.
Property is usually a person’s largest financial investment and yet they don’t always realise that they should have a specialist selling their property for them. Worse still, some GIVE the cheapest agent their business.
There are also regular sites popping up that advocate that owners can “sell their own”. 
Buyers love trying to deal directly with the owners as they know that they can get them down in price, thus defeating the seller’s purpose of selling privately.
Some Real Estate Agents are trained in negotiation and marketing and deal with buyers and sellers every day.
When you employ a real estate agency that has won multiple awards in many categories, you know that you are dealing with an office serious about their customers and their career. 
Awards don't come easily as results and effort must be proven. You have to go the extra mile every time.
R & R Property have won many awards, acknowledged by their customers and fellow business owners.
R & R have been awarded Agency of the Year, as voted by their customers, for two years running with “Rate My Agent” for the Stroud district. They have also won the 2017 Excellence in Small Business Award for the Midcoast. They were also Finalists in Professional Services and Finalists for Customer Service.  Denise Haynes the owner of R & R Property also received “Highly Commended” as a Business Leader for 2017 as well. This is a huge achievement given that we were up against a big brand agency as well as other much larger independent agencies, and various businesses throughout the Manning Valley, Gloucester & Stroud district.
Now this achievement doesn’t come easy. In the past as a small agency starting off as just one person (myself) I have worked night and day to achieve these results, thus bringing my clients the best service that I possibly can. 
At R & R Property, we also invest heavily into the business to ensure that we keep up with ever changing technology & services.
Our client’s properties are presented to the world with R & R’s up to the minute marketing skills and tools. Now this is important because you are competing with so many properties on the internet, you need your property to stand out amongst the crowd.
These wins are such great news for you if you are considering selling your property.
You need the BEST agency at the ready to sell your largest financial investment, get the BEST PRICE and move on to the next stage in your life.
Seriously think about who you would rather have working on your property’s sale; an award winning real estate specialist or the cheapest agent you can find? Someone who dedicates their life to their business or someone who just does it as a hobby or considers it just a 9 to 5 job?
R & R Property’s slogan is “A Passion For Property”.
Denise Haynes and the R & R Property Team have offices located in both Stroud and Bulahdelah but cover a large area surrounding them, including Gloucester and Karuah. They are your Tree Change Specialists and love assisting others to make the move from city to country. The team are a combination of lifetime locals and tree changers so their vast experience and knowledge is your asset. You’ll find their free Real Estate advice on their Website, Podcasts and Facebook - “Hints and Tips”.
YOU SEE OUR FOR SALE SIGNS EVERYWHERE!
Stroud : 02 4994 5766 | “Bowen Chambers” 73 Cowper St, Stroud NSW 2425
Bulahdelah: 02 4997 4325 | 78 Stroud St, Bulahdelah NSW 2423
E: info@randrproperty.com.au
www.randrproperty.com.au
Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter: @randrproperty
Award Winner for Excellence in Small Business for Midcoast 2017 “Rate My Agent” Agency

At R & R Property, through our extensive research, we know that the majority of our buyers are tree changers (clients leaving the city or highly suburban areas to move to the country) and where they are coming from. As a group, we generally know their habits, their dreams and their concerns.
What we are finding though is that they have an ideal property style in their mind and we know that what we have with a little razzle dazzle could be what they’re looking for. But, they can’t see this. They can’t see past the privet lined creek bank, the farm rubbish lying around the paddock, the falling down old dairy. You – the seller, need to make it easier for them!
So what we suggest to our sellers who may be receiving inspections, but their property keeps getting rejected is to look at it from a city persons point of view.
Does your property appeal? Is it magazine worthy?
Buyers today expect a well presented home in a certain style and a property to match. They would like to be able to envisage their stylish furniture in what could possibly be their dream lifestyle property. They are watching programs such as Escape to the Country on the Lifestyle channel.
What your tree changers are reading is magazines like Hunter Lifestyle, Australian Country Style, Australian Country etc etc.
Look at your property with fresh eyes: Does it fit the ideal?
These magazines present beautiful images of homes where the furniture suits the home, a bit country but clean and modern. The front of the home is welcoming, tidy and stylish. Possibly a picket fence, which is painted, a gorgeous old style fancy gate, an attractive feature front door and a neat and tidy pathway leading to it.
Gardens need to be relatively low maintenance but stylish and set the home off like a piece of quality jewellery makes an outfit. Do you have carefully placed attractive tables and chairs for morning coffee, afternoon bubbles, bickies and cheese? Or for that matter an alfresco dining area? Don’t forget a verandah space is another room and should be tastefully decorated accordingly.
The paddocks should be slashed and park like if possible, with no rubbish or old building materials, dead tractors or cars etc lying around. If there is shedding or stables it needs to be well maintained and attractive, setting off the home and paddocks. If you have a river, creek or dam on your property, is it clear of weed such as privet? Is it easily accessible? They want to see it and be able to get to it without effort. Let them imagine them taking their little children or grandchildren down there for a paddle.  A cute little moored boat on a large dam also does wonders for eye candy appeal!
The interior preferably should be freshly painted in light colours, with plenty of natural light coming into each room through either doors, windows or skylights. Under foot, usually timber floorboards or natural style flooring like bamboo or floating timber style floorboards is ideal. A minimal amount of attractive pieces of furniture, décor and artwork placed throughout. No clutter.
All prospective buyers say they can see past mess and clutter – this is not the case. So make it easy and you’ll have far more chance of selling to this target group of buyers. These buyers are usually cashed up after a sale or living in an area where their current home could possibly sell within a week of hitting the market.
Quick Checklist
Front gate attractive Front fence freshly painted and attractive Pathways clear and neat and preferably attractive Gardens attractive but low maintenance, suit your home Front door, great pop of colour, attractive fittings Exterior paintwork in neutral colour and neat & well maintained Interior, clean, clutter free, light and airy, smells good. Shedding, useful and attractive, especially if it is stables Paddocks, slashed, rubbish free, fencing in good repair Creeks, river, dam attractive and easy access.  
If you are struggling to do any of the above y

Denise Haynes:                     Welcome everyone. I'm Denise Haynes from R & R Property. Today I'm interviewing Paul and Sarah Chambers on R & R Property's podcast number 15. Paul and Sarah are living in a shipping container home which Paul built himself. Hi Sarah and Paul.
Sarah Chambers:                 Hi Denise.
Paul Chambers:                   Hello.
Denise Haynes:                     Congratulations. Now, you guys are a YouTube sensation and have also written two highly successful eBooks called, 'How to build a shipping container house'. It all started when Paul was offered a career move in 2005 from Scotland to Australia.
Paul Chambers:                   Yes definitely. It started a big adventure.
Denise Haynes:                     You went off on a new adventure in your life and initially you were living in suburban Australia. Sarah, I understand that you then initiated the move to a rural area of Booral. Can you tell me what fuelled that decision?
Sarah Chambers:                 When we were living in Scotland we lived in the Highlands and we lived in the middle of nowhere basically. We'd been living in that location for 20 years. When we originally got to Australia in 2005, it was a bit of a culture shock.
Paul Chambers:                   I've never seen houses where the roof lines are nearly touching. That puts your neighbours in very close proximity.
Denise Haynes:                     It sure does. Now Paul, you had a little sideline project of building shipping container accommodation located on friend's farm. Where did that idea come from?
Paul Chambers:                   Either myself or myself and a friend thought we'd conceived the idea of using a shipping container house, but I think the idea is actually as old as the hills. It's just that some people stumbled across it for the first time.
Sarah Chambers:                 We were very interested in sustainable living and basically getting out of the system. There were several options that we looked at that we could do this with, but shipping containers seemed to be a structurally sound option.
Paul Chambers:                   It's a nice standing start and my idea was to build something, and I didn't know what it would be, that was sustainable. Sustainability was what I like. I like the concept of solar power, collecting drinking water and we'd been introduced to the composting toilets. I thought that sounded fabulous but what I didn't know was, was that realistic for someone like me to actually pull off, so I was experimenting.
Denise Haynes:                     Once you had sold your home in the city area, you decided to relocate using your half started shipping container home to live in.
Paul Chambers:                   Yes. I came home one day and Sarah said, "I've put the house on the market. I've called in your promise that we can move out of suburbagatory." Which is what Sarah called it.
Denise Haynes:                     That's a great name for it. Tell me, is the project finished now and how long has it taken you to get to this point and under what circumstances have you had to do it in? For example, do you work?
Paul Chambers:                   I work full time. I'm an engineer and I've got a full time job. Sarah works full time but she's got a variety of careers.
Sarah Chambers:                 This is going into our 6th year of being in Booral and it's taken that long because we have both been working. Paul initially obviously had to start off just working on weekends. He didn't stop for five years.
Paul Chambers:                   No, for three years it was just continuous. That's because I was working

Something that seems to concern buyers when they are considering moving to the country is the threat of bushfire. This is understandable given the tragedies that have occurred in Australia previously. The good news is that there are ways to help prevent the damage and prepare yourself and your family should it occur. We are lucky enough to have dedicated volunteer rural fire brigades in each of our areas, who all band together to save our communities and homes when bush fire does threaten us. They are an amazing crew who risk their lives to save ours, sometimes fighting for days on end in extreme heat and danger. The community is so lucky to have them. The RFS also has an aviation unit and contracts aircraft for fighting fires from the sky. Helicopters and planes water bomb areas, extinguishing or slowing down the flames before they get near homes.
Here are some tips that we have put together for you according to the Rural Fire Service (RFS):
Preparing your home to be survive:
Make yourself aware of whether you are in a bushfire prone area Clean your gutters regularly from sticks, leaves and debris Metal gutter guards, steel flyscreen on doors and windows are recommended Make sure you maintain any holes, gaps, missing roof tiles etc on your home to eliminate places for fire/embers to enter. Install a sprinkler system on your roof spaces and filling gutters Have quality hoses long enough to water down your entire home and shedding. Ensure gardens and surrounding trees are trimmed and maintained. Keep lawns short. Keep a separate water tank full, specifically for firefighting purposes Of course ensure you have home and contents insurance that covers loss from bushfire Keep Your Family Safe:
Always have a bushfire plan that you discuss and stick to if the need arises Watch the fire/wind rating/updates regularly if there are bushfires in your area Have a survival pack which you can quickly grab and take with you if you have to evacuate. Items recommended by the RFS to take are: battery operated radio, spare batteries, first aid kit, waterproof torch, candles with waterproof matches, woollen blankets, emergency contact numbers, waterproof bag, cash, credit cards, medications, toiletry items, mobile phone & charger, pocket knife, important docs & photographs, a change of clothing for each family member plus drinking water.
Ensure your pets are in a safe place if you can. Have a little safety pack for any that you can take with you ie; cage, leash, medications, food, drinking water, toy. Identify a safe community place that you can evacuate to in the event of a bushfire Keep drinking loads of water to prevent dehydration. Wear clothing that will protect you as much as possible such as denim jeans, leather boots or shoes, a wide brimmed hat, glasses or goggles, gloves, a non-synthetic mask or cloth and a cotton or wool long sleeve shirt. All in all bushfires are a part of an Australia Summer, something we all have to deal with from time to time, one way or another. Thankfully they don’t seem to occur frequently but being prepared and having a plan is the best bet you can make for survival.  I have lived in the Stroud area all of my life and yes there have been bush fires over the years but they have always been controlled by our wonderful teams of Rural Fire Brigade Women & Men Volunteers.
Here is a link to download your FREE Bushfire Plan: http://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/36597/GetReadyforaBushFire.pdf
Check if you live in bushfire prone land:
http://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/plan-and-prepare/building-in-a-bush-fire-area/planning-for-bush-fire-protection/bush-fire-prone-land
I have sourced information from the Rural Fire Service website for this blog: http://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au
Denise Haynes and the R & R Property Team have offices located in both Stroud and Bulahdelah but cover a large area surrounding them, including Gloucester and Karuah. They are your Tree Change Specialists and love assisting