A troika of leading South Australian real estate offices in Adelaide’s southeast have been the subjects of an ownership change.

 Raine & Horne Strathalbyn and the local Raine & Horne Rural office will now be led by the dynamic management team of Mr Brendan Saunders, Mr Nick Grosvenor, and rural property sales ace Mr Paul Clifford.

 The new owners have taken over the offices from former principals Ms Sally Ness and Mr Gary Dawe. Ms Ness, who has 28 years in real estate, and Mr Dawe, with 22 years in the real estate industry, are highly motivated to support the new ownership team. Ms Ness and Mr Dawe will focus on residential and lifestyle sales after 17 years at the helm.

 Mr James Trimble, General Manager of Raine & Horne, said, “Gary and Sally have built a tremendous business and Brendan, Nick and Paul are taking over an operation that is in a healthy condition. 

 “The decision by Gary and Sally to stay on in the business confirms their commitment to the strategic direction and new management team.”

 Mr Trimble continued, “There is no doubt it will be business as usual with Sally and Gary staying on, while Nick and Brendan have been part of the team at Raine & Horne Strathalbyn for many years, while Paul joined us in 2021. 

 Combined, Mr Saunders, Mr Grosvenor and Mr Clifford have closed over $1 billion in sales during their stellar sales careers. 

 “It’s been a delight to work with Nick, Brendan and Paul as sales agents, and I look forward to supporting their journey as principals and fulfilling their potential. We can only see great things for our Strathalbyn office.” said Mr Trimble. 

 “For Nick, this move represents a career coming of age. He started his real estate journey in administration at Raine & Horne Strathalbyn in 2005 before transitioning to sales and now business ownership.” In 2019, Mr Grosvenor was Raine & Horne’s number one agent for sales and commissions in South Australia and among the group’s top ten agents for the number of sales nationally. 

 “Combine Nick’s award-winning ways with Brendan’s seven years in the industry and Paul’s 17 years of combined rural and lifestyle sales in SA, and it’s clear as day that vendors, buyers, tenants and landlords are in safe hands.”

 The Raine & Horne point of difference appeals

 Mr Clifford said the new management team is excited about the opportunity to take over a well-established business operating as part of one of Australia’s favourite real estate groups. 

 “Sally and Gary have set up an excellent business, and we know we have big boots to fill, and we have plans to grow the business,” Mr Clifford said. 

 “We also have the added benefit of operating under a nationally renowned brand that has enjoyed a long-term presence in Strathalbyn and the Fleurieu Peninsula.

 “We like the fact that Raine & Horne is family owned and operated and is 100% focussed on the real estate sector. It also has a fantastic suite of industry-first technology offerings such as Amplify, our exclusive digital market platform and DigitKit, our market-winning digital appraisal and listing tool.”

 Market outlook strong for 2022

 According to Mr Clifford, a shortage of residential and rural properties for sale augurs well for vendors in 2022. 

“Now that we’re through the holiday season, it appears that 2022 will be very strong given the numbers of buyers looking for residential property in the Strathalbyn and surrounding regions and the wider rural markets,” Mr Clifford said. 

 “Plenty of buyers missed out on properties at the end of 2021, and they’re still there.”

 Mr Clifford said older rural property owners and empty residential nesters recognise that the time has arrived to make downsizing decisions that could help fuel buyer demand in 2022. 

Despite South Australians facing the prospect of state and federal elections before the end of autumn, Mr Clifford doesn’t predict the double whammy polls will impact market activity.

 “The smart money recognises that official interest rate hikes are firming for 2022, and they want to bed down their real estate ambitions before the RBA starts tightening the monetary policy levers.”

For all your real estate sales and property management needs in Strathalbyn and surrounding areas, contact Raine & Horne Strathalbyn on (08) 8536 3830.