Standing out in the crowded real estate sector in Canberra takes a bit of effort and ingenuity.
Someday Property owners Grace Hooper and Jess Talbot are hoping they have hit that sweet spot by opening their boutique agency in December last year while maintaining it will not be all about the bottom line.
Two of their initiatives include for every lease agreement signed, they donate a pillow and blanket to children living in poverty around the globe through Child Fund Australia, while for every year of business, they plan to donate a classroom, through the same organisation.
"That was one of the first thing we decided on," Grace said.
"We were very conscious of not being bottom line-driven and we really wanted a cause that we felt passionate about."
The women previously worked together at another national real estate chain in Canberra. Grace moved on to another agency while Jess stayed.
"And then we came back together wanting to do something a little different," Grace, 32, said.
"We almost wanted to pare back everything. We'd been in such big agencies that were really tech-driven and growth-driven and I guess we just wanted to get back to putting the client first."
Jess, Canberra born and bred, and her husband have three boys: Lenny, 7; Isaac, 6; and Billy, 1. Grace, originally from New Zealand, has been in Canberra for 12 years.
The Mawson-based agency has so far sold five properties and already reached its initial goal of managing 100 properties.
"It's been a lot better than we could have imagined, to be honest," Grace said.
"We're both very cautious people and we didn't expect to be as busy as we have been, so that's been nice."
They said opening a business during COVID did have some advantages.
"I think after COVID, people wanted to get away from big business and get back to having a trusted adviser," Jess, 35, said.
"I think big business lacked that personal touch. And that's what we can offer. Clients deal with Grace and I. We're the owners of the company."
They say they have attracted business as a female-run operation but "weren't expecting that".
"Maybe it's because we come across as warm and personal. We're not as harsh," Jess said.
Grace said they were happy to have forged their own way.
"When we came out with our marketing, a lot of people said, 'Oh that's going to be very niche'. But we wanted to be different and carve out our own space," she said.
"We wanted to get away from corporate - corporate attire, corporate colours."
Jess added: "And do something that was warm and authentic."
And the name of the agency is a sweet nod to them achieving a dream.
"We always said, 'Some day we'll open our own agency'. And now we have," Grace said.
"We have always been clear we want to remain boutique. We have no desire to become a big firm. We just want to remain customer-centric.
"We know our clients, we know their family. We know every single property ourselves and we want to continue that."
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