Media release - 23rd February, 2015

In a changing of the guard, Raine & Horne Rural Sydney has been named the Superbrand’s Top Rural Office in NSW/ACT, breaking the vicelike grip of Raine & Horne Wellington in the hotly-contested category.

Greg Oddy with Andrew Tout, RH Rural Sydney The Annual Raine & Horne NSW/ACT Awards were held at Sydney’s Westin Hotel on Saturday night, and the win by Raine & Horne Rural Sydney, led by Andrew Tout, Tim Whan, Peter Horton and Ian Grellman, was well received by the nearly 500 guests who attended the blue-chip real estate industry event.

“The team at Raine & Horne Rural Sydney, which launched in late 2014, are changing the way that rural real estate transactions are conducted, not only in NSW but also nationally,” said Angus Raine, Executive Chairman, Raine & Horne.

“They’re dealing with some of the biggest agribusinesses in the world, with many transactions being conducted off market in absolute confidentiality.

“Discretion is paramount when selling and buying high end rural properties and the team at Raine & Horne Rural Sydney is using the latest technologies to successfully match the right properties with the right buyers.”

Raine & Horne Bathurst, which grabbed third in the Top Rural Office category, fought back to win the Top Country Office category from Raine & Horne Dubbo and Raine & Horne Wagga Wagga. Raine & Horne Bathurst also won the Auction Shield Country/Coastal.

On the residential front, Raine & Horne Double Bay maintained its more than decade-long reign as the Superbrand’s top performing office in NSW/ACT by winning gold in the Number of Sales and Dollar Value categories. It was also the winner of the Multiple Office category, along with affiliate office, Raine & Horne Bondi Beach. The Eastern Suburbs juggernaut was also recently named by Real Estate Business Online as one its top 50 offices in Australia.

Angus Raine with Ric Serrao, RH Double Bay Raine & Horne Double Bay Co-Principal Ric Serrao was also named Raine & Horne’s Top Salesperson (Principal) for Dollar Value in NSW/ACT, and the group’s Top Auction Lister. Raine & Horne Double Bay won the Auction Shield as Raine & Horne’s best auction office in Sydney. Additionally, Raine & Horne Double Bay and affiliate Raine & Horne Bondi Beach won the Superbrand’s Multiple Office Award.

Western Sydney was also well-represented with gun sales agent Peter Diamantidis from Raine & Horne St Marys named the Superbrand’s best agent based on number of sales in 2015, while Inner West agent, Dib Chidiac of Raine & Horne Concord, secured the Top Salesperson Dollar Value award for NSW/ACT.

Raine & Horne Terrigal-Avoca Beach scored a trifecta with its third consecutive win in the Top Coastal Office (Dollar Value) category, with Central Coast neighbour, Raine & Horne Gosford, also prominent in the Top Office Number of Sales and Dollar Value categories. Raine & Horne Gosford is also among REBonline’s Top 50 offices nationally for 2016.

Another popular winner was Gerard Hill, Co-Principal of Raine & Horne Newtown, who won the prestigious Graeme Skarratt (GSK) Award. Mr Hill received his award from Mr Skarratt, who has an OAM and was employed by Raine & Horne for 60 years prior to his retirement in 2006.

“The GSK Award was presented to Mr Hill in recognition of his services to Raine & Horne since linking with the network in August 1999,” said Mr Raine.

Mr Hill said the award was totally unexpected and he attributed the win to his team at Raine & Horne Newtown and the wider Raine & Horne network.

“At Raine & Horne it’s all about culture. Everyone in the network is there to support each other and this is what sets us apart,” said Mr Hill.

“It’s amazing the level of support you get through Raine & Horne and I’ve met so many amazing people from Max and Angus Raine and the entire Raine family.

“We’ve got the current deputy president of the Real Estate Institute Brett Hunter, who is a principal at Raine & Horne Terrigal/Avoca Beach, and people from all over the state and Australia, who all put into this wonderful company. It’s an honour to be recognised alongside them.”

The 2015 Raine & Horne NSW/ACT Awards for Excellence winners include:

Top Office (Number of Sales)

Raine & Horne Double Bay

Top Office (Dollar Value)

Raine & Horne Double Bay

Multiple Office Award

Raine & Horne Double Bay/Raine & Horne Bondi Beach

Top Salesperson – Number of Sales (Principal)

Ric Serrao, Raine & Horne Double Bay

Top Salesperson – Dollar Value (Principal)

Ric Serrao, Raine & Horne Double Bay

Top Salesperson – Number of Sales

Peter Diamantidis, Raine & Horne St Marys

Top Salesperson – Dollar Value

Dib Chidiac, Raine & Horne Concord

Auction Shield – Metropolitan

Raine & Horne Double Bay

Auction Shield – Country/Coastal

Raine & Horne Bathurst

Top Auction Lister

Ric Serrao, Raine & Horne Double Bay

Top Rural Office (Dollar Value)

Raine & Horne Rural Sydney

Top Country Office (Dollar Value)

Raine & Horne Bathurst

Top Coastal Office (Dollar Value)

Raine & Horne Terrigal-Avoca Beach

–ENDS–

For further media information contact:

Angus Raine, Executive Chairman, Raine & Horne on 0409 920 697

Andrew Harrington, National Communications Manager, Raine & Horne, on 02 9258 5400

New Sydney rural team breaks awards grip