Bathurst, NSW (13 August 2021) Leading local real estate firm Raine & Horne Bathurst, led by directors Matt Clifton, Michelle Mackay, and Grant Maskill-Dowton, have been recognised among Australia’s best real estate office by scoring podium finishes in two significant sales categories announced last night at the 2021 Raine & Horne National Awards.

Presented virtually by co-host of Seven Network’s ‘The Morning Show’, Kylie Gillies, the awards attracted more than 100 offices who watched Raine & Horne Bathurst take third in Top Office (Number of Sales). The local outfit also scored Top Office (Dollar Value) behind powerhouse metropolitan offices like Raine & Horne Double Bay/Bondi Beach. 

Mr Maskill-Dowton also proved a star finishing in the top four in Top Principal (Number of Sales) and Top Principal (Dollar Value) categories. The second award for Mr Dowton-Maskill is significant considering Bathurst’s median three-bedroom house price is around $500,000 compared to the multimillion-dollar prices achieved by properties in Double Bay. 

Apart from the sales awards, Raine & Horne Bathurst is well-organised when servicing landlords and investors, also demonstrated by winning Raine & Horne’s National Outstanding Property Management Office. 

Mr Clifton, who oversees Raine & Horne Bathurst’s Property Management operations, was delighted by the win. “We have added a dedicated business development manager to our PM team who is focussed on growth and is responsible for managing enquiries from property investors, and this has impacted our growth.         

“We also have a very stable Property Management team lead by our Senior Property Manager, Raeleen Gough, and this has contributed to the award.”          

Recognised country powerhouse

On the sales front, the Bathurst agency won Raine & Horne’s Top National Country Office award ahead of Raine & Horne Southern Highlands and Raine & Horne Dubbo. This is the second year in a row that Raine & Horne Bathurst has won this award. 

“I’d like to congratulate our entire sales team for this outstanding result in what has been a remarkable year for the real estate sales in Bathurst. Who would have thought this would have been the case 15 months ago,” Mrs Mackay said. 

“Despite the challenges, 2020/21 was our best financial year by a long way. If we had more stock, it would have been even better.”

Currently, stock levels in Bathurst are running at about 20% of historical averages, according to Mr Clifton. 

“While some of the buyer enquiry has come from people investing in or relocating to Bathurst for work and lifestyle, most of the activity is from locals, buying first homes, upgrading or downsizing. 

“The lack of stock means that we have seen values rise by about 15% over the last 12 months.” 

Mrs Mackay is also unsurprised by Mr Dowton-Maskill’s strong showing in last night’s awards. “Grant is incredibly well-organised, an excellent communicator who does all the work himself without the PA supports the big capital city agents employ.

“He also knows our real estate market very well, and this market knowledge instils confidence in his vendors.”