The Raine&Horne Story

Raine&Horne in 1883
The first Raine&Horne office was opened in 1883 by Tom Raine and Joseph Horne.

 

Our Story

The Raine&Horne brand has been closely tied to the growth and progress of the Australian real estate industry since 1883 when Tom Raine and Joseph Horne opened the doors of their iconic property firm for the first time at Wentworth Court, Elizabeth Street in Sydney.

From the very start, the company adhered to a set of business practices that have been maintained to this day – a commitment to personalised service of their clients’ property needs across sales, leasing, management and consulting.

Throughout the 1880’s, the responsibilities of a land agent were all-encompassing and included residential sales, valuations consultancy, and rent collection. This broad background provided the foundation for Raine&Horne’s outstanding reputation and has helped hundreds of thousands of homebuyers buy into the ‘Great Australian Dream’.

Driven by the enthusiasm of property doyen Max Raine, the Raine & Horne network stretched across Sydney from the 1970’s onwards. Not satisfied with the extent of the expansion, the Raine & Horne Board decided to become only the second property group to pursue a franchising business model. With its first franchised office opening in Liverpool NSW in 1976, the company has grown exponentially to incorporate offices in the Queensland, South Australia, Northern Territory, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia, as well as numerous offices globally.

Now a multi-national organisation and one of the world’s most substantial real estate networks, Raine&Horne has been recognised as an Australian super brand. Our local and international offices provide clients with an invaluable source of property market and demographic information, as well as a platform to market their property internationally directly and with local understanding.

Surviving two world wars, booms, busts, depressions and recessions over more than 135 years in operation, Raine&Horne continues to deliver consistent performance and reputation in the marketplace, connecting with communities around the world. Now into its fourth generation of family ownership under current Executive Chairman Angus Raine, the company's successful growth is reflected through national sales figures that are amongst the highest in Australia.

 

 

What We Do

Raine & Horne provides a comprehensive and integrated range of property services and consists of four distinct property service brands: Residential, Commercial, Rural and Assist financial services.

Along with the expansion of its residential office network, which continues to be a key element in the company’s sustainability, the launch of Raine & Horne Commercial in 1984 concentrated on the commercial, industrial, retail and specialist property markets. Today, Raine & Horne Commercial offers Australia-wide coverage through a network of nearly 30 offices.

Meanwhile, trained and experienced Raine & Horne Rural agents continue to service the property needs of the farming, cropping, grazing and livestock sectors. Indeed, through its existence, the Raine & Horne brand has grown and developed alongside the great Australian rural way of life, which gives its agents a unique understanding of the specific needs of rural property clients.

In addition, the lending specialists at RHAssist and Our Broker complete the package of services on offer to Raine & Horne’s clients, providing clients with innovative moving services and a team of accredited mortgage broking professionals providing a range of financial services. The Our Broker business continues to grow and is now one of the best full brokerage opportunities available today.

With the strength of these great brands, Raine & Horne has developed into an industry-leading, full service real estate network with an enviable reputation for expertise and an unwavering commitment to excellence and exceeding customer expectations.

 

Promotion

Creative, effective advertising and highly visual marketing materials have always been the hallmarks of the Raine & Horne brand and while campaigns and media may vary to include radio, print, web, social media and television commercials, the distinctive Raine & Horne brand is the ongoing constant that drives people to the door.

Raine & Horne also has a strong commitment to playing a role in its communities, with many of the brand’s offices supporting groups, associations, and schools in their local areas. Apart from financial assistance, offices often supply branded marquees, people power and marketing advice to ensure the success of local events including fetes, fun runs, surf carnivals, and other fundraising activities.

 

Brand Values

The Raine & Horne brand essence is focussed on positive partnerships and is the integral force that helps the company deliver to its customers, engage business partners and carve out a strong position in a saturated real estate industry. It represents all that Raine & Horne is, in a clear and consistent manner, representing people, products, and processes.

For Raine & Horne agents, the power of the brand comes from the company’s comprehensive approach to business support and development, recruitment and retention programs, as well as the thorough training programs offered to all personnel by the highly regarded National Learning Academy. Raine & Horne recognises the need for a supportive changeover and start up process for new offices, which helps them become established in a competitive real estate marketplace.

 

Achievements

In 2018, Raine & Horne will celebrate its 135th year in business, making it one of the oldest privately owned firms in the southern hemisphere. Inextricably linked to the Australian property market, Raine & Horne is continually rated as one of Australia’s highest profile real estate companies.

Now a multi-national organisation - with a network that has evolved and flourished over the years – Raine & Horne is one of the world’s most substantial real estate networks. These worldwide offices provide an invaluable source of local demographic and market information for the company’s clients, as well as a platform to market their property internationally in a cost-effective, direct, and well-informed way. All these services combined offer a complete professional real estate service to Australians of all socio-economic backgrounds.

Raine & Horne’s commitment to customer care is another important element that elevates the brand in the marketplace. For sellers and buyers, this consistency of reputation and performance reduces risk, as people are more likely to contact a company they know and have a connection with.

This excellent reputation throughout its entire history has seen the company record national sales figures that rank amongst the best in Australia.

 

Sydney as it was when Raine&Horne opened in 1883

 

Things you didn’t know about Raine & Horne

  • Raine & Horne got its start looking after Vaucluse House and the expansive Wentworth Estate on behalf of the famous 19th Century politician, human rights activist and publisher William Charles Wentworth
  • Raine & Horne secured another early break in 1883 when it sold the Cooper Estate on behalf of emancipist Daniel Cooper.
  • Raine & Horne is still 100% Australian family owned and in the hands of its fourth generation.
  • The first suburban office was opened in 1968 in the Roma Arcade in Double Bay, Sydney.
  • The first franchise office was at Liverpool, Sydney in 1976.
  • In 1982, the 100th office was opened in Armidale, NSW.
  • The company’s longest serving employee was Mr Harold Horsley, who chalked up more than 60 years.
  • Current Executive Chairman Angus Raine joined the firm in 1998 after 15 years working for various rival firms.