One of Australia’s most highly decorated property firms Raine & Horne Double Bay/Bondi Beach is in the running to win a prestigious Optus My Business Awards.

Covering the lucrative Eastern Suburbs real estate market, Raine & Horne Double Bay, led by property icons Ric Serrao and Martin Maskin, is in the running to take out one of Australia’s longest-standing business awards.

Raine & Horne Double Bay/Bondi Beach has been shortlisted as a finalist in Property Business of the Year, while Mr Serrao is a finalist in the competitive Business Leader of the Year at the 2018 Optus My Business Awards, the premier event of the year for SMEs.

Eastern suburbs real estate icon

Founded in 1969 by Sydney property icon Max Raine, Raine & Horne Double Bay offers market-leading sales and property management services to the Eastern Suburbs community. The flagship of the Raine & Horne network since 2001, under the guidance of Mr Serrao and Mr Maskin, the Double Bay business has opened offices in Bondi Beach and Bondi Junction. In 2018, Mr Serrao launched Raine & Horne Bondi Junction specialising in both residential and commercial. Almost 60 staff are employed currently by the four offices.

The Optus My Business Awards, which covers 28 categories, acknowledges best practice within an industry sector, as well as individual business leaders, excellence in customer service and achievements in innovation, corporate social responsibility, and workplace culture. Winners from company-related categories will be shortlisted for the highly coveted Business of the Year Award.

Adam Zuchetti, the editor of My Business, said it is another big year for Australia’s longest-running SME awards program, with a record number of submissions this 2018. He says, “Every year, both the number and the quality of submissions we receive for the Optus My Business Awards gets better, making it an ever-more impressive feat for those stand-out businesses who are named finalists. Our judges have their work cut out for them in trying to select this year’s winners!”

Insurance innovation can amplify sales

Renowned for innovation Mr Serrao and Mr Maskin have rolled out several business initiatives such as ListSure, which have helped set Raine & Horne Double Bay apart as an SME pace-setter in 2018.

ListSure is a unique insurance and finance offering that covers 80% or more of a vendor’s

listing expenses if the property does not sell within an agreed time.

“ListSure covers the majority of our vendors’ marketing campaign expenses if a property does not sell,” says Mr Serrao. “When you’re selling a $70 million waterfront mansion at Point Piper, the marketing costs can be a challenge to an owner’s cash flow, especially if the property struggles to find a buyer.”

“Moreover, this insurance product allows for our vendors to take on larger advertising campaigns, gives them the financial flexibility to include various items in their marketing such as styling or painting, all for an upfront cost of only 20% of the total agreed marketing spend.”

ListSure not only provides vendors with a cashflow management tool, but Raine & Horne Double Bay with a significant point of competitive difference.

Mr Maskin explains, “Many of our competitors require the payment of all marketing expenses before the commencement of a campaign.

“ListSure also allows our vendors to take on more significant advertising campaigns with more print advertising, social media marketing or high-end drone property videos.” In 2018, Raine & Horne Double Bay contributed to the launch of Australia’s most advanced property technology Amplify.  

Amplify combines artificial intelligence (AI) with social channels including Facebook, Instagram, Google Ad Network and LinkedIn to give property listings and managements seven times more exposure to buyers and tenants.

“The additional marketing budget delivered by a ListSure insurance policy gives Raine & Horne Double Bay and its sales agents even greater brand exposure and promotion by means of platforms such as Amplify and more conventional marketing strategies, without it coming directly from our firm’s marketing funds,” noted Mr Maskin.

Project management best practice

In 2018, Raine & Horne Double Bay committed to a 'project management' approach to facilitating real estate sales.

Mr Serrao explains, “We can manage the entire process of preparing a property for sale. These activities range from arranging quotes, tradespeople, gardeners, stylists, cleaners, furniture removals, and even dog walkers.

“This initiative has the duplicate benefit of not only providing excellent customer service by allowing us to take the stress away from our clients, but it also gives us greater control and input right from the start of a campaign. This approach has been hugely successful and well received by absentee vendors.”

Mr Maskin adds, “We believe in always trying to over-service our clients to ensure they have the best experience with us, this is an attitude we have ingrained within our staff.

“Over-servicing not only benefits our clients, but it has led our office to have a fantastic reputation within the Eastern Suburbs community, and we have received numerous referrals because of it.”

For all your sales and property management services in Double Bay, Bondi Junction, Bondi Beach and surrounding suburbs this spring, please contact Raine & Horne Double Bay/Bondi Beach on 02 9327 7971.

For further media information contact:

Martin Maskin, Co-Principal Raine & Horne Double Bay/Bondi Beach on 0419 22 44 55

Ric Serrao, Co-Principal Raine & Horne Double Bay/Bondi Beach on 0412 072 178