A Fashion-Forward Analyst, Crumpet Lover and Beyonce Superfan Walks into our Office: meet Shaun Stapley

Originally from Manchester, Shaun Stapley moved to Australia two and a half years ago, starting his career in real estate just a year later. We asked Shaun what a typical day as a Residential Property Analyst in the Lower North Shore looks like…

Morning routine with Crumpet

“Shortly after I wake up, and that’s always a good start to the day, I take my Labrador, Crumpet, for a walk.  I’ll give you one guess what colour she is.

We love exploring the coastal boardwalk down to Freshwater together – a 45 minute round trip.  We head there every morning to grab a coffee; I’ll take a flat white with caramel please.”

Dressing for the job you love 

“After a shower, I put on one of my eight suits.  I’m lacking at the minute [he says dressed in a striking white on white ensemble] but my favourite is blue.  And not ordinary blue, like every other real estate agent, peacock blue with floral lining. 

I always arrive at work at about eight o’clock, although we don’t start until half-eight.  If I’m late, I don’t work the same.  I could be having the worst day and yet rarely get stressed. But if I’m late, I’m already in the wrong mindset and my day will suffer. 

I was raised by extremely punctual parents who had me at the school gate a half hour early, but I also think working in hospitality taught me the importance of being on time. I mean, be late for that booking and we all know you’re getting bad service [he adds with a cheeky laugh].” 

Lessons from fine dining culture

“Working in two fine dining restaurants in Sydney certainly helped me adapt to Australian culture with the variety of guests we welcomed through the door.  I learnt to speak to different types of people, whether they have $6million or $6 in the bank.  It’s certainly helped me in this job too.

After arriving in the office, myself and two colleagues go for a coffee before we get stuck into our day.  On a Monday I’m very much leasing focused, predominantly because we can’t typically get through to investors on a Monday, I mean who feels like talking money that early in the week? I block out my week based on what times are best to contact certain groups of people, whether leasing or new business.”

A promotion to property analyst

“About three months ago, I moved into a residential property analyst role, so now a typical day includes checking the data constantly, doing market research and seeing what the properties are worth out there. Some days I find new investors with existing property portfolios, and it’s my job to win them over.  I love this part of the job. Nurturing and building these new relationships are always different depending on the client’s needs. 

Sometimes I’m calling them every week and others I schedule a call every three months.   Overall, the important thing is to understand their situation, their needs and let this dictate the level of contact they require.  For those clients with a language barrier, we often find email is the best approach or sending our investor booklet which details all the ways we can help investors (or soon to be investors) make the most of their property.

On other days, the team and I help on sales out at open homes, especially those that are likely going to be a purchase for investment rather than, you know, a five-bedroom house in Mosman primed for an owner-occupier family to move in. These days with the sales team often lead to new connections, potential clients and yet another relationship to nurture in the coming months.”

Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much

“I love my team, we’re always collaborating on new ideas, solutions for more challenging properties and asking what we can do differently to capture a broader market. It can be anything from “what should I price this property at?” to how to move a property that’s not getting the right level of interest.  And, of course, then there’s always times we’re having a chat about some random topic or having a bit of a laugh whilst sitting around the lunch table together. 

We are always discussing the latest trends, where we were, and where we are now. Just today we discussed how the media is saying there’s a rental crisis but in reality, anything above $1,500 per week is really quiet at the moment. Those coming through the open homes for these properties are often shocked, “I thought there would be people lined up around the block?”.  It’s just a different market here on the Lower North Shore.  It’s different depending on the size or location of the property you’re looking to lease.  Despite each having our individual desks and roles, we always work as a team and help each other out where we can.”

Success is where preparation and opportunity meet

“We finish at half-five, so from about half-four I start to think about the next day. I will be tidying up my emails, completing any little jobs, setting calendar reminders that I need and writing my to-do list for the next day.  If I’ve had a hectic day and I’ve got too much work still to do, I still plan for the following day and finish that outstanding work when I arrive early the next day. 

To end the day, I usually like to walk my dog again, depending on the season of course.  I can’t promise I’m walking Crumpet when it’s dark, cold and miserable.  Following that I settle in for a night of cooking and eating with my partner; winding down together at the end of a productive day at work is one of life’s great enjoyments. 

I really believe real estate is not just about property, it’s about building meaningful relationships with clients and enjoying the journey along the way. With the right mindset and a great team, every day can be a fun and exciting adventure, it certainly is for me.”

Shaun Stapley

0431 891 376

shaun.stapley@raywhite.com