Bordeaux to Toulouse to Cremorne: Benoit’s journey

For the past ten years, real estate has been my career – first in France and then in Australia. I was born in Montauban which is a small town in the south of France, but spent the greater part of my French life in Toulouse. A move to Australia in 2014, mainly for love but also for the quality of life and the beauty of the country, meant I had to learn the milieu of real estate in a new context. Today, I am happily married, have a little girl Beatrice, and a large Australian family from Crescent Head to Canberra. 

Shortly after relocation, I joined the Ray White Lower North Shore Group – a team I love being part of because of its brilliant culture and commitment to excellence. But that’s not to say that moving from French property sales to the Australian system was a seamless transition. Here are five of my observations about the Australian market and industry, and how it differs from the French way of transacting real estate.

1. In France we don’t host open homes.   

One of the first things I noticed during my own experience looking for a property in Australia was the use of open homes.  It got me thinking, what value does the agent add in a strong market here in Australia?  What I saw were agents advertising a time, opening a door and watching everybody come down.  In France, we don’t do open homes, we only do private viewings, meaning you likely have to have 10 or more qualified buyers to successfully sell the property.  What was apparent to me, was the difference in the relationship with the buyer. 

In a strong Australian market, the importance is placed on the vendor however I believe a relationship with the buyer is just as important. Working in the French real estate industry taught me to quickly connect and build trust with a buyer, providing a strong advantage in the Lower North Shore market.

2. Professional property marketing is rare.

Whether it was the signboard, the brochure, the photo quality or the promotional video, the property marketing I discovered here in Australia was far more professional.  The amount of money that most vendors and agents were willing to spend to take the property to market blew my mind. You will never get a Frenchman to do that! The ‘spend money to make money’ adage is not understood in my homeland. 

Discovering open homes and the impressive marketing used here led me to think, “this Australian real estate game sounds pretty easy and I’m going to love it!” And although it’s a lot more challenging than it first appeared, I’ve come to understand, especially here on the Lower North Shore, that the market is extremely competitive, you’re dealing with educated vendors and buyers in-the-know, which means these tools must be used very precisely.

3. The type of properties for sale are completely different. 

As we all know, French architecture is very different to Sydney. Fitting 66 million people in a country 14 times smaller than Australia means the properties I was selling were no bigger than a top floor apartment.  Most French properties feature high ceilings, big windows, and old materials throughout. 

And unlike the freestanding homes you find close to the city centre in Mosman or Neutral Bay, France’s boulevards are lined with the quintessential Haussmannbuildings. However, French real estate isn’t all ‘old’, I also got the opportunity to sell modern off-the-plan properties with my father, who became a property developer in Bordeaux in the second stage of his life. 

4. Auctions have no place in French real estate.

Unless you are wanting to sell a car, boat or a piece of art, an auction will make no sense to a Frenchman.  And although the auction is somewhat new to me, I am now a huge advocate for the process as I believe it is the most transparent selling strategy available.  Not only does it create competition driving a great result for the vendor, but it also builds a level of trust, clarity and confidence with the buyer. 

We are extremely fortunate here on the Lower North Shore to have so many buyers to work with.  In fact, even in a slower market we are likely to have 2-3 registered bidders at auction! However, agents shouldn’t get too comfortable because there are times when we only have one buyer and we still need to be able to put the deal together, auction or not.  

5. Despite the market, the key is to value relationships. 

I believe my experience in France has taught me to work more intimately with both buyer and seller to truly understand my client’s needs.  In Australia I am now dealing with good, qualified buyers that won’t waste the vendor’s time.  Practically it means I’m able to property match and also advise clients to only list when their price goal is achievable, and the motivation is there. 

Building strong relationships quickly is a skill I refined during my time working in France, and one that I attribute my success in the current market to. 

Benoit Guittonneau
Senior Sales Advisor
0416 514 010

b.guittonneau@raywhite.com