Agents are hot property

AFTER 34 years in real estate in Dandenong, Neil Butler knows a hot market when he sees one.
“The market is hot (in Greater Dandenong) but it’s hot everywhere,” said the director of Stockdale and Leggo, Dandenong.
Tim Retallack at Hall and Partners First National in Dandenong agrees.
Between them the agents have nearly 70 years of experience and have seen their industry and the area change enormously.
One constant has been the long-standing relationship between their agencies and the Journal.
“Everyone waited on a Monday for their paper to be delivered and then my phone would ring off the hook,” said Neil.
Tim remembers the labour-intensive days before the internet when advertisements were prepared using scissors, glue and sticky tape.
Agents would cut out homes still for sale from the previous week’s ad and stick them to a sheet of paper with new listings.
Journal photographers would then drive around taking photos of the properties.
“They’d (advertising representatives) pick the ad up and sometimes it wouldn’t be ready. I remember a few mad mercy dashes down there (Frankston-Dandenong Road) in the car at the last moment.
“It was big procedure. One night I’d had a busy day and I didn’t start doing the ads until 10.30 that night. I was there until 2am pasting it together.”
Tim originally worked for Frank Face Real Estate, one of Dandenong’s original real estate agents.
“Frank Facey was so well known and respected they didn’t even advertise,” he said.
“Many years later we took half page a fortnight. Then in the heydays of the ’90s we had a yellow, four page lift-out. That was a sensation that four page lift-out.”
They have seen many ups and downs in the market but agree that at the moment Dandenong is “hot”.
“The market has discovered this area and it is well undervalued compared to neighbouring suburbs,” said Neil.
“It’s kicked on for sure. There is an influx of younger buyers looking for townhouses and units.
Tim agrees that the market is “alive”.
“Dandenong is attracting a large number of investors, that has been the big change.”
– NARELLE COULTER