The old adage ‘you don’t know what you’ve got ’til it’s gone’ has rung true for Gwen Toholka and Gail Bernardin , who have rejoined @realty after a brief hiatus working as independent realtors.
Ms Toholka has more than 27 years experience in real estate, starting out as an agent for LJ Hooker and working her way up to owning her own agency – Ray White Margate – before deciding that working for @realty offered the perfect balance of flexibility, independence and support.
Ms Bernardin has 16 years experience in the industry – specialising in acreage sales in the Moreton Bay region.
Both agents have returned to @realty in the past two months – showing the grass isn’t necessarily greener on the other side.
Gwen and Gail first joined @realty in 2015, with both agreeing @realty’s team environment and company values are ‘unmatched.’
Gwen said @realty stood out from other agencies and stayed true to its core values.
“I can honestly say that I couldn’t be happier to be back with the team – in all my years working in the industry I’ve never met such a dedicated, hard-working group of people,” she said.
“The thing that stands out to me most about the @realty team is their unrivalled level of professionalism– coupled with how sincere and genuine they really are.
“The support from headquarters is fantastic – nothing is too much to ask and they have always offered excellent customer service and regular communication – I really can’t praise them enough.
“I have always strived for authenticity in my own work and it’s a pleasure to know there are like-minded people on the team who aren’t just doing it for the money, but have real enthusiasm for what they do.
“Real estate should be about helping people find their dream home and not just making a quick sale.”
Gail is also excited about returning to @realty and said working with the agency offered her a flexible schedule and allowed her to follow her own passions through her work.
“I’m particularly passionate about acreage properties and horse riding – so it’s great to know I can sell product I’m knowledgeable about and have an enthusiasm for,” she said.
“JJ and James are such a strong support network and they are always available one-on-one to offer guidance and advice.
“It’s important to have approachable management that you can easily go to with any issues you may be facing.
“The other @realty agents are behind you as well – it’s not a competitive environment, we all work together, so it’s a fantastic team to be a part of.”