As we look back and celebrate our 45 years, we took a moment to sit down with founder, Warwick Williams to uncover what got him where he is today, managing over $2B in property. “A lot of that has to do with inflation, but it is a lot of property nonetheless!” Warwick warmly laughs as he reveals those numbers.
Anyone who has met Warwick will know behind his ingratiating smile is a man who isn’t short of wise proverbs, prose, and countless anecdotes.
He recalls when he first started in real estate as an 18-year-old, he was ‘terrified’. “Mum bought me a three-piece suit at the local department store. I walked into LJ Hooker Strathfield and when I sat down at my desk smiling, I knew from that day onwards that I’d found my vocation in life, and this is what I wanted to do as a career.”
It was soon after that, at the ripe age of 23, Warwick really took his role in the real estate industry more seriously and bought the 5th branch of the Raine & Horne franchise. He recounts, “It was challenging back then to get the business off the ground, which we successfully did. I was quite fortunate to have had the backing of my parents who gave me encouraging support and believed in me.”
Adding, “There weren’t too many people my age who owned a real estate office. It wasn’t really something you did, and fear of failure was my biggest motivator.”
Despite his success, Warwick humbly attributes part of his success to a ‘bit of luck’. “You know, we can all do with a bit of luck in our lives. Part of our luck was having Craig Davies in those early years, and other team members join me at just the right time in our journey. Craig and I still work together today.”
When asked about the WWRE team he fondly remarks, “Having a good team is like having a strong foundation for a house. Once you establish those foundational values, you attract good people. When you combine that with ambition, enthusiasm, and good leadership, you have the recipe for something really special.”
After consistently being in the Top 10 agencies in Australia and achieving Number 1 Office with Raine & Horne, Warwick decided he wanted to become an independent agency. “We were fortunate to retain our loyal team of 25 members, and we now manage approx. 1,400 properties.”
When asked about how the team grew, he replied, “Some people have a vision in their life they want to fulfil. If you can find one vision they want, and help them achieve it through a good attitude, you both have a common goal you’re working towards.”
When consulted about how he has managed such a long career in a very challenging industry he said, “I have been blessed to have worked with wonderful people of all age groups who share the same values and vision for our office and our community.”
In a tribute to Warwick Williams Real Estate, we put together a video montage of the foundational team that contributed over the past 45 years.
Here’s a trip down Memory Lane…
