Community values drive team

The team at Richardson and Wrench Caboolture has again supported the community that supports them this year, earning them a national award.

Moreton Daily sat down with Principal Scott Lachmund to reflect on a rollercoaster year and take a look at the Christmas/New Year property market in the Moreton Bay Region.

The real estate agency won a Richardson and Wrench national award win for Excellence in Community Service in August.

The business was also a finalist in five other categories including Most Outstanding Selling Principal, Most Outstanding Office, Most Outstanding Sales Support, Excellence in Property Management and Most Outstanding Property Manager.

The award win means a great deal to the Lachmund family who have built their business on family values and giving back to the greater Caboolture community for the past 28 years.

Scott says his team has supported numerous campaigns and organisations throughout 2022 including a Jeans for Genes Day toy drive for Caboolture Hospitals’ children’s ward, the Helping Hope Happen' Scripture Union Australia Chaplaincy Fundraiser, the Daniel Morcombe Foundation, the Lives Lived Well drug and rehabilitation centre and sporting clubs. He’s proud of their efforts.

He says the business provided financial support to Lives Lived Well at Caboolture, so the organisation can provide a personal trainer two days a week at the centre for those dealing with drug and alcohol issues.

“That was a highlight, bringing that physical element into a local rehabilitation centre,” Scott says.

“It was nice to be recognised nationally with our franchise group for excellence in community service. That was based on a submission of all the things we’ve done in the past 12 months.

“The major thing we do contribute to each year is the Scripture Union Chaplaincy program. Recently, there was a successful gala night with a 1920s theme. On that night, Ali Heeps our sales consultant was the emcee and did a sterling job, I did the charity auction and we walked away that night raising in excess of $62,000 from the local Caboolture community which will service up to 18 local schools, continuing the chaplaincy program into 2023.”

Richardson and Wrench Caboolture also supported the Caboolture Rugby Union Club’s sponsors day. During the event, charity auctions of the players’ jerseys were held, raising more than $9500 for Black Dog Institute and Ronald McDonald House.

The Jeans for Genes Day toy run for Caboolture Hospital’s children’s ward was successful again this year and Scott urges other businesses to think about how they too can help the community – financially but also by donating services, expertise or time.

In the lead-up to Christmas, Richardson and Wrench Caboolture is running raffles, giving way gift baskets in addition to an in-house raffle for tenants which will give away 10 meat hampers.

Both raffles are free to enter and aim to make the festive season easier for people struggling with the cost of living.

“We’re trying to give back where we can and help those in need,” Scott says.

State of the market

“The real estate climate in the last two years has been pretty erratic. The first six months of the year, there was quite a frenzy with the activity happening in Moreton Bay Region. That has since slowed in the last two months,” Scott says.

“We’re still having stock coming onto the market, maybe seeing less buyers and there has been a bit of a price correction of maybe 5-7 per cent in the last couple of months that I’m seeing across some (sales) results across the Moreton Bay Region.

“When we lead-up to Christmas, some people are hesitant and there’s an easy excuse to say, ‘I’ll put it off until the new year’. What they may not understand is that you list now to get a result to settle in the new year.

“If you wait until January, then you may be looking at a settlement of February/March which isn’t the new year anymore and you may miss opportunities with everyone relocating and settling in the new year period.”

Scott says the best time to sell is always today, particularly in an unpredictable economic climate.

“My crystal ball is fading … I used to be able to see about 12 months ahead of myself but I’m only predicting short-term at the moment – two to three months,” he says.

“I think people are spending money on Christmas … it’s in the media that people are still spending, so I think the RBA will increase interest rates early next week. That might put a little bit of a brake on the Christmas spending and until they meet back in February, I think economy-wise it’s a bit hard to predict where we’re heading.

“Having said that, if you want to move any you’ve got the intention to relocate, what’s stopping you from doing that today? Waiting may be to your detriment, if the market continues to correct itself in the new year.”

Positive outlook

“We all need to remain positive that Moreton Bay is a beautiful place to live and relocate to. It’s good for families, we are still very affordable regardless of the media noise. I think there are still growth opportunities in our area, where other areas may be busting at the seams, we welcome people to come and live the Caboolture life,” Scott says.

“We’ve got momentum and we’ve gotten through a couple of testing years in business. We’ve got momentum to keep rolling into the new year and keep an eye on the pulse of what the property market is doing.”