Successfully buying and selling real estate is about fulfilling people’s needs, dreams and aspirations. That’s why Landmark Harcourts people not only receive in-depth professional training, but why they’re committed to building meaningful and genuine relationships with their clients. The huge volume of referrals and repeat business this generates is proof that the combination works to everyone’s benefit. A totally consultative approach is what makes our way of doing things so seamless. Trust, honesty and integrity remain the company’s personal hallmarks. Add to those attributes your individual knowledge of the local market and current property trends and we’ve got the perfect recipe for success. There’s a simple philosophy that Landmark Harcourts lives and breathes by: It’s all about people.

Landmark and Harcourts have announced that they have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) regarding the establishment of a joint venture business for the marketing of rural and regional real estate in Australia.
Subject to completion of establishment agreements, the joint venture is due to commence operations on the 1^st of April 2011. The joint venture will bring together two businesses, each having well in excess of 100 years of experience in the real estate sector, who combined represent over $20 billion in property turnover annually and operate from over 380 locations around Australia.

In announcing this agreement, Harcourts International Managing Director, Mike Green said the combination of the two entities would bring great benefit to both clients and staff, including improved scope to grow the business.

“Partnering with Landmark brings a depth of experience in rural markets, along with immediate brand recognition in regional Australia, which would have taken us at Harcourts decades to develop – it creates a real estate platform like no other,” Mr Green said.

Landmark Managing Director, Richard Norton said achieving sustainable success in specialist business lines such as real estate presented challenges for a broad rural services business, which the joint venture would resolve.

“Real estate is a specialist business that requires specialist focus to progress to the next level and Harcourts will bring that to the existing Landmark business. It will allow us, in combination, to become the pre-eminent real estate group in rural and regional Australia,” Mr Norton said.

“Landmark’s strength revolves around our staff and their relationships with our customers. This joint venture provides our staff with a market-leading suite of products and services that will enhance the service they can provide to their customers. It’s a win-win situation,” continued Mr Norton.

In addition to announcing the joint venture, Mr Green also said the partners would begin the process of recruiting a Chief Executive Officer to lead both the integration of the businesses and to drive an aggressive growth strategy over the short to medium term.

“We see this role as being one that will be attractive for a senior real estate or agribusiness specialist who is looking to be part of an exciting new enterprise and has the drive to mould the business into an industry leader.

“The joint venture will also be looking to expand operations through the recruitment of new franchisees in selected locations across Australia and we will be actively targeting growth in specific regional markets over the next twelve months,” said Mr Green.

The joint venture, to be known as Landmark Harcourts, will operate as a standalone business and will not involve the Harcourts metropolitan or commercial businesses, nor will it involve any other aspects of Landmark’s rural services business.