Meet The Locals: Geoff Cox

Geoff Cox has been an integral part of my team for the last 15 years.

We’ve known each other for a really long time and built something of a joint career based on trust, loyalty and our complementary skills. I sat down and had a chat with Geoff about why he chose real estate, how we work together, and his favourite hangouts in Potts Point.

You’ve had a long career in real estate – tell us how it all started, how did you get into real estate?

I started in real estate with the family business, Alldis and Cox, in Randwick in 1993 when I left school. The business was started by my great-great-grandfather way back in 1888 and my brother now runs it. So real estate was definitely in my blood. It was predominantly a leasing and strata management business, but I did a few sales here and there when they fell across my desk. I always really wanted to do more sales. I worked there for a decade and got a really good grounding before deciding to have a change.

I tried working in sales for another real estate agency for a year before I had a career change and started a contract cleaning business with a friend. Then I ran into you and started working at Richardson & Wrench Potts Point, and the rest is history.

I first met you when I was living with your best mate’s brother, decades ago. So by the time I asked you to come and work with me in 2004, we’d already known each other for a really long time. I think that long-standing friendship and loyalty is partly why we’ve worked so well together. Do you agree?

Definitely, part of what makes us a good team with is that we’re good friends. We’ve been incredibly loyal to each other and we’ve built a good partnership. In turn, that means we’ve had a lot of clients that have been loyal to us and come back time and time again because they like the way we work together as a team.

Our skills are also complimentary. For example, you have a great ability to form relationships with people very quickly and you’re very good at putting deals together. On the other hand because of my background, I have a good knowledge of strata buildings which helps a lot of buyers in this area – particularly downsizers – and I’m pretty good with the facts and figures. You focus on the selling, and I focus on helping the buyers. The combination works incredibly well.

We’re two very different characters but we balance each other out nicely. It sounds corny but we do work as a team. We’ve sold a lot of good properties but we’ve had a lot of fun along the way.

We’ve built a good career together, we’ve enjoyed ourselves and we’re still the best of friends. Everything we do, we do together.

What have you seen change in the area over the past fifteen years?

Just as the job has evolved and grown we’ve also seen the area change a lot. When I first started selling real estate in Potts Point the dominant demographic was a lot of double-income couples with no kids. Plus, the wave of hotel to residential redevelopment had only just been completed. Buildings like Ikon and Encore were emerging, and the area was rapidly changing from a tourist strip to the village it is today with more cafes, restaurants. That changed the dynamic of the area, which meant we started to see downsizers entering the market and more people buying for the lifestyle. Back then people liked the edginess of The Cross, but over the last 5 years that’s changed again with the lockout laws, and we now have many more young families.

I also lived in Potts Point for the first 7 years that I was selling real estate. I’ve lived on Victoria Street, Onslow Avenue, and in Clement Street, Rushcutters Bay, so I’ve experienced first hand what the area has to offer.

The one thing that hasn’t changed in 15 years is that it’s still a really eclectic area – and there really is a lot to enjoy here.

What do you like most about working in real estate?

I love the diversity of the people you get to meet. But I also enjoy helping someone either find what they’ve been looking for, or sell what is generally their biggest asset. It’s really satisfying getting the best result you can for them and having happy customers on both sides of the deal. When you get that formula right it’s the best job in the world.

We’ve been lucky enough to sell a lot of good property and had a lot of happy clients on both sides of the transaction.

Favourite building or property in Potts Point?

I really like Ikon – it’s a great building. Then there’s also Pomeroy, 22 Wylde Street and Encore – they’re all great buildings to work with. I also like the terraces of Victoria Street and apartments like number 71, 73 and 103 Victoria Street. There’s such diversity in the property styles and the different people you meet tend to gravitate to their type of building. There’s something for everyone.

Most memorable sale?

We had a client who wanted to buy something for his kids – he bought an apartment for each of his kids and then we ended up selling him a fantastic penthouse for $20 million for himself – a record at the time.

Favourite Potts Point restaurant, cafe or bar?

Zinc, opposite our office, is my go to cafe. Fei Jai in Challis Ave is great, and who doesn’t love Billy Kwong or Fratelli Paradiso. My favourite bar was probably The Sugarmill back in the day – and the trusty old Bourbon is always good for a beer.

Article originally posted here >> https://jasonboon.com.au/local-news/geoff-cox/