Your Home Hunter

Removing the stress from renting     

Finding a rental property is a challenge at the best of times. Rising costs, the time involved and competition in a tight market are all a recipe for stress.

With 30 years in customer service, including six in real estate, Wendy Eva-Scott knew there had to be a better way.

Wendy’s business, Your Home Hunter, helps time-poor country, interstate and international professionals to find a Melbourne rental property - minus the stress.

The licensed real estate agent has been a renter and home owner, so knows what it can be like.

“I’ve personally experienced the frustration of being a tenant looking to find a suitable home to live in when I moved back to Melbourne with my young daughters seven years ago,” she says.

Wendy uses her award-winning customer service skills, empathy and industry knowledge to find and secure the perfect property for each client. She covers all bases for them, from start to finish.

“I had a strong desire to help these people and make the renting process as easy as possible for them by doing all the groundwork, ensuring their applications were complete and finding them a place they could call home,” Wendy says.

While her idea was novel and quickly hit the mark, Wendy wanted some fresh, independent, perspective and guidance to ensure she was doing the right thing.

Enter Rachel Allan, a Small Business Mentoring Service (SBMS) mentor and marketing strategy, communications and digital expert who has run her own business for many years.

Wendy had nine sessions with Rachel over six months to discuss her business plan, goals, marketing and the way ahead. Mentoring is continuing.

Rachel says the sessions helped Wendy gain the confidence to grow her business. She became clearer on her processes, where to get help and how to focus on marketing that worked.

“I have helped Wendy be clear on her goals, assisted with marketing and branding, helped with working out what resources she needed, motivation and focus,” Rachel says.

Wendy’s monthly client numbers tripled in the first 10 months, allowing her to break even six months in. She has two employees and a contractor to help with background work.

“Wendy is so much more confident of her offerings,” Rachel says. “Her business is doing exceptionally well, and I am so proud of how she has taken what I have said, implemented it and seen amazing results.”

Wendy says the monthly sessions held her accountable, while allowing her to expand her thought processes and consider new ways to attract clients, such as Melbourne-based AFL clubs.

“We have discussed monthly income, and, for example, I have changed my monthly targets from number of clients to dollars banked,” Wendy says.

“We have discussed changes to my advertising and website content, which I’ve gone on to implement and worked on social media marketing and implementation.

“Without Rachel’s invaluable guidance and advice, I absolutely know my business would not have seen this level of growth and success in the first year.”

On the hunt with Wendy

A young self-employed professional couple needed a home in Armadale, Toorak or Hawthorn East that would take their two beloved dogs. Moving from Brisbane, their challenges included being unable to inspect properties, self-employment and having dogs. Your Home Hunter came to the rescue.

The clients sent Wendy properties they liked, and she checked whether they were on busy roads, had little privacy or outdated photos. After finding the perfect home, Wendy face-timed the couple through two virtual inspections. They took a day trip to Melbourne, had a final inspection and met the property manager. With the ground work already done, they secured the home two days later.

The Small Business Mentoring Service (SBMS) is a non-government, non-profit organisation of volunteer expert mentors who give their time and experience to help small business.  It is supported by Small Business Victoria, which refers clients to it. Website: www.sbms.org.au.

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