REI Super employer profile
Abby Henke, Finance Manager at Ouwens Casserly Real Estate, Adelaide
Ouwens Casserly Real Estate is going from strength to strength, and Abby Henke credits the company culture for their successes.
REI Super: Can you tell us about Ouwens Casserly Real Estate?
AH: Our two directors, Alex Ouwens and Nathan Casserly, have very different skillsets, but they're the best of friends, and they complement each other well. They were agents themselves and seven years ago they decided to build a business on their own. Their goal is to help people realise their dreams through property. It's less about high turnover and more about making sure that every single vendor would recommend them. In order to do that, they’ve built a wonderfully supportive team and provide an exciting and innovative place to work.
REI Super: What do you enjoy about working at your office?
AH: I enjoy the culture that Ouwens Casserly Real Estate have provided. The team are passionate about real estate and everybody is provided with legal training, as well as fortnightly in-office training. They’re wonderful opportunities for the agents, who in turn can then provide the best service to our clients. Fun and enjoyment of each team members role within the business is always a high priority as well.
In my finance role I have less of a client-facing role, but it's always interesting seeing the different properties that pop up, seeing all of the different styles and trends.
REI Super: What would you say are the challenges of your role?
AH: Getting the cash flow right is always a challenge; knowing when the properties are going to settle. Settlements can be delayed for a variety of reasons, such as finance clause not coming through in time, so it’s a balancing act.
We’ve found, too, that the seasonal ebb and flow is becoming a bit more unpredictable. It always used to be that the market slowed over winter, but we’ve found that it's really started to pick up over the last couple of years. That can be a challenge, as that’s traditionally when agents took their holidays. We’ve got to meet demand and provide the right service, but want to keep our staff happy and balanced too.
REI Super: How is the market in the area at the moment?
AH: It's great actually. There was a bit of a downturn before the election, people were wary, not knowing which government would get elected, so they held off. But since the election result, it's really boomed. We had one of our record months in June for settlements, so it's turned a corner. Million dollar properties in Adelaide used to be few and far between, and two million dollar plus was almost unheard of, but these days they’re coming up far more often. That has been amazing.
REI Super: And where does super come in for your employees?
AH: It’s quite a simple process, these days, to contribute to the various employees’ super funds on a quarterly basis. It’s just one payment and it’s done. New staff always come and ask for advice on which super to use, I can provide them some general information, but it’s great that they can make their own choice.
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