My Neighbourhood with Marcus Falconer
Teleisha Thomas
September 2023
This month we are excited to open a new location in one of Australia’s fastest-growing cities. With a population of over 240,000 people and growing, opening an office in Geelong’s vibrant city is a natural step for the Jellis Craig group. We sat down with with Jellis Craig Geelong Director, Marcus Falconer, to talk about living and working in Geelong.
Tell us about your ambition for joining the Jellis Craig Group and your plans for the future.
We’ve always challenged ourselves to deliver the very best in service for our vendors and buyers, and so the opportunity to join the Jellis Craig network provided us the chance to lift the bar even further. As Victoria’s premier real estate agency, Jellis Craig is the standard that everyone aspires to. The brand offers unparalleled exposure through its 33 offices and database of more than 1.4million potential buyers. This is hugely beneficial for our clients and will also ensure we attract the very best agents as we look to expand further across Geelong.
You have sold in excess of 2000 properties since you started in the industry. What do you love most about your role?
There’s lots of aspects I love about my job, but I get the most satisfaction from helping vendors present their property in the best possible light, ensuring the maximum sale price.
Equally, I enjoy matching buyers to their ideal property and watching them get a kick out of their new home before, often years later, matching them to another property that suits their changing lifestyle.
202 Autumn Street, Geelong. Recently sold by Marcus Falconer
Geelong has recorded substantial growth over the last few years, why do you think this is?
Victoria’s second largest city has seen incredible growth in the past decade as it has completed the transition from a blue collar to white collar workforce. The TAC, WorkSafe and NDIA are now all based in Geelong and have attracted many associated industries, creating thousands of professional jobs. This, together with a growth in flexible work options, has seen a huge influx of professional workers, including millennials, looking to enjoy a lifestyle change.
How has the Geelong property market changed over recent years?
Demand is staying fairly constant – buyers have recalibrated with interest rates, but what hasn’t recalibrated is the supply side – we are still well under long term averages for the number of available homes on the market
What are some of the most important considerations that buyers should keep in mind when looking for a property in the area?
Buying a property is always about location, and in Geelong, lifestyle is also a key drawcard. For most buyers, that means being within 10km of the city centre, which puts you within easy reach of public transport, shops and schools, as well as being on the doorstep of the Barwon River, waterfront and the Ring Road to either the Surf Coast or Melbourne.
Do you have a favourite sold property? What made that so memorable?
In Geelong, it was the Newtown and Chilwell Council Chambers. More than 300 groups went through this magnificent Georgian-style building, with around 200 at the auction and seven bidders battling it out.
Tell us about ‘home’.
A serial renovator, I have recently renovated a double-fronted Edwardian, blending the original external and internal features at the front of the home with an architecturally designed extension that is filled with natural light.
If you had a friend visiting from interstate, where would you take them...
For coffee | Funk or Box Office Café
For lunch | Bao Place
For an activity | Watching the Cats at Kardinia Park or a concert at A Day on the Green
For dinner | Tulip or The Arborist
For a drink | Geelong Cellar Door, Queen of the West or the 18th Amendment Bar
What does a typical Sunday look like and what are your interests outside of real estate?
It’s my one day of rest, so with my partner Andrea and dog Billie I’ll either make my way down to the Surf Coast and enjoy the beach or head towards Ballarat, where I am in the process of renovating an 1896 church.
Can you share a book or podcast recommendation?
Shoe Dog by Phil Knight
Can you share a quote from someone you aspire to?
Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen
- Michael Jordan
140 Autumn Street, Geelong West is currently on the market with Jellis Craig Geelong.
