Thomson Real Estate
Thomson is a real estate agency on the corner of Glenferrie Road and High Street, opposite the Malvern Town Hall. This third generation-owned business has been in Malvern since 1980. Managing Director, John Chartres, looks back on 44 years with the company and celebrates the lively nature of this local shopping precinct. There is no better location for his business, he says, thanks to the stable, village-like atmosphere of locals doing their weekly shopping.
Over the years, John has helped hundreds of families buy their own homes in the area and then invest in property portfolios. “Malvern is simply amazing. People come here and stay for 20 years. There’s easy access to the city, and the best schools in Melbourne are on your doorstep.
“Kids can play footy out the front of their house, and neighbours still have barbeques together or pop in for a visit,” he says.
The boutique agency of 15 people specialises in personalised care of investment portfolios, helping their clients develop wealth over the years.
John recently took a client full-circle after helping him buy a service station and adjoining shops in 1979. The Stanhope Street property was recently sold for an excellent price after judicious separation of the sites to maximise profit.
In another memorable moment, John helped a son sell the family home in St George’s Road, Toorak, which was, as it happens, John’s first sale 40 years ago. During four decades, John worked with the family to invest and grow their investment portfolio. “We achieved an enormous price, and the son was very grateful. It’s those moments that make my job so satisfying.”
One of John’s more unusual clients, an opera singer, needed to test the acoustics of each property she inspected. “She had to have a big sing in each room before she would consider buying the house.”
As the market changes – for example, with legal battles over Airbnb in residential apartments and the rezoning of land to accommodate apartment blocks – John is constantly advising clients on their investments. “I need to keep abreast of changes. Recently, we’ve seen land on busy roads be rezoned, so with the stroke of a pen, land value has jumped from $2500 per square metre to $4000. It’s exciting to be able to advise my clients and to see them profit.”
