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In 1997 in my senior year, I fell into the property industry by absolute chance, and as fate would have it, here we are more than two decades on potentially ready to partner-up so I can help you move into a new and exciting chapter of your life.
From humble beginnings as a 17 year old real estate receptionist, Wendy Russell has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to the property industry, spanning 26 years – 9 of those as an independent buyer’s agent in Brisbane. With regular features in Domain, REA, the ABC and various industry publications, brand WENDYRUSSELL® is now recognised as one of the most trusted names in property and leading luxury Buyer’s Agent in Brisbane.
Wendy has partnered with some of the country’s most successful CEO’s and business executives, and has professionally exchanged more than $500 Million in property for clientele across the globe – both as a selling agent and a buyer’s agent.
Follow the house-hunting journey
Wendy’s industry experience is second to none and so are her relationships in the local real estate community. Not only does she continue to invest in property herself, Wendy is committed to helping like-minded professionals succeed in property, just as she has done.
Learn more about Wendy’s personal investments and projects or discover the person behind the brand on her blog, Deals In Heels.
“When it comes to property, I believe you make your money when you buy. Get this part right, and you’ve set yourself up for success.”
– WR
Residential real estate – sales, property management, marketing, admin, spanning 26 years. I was Principal Licensee of my own independent offices for 8 years between 2004 and 2012 and I’ve been a Brisbane Buyer’s Agent for 9 years (2014 to NOW) with a more recent focus on the Brisbane luxury homes market.
My dad. He has been an unwavering support and silent cheerleader throughout my life; always backing my goals, no matter how out-of-the-box.
Turning 30 and the realisation I was broke, lacking purpose and had to start again. I would later realise this was the beginning of my new life.
The life stories of people fascinate me, and for a moment in time, I like to believe that the pivotal role I play in this part of their journey has made a life-changing impact. Securing the perfect home for a client when there was no way they could have done it on their own is incredibly fulfilling. I take great pride in going the extra mile for those who value the commitment I have to my professional work, but I also have to admit, the thrill of the deal keeps me in this game.
Christian Louboutin heels and Dior. (I’m a sucker for all things luxury.)
There have been two. Opening my own independent real estate agency when I was 23.
And 10 year later, making the leap into the emerging Buyer’s Agent space as the first solo independent female advocate. I had been employed by an agency at the time and soon realised their values mis-aligned with mine. I was nervous leaving the security of a stable salary but a good friend who believed in me said to “jump off the bridge” because I would fly. He was right.
The ocean, my husband Ben and my dogs, heavenly Slick, heavenly Samson and Lex. Although I’m a regular on the social scene with a glass of bubbles in hand, I’m secretly an introvert and crave my alone time, hence why I refer to myself as a social introvert.
Ben and I split our time between Brisbane and our holiday home on the Sunshine Coast. I’m a self-made career woman, storytelling writer on my blog – Deals In Heels, and advocate for ambitious professionals. I’m drawn to the finer things in life but in complete contrast, a humble upbringing in Gladstone, North Queensland often sees me escaping to the beach with a fishing rod.
Someone once said to me “if you can last more than 5 years in real estate, you’ll be in it for life”. Who knew that in 2023 I’d be leading a new era in real estate – the one of the Buyer’s Agent. You see, back in 1997 this title didn’t even exist. Two decades on, and I’m potentially helping you buy what could be your dream home, first home or your next investment.
And that’s exactly what I find so interesting about this profession – the people.
The characters you meet have always fascinated me and I am in the fortunate position to be invited into a very personal space where others will simply never go – a person’s home. And that’s the interesting thing about real estate… it’s not really about the property. It’s about the people.
My journey to become one of Brisbane’s first Independent Buyer’s Agents has been somewhat typical to any long standing career in real estate. I’ve sat in just about every seat in the real estate office. Reception. Property Manager. Sales Assistant, Sales Agent, and now Buyer’s Agent. I worked under a few of the franchise names you would know today, but all the while, I felt a compelling sense to do things “my way” and in 2004 at the age of 23, I co-founded my first real estate agency.
What happened in the following six years was nothing short of a roller coaster ride. Yes, my business was successful, but I was deeply unhappy. I went through a difficult separation, was diagnosed with clinical depression and eventually I was forced to sell my business, my home, all my investments, and start again. It was an incredibly challenging time to say the least, but with a lot of inner work and a huge mindset shift, I managed to turn it all around. It took me five years to go from dead broke and depressed to thriving once again. Looking back, I never really had a clear purpose and my focus was on all the wrong things.
You could say, my move into the Buyer’s Agent space somewhat saved me.
It took a number of years and a few hard life lessons, but I eventually found my true calling as a Buyer’s Agent, and I’m so grateful to have reached this point of clarity in my life. For me, there is no greater satisfaction than knowing I’ve helped a family secure their dream home, or that I stopped an investor or a first home buyer from making a financially devastating mistake. When a client tells me,“Wendy, I would never have been able to secure this property if it wasn’t for you” – this reinforces I am exactly where I am supposed to be.
People have often asked if I plan to expand my agency and build a team of Buyer’s Agents around me. This is not somewhere I want to take the business. My long-term plan is to stay niche and boutique. I much prefer working one-to-one with clients because this way, I can provide the bespoke service that a larger agency struggles to deliver. This is why I limit my clientele to five buyers at any one time and unless you’ve been directly referred, potential clients undergo a fairly rigorous screening process to ensure we are the right fit to work together. If you’re curious about my own personal property journey, you can learn more about it on my blog Deals In Heels – or check out my personal investments here.
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