WARRNAMBOOL'S strong property market has led a real estate agent to join a national group and swap his mobile office for a highway shopfront.
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Percy Eccles has worked in the Warrnambool real estate industry for more than two decades, for various agencies and since 2017 at his own business, Percy Eccles Real Estate.
This month Mr Eccles' business became part of the Professionals Real Estate Group, a banner he said would increase his business' access to interstate buyers.
"It gives you a lot more strength and gives your vendors and purchasers a lot more confidence, and you can bring buyers in from anywhere in Australasia," Mr Eccles said.
The change has meant the agency has brought a new auctioneer to the team of four, and opened a shopfront on Raglan Parade.
He said Warrnambool's listing as Australia's most livable city in September had boosted interstate enquiry, while the agency had also been in discussions with developers.
"We are waiting for council approval for one large development site," Mr Eccles said.
The business covers residential, rural and commercial real estate, and has plans to move into the rental market in coming weeks.
Real Estate Institute of Victoria figures list Warrnambool's median house price as $337,000 for the third quarter of 2019, $19,000 higher than the same time last year, but slightly down on the $363,000 median in quarter four of last year.
Mr Eccles described Warrnambool's property market as "strong" and said the return on investment could be double Melbourne and Sydney investments.
"We don't get the big troughs or peaks, but it's always a steady market. The return on investment here, for residential investment properties, is always quite stable," he said.
Mr Eccles said the city's real estate market was giving small businesses confidence.
"I know other small business owners and we are all in the same boat, if Warrnambool is prospering small business prospers," he said.
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