In 1986 when young Tom Offermann started his real estate career in Hastings Street, he learnt there were no shortcuts or silver bullets to success.
Knuckling down, looking after people and doing the hard yards every day was the only way forward.
There were 13 agencies in the same street selling the same properties, no exclusive listings, computers, faxes or mobile phones, instead handwriting letters which the receptionist typed, using lots of white out. Photos took a week to process at the photo lab, before posting to interstate buyers.
“Like taxis, we cleaned our cars every morning and would drive buyers around to listings sometimes for days,” recalled Tom adding, “at the end of which they would come to the office, if you were lucky, with a bottle of wine, saying, ‘Tom, you’ve been great, we might leave it this time until next year, and see you again’.
“My first sale was a three-bedroom unit in the Leilani complex on Weyba Road for $31,200, and man, was I excited.”
In 1992 Tom Offermann decided to open his own agency on Noosa Parade in Quamby Place.
“I was now weaponised with a hand-held mobile phone with a pull-up aerial,’’ he said, “but I used it as little as possible because it cost 65 cents per minute, texts were 40 cents.
“Driving back to the office and returning any missed call was the only option.
“A competitor said I would never make it outside of Hastings Street and be broke in a year. Fortunately, I love a challenge, so he did me a favour.
“The office fit-out was very different. It looked more like a rainforest, with dark green walls and carpet. I know now we overdid the branding colours internally, but people were polite, often describing it as ‘interesting’.
“I distinctly remember the first incoming call being answered as ‘Tom Offermann Real Estate’. So strange hearing my name called as a business, similar I guess to Leslie Joseph Hooker and Ray White who would have felt the same on day one, rising from humble beginnings to get the ball rolling for future generations.
“Prices back them look so cheap but to outsiders buying here they were expensive, however, those desirous of living in one of the most amazing places in the world should expect to pay a little premium.”
A snapshot of prices in 1992 includes 25 Witta Circle, Noosa Sound, which sold for $265,00, today it is $15m-plus; 3 Leeside Place, Noosa Waters, sold for $160,000, today $3m-plus; 13A Webb Road, Sunshine Beach, sold for $270,00, today $8m-plus; 58 Tingira Crescent, Sunrise Beach, on the beachfront sold for $390,000; and a Fairshore apartment on Hastings Street was sold for $385,000.
In 2002 Tom Offermann Real Estate opened in Hastings Street.
Then, in mid-2021, Tom turned to local designer Gavin Maddock with plans to celebrate his 30-year business milestone in 2022, by taking everything up a level in Quamby Place.
Capturing natural sunlight was foremost in the design outcomes.
Tom said “he envisaged shafts of ever-changing light flooding through both levels, so visitors entering the lower level, would be greeted by a beautiful structure bathed in natural light.
Eight sculptures were commissioned from internationally recognised Andrew Rogers, whose work Rhythms of Life is the largest contemporary land art undertaking in the world, when he and Tom met more than 20 years ago.
Andrew was admiring Cook & Banks, the two bronze statues commissioned in 1997, prominently positioned outside the office. Visitors are often seen posing with the first privately
funded pieces of civic art in Noosa by day, and late-night revellers have been known to dress them in party gear.
It was painstaking meticulous work with the stonemasons taking almost a year to complete the staircase and floors in Daino Reale marble from Sardinia.
“Opening it to the sky was achieved by re-engineering the entire roof and replacing it with 44mm thick glass, and then adding a usually hidden awning, which slithers across the glass if needed to control light levels as required.”
State-of-the-art luxury did not stop with the bespoke staircase. It continued into the VIP-style client lounge areas, also numerous workstations for some lucky agents.
The sophisticated terrace is also fitted with a glass roof, while herringbone dark oak timber floors, silk rugs and wispy Italian curtains perfectly complement the dark oak custom cabinetry, bespoke sofas, also sculptures and artworks.
“We wanted to create an enjoyable space for clients to feel very special and agents totally proud,” explained Tom, adding “the solid stone stairs had to be the
real deal, not skin deep nor artificial, and be an artwork within itself enduring decades, hopefully a century.
“It’s heartwarming to have daughter Rebekah working in the company, and who knows the grandchildren and great grandchildren might one day be walking these very steps in the business.”
