- Natalie Snooks is an Area Specialist real estate agent in City Beach
- Ms Snooks has followed in the footsteps of her mother who was a successful real estate agent
- Her personal experience in property has equipped her to help others sell theirs
At the age of 10, Natalie Snooks was already sticking SOLD stickers on signs. Back then she was the helper to her Mum, Nena Snooks, a successful real estate agent, but little did she know that she would be selling her own houses years down the track.
Ms Snooks is now a City Beach Area Specialist having won the REIWA Master Salesperson 2020/2021 award, but her path to real estate was far from straightforward.
It was with seven years as a charted accountant under her belt that she first dipped her toes in real estate.
“I had a lot of annual leave owing and I decided to go check out what Mum did in her business. Mum painted a dark picture of real estate with all the negatives of the sector. But I didn’t listen to her and I stayed.”
Ms Snooks left her accounting role and went to work with her mum as a real estate agent. They worked together for 20 years.
She describes her mum as tough but fair.
“We had a very good working relationship. And we had a lot of fun along the way.”
Although she started her role as a real estate agent later in life, Ms Snooks entered the property market herself at 24.
“Growing up I’d heard a lot about properties. So I was always just very interested in the whole thing. I purchased my first property in 1995 when I was 24. I bought a worker’s cottage in Shenton Park at 90% debt and a 10% deposit. I was very fortunate to have got in at a time when all we knew was a rising market.”
Three years later Ms Snooks sold that property and went on to buy and sell several properties in City Beach, Wembley Downs and Scarborough.
“I always loved getting an old house and just making it really nice. Never spending lots but just tidying things up. And obviously, taking away a nice profit at the end of it,” she explained.
Her personal experience in property transactions has equipped Ms Snooks with skills and knowledge that she now uses to help others.
“It’s really interesting, as life proceeds people’s needs change and that’s a large reason why someone will need a bigger house or will want a smaller house. I really love helping people with that transition.”
“I know selling a house can be quite daunting. When someone wants to sell their home, they often do not know where to start in terms of getting it ready.”
Ms Snooks says presentation in a home is of utmost importance.
“I definitely like to spend the time getting the property ready rather than just throwing it onto the market because you want to be received at its very, very best.”
“I find that quite exciting because you can see quite a transformation just in the way the home is presented.”
City Beach born and bred
Ms Snooks has lived in City Beach for most of her life. She attended the local Kapinara Primary School and her kids attended another local school.
Being a local has positioned Ms Snooks well to specialise in the area’s real estate.
“We eat at the local cafes and restaurants. We love the beach, the walks, the parks. We are so fortunate to be in an area where there’s so much public open space.”
“This is home to me and I absolutely love living in the area so it’s very easy to sell that lifestyle to prospective buyers.”
She sells properties in City Beach, Floreat, Wembley Downs, Wembley and Churchlands.
Ms Snooks says the area particularly attracts young families wanting to shorten their daily commute and live in a place with access to nature. She also sees the mature age buyers looking to downsize.
No typical day
Natalie Snooks says being a real estate agent means being available and putting the job and the clients first. Something that can have an impact on social life.
Having a husband who is really understanding has been important to Ms Snooks.
“Just recently I had arrived at a restaurant to have dinner just with my husband when I got a text. I could tell this deal was going south and I need to do something right then and there.
“So we went home for an hour I could do what I had to do and got the deal done. Then went out again.”
In real estate, no two properties are the same and no two clients are the same. Ms Snooks said she enjoys learning about each clients’ individual needs.
“There’s no typical day in real estate and that’s what I thoroughly enjoy. You’ve got to put customers first.”
