16 Aug 2014
Words Carla Cook

Going for broke at new post

Resort Brokers Australia deals in sea changes or bush changes, selling serviced apartments, management rights, motels and caravan parks each year to scores of people nationwide who want to get into the tourism industry.

But the company is seeing a big change of its own in North Queensland, this week taking on a new broker for the region to take advantage of a market they believe is starting to turn.

Nationwide, the specialist agents have sold 151 properties in the past financial year and tow a day since January this year, its management says.

And despite only starting with the company this week, their new North Queensland broker Des Fagg can vouch for the agency’s effectiveness first- hand, the former Burdekin cane farmer turned caravan park proprietor bought his own past two businesses off them.

Despite the nationwide figures, Mr Fagg says that buyers are beginning to show a special interest in North Queensland.

Having found them to be good businesses himself, he thinks he can sell them.

“The whole region is down a bit, but I believe the region has turned. We’re starting to get a higher percentage of occupancy,” he said.

“Everyone seems to be pretty upbeat.

I’ve owned management rights and I currently own the lease on a caravan park at Googarra Beach at Tully Heads… it’s 80 caravan sites and 40 cabins and it’s full this time of year.”

He said many of the group’s sales had been driven by people coming from redundancies who liked the job security and working for themselves, while some of the larger resorts and motels had been snapped up by mutual funds, finance groups and big syndicates.