Growing pains and growing up

Joel describes himself growing up as ‘a wild one’. His words, not ours.

Restless and energetic, school wasn’t exactly Joel’s thing.

‘I couldn’t sit still,’ he says. ‘I was always stirring the pot, always doing something or talking to someone.’

After a year out of school and a short-lived stint at RMIT dabbling in business studies, he had no grand plan. Just a bit of telemarketing experience and a nose for conversation.

‘I fell into real estate,’ he says with a shrug. ‘Didn’t know what I wanted, but I was always good with people. It just kind of clicked.’

Nineteen years later, Joel’s still clicking. And now, as a Partner and integral member of Gary Peer’s prestige team, he’s got the wisdom – and the stories – to show for it.

 

 

From errand boy to buyers’ agent

Joel’s career didn’t start with polished shoes and market expertise.

‘I didn’t even know what real estate was, really,’ he laughs. ‘At my first agency, I was basically the errand boy.’

It wasn’t until a conjunctional sale (a sale where two agencies collaborate) led him to meet Jeremy Rosens that things really took shape.

‘Jeremy poached me,’ he says. ‘He introduced me to the man who would become my mentor, a former Gary Peer Director. We had a chat, I got the job and never looked back.’

But it wasn’t smooth sailing right away.

‘It took me a year or two to hit my stride. But that early grind taught me a lot. I was working so hard under my mentor – doing admin, opens, follow-ups – while he was the name on the board.’

That early hustle shaped Joel’s leadership today.

‘It taught me how to be good to my staff,’ he says. ‘I started with an admin assistant, then added a sales agent and grew from there. Soon enough, I was approached by Darren Krongold to join the prestige team with Daniel Fisher and a few others.

‘Now, that team is full of different personalities, all learning, growing and developing together.’

The case for first impressions

Not just anyone would take a chance on the 20-year-old man with a face full of piercings and a Holden Commodore complete with blue lights and subwoofer.

But Gary and Phillip saw something in the young Joel Ser.

‘Phillip did tell me to shave, though,’ Joel laughs.

So, he shaved. And he stayed. Despite offers from other agencies and big business changes, Joel never considered leaving.

‘I was intimidated by the Gary Peer brand at first. It seemed so military because of their success, but that couldn’t be further from the truth,’ he says. ‘It’s just a bunch of great human beings who are passionate about what they do – and who’ve had a big hand in shaping the man I am today.’

So, is it safe to say that the intimidation factor has died down over the years?

‘Oh, it’s fully gone now,’ Joel laughs. ‘I’ll just barge into Gary and Phillip’s office like it’s nothing. That’s family.’

 

 

Real estate, real people

Joel’s secret weapon? Being a good human.

‘I didn’t come into this business slick. I was raw, but I’ve always been genuine. If I don’t know something, I’ll find out,’ he says.

Because real estate, for Joel, is equal parts hustle and heart. ‘You’re often dealing with people at their most vulnerable – divorces, deaths, big transitions. You need emotional smarts. That means really listening and making people feel supported.

And that sincerity shines through to the many clients he works with.

‘I’ve had clients call me years later, remembering me as the kid doing their opens under someone else. It always just reminds me that people really remember how you make them feel.

‘So, you may as well be nice.’

The student becomes the master

As the prestige team continues to grow, Joel relishes his mentor role more and more.

‘Fresh talents like Idan Gutman, Liam Elbaum, Rheno Pabillore – they’re hungry, they’ve got it. I just want to help them get better, like others did for me.’

His open-door policy isn’t just lip service.

‘I sit a couple of metres away from my team. We talk every morning. I go to their weddings, out to lunch. We’re in this together.’

And with people like Mariam David and Aliza Szylit (the team’s admin ‘guns’), Ben Rothschild and Kevin Huang in the fold, Joel’s proud of the culture they’ve built.

 

 

Dad by day, larrikin for life

Joel’s energy hasn’t dulled. These days, it’s channelled into family life – with the occasional ‘man trip’ featuring pub crawls, bruises and a self-imposed Caulfield exclusion zone. Don’t ask!

He and wife Ariella, who shares his birthday and a life-long family connection thanks to their mums being friends, have three kids: Dylan, Brodie and Penelope. Four, if you count the three-legged French bulldog, Archer.

‘Dylan’s like me,’ Joel says with a mix of pride and fear. ‘High energy and a heart of gold. Brodie’s the sweet softy. Penelope’s the dream baby – first girl on both sides of the family, just eats, sleeps and smiles.’

Despite the long hours in real estate, Joel refuses to miss the important moments.

‘I still take the boys to tennis on Sunday mornings. It’s sacred. I know some agents find it difficult to get to their kids’ weekend sport, but I’m doing everything I can to be there.’

 

 

Playing the long game

What’s next for Joel?

‘Keep getting better. More listings, more holidays, more good memories. I’ve got three trips booked already this year.’

Long-term? He wouldn’t mind a seat at the director’s table one day. But for now, it’s about being present, performing and building something meaningful.

‘If anyone reading this is thinking about real estate, call me. Let’s grab a coffee. You don’t have to be a natural. You just have to want it.

‘I’m proof of that.’

Want to get to know more members of our amazing team? Read their stories on The Peer Blog.