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From hiring local businesses to serving the community, Cara Bergmann knows that a robust ethical framework is what sets the best real estate agents apart.
Cara Bergmann has been in the real estate business for 30 years, and she knows her local market inside out. In 2023, she came 18th in REB’s Top 50 Agents Queensland ranking, with over 100 sales under her belt that year.
Since Ms Bergmann started out her real estate career in the early 1990s, a huge explosion of technology has taken place. But in Ms Bergmann’s opinion, the biggest change to hit the real estate sector in the last 30 years isn’t technology – it’s transparency.
“A lot has changed in the industry over the last three decades,” she said. “Transparency, social media and client expectations are at a much higher level.”
The advent of social media and Google Reviews has placed a much greater onus on agents to respond constructively to client feedback. Ms Bergmann explained: “Always finding ways to improve our service from customer feedback ensures we are always moving forward and improving the client experience.”
Now, as the director of Cara Bergmann Properties, the north Brisbane agent is proud to see that her commitment to transparency is paying off.
“I am a fierce advocate of doing my job well, which means I am determined to get my clients the best possible price, to run the best marketing program for them and to make sure the process is driven by a very ethical process.”
The business owner’s ethical process extends beyond her direct clients and into the broader Brisbane community.
“I am very connected to the community and have an ongoing commitment to hire local small business owners for any work I need to undertake,” she said.
“I buy my coffee from local small businesses, I sponsor free coffee for local NDIS workers and police, and provide JP services to the community.”
Cara Bergmann Properties has only been officially up-and-running for eight months, but Ms Bergmann emphasised that her connection with her team existed well before that.
“Technically, our team and business have been running for a very long time,” she said. “The new aspect is us breaking away and having the courage and confidence to run the back end ourselves, to branch out and grow our business in a way that is not possible under another company banner.”
Starting an independent business is a major financial and professional undertaking, but Ms Bergmann believes that the freedom is well worth it.
“Removing franchise costs and brand area restrictions allows the freedom to tailor my service to the client’s specific needs with no constraints that may interfere with that,” she said.
For those seeking to follow in her footsteps, Ms Bergmann’s biggest piece of advice is to play to your individual strengths.
“Make sure you have a good deal of success behind you and a solid team in place,” she said. “Stay in your patch, own it, and then expand.”
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