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Two real estate professionals have marked their return to Raine & Horne, seeking to leverage their connections in the network after rebranding their agency in NSW’s north-east.
Raine & Horne has announced the opening of a new office in Murwillumbah, in NSW’s Northern Rivers, following an independent agency’s switch to the network.
The new office, to be known as Raine & Horne Jet, will be led by local real estate professionals Jason Dittmar and Elizabeth Hickey.
According to Raine & Horne CEO, Chris Nicholl, Dittmar and Hickey had deep roots in Murwillumbah and brought solid local knowledge and professionalism to the network.
Having previously worked with another Raine & Horne office in the area between 2016 and 2022, Dittmar and Hickey launched their independent agency, JET Real Estate, later that year.
The pair said the decision to rebrand as Raine & Horne was shaped by the group’s strong business systems, people, and support network.
Hickey said that as independents, they had realised how valuable it was to have integrated systems and technology to enable efficiency.
“It was refreshing to have everything presented to us by Raine & Horne’s Network Engagement team members, who demonstrated, from an IT perspective, how all the systems fit together so effectively,” she said.
The duo said that the network’s digital ecosystem, including its social media marketing platform powered by artificial intelligence (AI), online proposal tool, and custom-built customer relationship management (CRM) system, would help them serve clients more efficiently.
Further, Hickey said Raine & Horne’s long history and scale were also essential factors in their decision to rebrand.
“The brand’s 143-year history really means something in our part of the world,” she said.
Raine & Horne also said Hickey and Dittmar were familiar with local offices, bringing longstanding ties with Aiden Chalker of Raine & Horne Kyogle and Brett McDonald of Raine & Horne Lismore.
Dittmar, who worked with McDonald during his previous tenure with Raine & Horne, said the connections meant he and Hickey would already have a strong network to support them.
“While every office manages its own database, there’s a perception among buyers and vendors that a large, trusted brand such as Raine & Horne has real strength in numbers, and that perception matters,” he said.
According to Raine & Horne, buyer enquiries have remained strong across Murwillumbah and the surrounding Northern Rivers region, particularly from first home buyers.
Hickey said the timing of the switch to Raine & Horne was ideal, given the market's energy, with properties selling within seven days to four weeks.
“That movement is encouraging second- and third-time owners to consider trading up, which is helping to keep the market fluid and active,” she said.
Hickey added that Murwillumbah’s appeal for buyers came from its people, education, health, food, and community.
“Murwillumbah is a true rural hub, the kind of centre that brings everything together in one place. It has a vibrant real estate market, and it is a fantastic place to live and do business,” she concluded.
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