LJ Hooker unveils Parramatta office for Sydney’s second CBD

In an exciting development for Australia’s most iconic real estate brand, LJ Hooker is back in the heartland of Sydney’s Western Suburbs, opening a new office in Parramatta.

Principal Joe Bechara, who runs three successful LJ Hooker agencies in Granville, Guildford and Merrylands, said the timing was right to expand his business into what is widely regarded as Sydney’s second CBD.

“Parramatta is a very different market and will be crucial to the longevity of our business and growth,” Mr Bechara said.

“The commercial sector is massive; there are a lot of high-rise apartments, and there are exciting premium residential markets in neighbouring areas, such as Oatlands and Carlingford.

“This is something that has been on my mind for many years, but I did have to have a long, hard think about it as I have a very strong business in the surrounding suburbs. This is not a short-term project; this is something that we are committed to building over the next 10 to 15 years.”

Head of Network, Chris Keating, congratulated Mr Bechara for having the vision to strategically set up a new venture in a high-growth area.

“It would have been easy for Joe to sit back and enjoy his successes, but instead, he is striving to conquer an important and dynamic market that is integral to Sydney,” he said.

“Parramatta is an exciting place to live and work, and we are thrilled that LJ Hooker will be there offering residents, investors and commercial businesses a service they know they can trust.”

Mr Bechara started his career in real estate back in 1988 at the age of 19, joining a real estate agency in Granville. Soon afterwards, it rebranded as LJ Hooker, and he went on to become principal and expanded to neighbouring suburbs opening additional offices.

The existing business has been rebranded as LJ Hooker Parramatta | Granville | Guildford | Merrylands | reflecting its strong foothold across the western suburbs.

Mr Bechara acknowledged the business is moving into a highly competitive market with over 50 different real estate groups already working in the Parramatta area. He believes the LJ Hooker brand will resonate across all demographics and will give them an edge over other agencies.

In a move away from a traditional shopfront, the new office is located on the sixth floor of a commercial building in the Parramatta CBD with space for in-room auctions. In addition to street signage, they will focus on generating business through digital marketing and building their rent roll.  

“Shopfronts still have value, however, and we have noticed that the number of walk-in enquiries at our other offices compared to 15 years ago has dramatically changed,” Mr Bechara said.

“The Parramatta CBD is a different type of location so most likely enquiries will be driven by other means. We do have signage outside the new premises that highlights our presence.”

Parramatta is a vibrant metropolis home to corporate headquarters, government agencies and a thriving business district. It has a busy nightlife and a popular dining precinct. The Parramatta Light Rail opened late last year with a 12-kilometre track and 16 stops connecting Carlingford to Westmead through its CBD.

“One of the challenges in a market like this is there is a high number of high-rise apartment complexes, which are harder to prospect compared to traditional residential homes, but we are working on different ways around this,” Mr Bechara said

“A lot of agents get sales because they have been managing the property, so we are working hard to purchase and organically grow our rent roll. We are also concentrating on marketing and being involved in the community.”