Residential
Explore
Eight years on, Craig with his wife Sonya (pictured aboved) beside him are stepping fully into their own vision for the office as the new business owners of Ray White Rural Murwillumbah.
Together with their team, they represent more than 100 years of experience in real estate.
This depth of professional experience and local knowledge offer a level of service that few agencies anywhere in regional Australia can match.
Murwillumbah is not a typical market.
Nestled on the Tweed River, located halfway between Byron Bay and the Gold Coast and surrounded by lush rainforest and National Parks,the region draws an extraordinary range of buyers.
The township is known for its quirky Art Deco CBD, with a booming arts community incorporating the Tweed Regional Art Gallery and the Margaret Olley Centre and M-Arts precinct with creative and eclectic galleries and events.
It is becoming more known as the start of the infamous Northern Rivers Rail Trail amongst cyclists, runners and walkers.
However, life on a river system means that flood risks are a part of every sales conversation and relies heavily on the integrity of the agent when explaining these types of occurrences and how the property was impacted.
Craig said: “information and transparency is key”.
“Good honest information is so important and is the foundation of trust,” he said.
“That's not something you can manufacture. I use that to genuinely empower vendors and buyers to make confident and informed decisions - that builds reputations.”
To support their vision of integrity, honesty and support in local real estate; Craig and Sonya together with one of the most experienced teams in the region are focusing on sales with Sonya stepping into the key administration and compliance role.
“With all the legislation and compliance changes in the industry we felt that we needed to focus to ensure we do right by our clients,” Sonya said.
“We are structured for both stability and growth.”
Craig is a multi-faceted principal and has worked in many areas of the local real estate industry from commercial leasing and property management before moving into residential, commercial and rural sales.
“I am able to answer the hard questions, as I have done the hard yards across all sectors”, Craig said. “And if I don’t know, I will find out”.
Sonya was born and raised in Murwillumbah. Her family were also in real estate when she was growing up but she wanted to try her hand at other things.
She has over 15 years corporate sales and recruitment experience and more recently, nearly a decade in the classroom.
“I bring a different perspective to the office,” Sonya smiled.
In a market that boomed during the pandemic border bubble - where properties sold themselves almost regardless of agent effort - Craig and Sonya see the current environment as an opportunity to do things properly.
With multiple agencies competing for business in a small town, they are focused on quality over volume, relationships over transactions, and longevity over quick wins.
“Operating under the Ray White banner gives us something rare in regional real estate - the credibility and reach of Australia's largest real estate network, combined with the intimacy of a locally owned, community-driven office,” Craig said.
“Big doesn't have to mean impersonal,” Sonya agreed.
“We have the national platform and the marketing muscle - but every person who walks through our door gets us, personally.”
The pair are actively modernising the office and streamlining processes, upgrading technology, and sharpening the agency's presence in the local market.
“Most people buy or sell a home once, maybe twice in their lifetime. They deserve an agent who respects that and makes the entire process easy (and maybe even fun) for them,” Sonya said.
“We're not just selling properties. We're helping people make one of the biggest decisions of their lives - and we take that VERY seriously.”
Ray White Rural CEO Matt White said: “Craig and Sonya have been part of the Ray White family for nearly a decade, and seeing them step fully into ownership of the Murwillumbah office is a proud moment for our entire network”.
“They bring an extraordinary depth of experience, a genuine love for their community, and a commitment to doing real estate the right way.
“We couldn't be more excited to see what they build.”
Download high res photo here
