Alex Ah Key… “Our team has a very collaborative approach, and it involves me. They are all super self-sufficient and competent, but it’s nice for them to have that confidence that I am here for them. In turn, I have a loyal bunch of people that I’m incredibly grateful for, every day.”
ALEX AH KEY has been a mainstay in the ACT Real Estate industry since 1998.
OVER the decades, Alex Ah Key, principal of Blackshaw Queanbeyan and Jerrabomberra, has been recognised for her skill and passion across property management and sales through numerous prestigious awards.
They include an induction into the Real Estate Industry ACT Hall of Fame (2012) and, this year, as an associate of the Real Estate Institute of Australia (REIA).
She recently led her team to win the Small Residential Agency of the Year – REIACT for 2022.
“I have a phenomenal team. Everybody works hard. It’s difficult to capture what happens in a written submission that translates to – we have a team that really cares and does an excellent job,” said Alex.
Winners are grinners… Alex and her winning team at the REIACT awards.
“It feels good to see the team thrive. Some of my earlier experiences helped to shape my approach in leadership – where a lot of principals are very sales focused and property management is left to its own devices, however it is the most complex area of real estate.
“Our team has a very collaborative approach, and it involves me. They are all super self-sufficient and competent, but it’s nice for them to have that confidence that I am here for them. In turn, I have a loyal bunch of people that I’m incredibly grateful for, every day.”
While every award has been exciting, for Alex the fact that business has been thriving for 17 years stands out as a milestone.
“It’s our loyal clients. Repeat, referral and retention – the three R’s – are the biggest testament to our business,” she said.
When looking back to the earlier challenges Alex faced in her career, being young and female in a heavily male-dominated industry was one of them. “It was the late ’90s, and it was difficult to be taken seriously. My surname was Scott, everyone assumed ‘Alex Scott’ was male and would come in looking for ‘him’.”
Since then, technology has played a massive role in the changes and the evolution of the industry.
“It has changed the landscape significantly. Being female is widely accepted,” she said.
“Time and credibility helped me overcome it. Doing what you say you will, and really the proof needed to be in the pudding.”
Decades later, this is still how Alex goes to market: “I say to my team – and it seems cliché – that ‘we’re in the business of people not property’. It just happens that property is the service we are providing. It is the people and the relationships that are everything.
“Reputation is everything. For me, it can never be second-rate service, it is first class all the way.
“We treat everyone respectfully and we have service guarantees, which mean our clients are well looked after.”
What does that look like in action?
“We keep people informed. Constant feedback. Even when we have nothing to say, we tell them that. Being responsive builds so much rapport.
“You can never give the client too much information and that has been a huge part of building business.”
With three kids, Alex is embedded in the community she lives and works in. “I’m part of the P&C for the primary school, where my eldest went through, my middle child now goes and my youngest is about to start. I have made fantastic friendships and connections.
“My kids are also involved in sports, so I’m on the sidelines when I can. It feels good to be a part of the community and be able to support them in what I do.”
Alexa and the expert, award-winning team at Blackshaw would be happy to discuss your real estate or property management needs. Call Blackshaw Real Estate on 1300 550240 or visit blackshaw.com.au
