In July 2021, national real estate and advisory firm, LAWD made its official launch into the Western Australian market by appointing well-respected local agricultural professional, Simon Wilkinson, and opening an office in the state’s capital.

Three years on, LAWD’s client-focused approach, has seen the firm grow its presence and impact in the west, with the Western Australian team supporting buyers and sellers through 80 transactions valued at almost $950 million in total.

Some of LAWD’s notable sales in Western Australia include the Kimberley Cattle Portfolio, Cherylton Farms, Varley Farms, Shooters Hill, EDL Farms, Henty Field Farms and Rovadam.

LAWD Director, Simon Wilkinson, was raised in Cranbrook, a small town in Western Australia’s agriculture-rich Great Southern region. Prior to joining LAWD, Simon worked across the state’s agricultural industry for more than 25 years fostering strong relationships with local farmers, investors and corporates, which provided strong foundations for his successful career in the rural property market.

To complement LAWD’s network of agriculture specialists across the country, in April 2023 rural and lifestyle property professionals, Don and Lorelle Fry, were appointed to lead the new Brunswick office in the south west of the state. With extensive knowledge of the property sector, and hands-on experience in farming, the Frys also have established relationships forged through the numerous representative positions they have held within the agriculture and property sectors.

While LAWD’s official footprint in the Western Australian market began in 2021, it was only a year earlier that LAWD was formed, quickly establishing itself as a leader in specialist property led by some of the nation’s most prominent agents and valuers. A strong focus on meeting client needs has driven LAWD’s expansion into industrial real estate, corporate advisory and the appointment of a specialist valuation team. With more than 90 staff now on board nationally, LAWD’s presence in Western Australia is backed by a team spanning Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, the Northern Territory and South Australia.

Local knowledge and relationships backed by a national team

While local connections and industry experience are central to LAWD’s offering as specialist property professionals, Mr Wilkinson said vendors benefited from LAWD’s collaborative national team approach.

“When you appoint LAWD to sell your property, you don’t just engage an agent, you have a whole team across various disciplines, who have a network of industry relationships supporting you,” Mr Wilkinson said.

“Vendors benefit from our local knowledge, however through the sales process, they also have access to a national and international network of corporate and institutional capital through the relationships our colleagues in the eastern states have built over many years in the industry, as well as the expertise of our new Corporate Advisory arm.

“We are committed to providing the best possible advice and outcome for the seller, and we take a team approach to achieve that.”

The professional and personalised approach to sales is matched by LAWD’s high-quality marketing materials, which LAWD Director, Don Fry said allows buyers access to the contextual information they need to make informed decisions.

“We put a lot of time and work into our marketing materials to ensure buyers can make decisions supported by facts and data,” Mr Fry said.

“We often receive feedback from consultants and potential purchasers that the way we present properties is next level, and that’s something we are all proud of.”

Challenges and opportunities in the ag sector

Like all industries, Mr Wilkinson said the agricultural sector is impacted by challenging external factors, however the opportunities and demand for assets remains positive.

“Here in Western Australia, there are current challenges in the livestock industry and rising operational costs as input prices increase,” he said.

“However, the state’s ag sector is performing strongly, with technologies creating efficiencies and producers achieving high grain yields per millimetre of rain received.

“We are seeing a lot of demand for high-quality farming properties, and there is always appetite for the large pastoral landholdings that Western Australia is renowned for.

“Over the past five to ten years, we have seen an increase in superannuation funds, high net worth individuals and private investors seeking strong and stable returns from the agriculture sector.”

Many farming families across the state continue to expand their assets and operations by buying neighbouring properties or established farms within their region.

On the flip side of this sales process are often vendors hailing from multi-generational farming families themselves, who are often making one of the biggest emotional decisions of their lives. The LAWD team recognises this is not an easy decision for vendors and is often complemented for their sensitive approach and support throughout the sale process.

Rural property valuations

Property valuations play a key part of the LAWD offering in Western Australia, with LAWD Director, Josh Ledingham, providing market-leading advice and valuations to a range of clients in the rural property segment.

Raised on a dryland cropping enterprise, Josh moved to Western Australia in March 2022 to value a diverse range of properties across the state, including stations in the north, dairies in the south, grazing lands, broadacre cropping, viticulture, market gardens, processing facilities and rural lifestyle properties.

As a key member of LAWD’s national Valuations team, Mr Ledingham said both he and his colleagues maintain a broad perspective on developments across various regions of Australia.

“Operating on a national scale means we can observe shifts in dynamics or values in other areas that may influence the local market,” Mr Ledingham said.

“When I arrived in Perth in 2022, the market here was highly active, with properties selling quickly, and then we witnessed the highest volume of grain production on record following three to four years of favourable seasonal conditions.

“Conversely, 2023 saw a shift in dynamics due to rising interest rates and less favourable seasonal conditions.”

Fast-forward to 2024, high-quality properties continue to dominate sales in Western Australia and while conditions look promising for the state’s multi-billion-dollar grain industry, Mr Ledingham said it was still too early to see how the market would respond.

“We continue to see robust sales of A-grade assets in the tightly held, higher rainfall regions,” he said.

“In the grain sector, this year’s seasonal conditions appear more favourable, however, it is too early to predict outcomes with harvests concluding at the end of the year.”

Whether you have transactional or valuation needs, contact LAWD’s Western Australian team, your local property professionals with a proven track record in all facets of the rural property market: Simon Wilkinson on 0456 758 341, Don Fry on 0418 909 916, Lorelle Fry on 0417 909 915, or Josh Ledingham on 0457 099 445.