Professionals Real Estate 
Professionals Real Estate Group Chairman Carl Petersen has sold his last real estate agency that he has co-owned for 19 years in order to focus on guiding the growing Professionals network.
Mr Petersen, who has been an active member of Professionals since 1983, has sold the rent-roll of his Coolangatta-Tweed agency, closed the door of his office and has retired from selling and managing properties.
Over the last 36 years, Mr Petersen has owned Professionals offices in Kingscliff, Murwillumbah, Banora Point and Coolangatta-Tweed. Now, the 68-year-old former valuer will dedicate all his free time to his role as an independent Chairman of the Group.
Professionals was established by six independent real estate agents in 1976 and the group has grown to have 220 members.
Mr Petersen said he was the second agent in New South Wales to join the growing network in September 1983.
“Being a part of the Professionals Group has been a really incredible, rewarding experience, both professionally and personally,’’ said Mr Petersen.
“I joined Professionals because they had the best culture and that has continued right through to today and beyond.
“The group shares a positive culture of sharing information and skills, while the agency principals are always willing to help each other to grow their businesses.”
Mr Petersen has held several senior leadership roles in Professionals since 1993 when he became a director of the New South Wales board. In 2012 he became Chairman of the Professionals Service Centre, which looked after the needs of members along the East Coast of Australia.
When the Group, which was previously split between separate divisions across Australia, restructured to have one core administrative team in 2018, Mr Petersen took on the role as the inaugural Chairman.
“The Group is now under a new structure and after less than 12 months, I think we have far exceeded all of our expectations,’’ said Mr Petersen.
“Under the control of new Chief Executive Officer David Crombie, our network is delivering better and more efficient services to our members while the group is growing strongly.
“With the unification, our members are enjoying increased levels of service and support as a result of the group having a clear national strategy.”
Mr Petersen said it was an exciting time to be chairing the Group and he was looking forward to the challenge ahead.
“We have always been a non-profit organisation and any profits we generate are being poured back into delivering better services for the network,” he said.
Mr Petersen said that he intended to serve as Chairman of Professionals Real Estate Group at least until his term ends in October 2020.
“I am now 68, so, I felt it was probably time to hang up the spurs in terms of actively running a real estate agency day-to-day, but I still have a lot more I can give to the group,’’ he said.
