Professionals Real Estate 
For experienced real estate agent Sarah Bartlett the acquisition of Professionals Adelaide Hills has been a bittersweet journey down memory lane.
Ms Bartlett has purchased the Nairne-based agency after the death of former principal John Kennedy.
“After John passed away I reached out to the agency to see if I could help with some of their property listings and the opportunity to take over the agency came out of that initial approach,” said Ms Bartlett.
Ms Bartlett has lived in Nairne for six years, but her family has business links stretching back to the 1920s.
“My great grandfather, who was the part of the Harrison family, owned and operated the very popular Chapman Small Goods factory and store from the 1920s for many years,’’ she said.
“Chapmans’ was an especially important part of the Nairne community and a lot of people who now live in Nairne have relatives who once worked at the factory.”
“In many ways it is nice that by acquiring the real estate agency, I am strengthening my family’s business links to the town.”
Ms Bartlett said she was attracted to live in the Nairne six years ago because of the strong local community.
“I really love the area, it has a strong community feel and it is a lovely little historic town,’’ the mother of two said.
“It is very affordable, everybody knows each other, everybody looks out for each other, and it is a great place to raise children.”
Ms Bartlett said Nairne, which has a population of around 5000 people, was not a huge real estate market with around 1800 houses in the township.
“However, in recent years it is slowly enjoying a revival as more young families, first-home owners and green changers move into the region,’’ she said.
“Adelaide’s growth is constrained by its geographic location, while the affordability of the Nairne region and its closeness to Adelaide makes it very appealing to a new breed of a buyers.”
In 2010 the South Australian Government identified the region as part of Adelaide’s future urban land supply to accommodate the population growth of Adelaide.
Under the plan, Mount Barker and Nairne could supply up to 7000 new residences to help offset Adelaide’s expected growth.
“The nearby South Eastern Freeway means it is only 40 minutes to the CBD, so it’s an attractive area for workers to commute to the Adelaide CBD from,’’ she said.
Ms Bartlett said being part of one of Australia’s top real estate groups was a huge bonus for her new business.
“Having the backing of one of the country’s largest and most experienced real estate teams provides me with a lot of confidence about our future and I am looking forward to building a stronger relationship with the Nairne community in the years to come,” she said.
Ms Bartlett said she was active supporter of the local football club and she hoped that the agency would become a sponsor for the club in the near future.
