Syd Douglas joined ResortBrokers in 2023 off the back of seven successful years as a property manager, most recently of Boardwalk Burleigh Beach for four years and an earlier three years with Azure Living in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley.
With Azure Living, Syd oversaw property management and caretaking from inception, working with council, developers and off-the-plan investors alike, and was able to secure 150 of the site’s 165 properties under management.
For Boardwalk Burleigh Beach, Syd managed all operations of the resort, including budgeting and improving overall profitability. Working with owners’ groups and body corporate, Syd also had extensive experience in defect and trade management. Pairing his knowledge and know-how of a hands-on building manager with his passion and drive for property sales, Syd produced record after record in property sales.
The Gold Coast local has been a licensed letting agent since 2016 and a licensed real estate agent since 2018. He holds a Diploma of Financial Planning from Deakin University and before entering the real estate industry was a senior finance manager for Westpac.
“Knowing how to talk to owners and potential buyers about how a property is tracking and what its potential is by understanding its financial statements is really important,” he says. “That’s something I’ve done day in day out for the last seven years.”
Syd was set for a career in elite level rugby before a back injury put him out of action. He was rugby captain of his alma mater The Southport School when he was scouted for the Queensland Reds Academy. He went on to wear the green and gold for Australia in the Under 19s and Under 20s, before representing the Reds between 2003 and 2005.
“Sport has taught me a lot of great lessons about myself and teamwork,” says Syd. “Being able to work toward a common goal, but also being able to set yourself goals and understanding your own abilities and inabilities is key to any endeavour in life.”
As for property sales, Syd says he likes to work from an understanding of what’s important to both sides of the transaction.
“I like to know what makes both buyer and seller tick to understand their expectations,” he says. “My approach has always been you’ve got to be upfront, you’ve got to be standing by the information you provide and being transparent. I like to talk sense. I like to talk facts. Your reputation is everything. Your name travels very quickly in this industry, so being a person of integrity and honesty, and delivering — doing everything you say you’re going to do — is really important. Earning trust is half the battle. After all, the ultimate compliment is having a seller return as a buyer.”
A father of two young boys, Syd spends most weekends on the sporting fields with his sons or on the beach as a volunteer coach and lifeguard.
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