“Back in 2002, I listed an old Queenslander on Ferndale St for sale. The homeowner contacted our office to sell her home because back in 1926 my grandfather, Robert Matthews had sold her father the land. Obviously her loyalty to her family and their experience with R. Matthews and Son was such that she felt compelled to use our office again in 2002. It was a very significant moment for me as I realized that the memory of quality and ethics in business had remained with her for three generations, and I had a responsibility to our reputation not to let anyone down.”
Russell Matthews
Queen Elizabeth first visited Brisbane only two years after her coronation in 1954 and returned in 1963, 1970, 1982, 1988, and 2011. Not many businesses in Brisbane have traded throughout the late Queen’s life, but there’s one business in Annerley, Matthews Real Estate, that was born when she was just six years old and is still going strong as it approaches its 90th year.
Having been trading for three decades already, the first Auction House for the business was in a converted plumber’s shed at 632 Ipswich Rd. They sold the shop to Esso petroleum in 1965 and moved across the road, renting office space at 653 Ipswich Rd.
In 1983, they purchased the current location on the corner of Cracknell Rd, at 678 Ipswich Road, moving to part of one of Annerley’s original buildings at Chardon’s Corner.
Generations at the Helm
First established in August 1933 as R. Matthews & Son Pty Ltd, the company was established by father-and-son tandem Robert and Leslie Matthews, who worked under local agent John Coleman before striking out on their own.
Leslie was a real estate clerk who was training at John Coleman auctioneers in Brisbane CBD. At the time, the hustle and bustle at the city centre was increasingly spreading outwards, towards Annerley, especially along Ipswich Rd.
Robert spent more than 40 years in the Army as a Staff Sergeant Major and drill instructor, before retiring and getting into the real estate business. A well-respected local, he also worked as a will executor.
Trevor, Robert’s grandson, joined the business at the age of 21, after his father, Leslie, died. Trevor was later joined by his brother, Ken.
Photo Credit: Supplied
“I was only 20 when my father died and I really didn’t have much experience in the industry,” Trevor said. “His death launched me into the role of Principal and I had to figure it out as I went along.
“If it weren’t for a few trusted business advisors that my father knew through the REIQ, we may have had to pack it in back then. We’re lucky now as we go through a proper succession that we are able to lean on the FBA and other trusted advisors once again for assistance,” he added.
REIQ and the Matthews Family
Robert Matthews served as a Real Estate Institute of Queensland (REIQ) board member in 1938, under then-Chairman Ray White.
Photo Credit: Supplied
In 1947, Leslie also became an REIQ board member like his father, and he was on the Board again in 1951.
The father-and-son team of Robert and Leslie was active in many community groups like the Mt Gravatt Show Society, the Tarragindi Progress Association, and various bowling clubs.
Trevor also became an REIQ board member like his father and grandfather in 1991 and eventually earned his Life Member status with the peak body.
From the inception of the original Southern Suburbs Branch, including his time as President of the branch, Trevor has been a member of several REIQ committees and the Multiple Listing Service when it was first introduced to Queensland. He is still a member of the Professional Standards Tribunal Appeals Committee.
Preparing for the Future at Matthews Real Estate
Trevor’s son, Russell, and daughters, Kerry and Michelle, as well as Ken’s children, Darren and Melissa, currently make up the heart, brain, and soul of Matthews Real Estate.
Trevor and Ken’s better halves, Lyn and Kay, are also in the real estate business. Sons-in-law Kieran and Simon work in the same industry as well.
Each member of the new generation brings something new and fresh into the mix.
“Respect for the past doesn’t mandate doing everything exactly as it has always been done – we wouldn’t still be here if we did that,” Russell said.
“Making changes to business practices is what we must do to stay relevant. Respect for the past (our family) shows in our motivation, our desire to match their hard work with hard work of our own,” he added.
As the fourth generation of Matthews, led by Russell, ensure that the family business remains on course, the fifth generation is either training to be in the industry or pursuing a path elsewhere, whilst still getting some work experience with the family business.
“Everyone can be involved in one way or another, from a minor level to a high achievement level, with experience,” Trevor said of the family’s business dynamics. “There seems to be something for all interests and education levels.”
Complementing Each Other’s Strengths and Interests
Russell says the differences in their personalities and life experiences complement the time-honoured values that make their business unique.
December 2016.
For Kerry Matthews Forsythe, for example, being involved in the family business has also led her to pursue her interest in history.
It was a teenager’s bedroom wall at a Moorooka listing that led Kerry to her unique pursuit of maintaining an online album of Brisbane’s historic wallpapers and carpets.
The distinctive wallpaper in the room had been there since the 1960s and it featured a captivating red-lipped siren. Kerry just couldn’t stop looking at it. She took a photo so she could save it for posterity.
Today, Kerry has an impressive collection of images of old wallpapers,
tiles, carpets, door handles, and light fittings that she regularly posts on the Matthews Real Estate Annerley’s Facebook page.
As the person in charge of social media for their company, Kerry said she has a platform where she can celebrate older styles and designs to show what she appreciates in a home.
She thinks it’s also a great way to preserve a moment in time, or an era, before it disappears.
“I just think it’s important to celebrate whatever era you’re in, whether it’s a Queenslander from the 1900s or something that’s mid-century modern, it’s nice to appreciate the design features of each one and what they have to offer.”
She believes that the memories also help people relate to a place and ultimately help them make a sale.
“People maybe think I’m a little bit strange, but I think generally people love to see that stuff. They may not want to keep it but they certainly appreciate being able to see it,” Kerry shared.
“There are definitely people who like to be visually reminded of their childhood… It’s just this immediate recollection of another time and another place. It’s usually good memories for people of something that doesn’t exist in their life anymore,” she added.
Russell thinks the synergy makes them uniquely prepared to take on the mantle of leadership as they step into the future.
“We are probably more prepared than any other generation has been, going into this generational transition. Dad (Trevor) was shocked with the sudden death of his Dad and being an accidental business owner much earlier than expected, and had to juggle all of that and learn on the fly.”
“We’re very lucky that we have his guidance and can learn at a practical pace. Also, (for the girls) starting later in our lives with previous work and life experiences to bring to the company is extremely helpful too.”
“Michelle is now in charge of the day-to-day running of the business with an active role across all divisions of the company.”
Acknowledging that sometimes, disagreements do arise, Trevor says it’s all par for the course.
“Luckily family ties are pretty strong and we all want to ensure good relationships remain at the end of the day,” he said.
Lasting Legacy
The family says the legacy of generations of hard work put into the business is a driving force to do even better.
In a show of loyalty that transcends the passing of time, generations of clients have trusted generations of Matthews.
“The legacy has its own weight. It’s not a burden, it’s more that the weight can give you some real momentum and push you to do your best. We still have people coming in to do business with us because their parents or grandparents did business with our previous generation.”
“We love that, those clients are very special to us – we really value their loyalty, especially with so many agents to choose from.”
“Our long history gives our business credibility in our community. We are careful to always live up to that, to take care of this reputation that we have inherited and see that it is deserved and survives,” he added.
“A legacy is something that many never get to be a part of … yet we can see Matthews Real Estate being transitioned before our very eyes.”
Significant Recognition as a Family Business
In 1992, Matthews Real Estate was hailed as one of the Top 10 Real Estate agencies in Australia, based on a national survey. They were the only company from Queensland to make the cut from a shortlist of 400 real estate agencies.
In 2019, the company was recognised as a Family Business Australia Hall of Famer for the company’s highly-regarded brand, reflecting “quality, value, integrity, professional spirit.”
Although 70 per cent of companies in Australia are family-run, just three per cent of that slice of the pie lasts for four generations, placing the Matthews family as one of the lucky few in a rare league that has withstood the test of time — in their case, for nearly 90 years.
Asked about luck, Russell said: “There is a famous quote which says ‘the harder I work, the luckier I get.’ We work hard for our luck. It also helps that “shelter” is a basic human need.”
As luck would have it, Brisbane’s oldest suburban real estate agency that’s still operating as an independent, family-run business has been working hard for their good fortune indeed.
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