Offering conveyancing services to a region like the Limestone Coast demands team members who can go further, deeper and broader than a conventional conveyancer in ‘the city’.
This is because our clients in the Mount Gambier office prefer the convenience of having a one-stop shop close to home, covering the myriad things that need conveyancing when you’re in a regional area.
I spent a few moments asking file managers, Andrea Mardon and Sonya Jones, what conveyancing looks like through their eyes in our Limestone Coast office.
Limestone Coast Conveyancing: Andrea Mardon
We have to be prepared to work across a diverse range of needs in the Mount Gambier office.
‘While some people in the Adelaide offices might get the chance to specialise on residential real estate agent work, or matrimonials or private contracts, we have to multi-task and know a bit of everything,’ says Andrea.
‘And it is similar from our clients’ perspectives, too.
‘When they sit down with us often other things will come up that we can help them with or Eckermann Lawyers can help them with, so we really provide that one-stop-shop for the southeast.’
Despite people in regional areas being considered a little more relaxed and talkative around the barbecue, Andrea shakes her head and says, surprisingly, people don’t engage her in much conversation when they learn she is in conveyancing.
Perhaps conveyancers might have something in common with accountants on that note!
Limestone Coast Conveyancing: Sonya Jones
Sonya says a noticeable difference between the city offices and the Limestone Coast is that they are a little more informal.
‘Your vocabulary is probably a little bit different here when you’re talking to farmers, many of whom prefer more of a straight-talking approach.’
‘So you could say that sometimes our meetings sound a little different from those that take place in the city.’
And while Sonya says conversations can be a little more relaxed, she argues the local team probably carries even greater personal accountability in their roles than colleagues in the city.
‘I know that everybody in Eckermann Conveyancers cares about their clients and their work but we feel it a little more here because you just know you will bump into clients in the street and you know they’re going to ask how things are progressing, so it keeps you on your toes,’ says Sonya.
Sonya also notes that some of the diverse jobs they have in the Mount Gambier office relate to transferring water licences when farming properties are bought and sold, as well as ensuring correct conveyancing in relation to Phylloxera levies.
‘It can be quite demanding ensuring that when properties change hands the right portion of levy has been paid by the previous owner and that the Phylloxera board has been accurately appraised of the details of both the new and old parties so they can stay in touch and meet their obligations.’
As you can see, it is important for South Australians in regional areas that companies like Eckermann Conveyancers run offices in the regions, like we do in Mount Gambier and Port Elliot.
Thank to our teams in these areas and to our clients based outside of Adelaide who continue to entrust your conveyancing work to us.
