'You're dealing with people and their emotions': How Mark Meyer went from selling luggage to real estate

From peddling watches as a schoolboy at Flemington markets to selling houses in some of Sydney’s most exclusive suburbs, Mark Meyer has a long and colourful background in sales.

The managing director of LJ Hooker Double Bay Group says in the end, it comes down to understanding people and their emotions.

Are you originally from Sydney?

I grew up in Ashbury, in the Canterbury area. We were a family of six in a two-bedroom rented home. Dad worked with the post office and Mum stayed at home to look after us.

Six people in a two-bedroom home – that sounds like a tight fit.

It was a full house all the time. I was the third out of the four boys. There was a lot of testosterone. It was a great time but very modest.

You left school at age 16. How did that come about?

I was very ambitious from a young age but school never offered me much exposure to different fields. Halfway through year 11, I thought “this is not for me”.

Did you have a grand plan?

My plan was to get out for a few years, make as much money as I could and then maybe go back to study. Before I left school, I used to go to a wholesaler’s and get a mix of stock – things like sunglasses and watches – then sell it at the weekend markets at Flemington. I would turn up at 5.30am, get a stall at 9am and sit there until 5pm, competing with all these experienced retailers. It was a good learning lesson.

What was your first job out of school?

I worked in retail for a business that sold watches, sunglasses and luggage in Manly. The owner was a great mentor. I ended up leaving and opening my own store in Merrylands. A year later, he approached me and offered to sell me his business and finance me. By 18, I had my own store. By 21, I had five stores around Sydney.

So how did you end up in real estate?

A friend from school said, “You’ve got the cash-flow – why don’t we get into property development?” For our first property, we built nine units in Coogee. Then we built 21 in Bondi. I then transitioned out of retail, selling some stores and closing others down, and got into residential property.

Any similarities between selling luggage and selling homes?

In our luggage stores, we found that the more expensive the item, the less thought most people would give to the purchase. It’s really bizarre – and not too dissimilar to real estate. Selling a $700,000 property can be more challenging than selling a $30 million home. For the $30 million home, people can afford it and they don’t have as much at stake. The main thing is you’re dealing with people and their emotions.

What areas does LJ Hooker Double Bay Group cover?

I bought LJ Levi in Rose Bay 13 years ago. We built the business. When we were looking to grow again, there was an opportunity to merge with LJ Hooker Double Bay. We now cover most of the east from Watsons Bay to Darling Point.

How do you spend your downtime?

My wife and I have two boys and a girl, aged 20, 18 and 13. We’re fortunate enough to live in Vaucluse, which I absolutely love. On Sundays, I’ll walk down to Nielsen Park. I love the beach, too. I’ll go for a run from Bondi to Bronte or bodysurf at Bondi.