Brock Harcourts name change reflects global strength

One of the State’s biggest names in real estate is to change from August 1.

Brock Harcourts will become Harcourts to bring South Australian offices of the fast-growing real estate chain into line with other offices globally.

“The move brings South Australian offices into line with more than 770 offices in nine countries and firmly links our fortunes and story with the fast-growing and highly successful Harcourts brand internationally,’’ Brock Harcourts SA CEO, Mr Greg Moulton said.

“The change is largely cosmetic as our application of Harcourts’ innovative systems and proven professional and personal values has been in place since we joined the fast-growing Harcourts network under the auspices of Brock Harcourts in 2004.

“Applying the Harcourts systems and living the Harcourts values has since made us the largest and most successful real estate network in South Australia. On August 1, we complete our integration with Harcourts internationally - to the benefit of our vendors, purchasers, landlords, tenants and South Australian home owners more generally.’’

“We have 40 locally owned and operated offices across SA employing more than 200 highly trained sales people. This means that while we concentrate our skills and knowledge in our local areas, we have access to better training, better systems, greater resources and more market intelligence than any other agents in our market - all of which gives our vendors more support in selling their property or managing their property investments.’’

The most obvious change will be the disappearance of the 'red square' logo from branding, signage and advertising – making way for the Harcourts livery already familiar to vendors and purchasers across the rest of Australia, New Zealand, the Asia Pacific and the US.

Mark Forde of Harcourts South Coast said that while the new name would mean little in the way of changes for vendors and purchasers, they would benefit from the fact that marketing and management systems will be streamlined to come into line with Harcourts worldwide.

This will give agents and property managers more time to service vendor, buyer and property investor needs in the market place.

“Vendors will be pleased to know that our brand - and their properties - will benefit by gaining even greater prominence thanks to a major advertising and marketing campaign that will support the change,’’ Mark said.

Harcourts vendors will continue to enjoy the benefits of Harcourts’ advertising domination.

The popular Harcourts Blue Book will also continue to provide a key marketing opportunity for vendors and will remain a useful guide and valuable decision-making tool for purchasers. It will be revamped and re-designed making it even easier to use. The new-look publication will be launched with the new-look Harcourts brand on August 1.

Focused and tailor-made marketing opportunities will also be available to top-end and specialist properties through Harcourts’ worldwide network of prospective purchasers.

Harcourts was introduced to the South Australian market in 2004 by Michael Brock, whose name at that time had been synonymous with market-leading real estate services in this State for more than 30 years.

At the time, it was felt the Brock brand would add value to the Harcourts proposition - although it was always planned to transition to the Harcourts brand over time.

“That time has now come, with the South Australian market well and truly aware of the strength of the Harcourts brand and actively seeking the services the company offers in line with Harcourts' universal values,” Mr Moulton said.