Double the expertise: Inner West duo crack the mixed-use market

When it comes to selling a property that blends both residential and commercial elements, who’s the best person to handle the sale? According to two of Ray White’s leading agents, the answer is clear: it’s a mix.

Kristian Morris, Principal of RWC Sydney City Fringe, and Matthew Carvalho, Director at Ray White Surry Hills | Alexandria | Glebe | Erskineville, have formed a powerhouse partnership to target a niche yet increasingly popular asset class; mixed-use properties.

Their collaboration is producing standout results, with recent sales including:

• 139 St Johns Rd, Glebe – sold under the hammer for $2.5 million

• 172 St Johns Rd, Glebe – sold for $3.1 million

• 136 Percival Rd, Stanmore – sold $2.4 million in a tightly held precinct

• Retail space in Glebe – sold $2.5 million with multiple interested parties

The partnership began organically, sparked at a Ray White conference.

“We just got on well,” said Kristian Morris. “We work in overlapping territories, and there’s a strong presence of mixed-use stock across the Inner West. I invited Matthew to join the 172 St Johns Road campaign, and he brought immense value; our vendor was extremely pleased with the outcome.”

By leveraging their dual expertise - Mr Morris with deep commercial experience and Mr Carvalho with a stronghold in residential sales - they’re creating a broader buyer pool and stronger competition.

“Our clients benefit by getting direct access to two of the most active databases in the area,” said Mr Carvalho. “We’re both business owners, so we’re hands-on throughout the process. And we have different but complementary networks; this creates more exposure and better results.”

The mixed-use market is having a moment, with strong demand from both investors and owner-occupiers.

“We’re seeing a lot of traditional residential investors turning to these properties as a smart entry into the commercial space,” Mr Morris said. “They like the flexibility and often the strong returns.”

A recent example is 139 St Johns Road, Glebe, which sold at auction for $2.5 million, well above expectations.

“We had three registered bidders, two were architects wanting to use the space for business and live upstairs,” Mr Carvalho said. “In the end, a couple purchased the building with plans to convert the entire site into a residence. The vendor was over the moon with the result.”

With market interest in hybrid assets showing no signs of slowing down, the Morris-Carvalho duo are proving that when it comes to selling mixed-use. Two heads - and two databases - are better than one.