A rookie agent who gave a strong first impression has led a retiree couple on a long-lasting relationship with the Barry Plant network.

Back in 2007, Lorna and Murray Marx were looking to buy in Knoxfield in the city’s outer-east. But they had been disappointed with agents from several agencies who recommended homes that did not fit their wish list.

“We wanted a three or four-bedroom home and they showed us two-bedroom properties or a home with a single garage when we wanted one with a double garage,” the couple said.

“We then met an agent from Barry Plant Wantirna who listened and told us he had just the right property for us.”

The Marxes, who were moving after a stint serving with a Baptist Church in nearby Glen Waverley, were taken to inspect 2/30 Rickards Avenue, Knoxfield (main image above).

“The agent was Brendan Murphy, and he was amazing and thought carefully about what we wanted,” Lorna Marx said.

“We fell in love with the place, made an offer and bought it.“

They paid $370,000, after selling their Mt Waverley home that they purchased for $140,000 in the late 1980s.

The couple, who are great-grandparents, recently sold their Knoxfield home for $855,000, after accepting a pre-auction offer. An up-and-coming agent, Dean Kehagias, also from Barry Plant Wantirna, managed the sale.

Mr Murphy, who bought the Wantirna franchise in 2010 and is now its managing director, recalled the original sale and the couple.

“I was a young agent starting out then and I remember the sale and buyers well,” Mr Murphy said.

“I wanted to build my client base and service my customers for the long term.”

The Marxes were so impressed that they started referring family members to Barry

Plant offices for their real estate needs.

Along the way, their daughter and her husband purchased an investment property in Cockatoo while several others found rental homes through Barry Plant.

The Marxes’ relationship with the Barry Plant Group has now extended to Pakenham, where they recently purchased a three-bedroom unit at 20 Titan Lodge Walk, via the Pakenham office.

They had been invited to move to the suburb and live next door to daughter Linda who also bought her home with the same agency in 2021.

“We were happy to sell and buy with Barry Plant because we trust them and they have served us well,” the couple said.

“We would be happy to refer them to others because of the very good service.”

The couple, who worked as missionaries in Papua New Guinea for two decades, expect to live in Pakenham for some time.

But if they need to sell or buy, they know which agency they can call on.