Driving Force at Sunshine Beach Real Estate
Have you ever met a passionate property expert and car enthusiast who wants to come back singing and dancing on stage in her next life? Read on. Words by John Caruso.
Pip Covell is a force of nature. Her energy is infectious, and she has a knack for bringing a room to life.
As Principal-owner of Sunshine Beach Real Estate, she was excited to show me the team’s new digs, replete with Di Henshall’s Interior Design touches, where a small but efficient team of professionals go about their business.
A few laughs and the distant sound of the surf all forming part of the soundtrack.
The office has moved a few hundred metres east of its original location, closer to the water and following the quick tour Pip and I made the most of another gorgeously sunny Sunshine Beach day to record her journey for our podcast.
My first question wasn’t about property as I’d heard that she loves classic cars!
“My partner, Trevor and I have a little Alfa Romeo,” she begins, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “She’s in pieces now because we’ve just come back from a weekend in Warwick where we raced against other historic cars. We’ve been doing this for years with Trevor preparing the cars before we set off. I’ve always been around cars, my parents had Ford dealerships in the South Burnett.”
Her father passed away when Pip was young, leaving her mother to raise three girls. This early hardship instilled in Pip a resilience and determination that would shape her future.
As a child, Pip dreamed of studying law. However, dreams of legal case studies took on a different tune.
“My uncle, Roger Covell, was a professor of music and music critic for the Sydney Morning Herald and I ended up specialising in music in high school at the Kelvin Grove campus,” she says.
“My fondest memories are of family trips to Sydney to see him and attend shows and sing carols at Christmas.”
There’s a strong creative side to Pip and it continues to play a significant role in her life.
“Music and dancing are very important to me,” she says. “I came back from Melbourne a few weeks ago with $300 worth of CDs, nobody buys CDs anymore!
“I’ve also recently discovered Nia, which is an activity where you use every part of your body, letting your creative side out while also getting a workout and I do that once a week in Tewantin.”
Sunshine Beach Real Estate has a proud history that spans forty-five years and Pip has been part of the brand for thirty-six years, heading up the team for twenty-four years as owner, principal, and hands-on marketing agent.
“Through that time, we’ve forged a reputation for sound business practice, effective communication across a broad spectrum of sales and leasing and, most importantly, a place in the hearts and minds of all who call this place home,” she says.
Their approach is somewhat unique to the industry in that they not only list and sell properties, but they also offer permanent and holiday rentals. There are more than seventy options in their holiday rentals brochure, everything from idyllic beach houses to self-contained apartments, villas, and penthouses.
“Beachside properties are our forte,” Pip says. “We list and sell properties in the region, so it was only natural we extended our service to include permanent and holiday rentals.”
Ask Pip about her leadership style and she’s quick to complement the people around her.
“There are no secrets within my team,” she says. “I’ve surrounded myself with the most wonderful like-minded people, and I genuinely believe I’ve got the best working in each department.
We all help each other, and the move to our new space has revitalised us all.
“There’s a confidence amongst us, and I like to get everybody involved in all aspects of what’s going in the industry, from holiday conferences, to REIQ breakfasts, and we discuss and share and we build each other up. Surrounding yourself with a range of ages is also important. There’s an eighteen-year-old in our office, two or three in their thirties, a couple in their forties, fifty and sixty-year-olds, and we all learn from each other.”
Pip’s motto is simple yet profound.
“I live here, I work here, I play here. Specialising in properties at the eastern beaches – Sunshine, Sunrise, Castaways, all the way down to Marcus Beach.”
I hit stop on the recording and reflect for a moment on the whirlwind energy that is Pip Covell. Her approach to life mirrors the efficiency of a finely tuned Alfa Romeo, zero to a hundred in a matter of seconds with all the pieces running like a well-oiled machine.
WANT MORE?
Download the interview with Pip from our podcast HERE.
