Founding Partner and Managing Director
It was 1973 when John Ross and Alan Hunt opened the doors to Ross-Hunt Real Estate on Hamilton Street in the Mont Albert Village.
Now 50 years later (in 2023), John Ross, 87 years young, remains an active director of the company. John works alongside his daughter Alex, niece Chris, and two grandchildren Rosie and Arran, managing the full-service Real Estate business that has grown to over 50 staff and become the largest independent Owners Corporation service provider in Victoria.
John has discovered in his lifetime that the way business unfolds can often be surprising and unexpected. When he bought a small rent roll to get the business up and running in the 70s, he didn’t know what a “Body Corporate” was, but when it was offered in conjunction with the rent roll he thought he might give it a go. The primary focus of the business at the time was Sales and Rentals, but John recalls that some of his original Body Corporate clients happened to be active members of the Balwyn Evergreen Centre Club and that numerous members of the club approached Ross-Hunt seeking their Body Corporate services. Word of mouth marketing was alive and well, with more people requesting it, John realised it was time to direct more focus to Body Corporate Management.
John continued to build his experience which eventually led to him to becoming President of the Real Estate Agency Association (REAA) and a key figure in the merger of the REAA and RESI to become the Real Estate Institute of Victoria (REIV). John also spent 6 years on a government committee reviewing the Owners Corporation Act.
John is a former President of the REIV as well as founding President of the Business Brokers Chapter and the Body Corporate Management Chapter of the REIV. John is also the founder and Managing Director of Pyramid Salt Pty Ltd and is a farmer of crops and wool. John was a member of the Lions Club for 35 years and his contribution to the local community has been enormously rewarding, not only to him but those around him. John was also a major influence in achieving extensions to Eva Tilley elderly care hostel as well as being involved in the operation of aged care facilities at Pyramid Hill in regional Victoria.
John’s experience and expertise in real estate is well known and his honesty, integrity and guidance are an inspiration to all our staff.
Committed to exemplary service and with strong communication skills, Jeff has built an impressive career spanning over 3 decades selling and auctioning property across Melbourne, earning him glowing recommendations from many loyal clients. His years of experience have given him a depth of knowledge and an admirable reputation as an honest, reliable and trustworthy professional.
Jeff’s expertise in selling and auctioning property over wider metropolitan Melbourne has contributed to him being a highly skilled negotiator, consistently achieving results well above his customer’s expectations.
Passionate about his work, personable and with a unique blend of real estate know-how and determination, Jeff is stand-out agent in such a competitive real estate market. He has worked, owned, managed and partnered with some of the biggest real estate brands in the country, consistently achieving multiple #1 in sales. Jeff has successfully conducted over 3,000 auctions and is a multi-award winning auctioneer. He has been a member of the REIV for 25 years and is a fully licensed estate agent.
Possessing an intimate knowledge and enormous experience of the property market, both locally and across Melbourne, you can be assured that Jeff will support you through your entire transaction as he knows first-hand the stress and concerns that can arise from each part of the real estate process. He “believes in honest, transparent and constant communication with integrity and without bias or spin”.
Jeff has appeared on various radio and TV programmes and supports many charities and organisations with donations, sponsorship and charity auction events.
A proud and loving father of 2 sons and a devoted partner, Jeff loves to spend quality time relaxing with family and friends. He also enjoys watching his beloved Richmond Tigers, hitting a few golf balls, going to the beach, landscaping, swimming, reading and travel.
With vast experience and knowledge of Property Management, Chelci has been working in the real estate sector since 2001. As a property investor herself, Chelci understands the importance of building strong relationships with both landlords and tenants alike. Chelci is an integral part of the team at Ross Hunt Real Estate while also being highly respected throughout the industry. Chelci excels not only in the Property Management side, but also in Trust Accounting, ensuring accuracy and attention to detail to allow peace of mind for every Landlord.
Born in Australia with Chinese, Vietnamese and Malaysian heritage, Brenda is multilingual and is able to extend her services to the wider community.
With an extensive customer service background in previous roles with VIP clients, both local and international, Brenda is very attentive and customer service focused, always offering personalised service with a smile to exceed her client’s expectations.
After entering the Real Estate industry back in 2013, Brenda ventured off and started her own businesses (making high quality Asian fusion burgers) and opened Melbourne’s first Keto friendly café and Keto special occasion cakes. Through her marketing initiative and can-do attitude, she even appeared on national television (channels 7 & 9) for her famous Burger Challenge creation as well as in the Herald Sun and on 3AW morning radio with Ross and John.
Brenda attended Balwyn High School and has many high net worth contacts both in Melbourne and abroad, giving you access to many buyers not always found via mainstream methods.
She is also very proficient with all social media platforms and has an in-depth awareness of unique and individual marketing campaigns. She is aware that every client’s needs and wants are different and that every property is unique no matter the size.
Having a friendly, fun and competitive nature, she enjoys playing basketball, badminton, karate (nearly up to her brown bar), arcade games and recently re- visited playing tennis. She also enjoys keeping fit at the gym and hiking.
Her love for food has seen her venture to most parts of Melbourne to try the best cafes and restaurants of various cuisines and she also enjoys travelling abroad.
Brenda is enthusiastic, assertive and on the ball, and her pleasant and welcoming nature assures clients they are in good hands.
Romano was born into the real estate industry, spending much of his youth accompanying his parents on field trips around Victoria buying and selling properties.
He has built an impressive career in Real estate, spanning over 3 decades. Specialising in property acquisitions, planning, development and direct sales.
He feels at home in the company of buyers and vendors alike and possesses a personable and friendly down to earth nature.
Having spent over 30 years travelling throughout Melbourne and Greater Melbourne selling houses and land, Romano has built a solid and substantial understanding of the property market.
Romano has lived in suburban Melbourne all his life, and currently resides in the municipality of Boroondara. Benefiting from all the local attractions, Romano and his family are often seen bike riding and jogging along the extensive trail networks.
The family also love organic gardening, tennis, spending time at the local parks and supporting the community, dining at local cafes and restaurants.
Romano has a beautiful wife and two gorgeous, adventurous sons. They enjoy family trips away together. His boys are very fond of the countryside, where they enjoy quality time recharging amongst the majestic mountain streams.
Romano continues to build his personal development with the benefit of ongoing real estate training from industry experts and attending enrichment courses and seminars.
Having years of experience, professionalism, honesty and integrity are qualities that Yolanda possess, which ensure her clients receive superior service when managing their most important asset.
Having a background in Body Corporate Management for a number of years, gaining knowledge in Management of all property types has led to a successful transition into Property Management at Ross-Hunt Real Estate.
With a strong passion for Real Estate, living and investing in the Boroondara area, Yolanda has a detailed knowledge of the rental property market and will always listen to clients’ needs, offer thorough follow-up, courtesy and ensure the job gets done. Constantly striving to deliver the ultimate customer service level for her clients, which makes the entire Property Management experience a positive one.