Married At First Sight's Chris Robinson joins Raine & Horne Berry

Married At First Sight (MAFS) participant Chris Robinson has turned his lifelong passion for property into a professional real estate career after a chance meeting enabled him to join award-winning South Coast office Raine & Horne Berry as an assistant agent.

While many Australians know Mr Robinson from his appearance on Married At First Sight, where viewers were introduced to his Berry farm and beloved horses Eagleheart and Tammy, property has been a passion for most of his life.

From property investor to real estate agent

Mr Robinson developed an early fascination with real estate after frequently moving as a child.

"We moved around to properties a lot when we were children. We lived in so many different properties, and I fell in love with property from a very young age," he said.

"I remember being in my early teens and even before that just really being interested in property."

Determined to own a home of his own, Mr Robinson began saving as a teenager and purchased his first property in Lithgow at the age of 24.  "I'd been saving up since I was about 15, and I bought my first house without any finance when I was 24 in Lithgow for $190,000," he said.

That purchase marked the beginning of a successful renovation partnership with his father.

"My dad is a builder and a handyman, and then we renovated that house, and that's when we started flipping properties," Mr Robinson said. "I've sold 15 altogether and worked on about 20, including three where I was contracted to design and style properties for some clients."

Among his most successful projects was the transformation of a rundown cottage in the Blue Mountains. "The house was in Blaxland, and I made about $350,000 profit on that one," he said. "It was just an old rundown cottage that everyone wanted to knock down, so my dad and I renovated that one and turned it into a cute little cottage."

Mr Robinson said those experiences taught him lessons he now intends to share with buyers and sellers.

"The biggest thing I've learned is to make a pre-plan before you go into a renovation and crunch your numbers and do the maths," he said. "You've got to do your research on where the best locations for capital gains are and make sure you're making the right moves.

He continued, “I was also very aware of market trends, including when was the right time to sell, the best time of year to go to market and how long to hold a property to maximise returns and minimise tax where possible. Those lessons have helped me better understand the decisions buyers and sellers face."

Today, Mr Robinson lives full-time on a 27-acre Highland cattle farm near Berry, where he breeds Highland cattle and enjoys the lifestyle that first attracted him to the South Coast.

"I currently live full-time in Berry, where I've got a 27-acre Highland cattle farm," he said. "I lived on a cattle farm when I was younger with my grandma, and over time, I have earned enough money to buy a farm on the South Coast."

A chance conversation with Jacqui Crapp sparks a new career

Also, the owner of the Redfern-based gym Body Skin Soul, as well as several short-stay accommodation properties, Mr Robinson, transitioned into real estate after a chance meeting with Raine & Horne Berry principal Jacqui Crapp at a local event.

The pair struck up a conversation about property, with Mr Robinson sharing his extensive renovation experience and passion for real estate.

"I met Jacqui at an event, and I told her that I had my assistant agent course," he said.

"She offered me a job, and I started two weeks later."

Mrs Crapp, who admits that she hadn’t followed Mr Robinson’s progress on MAFS before meeting him, said his enthusiasm for property and a genuine connection to the South Coast immediately stood out.

"Chris already had years of hands-on experience buying, renovating and selling property before joining our office," Mrs Crapp said. "What impressed me most was his genuine passion for real estate and helping people.

"He understands property from the perspective of an owner, investor and renovator, and that's a valuable skill set for buyers and sellers."

Mr Robinson said Berry and the broader South Coast offered a lifestyle that was increasingly attracting buyers from Sydney and other metropolitan markets. "The beautiful thing about living here is you are five to 10 minutes from the coastline," he said.

"You've got beautiful beaches at your fingertips, but you've also got farming and rural properties as well.

"The community is one of the best. You've got all the amenities you need, plus bars, cocktail bars, pubs and restaurants, but you're in the country."

Mr Robinson said flexible working arrangements continued to support demand for South Coast properties. "There's a lot of Sydney buyers wanting to exit the city," he said.

"With a lot of work-from-home jobs still out there, there's a lot of buyers coming down here more so for lifestyle properties.

"Many buyers from Sydney visit for holidays or have friends and family in the area, then they compare what $1.5 million buys in the city with what $1.5 million can buy on the South Coast.”

Television experience helps build relationships

Mr Robinson said his experience on Married At First Sight had already proven valuable in his new career.

"I've only held three Saturdays of open homes, and people have been lovely. Everyone has been really welcoming, and I've had so much positive feedback from people who watched the show."

Mr Robinson said appearing on one of Australia's most-watched television programs had strengthened the communication and relationship-building skills that are essential in real estate.

"I've done a lot of media interviews, including appearances on the Today Show," he said. "I'm very comfortable being in front of a camera and being interviewed. That has really helped with my relationship-building skills, my communication and my presentation, which will be very helpful as I progress in my real estate career.”

Looking ahead, Mr Robinson said real estate combines two lifelong passions. "It's just such a passion of mine. In fact, it's a bit of a slight obsession," he said.

"I love people, I love property, and this job allows me to be in both of those. That's showing people through beautiful properties and I love the excitement that buying/selling and lifestyle change can bring

“I hope to bring to all my clients the excitement and joy of real estate and the South Coast, and I'm looking forward to what I can achieve with Raine & Horne Berry.”