Strong local expertise and community relationships are helping award-winning Raine & Horne Strathalbyn outperform its competition in a tightly held market, despite a shortage of listings.
Led by the experienced trio of Brendan Saunders, Nick Grosvenor and rural property ace Paul Clifford, the team also co-owns Raine & Horne Rural SA, one of the group’s best-performing rural offices nationally.
Established in the 1980s, the Strathalbyn office, located in the heart of the historic township on the edge of the Adelaide Hills and gateway to the Fleurieu Peninsula, was a leading performer at the 2025 Raine & Horne State Awards held at a glittering event at Sky City Adelaide, securing Top Office for Sales GCI and Top Rural Office (Largest Sale/Auction).
Mr Grosvenor also claimed Top Principal honours for both Sales GCI and Number of Sales Transactions, strengthening his long-held position as one of the network’s leading sales agents in South Australia.
Local ties and knowledge set Raine & Horne Strathalbyn apart
Robust community ties and local knowledge underpin the success of the Raine & Horne Strathalbyn office. Mr Saunders and Mr Grosvenor attended Eastern Fleurieu School and now live within 300 metres of each other, along with Mr Clifford, in the town.
“We grew up in Strathalbyn, live here, and we know the area inside out, and when we walk into a property, we know what it's worth immediately, whether it can be subdivided and what the local zoning rules are,” Mr Saunders said.
“We’ve also invested in in-house marketing, including video production and AI-driven visual content, letting us deliver cost-effective and high-quality campaigns for our clients, which is something that really differentiates us in our market.”
Mr Grosvenor, who has consistently ranked among Raine & Horne’s top agents in South Australia for more than a decade, attributes his personal success to focus and consistency. “I focus almost exclusively on Strathalbyn, with around 90% of my transactions in the local market, which gives me a real depth of market knowledge and a strong local network,” he said.
“I work across all facets of the market, including residential, rural, land, development and commercial, which allows me to support clients at every stage and generate repeat business.
“High-profile commercial listings in the town centre also play an important role. They create visibility, generate enquiry and often lead to additional listings across other property types.”
That said, if a property sits outside his core market, Mr Grosvenor will gladly refer it on to ensure it’s handled by the right local expert – and he typically refers listings every month to his Raine & Horne sales colleagues across South Australia.
Mr Grosvenor, who has been with Raine & Horne since 2002 after starting with the 143-year-old real estate brand straight out of school, said the strength of the network is central to his success.
“It’s a fantastic, family-owned and supportive group, and we’ve built a strong, well-established presence in the region. We’re the longest-serving real estate office in Strathalbyn.”
Community engagement is central to business success
Community participation remains central to the business, with the Raine & Horne Strathalbyn team actively supporting local sporting clubs and events.
“We’re heavily involved in local football, netball, cricket and bowls clubs, as well as community initiatives. Supporting the community is important because we’re part of it,” Mr Saunders said.
Currently, Raine & Horne Strathalbyn supports the football, netball, and cricket clubs in Langhorne Creek as well as the Strathalbyn Football and Netball clubs. It also sponsors the Strathalbyn and Langhorne Creek bowls clubs, the Meadows Football Club and is the major sponsor of the Strathalbyn Community Duck Race.
Listings tighten as genuine buyer demand holds
According to Mr Saunders, the Strathalbyn real estate market is resilient despite fewer listings and slightly softer open home attendance. Listings are down by around 10% in Strathalbyn compared to a year ago, while properties are exchanging contracts in 14-21 days.
He added that while ‘open for inspections’ are attracting fewer groups than 12 months ago, there are usually 3-4 genuine buyers and fewer “tyre-kickers”.
New buyer segments reshaping the Strathalbyn property market
The median three-bedroom house price in Strathalbyn is around $750,000 to $760,000, while newer four-bedroom properties generally sell for above $800,000.
Mr Saunders said Strathalbyn’s relatively affordable housing is attracting a newer mix of buyers. “Traditionally, we’ve attracted an older demographic, but we’re now seeing more younger buyers and, for the first time, more investor enquiry,” he said.
“Rental yields of around 4.5%, combined with limited rental stock, are helping to attract investors.”
Lifestyle factors are also driving demand, with approximately 75% of buyers coming from outside the area, particularly from the Adelaide Hills. Mr Saunders said, “People come here and immediately see the appeal.
“Strathalbyn is a great place to live within a reasonable 50-minute commuting distance of Adelaide.”
This article was independently written and edited by Real Estate Today. © Real Estate Today 2026 – All Rights Reserved.
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