BERT Eastoe has retired from his job of property valuer which has included the last three decades working in Albury-Wodonga.
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Mr Eastoe has been at the coal face of strong growth in the residential property sector as the twin cities’ population steams towards a combined 100,000 people.
His areas of expertise have also crossed over into other real estate areas including rural, commercial, industrial, licenced premises and rural residential.
In his 30 years in the field on the border, Mr Eastoe estimates an average household block in Thurgoona has increased in value from $30,000 when he began to $130,000 today.
But the biggest change in his profession has been technology.
When he started out there was no direct reporting from the field mechanism available, but the emergence of iphones, iPads and digital cameras, among other tools, have transformed his profession.
“The days of just operating with a pad and paper and a tape measure have long gone,” he said.
Mr Eastoe operated independently when he first came to Albury-Wodonga via stints in New Zealand, Sydney and Young.
He then joined Cosgraves Property Advisers in 1990 and became a director of the firm from 1993 to 2015.
Mr Eastoe remained a director when Cosgraves became part of Taylor Byrne valuation and property consultants.
Among his specialist work was carrying out feasibility studies of sub divisions, commercial developments rural properties.
The days of just operating with a pad and paper and a tape measure have long gone
- Bert Eastoe
Mr Eastoe, 61, has held numerous community leadership roles.
They include executive roles with the former Albury-Wodonga chamber of commerce, Australian Property Institute, Albury Club, Mercy Hospital and Marianella nursing home.
He was also part of the One City initiative to bring Albury and Wodonga councils together as one entity in the early 2000s.
Mr Eastoe was also part of business lobby group Investment Albury-Wodonga which was funded by both councils, but became a casualty of the fallout of the failed One City push which was pushed by NSW Premier Bob Carr and his Victorian counterpart, Steve Bracks.
He is still actively involved in Hockey Albury-Wodonga where he is a life member.