Andrew and Mandy Shell
From corporate to country
This Melbourne couple fell in love with Yarrawonga, so they bought some real estate – and the real estate agency.
A phone call one day in 2007 to a Yarrawonga Real Estate agency changed Andrew and Mandy Shell’s lives forever.
It all started with an inquiry to the then Brian Keenan Real Estate and ended with Andrew not only acquiring a block of land near Lake Mulwala, but also the real estate business.
The decision to buy the business saw the couple make a clean break from their hectic professional lives in Melbourne to relocate to this idyllic, much slower moving rural community.
It is a far cry from the hours of local and interstate travel Andrew was accustomed to as a corporate sales and marketing executive with national property developers.
Having worked amongst the industry for more than two decades Andrew has been involved in heading up the sales and marketing of the Commonwealth Games Athletes Village in 2004 and the same role for Freshwater Place, a multi million dollar residential and retail complex in Melbourne.
“The only real thing I have to worry about these days is trying to miss peak hour traffic just before 9 am at the roundabout near the office. We could be banked up three deep if I time it wrong,” he laughed.
Mandy Shell, a TV advertising executive for 15 years with Southern Cross, has also embraced life in Yarrawonga, enjoying more days on the golf course and spending time with her mother who was the reason the pair discovered the twin town in the first place.
Now known as Yarrawonga Real Estate, the business is growing under Andrew's expertise. His staff has increased from three to seven and the rental arm of the agency has tripled since late last year.
So with business taking care of itself the couple have spent more time recently planning and designing their 65 square French provincial style home with water views.
“We are planning a four bedroom home with study, sewing room for Mandy, a four car garage to accommodate Andrew’s passion for classic cars, three separate living areas and an alfresco area with in ground pool and pool room.“
“We live in a healthier, more friendly environment and we'd be mad not to embrace the change. It is the best thing we’ve ever done,” Andrew said.
