My Difference

About Christine Shaw

My cause is reducing homelessness by fundraising for Hands Across Canberra and Vinnies CEO Sleepout.

The two repeat compliments I received are that I am different and a square peg in a round hole.  I love those compliments, and if you’ve met me at an open house and thought this, your first impression is right – I am.

With me, what you see is what you get – no prepared scripts or pressure tactics. I will tell you to not sell if I think it is the right decision, and give you renovation ideas instead. Work colleagues and community members I have worked with over the last 40+ years will tell you I am genuine, trustworthy, loyal, enthusiastic and ethical – as well as a natural organiser. Nine years at Brisbane City Council, 15 years in the private sector, and 16 years in the Commonwealth Government working variously in human resources, overseas aid and multi-faith community harmony initiatives has given me a unique skill set. I go the extra mile at everything I do, your privacy will always be respected, and I am honest and frank in my communication with you – no tricks, no games, no predatory behaviour – and it shows in the results.

I’ve been fortunate to be a Top Ten Agent at two agencies as well as ACT Top Ten Agent of the Year 2024, receiving numerous awards and securing multiple government tenders. From 2012, my Investors Can Help project has assisted our ACT refugee community to secure affordable housing. In 2017, I became a member of the ACT Government’s Consultative Group on Affordable Housing and Homelessness – and was finally able to merge my social policy background with my real estate passion. I am also on the ACT Chapter of Housing All Australians, as well as a proud Ambassador and fundraiser for the Vinnies CEO Sleepout.

Selling your home is not just a one-dimensional step in any person’s life, and I’m proud to be a unique agent who thinks and understands the broader issues, while still delivering fantastic results with my clients. My repeat and referral business is over 85%, which is unique in our industry – and the greatest measure of a successful agent.

As part of my social impact model, as a seller, you have the benefit of sending 25% of my fee to either Hands Across Canberra or Vinnies CEO Sleepout to help with homelessness initiatives, and then receive a tax receive at settlement disbursement.  Yes, I’m different.

Business Ethos

Christine Shaw Properties is a boutique real estate agency focusing only on sales, operating in the Canberra region. Established in 2018, the Agency demonstrates professionalism in all aspects of marketing each property using exceptional negotiation skills achieving your premium price as a result of over 17 years of experience.

Selling your property is a very personal journey. Marketing has to be personalised; circumstances are specific; and trust is paramount. No two processes are the same. My experience is that clients treasure that personal relationship with their agent who is personally involved in every aspect.

To understand the company philosophy behind Christine Shaw Properties, you must first know and understand Christine. Her relationship management and stakeholder engagement style from government helped enormously when she started selling real estate in the ACT and NSW from 2008. Christine has a “you will never be hounded” post appraisal philosophy. You know where she is when the time is right for you to sell your property.

Early in her real estate career, Christine penned the phrase “client for life philosophy” while writing submission material for awards and tenders. Not only is Christine invested in the relationships with her clients, and keeping those relationships, she is motivated to make a difference. That is why “real estate with a purpose™” is the banner line on all marketing material for this fresh and innovative business.

Christine genuinely believes at the ground level we can all make a great difference. Clients will always be the priority, helping you to achieve a truly authentic experience in real estate by achieving the very best price and helping others along the way.

Focus

To be trusted as the reputable Real Estate Agency of choice achieving premium prices across the full range of properties, by delivering exceptional customer service and professional marketing campaigns.

Purpose

With like-minded clients understanding the benefits of achieving the premium price as well as making a difference, the splitting of the commission at the time of settlement will ensure direct assistance for homelessness and affordable housing initiatives.

Values

  • Understanding repeat and referral business is paramount to success, Christine will deliver excellent service to clients, who will want to recommend Christine Shaw Properties to others.
  • Client privacy and confidentially will always be respected.
  • Preferred trades and suppliers all have a cause they support.
  • Actions will stand the public scrutiny test and integrity is not negotiable.
  • Walk the talk and hopefully others will see they too can make a difference
  • Gifts to clients will be sourced from indigenous businesses and social enterprises.

Giving Back

Many businesses can have corporate social responsibility platforms, and organise corporate giving programs with staff donations each pay – both which are commendable and should be encouraged. Many of us do what we can, no matter how small – and giving with either your time as a volunteer or with funds is to be applauded.

My way of helping involves two organisations that fund homelessness and affordable housing initiatives:

Hands across canberra logo

Hands Across Canberra

Hands Across Canberra represents over 350 community organisations in our region. Many of these community groups don’t have the financial capacity to establish themselves as a Charity under tax law, so Hands Across Canberra provides that umbrella deductile gift recipient (DGR) status to help so many groups receive funds. So far, I am the only real estate individual agent who has a Named Fund with Hands Across Canberra but I am hoping other agents might one day have one. Every adult in Canberra can set up a Named Fund, and the money that goes into this fund sits in perpetuity with Hands Across Canberra – you will never receive the money back as you are leaving a legacy in our community for the future. Owners can contribute progressively to it, so it is not just a one-off amount. All the collective interest gained from these Named Funds help fund a grants round every year – which is distributed amongst various community groups. There is also the ability to have your Named Fund transfer to your children when you are no longer with us. The Named Fund program in a province in Canada that has been around for many decades has millions of dollars even year given out in community grants. We are a long way from those sorts of number, but the model works when the community gets behind it. Here is the link to Named Funds if you wish to learn more:

Named Funds - Hands Across Canberra

Leaving a legacy: what is a named fund? A named fund is an ongoing investment that enables you to support charities and causes over the long term. Funds are administered through a not for profit trustee, earning income that can be redistributed each year. Named funds are less costly and easier to administer than private foundations. They are a flexible, effective and thoughtful way to make a …

If you wish to donate to my Named Fund to help the community, here is the link where you will receive a tax receipt.

Ceo logo

St Vincent De Paul Society CEO Sleepout

I have had the extreme privilege of being a Vinnies CEO Sleepout Ambassador for many years, and every year on a Thursday in June for the last 5 years, close to Winter Solstice and the longest night of the year, I walk into a venue and meet up with my tribe. These souls who attend every year, as well as newcomers, are kindred spirits. There are no business cards handed out on the night – and to the cynics in my industry, no – I do not get appraisals from this. That is not what it is about. This is not a tokenistic exercise of pretending you are going through what a homeless person is going through – far from it. We are only experiencing about .00001% of the reality of what someone goes through every night. Yes it is cold, yes it is uncomfortable, yes it is difficult, and you don’t get much sleep even with the best of sleeping bags. Three cardboard sheets give little comfort on a concrete floor or grass. Taking part in the Vinnies CEO Sleepout kicks you out of your world in a harsh way – and I can guarantee that if you attend, you will wake up the next morning a different person with a different outlook on life. How do those caught in the horrendous homelessness cycle actually get up each morning and function, some even going to work? Many of us have the benefit of just having a slow or quiet Friday to recover. We do the Sleepout to raise awareness, to educate others, to raise funds, and to provide money for the amazing staff and volunteers out in the field every day providing services to our community members who need help. Government finances are finite – and these amazing Vinnies staff need funds to deliver programs. Statistics show our region has 1700 homeless – but the community organisations know that is just the technical statistic and reality is there are many more. Please consider taking part – but if not, please consider donating! 

Use this link to my donation page where you will receive a tax receipt.

For Sellers: By appointing me as your agent to sell your home, 25% of your commission payment is actually sent to either Hands Across Canberra or Vinnies CEO Sleepout. A form is sent to your Solicitor prior to settlement funds being distributed, giving them instructions to send 75% to me as the selling agent, and 25% to whichever of the two you choose. Selling your home can now help the community, and you have the benefit of a tax receipt at the end of the process.

Christine explains her “Social Impact Model of Real Estate”.

My time in social policy in overseas aid and refugee/humanitarian sectors solidified my core way of life. I have had the benefit of having amazing mentors in my various careers as well as in real estate. Since starting in the real estate industry in 2008, I have seen a level of wealth in our community I never anticipated.

After the great honour of being appointed on the Deputy Chief Minister’s Consultative Group for Affordable Housing and Homelessness, and being part of the Housing Summit in October 2017, the wheels started moving.

We all know there are enough real estate agencies in the Canberra region, so I initially never thought of starting my own business. (I thought a job in the Integrity Commission would be fascinating.) I had an idea of incorporating the ethos of social enterprises and community organisations and adapting these principles to a pre-existing sector flooded with the same model. Creating a social impact model of a real estate agency started to take shape, and with the deepest and most sincere thanks to my mentors, I discovered leaving the industry might not be my path. Other than publicly listed real estate companies or community housing models, real estate agencies don’t reveal what their profits are each year.

Those who are successful should give back – and doing so from the hip pocket is what is needed to show the true measure of a business and those in charge. If the cameras aren’t there and no-one will find out about your donation in a publicity sense, would you still do it?

My Social Impact Model has been developed before I started Christine Shaw Properties in 2018. It isn’t an after-thought or annexure to the business. My raison d’être is affordable housing – helping those facing homelessness. (Not housing affordability – see my Blog for the difference.) The United Nations has decreed that having a roof over your head is a basic human right. We all know the gap between the “haves” and the “have nots” is expanding.

This is only one sector; my sector. I’m a small fish in a fantastic community pond. My Investors Can Help project showed Canberra has a big heart.

I do hope you will support my business.