Meet a Zango agent: Bill Lyristakis, Berkeley Residential

Growing up in Deakin, a young Bill Lyristakis would often miss the school bus home from Forest Primary. Consequently, many afternoons were spent roaming the neighbourhood’s beautiful tree-lined streets, past some of the city’s most iconic houses on his way home.

He didn’t know it at the time, but those long walks sparked a life-long love of real estate.

It was many years later on his return to Australia, after years working for a British merchant bank in London, that Bill began marketing property. Throughout his 28 year career since, he has cemented an impeccable record for achieving outstanding results, with a client list of established families, not only in Canberra, but along the country’s eastern seaboard and throughout the Asia Pacific region.

Bill is now Director at Berkeley Residential based at their Kingston office. But come the end of the day, Lake Jerrabomberra is where he calls home.

“Jerrabomberra has a lovely sense of community. It's a little removed but that gives me a decent amount of time to separate work from home,” he says.

“The drive is 15 minutes, and generally, by the time I get home the events of the day have passed, and I'm with my family. Whereas, I think if I were to live two minutes from the office, I'd probably take work home with me a lot more.”

While he’s fortunate to see and sell some of the city’s most beautiful properties, Bill counts his own home as his favourite place to be.

“It’s got wonderful rural views, it's on the water, has great fruit trees, and my wife Mary has planted an amazing garden. I keep a beehive and love hanging out in the garden,” he says.

For Bill, he says the thing that continues to drive him as a real estate agent is making people's real estate dreams become a reality and seeing their transparent joy in the process.

“Nothing really comes close to that,” he says.

“And that can come from the purchase of the smallest cottage to the grandest estate, the emotions are the same. However, I have to say, young couples buying their first home are the most excited, and you can't duplicate that joy.”

What are your three home must-haves?

Without question, natural light. You need sunlight whether it's diffused or direct. That's the first requisite. Second is a sense of comfort. It is important to feel comfortable when you walk into a home or know that you can make it your own. The third would be a good arrangement of space.

Favourite place in Canberra?

Lake Burley Griffin. When I was growing up it was not uncommon to have 15 or 20 kids down at the Yarralumla Bay jetty diving and swimming after school. You just don't see people using the Lake the way they used to. And that should be rectified because it's a fabulous resource. Just imagine clean Lake water and beach clubs around the Lake Foreshore.

North side or south side?

I grew up on the south side. However, I'm very much converting to the north side as time goes by and I wouldn't be surprised if we were to retire into apartment-living in the city.

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