Driving force: The award winner finding success in real estate outside of sales

Jessica West isn’t the name you’ll see on real estate signs, but she’s behind many of the deals that make those signs possible.  

With more than a decade of experience in property from selling and styling to strategy and systems, Ms West has become a go-to person behind the scenes at Stone Real Estate Wahroonga/Turramurra.  

As operations manager and executive assistant to principal Ray Talati, she’s the person who keeps everything moving, whether it’s launching a new campaign or helping solve a tricky client challenge.  

“I take care of everything behind the scenes, so Ray and the team can be out doing their thing,” she told Realestate.com.au.  

“He has full trust in me and that trust is what makes everything work.” 

It’s why Ms West and her work were recognised nationally when she won the Support Superstar of the Year award at the REA Excellence Awards last year.  

Ms West’s real estate journey started over a decade ago, moving through just about every role in sales: executive assistant, buyer’s agent, associate, listing agent and even working solo.  

Add to that her qualifications that she’s a licensed real estate agent and qualified interior and building designer, and it’s clear she brings more to the table than your average operator. 

In fact, she’s often the one literally moving the table. 

“Every now and then I’ll jump in and do property styling, or I’ll be at a photoshoot moving furniture around to get the perfect shot,” she said.  

“Ray hands over the reins when it comes to design because he knows I’ve got the eye for it.” 

Ms West has been working with Mr Talati for the past five years, and their partnership has been built on mutual respect and a shared love of problem-solving. 

There have been plenty of wins along the way, but winning the Support Superstar of the Year award has been one of her career highlights. 

“I’ve been doing this for over 10 years, and I’ve never seen support staff recognised like this at the national level,” she said.  

“I was on holidays when I got the nomination and I just started crying. It was a moment of realising that what I do really does matter.” 

The award isn’t just about her, it’s about shining a light on the many people who keep the engine of real estate businesses running. 

“We’re the engine rooms and we’re the ones helping these teams thrive, so this felt like a win for everyone behind the scenes,” she said.  

Ms West’s love of homes started from an early age.  

“I was that kid pulling out the real estate section from the Sunday paper, redrawing floor plans for fun and that passion never left me,” she said.  

Wahroonga is on the upper north shore, about 18 kilometres northwest of the Sydney CBD. Picture: Getty

After working in a variety of roles in real estate, Ms West said she had found her lane working in operations.  

“I realised I didn’t need to be the face at the open homes to be successful,” she said.  

“I could still be in real estate, still do what I love but in a way that really suits me.” 

“This is the happiest I’ve ever been in my career. We’ve got a great team, everyone knows their lane and we support each other. It just works.” 

And now, a new chapter has begun. Two months ago, Ms West and the team moved from DiJones Real Estate to Stone Real Estate and have been busy setting up the new office and vision.  

Outside of work, she’s recently discovered a new passion: Latin dancing.  

“I started latin dancing last year, everything from salsa, bachata and samba,” she said.   

“I recently performed and absolutely loved it, it’s fun, it’s social, it doesn’t even feel like exercise.”  

Ms West may not have her name up in the lights every day, but she remains a driving force in her team.  

And she’s proof that real estate success isn’t just about being on the front lines, sometimes it’s about being the one making sure everything behind the curtain runs smoothly.