Happy Medium

SIX YEARS AGO, RETAIL VETERAN STEVEN WALKER WAS GIVEN A YEAR TO TELL THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN PROPERTY MARKET ABOUT A SMALL BUILDER BANKING A$6 MILLION IN ANNUAL SALES. TODAY, KOOKABURRA HOMES BOASTS A$67 MILLION IN SALES, WITH STEVEN AS ITS CO-OWNER.

- MICHAEL WAYNE

NAME: Steven Walker

COMPANY: Kookaburra Homes

POSITION: Co-Owner

LOCATION: Adelaide, Australia

Despite reports to the contrary, the great Australian dream of homeownership isn’t dead; it’s simply had a facelift. Pushed beyond the reach of many Australians due to ballooning property prices and the ever-increasing cost of living, owning a home is still possible. Those who’ve yet to give up on the elusive dream have been forced to circumvent the usual channels to find a way to make it work, and many have reached their goal by building their own home.

At the same time, those selling the dream have had to step up their game. Over the past decade, the home building industry has become a fiercely contested hotbed of innovation and competition. As buyers increasingly turn to builders to realize their dreams, industry players steeped in tradition have been shoved into a modern age of advertising and transparency. It’s in this environment that South Australian builder Kookaburra Homes rose to the top, and Co-Owner Steven Walker says it’s all down to communication.