Over his 20-year career, Melbourne real estate agent Mark Di Giulio has amassed a long list of awards, but his true reward is downtime with his family.

Three years ago, a stunning beachside home on the picturesque Mornington Peninsula came up for sale just as he started thinking about buying a holiday pad.

Mr Di Giulio, one of the directors of the Barry Plant Eastern Group, didn’t need a lot of convincing to buy this particular property, since his parents lived next door.

Mark invited realestate.com.au into his own home as part of the Agent Abodes series, which goes beyond the front doors of some of property’s biggest performers.

It isn’t the first time his family helped him make a wise decision, with his father politely suggesting that he put his gift of the gab to good use and sell houses for a living. 

The huge success that followed for Mr Di Giulio led to the purchase of this little piece of paradise.

Aiming for a truly lived-in home

The holiday home, just 300m from the beach, is on a knife edge that manages to impress with contemporary features while conveying warmth and welcome. 

“I love a modern but comfortable home, but not clinical,” Mr Di Giulio said.  “There's a difference between modern and clinical or sterile, and I think I've got that here.”

The designer kitchen in Mark's holiday house. Picture: realestate.com.au

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The kitchen shines as the centrepiece of this property, with bright and well-placed lighting showing off the clean-cut lines. 

It contrasts with the dining room, which is simple, uncluttered and the perfect place for a family breakfast on a Sunday morning. 

Everything is perfectly styled, yet practical for a large family, he said.

There are touches of marine motif décor, whether it be a collection of shells or pictures of colourful boats surrounded by lapping water. The shell-encrusted welcome sign is sincerely meant. 

The home is a true family hideaway - complete with grandparents next door. Picture: realestate.com.au

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Mr Di Guilio is of the firm belief that things should be enjoyed and would never want his home to be completely immaculate.

“You have got to watch out it doesn't turn into a museum with kids. I'm not preserving it for the next people or for when I'm in the ground.”

He might be laid-back with his home but that’s not the case when it comes to his career or care about his customers. He takes that very seriously.

The beach is just 300m away. Picture: realestate.com.au

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Humble but determined

Mr Di Guilio believes his commitment to customer satisfaction puts him ahead of the rest.

A marketing degree that helps his sales campaigns truly stand out also helps, he said.

Last year, the Real Estate Institute of Victoria and the Real Estate Institute of Australia crowned him the Salesperson of the Year. He was also named number one agent in the Barry Plant group.

Over his 20-year career, Mark has established himself as one of Australia's top agents. Picture: YouTube

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It’s a success built on two decades of hard work, humility, and remaining focused on the needs of his clients – both vendors and buyers.

“There was a high level of comfort and enjoyment knowing that I was able to help someone realise their aspirations,” he said of his very first sale. 

“It’s kind of cool because, yes, it's a transaction, but for a lot of people, it’s the next stage of their lives.”

Just as it was back at that first sale, Mr Di Giulio continues to see his job as something far more complex than just buying and selling. 

“I refer to myself as not necessarily a real estate agent but as a property therapist… because you've got two individuals, the vendor side with their own set of problems, hopes, and dreams, and then you've got the same thing for the buyer side.”

He fondly recalls his very first sale two decades ago. Picture: Barry Plant

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Being a good agent comes down to “really listening to people” to understand what they want and then finding a solution that’s ultimately about bringing people together.

Establishing trust with all parties by being a straightshooter is also at the core of his success, he said.

And the final test of his truthfulness must be his answer as to why one particular part of his holiday home looks so pristine. 

Mr Di Giulio admits the kitchen sees very little use, describing it as “highly functional” but revealing “I reckon I’ve used it twice”.