An Entrepreneur’s Journey in Australia: How Nitesh Jha's ‘Perth Home Brokers’ Paved The Way to Success

Entrepreneur Nitesh Jha has etched his name in the Australian real estate market as he built an empire called 'Perth Home Brokers'. 

Where frustrated homebuyers rarely become the solution to their own problems, Jha, who was served mere 'lemons', instead of making lemonade - set up an estate.

In a classic case of "fine, I will do it myself," he turned his homebuying headaches into a successful business, changing the real estate industry in Australia, especially for first-home buyers. 

From jobless to job creator

Nitesh Jha arrived in Australia in 2014 with a background in information technology sales, however, he found himself unemployed for eight months. The difficult period had Jha seek new solutions in the real estate market.

Over the next decade, the entrepreneur established multiple successful businesses as 'Perth Home Brokers' became his flagship company, focusing on serving first-home buyers in Western Australia. Alongside the company, Jha also expanded his business portfolio.

Today, his companies employ over 30 people and are projected to reach 50 employees by the next financial year. The growth shows Jha's ability to turn personal adversity into opportunities.

Jha shares, “I remember that was a hard time for me, but looking back, that had to happen so I could help people, particularly first-home buyers.”

Identifying a gap: Improving first-home buyer experience

Initially, Nitesh Jha encountered difficulties as a first-time homebuyer during his journey with Perth Home Brokers. He struggled with purchasing a home and soon realised a significant gap in the market for a streamlined, customer-first approach specifically designed for people who had never previously purchased a home.

Jha recalls, "I literally spent six months trying to find out how to get my own first house, and like most of the people in Australia who are immigrants, they just do not know how. Even the locals who are not immigrants do not know. So essentially, no one gives guidance to a first-home buyer.”  

Recognising the need, Jha began working with a builder to develop a system specifically tailored for first-home buyers and a new method was introduced, prioritising getting clients' finances in order before even looking at properties. The initiative aims to help first-time homebuyers be well-prepared and understand their financial capabilities before starting their property search.

Creating a new business model

Jha faced a new set of challenges after the launch of a new company as the concept of a building broker was relatively new and unfamiliar in the Australian real estate market. He could not convince builders to collaborate with Perth Home Brokers initially.

Another significant hurdle faced by Jha was understanding the legal obligations in this new industry. As a pioneer in the building broker space, there were no established guidelines or precedents to follow. He had to tread this uncharted territory carefully to guarantee it operated within legal boundaries.

Due to the new nature of the business, Nitesh Jha had to hire and train people from outside the real estate industry. This required time and resources but ultimately allowed it to build a team aligned with its goals and values.

Building success through simple processes and integrity

The entrepreneur believes in making the home-buying journey so straightforward that "a 12-year-old could run the business." 

Additionally, Nitesh Jha emphasises integrity in all company dealings with ethical business practices becoming a key differentiator for the company in Perth’s competitive market.

One of the new steps taken by Jha was standardising commissions and fees across different builders and clients, aiming to eliminate potential conflicts of interest.

Balancing multiple businesses and personal life

Central to Perth Home Brokers' success is Jha's focus on creating simple, transparent processes and making the home-buying journey straightforward. 

"For me, the fundamental thing that gave me all the success is making sure the process that the business follows. I spend more time creating a process with a lot of integrity in it," Nitesh explains. 

Jha is able to balance his personal and professional life as he typically works only 20 to 25 hours per week across all his businesses. 

He proudly shares, "I attended my daughter's sports day last week. I am one of the only dads who basically attend pretty much every school function of my daughter."

The balance was struck after Nitesh outsourced aspects of his business so it can operate smoothly without requiring his constant personal involvement. 

Perth Home Brokers and its other companies rely on external partners for administrative tasks, accounting, and marketing. “We have an office in the Philippines. Our back-end office is in Cebu City,” he shares. 

Plans for future growth 

Nitesh Jha's goal for his company extends beyond Western Australia. The company is set for significant expansion in the coming year. "Now we are going to Brisbane by the end of this year, Melbourne by early next year,” he explains. 

The expansion plan proves Perth Home Brokers' success and Nitesh's ambition to replicate the company's model in other major Australian cities aiming to change the home-buying experience across the country.

Notably, the move to expand eastward showcases the scalability of Nitesh's business model and highlights the growing demand for simplified, transparent processes in the real estate industry nationwide. 

It must be mentioned that first-home buyers made up 32.6 per cent of all owner-occupier housing loan commitments in July 2024 according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Jha’s career switch from sales to real estate is a reminder that sometimes, the best person to turn an industry inside out is the one who has been most disrupted by it. 

As Perth Home Brokers expands its reach in Australia, Jha's journey reminds people that in the world of real estate, a straightforward perspective can be the key to unlocking doors – both literally and figuratively.