At just 28, Ozan Kanbur of Buxton Real Estate has already established himself as one of Melbourne’s top agents, earning a spot on the Herald Sun’s Best-Selling Agents Under 30 list.
His path to success was far from typical, and his modest upbringing in commission housing may give him a deeper understanding of what ‘home’ means to prospective buyers than most. His rise to becoming one of Victoria’s most successful young agents is a testament to hard work, resilience, and determination
Growing up in public housing, Ozan was no stranger to hardship. “We weren’t poor,” he recalls, “but we also didn’t take many holidays, and it wasn’t like there was extra money lying around.”
Raised in a single-parent household after his parents divorced, Ozan’s childhood was defined by watching his family live paycheque to paycheque. His father eventually relocated to Turkey, leaving his mother to raise Ozan and his siblings in Melbourne. The family moved often, and Ozan’s early experiences shaped his drive to succeed.
“That experience is what pushes me to work harder and create a better life for my family,” he says. “It’s definitely one of the main drivers behind my work ethic.”
Like many teenagers, Ozan faced uncertainty about his future and after finishing high school with what he describes as “the lowest ATAR score of all my friends,” his career path wasn’t immediately clear.
“I had ambitions of being an architect,” he says, “but quickly realised that wasn’t going to happen with my results.”
Instead, Ozan stumbled into sales by accident, landing a job at furniture retailer Nick Scali where his natural talent for selling began to emerge.
“I was the youngest salesperson there, and while most people were waiting at the back, I was always at the front, ready to greet every customer,” he recalls.
“One of the women I worked with was selling her home, and she introduced me to her real estate agent. She told me I’d be good at real estate, and that’s how it started. It wasn’t something I had planned at all.”
That recommendation set Ozan on his path into the property industry, which admittedly was hardly glamorous: “I had no idea how real estate worked.On my first day, my boss took me for a drive around the suburb and told me, ‘You’re going to knock on doors until you find people who want to sell.’ I was shocked. I thought I’d be selling houses, but instead, I was out there door-knocking.”
For the first few years, Ozan spent most of his time walking from house to house, trying to build relationships with local residents. “It was tough—cold prospecting is really challenging. But I realised early on that it was a long game. My goal wasn’t to get appraisals right away, but to get names, phone numbers, and build a database.”
That methodical approach eventually paid off. By consistently keeping in touch with potential clients, Ozan built a network of relationships that formed the foundation of his success.
“I’ve got clients today that I door-knocked 10 years ago,” he says. “It’s all about building trust and staying in touch, so when people are ready to sell, they come to you.
“Success comes down to hard work and integrity. If you focus on what’s best for your clients and consistently go the extra mile, the rest falls into place. It was definitely challenging though, for the first five years, all I did was knock on doors and cold call. Looking back, I don’t think most people starting out today would be willing to put in that level of effort.”
Ozan’s growth accelerated when he moved to Buxton Real Estate about five years ago, giving him access to a broader network and more resources. It also allowed him to move into auctioneering, which is something a young Ozan would never have dreamt of doing.
“When I first started, I would look at people doing auctions in front of 50 or 100 people and think, ‘How on earth do they do that?’ Now, I’m doing two to six auctions every Saturday. It’s character-building – being able to command attention and handle high-pressure situations has matured me a lot. I think I’ve developed a level of maturity beyond my years.”
While Ozan’s professional achievements are impressive, he is quick to acknowledge the personal side of his success. One of his proudest moments came when he bought his first home – not for himself, but for his mother. Only recently did Ozan and his partner move into their own home after completing a full renovation. “Now, I’m finally able to enjoy the fruits of my labour and appreciate what we’ve achieved.”
Ozan’s experiences growing up have also given him a deep empathy for first-time buyers, particularly younger clients who struggle to get on the property ladder.
“A lot of my close friends still haven’t entered the property market, and I totally understand how tough it is,” he says.
“Prices have grown so much, especially in the areas we grew up in. If you don’t have family support, it’s really hard to break in.”
