FOR the first time in a decade, there's a new kid on the block at Tenterfield real estate agency Alford and Duff.
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Tenterfield High School student Ellie Thomas is completing her TAFE course in property management at the Rouse Street agency.
"Ellie is honest, reliable punctual and friendly," Alford and Duff principal Steve Alford said.
"Because she comes from a livestock background, she is particularly helpful with respect to our rural sales and weaner auctions."
Ellie, 16, is in year 11 and said she had an interest in selling property.
"There's a lot of variety in this job and I like working with the team," Ellie said.
She works one day a week at Alford and Duff and studies agriculture and business studies at school.
Sales agent Helen Crotty has taken Ellie under her wing, showing her the ropes with property management and also with rural sales listings and auctions.
Indeed, the last trainee to have been taken on at Alford and Duff was Ms Crotty's daughter Rachel, 15 years ago.
"It's very special to have a trainee and we're so appreciative Ellie is so helpful and eager to learn," Ms Crotty said.
Ellie was chosen because she had "two essential attributes needed to be a real estate agent; reliability and honesty", Ms Crotty said.
The trainee brings the number of staff at Alford and Duff to six.
Alford and Duff has been a staple in the town's business community since January, 1995.
"We [Robert Duff and Steve Alford] took a punt and started out of the blue," Mr Alford said.
He had been a stock agent in Warwick and decided to bring his expertise to Tenterfield.
"The first 12 months were a bit nerve-wracking, we only had a few cattle at the sale," Mr Alford said.
"But we had old fashioned determination, grit and resilience and that pulled us through."
Mr Alford is known around town as a charity auctioneer, helping to raise thousands of dollars for the Westpac helicopter rescue.
"It's my favourite charity," Mr Alford said.
"They save lives and come to Tenterfield on a regular basis from Lismore.
"I'm also a big supporter of Friends of Tenterfield Airport, we've raised money by conducting auctions and raffles for the friends.
"Saving the airport was the best thing I've ever seen a town do."
While competitors in business, Mr Alford said he often came together with Glen Curry from Harold Curr real estate agency and Ben Sharpe from Ray White, to conduct charity auctions in town.
"The golf club held a big charity auction this year and raised about $70,000," Mr Alford said.
"That's a huge sum of money from a town of just over 4000 people."
