Three growing girls and a new baby isn’t the ideal time to renovate a new home, let alone one that reached the heights of being featured in Real Living magazine & Elle Decoration UK. For Jo Verhoeft, It seemed natural, growing up in a family where design and living go hand-in-hand, to renovate homes around a growing brood.
Jo and her family moved to Mount Eliza in 2004. “I desperately needed to be by the beach and also have the green wedge of The Woodlands”.
“We inherited our interior design flair from Mum,” says Jo. “She’s still an influence in our lives and I don’t think my sister, Amanda Magliano, owner of Red Fox Runs, will ever get out of the interiors business.” Jo, on the other hand, is broadening her horizon while at the same time raising four remarkably talented and active girls.
After renovating four homes, Jo is also leveraging off a successful career in HR, where communication and relationship-building were paramount to building a reputation as a trustworthy and knowledgeable real estate agent. Her keen eye for detail sets a home apart from others and her negotiation skills have proven to be valuable assets in a market where personal connections are based on meaningful interactions.
We asked Jo to give us five or her Mount Eliza favourites and no surprise: coffee and beaches make the list.
Live for Great Coffee “That’s a tough one, we are spoilt for choice here in Mt Eliza. I drink a few a day and use it as an opportunity to have an out of office meeting. Probably 1001 Nights because it’s close and I love the garden.”
Love a Good Breakfast ShopAte during the week for a work meeting or on the weekend with a girlfriend.
Live for walking “Fleetwood Track on Sweetwater Creek to the beach in Frankston. I know it’s not Mount Eliza, but it reminds me why I love living in The Woodlands.”
Love a Deserted Beach “That’s top secret, but it’s somewhere in Somers,” Jo says laughing. “It’s always deserted, so if I told you where it is, I might not get a park next time!”
Live for the Drive “Every day I drive down Oliver’s Hill and I’m in awe of the ever-changing beauty of the water with the weather,” says Jo. “It’s just spectacular when it’s still, glassy crystal.”
Jo’s a wealth of information on the home front, so stop by the RT Edgar office in Mount Eliza and say hello. Or get in touch via email to chat about real estate, interior design, or bringing up girls – if you’re lucky, she might even share the directions to her favourite beach.