We’re talking Real Estate with John Gibson Managing Director, Locate Negotiate and our co-host Mark Warren. Our special guest is none other than James Dack, Real Estate superstar, turned technology entrepreneur. What a journey of blood, sweat and tears!   

The high life was an ocean away from where he grew up, the depressed, hardscrabble streets of Sydney’s inner-city suburb of Woolloomooloo, where his family moved in 1973, when Dack was 13. He was the eldest child, five years ahead of Stephen, eight years older than Alison.  Losing his beautiful Mum Florence, at just 52, James just at 14, effectively becomes the man of the house. James and Stephen (a superb amateur boxer and distinguished Rugby League player) literally call the Woolloomooloo PCYC home, his attachment and commitment to the PCYC is legendary and ongoing to this day where James remains on the PCYC Board. 

In the late eighties, Dack started in the real estate industry as co-founding partner of McGrath Real Estate. He reaped a bounty in the glory years of the 1990’s and well into the new century. Television bosses Ryan Stokes and David Gyngell, one time Qantas Chief Geoff Dixon and former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull all bought and sold through Dack’s earthy Australian pitch. The industry recognised a star and awarded Dack its trophy for being the nation’s leading real estate agent several years running. He was the top sales person with McGraths 19 years in a row, yet Dack doesn’t like the term sales person!?  

Dack’s work for charity and community is just simply phenomenal and well documented all rooted in his humble upbringings on those streets around Woolloomooloo, where the rich and poorer families were separated by a pitching wedge. 

James is happily married to Mary Cowin, the daughter of Billionaire Mr Jack Cowin of Hungry Jacks fame, and so we had to ask THE REAL BIG QUESTION, and that is, “BIG MAC or Whopper?!” 

Enjoy Talking Real Estate with John Gibson.