REA Group has announced the finalists for the 2021 Annual REA Excellence Awards (AREAs) with winners set to be announced at state-based events on 24 March.
There are some familiar names amongst the 31 submission-based finalists with 2020 Residential Agency of the Year winner DiJones a finalist in that category again, along with Cunninghams, Kollosche and TOOP+TOOP.
Laing+Simmons Chief Executive Officer Leanne Pilkington is a finalist in the Most Influential Woman in the Property Market, which is an award she took out in 2019. This year REIACT President and The Property Collective Director Hannah Gill and Knight Frank Partner Erin van Tuil are also in the running for the accolade.
Ryan Mitchell, who won the Property Manager of the Year award in 2020, is in contention again, alongside Ray White Forrest Hill’s Natasha James, The Property Collective’s Kimberly Castle and Highland Property’s Brad McHugh.
There’s some familiar faces among the finalists for the state-based Top Residential Agents as well, including Alexander Philips in NSW and Michelle Stephens in Victoria.
The top agents and campaigns of 2021 are based on on-site performance data from realestate.com.au and realcommercial.com.au.
Finalist in the NSW Top Residential Agents award, The Agency Central Coast’s Brian Whiteman said he was delighted to make the Top 10, not just personally but from a team perspective.
“It’s not just me, I have an amazing team around me,” he said.
“We’ve worked for many, many years to get a really good team, so when things are meant to happen they happen and everyone gets the follow through that you’re meant to get in real estate.
“It doesn’t happen easy, but we’ve done it over a long period to get where we need to go. It’s thrilling to see the team part of what we’re doing.”
Mr Whiteman said while COVID-19 had presented hurdles that needed to be jumped, he’d never seen the Central Coast market so busy.
“It was a very, very busy time and the agents that had good people skills did very well in lockdown,” he said.
“It’s a great holiday destination and the NorthConnex allowing someone, say from Randwick, to be on the Central Coast within an hour was pretty cool. So we were very lucky with some of the things that happened around us.”
Stone Real Estate Principal Jess Smith is a finalist in the ACT Top Residential Agents award less than a year after opening her agency in Gungahlin.
“Everybody, when they start a business, wonders is it going to go well? Is it not going to go well?” she said.
“But we had an amazing six months last year, and the beginning of this year has been even better.”
Ms Smith said the fact that the residential agents award was based on data and feedback on realestate.com.au meant a lot.
“We get a lot of feedback from our clients directly, but it’s so wonderful to have it from a third party portal,” she said.
“If our clients are going to the effort to put a review online, it certainly means a lot.”
Burgess Rawson, Colliers Australia, Dugan & Co Property and JLL are all finalists for the Commercial Agency of the Year award.
The full list of finalists can be found at theareas.com.au.
Established in 2016, the AREAs celebrate the success of property industry professionals and their outstanding performance in supporting Australians through every aspect of their property journey.
REA Group Chief Customer Officer Kul Singh said the high calibre of submissions was not surprising with so many outstanding achievements throughout the year.
“2021 brought its own unique set of challenges as well as opportunities and we’re delighted to be able to help celebrate the success of the industry,” Mr Singh said.
“The quality of the submissions was very impressive, the judges have their work cut out for them. I’m particularly looking forward to seeing who takes out the new wellbeing initiative award.
“The prize packages, which include media coverage, paid media exposure and development opportunities, are designed to assist our customers to win new business and to showcase their brand to their current and prospective clients.
“I would like to thank everyone who made a submission and I wish all finalists the very best of luck!”
Full list of submission-based AREAs finalists
Residential Agency of the Year
Cunninghams
DiJones
Kollosche
TOOP+TOOP
Commercial Agency of the Year
Burgess Rawson
Colliers Australia
Dugan&Co Property
JLL
Property Manager of the Year
Brad McHugh, Highland Property
Kimberly Castle, The Property Collective
Natasha James, Ray White Forrest Hill
Ryan Mitchell, Raine & Horne Kurri Kurri
Most Influential Woman in the Property Market
Erin van Tuil
Hannah Gill
Leanne Pilkington
Game Changer of the Year
Athena Home Loans
Burgess Rawson
Knight Frank Perth: WorkZone Team
Place Estate Agents
Marketer of the Year
Giverny Reid, Crown Group
Matt Emmerson, Metricon
Simon Hughes, Complete Property Advertising
Integrated Brand Campaign of the Year
ANZ Band Landlords Insurance
Bowens
Jeep – Work Far From Home
Wellbeing Initiative of the Year
Cushman & Wakefield: CushWake Cares Program
Equality Media: Well Work at Home
Key 2 Sale Real Estate
Contribution to Community
HomeGround Real Estate
Milieu
Woodards Community Program
Top Residential Agents finalists
Victoria Top 10
Romana Altman
Buxton – Sandringham
Bal Amardeep
Bal Real Estate – Truganina
Chari Emirzade
Barry Plant – Geelong
Mark Di Giulio
Barry Plant – Doncaster East
Chris Hassall
Buxton – Bentleigh
Theo Politis
Barry Plant – Doncaster East
Nick Renna
Jellis Craig – Bentleigh
Sam Rigopoulos
Jellis Craig – Northcote
Luke Sacco
Nelson Alexander – Northcote
Michelle Stephens
OBrien Real Estate – Carrum Downs
NSW Top 10
Jay Bacani
Manor Real Estate
Dib Chidiac
Dib Chidiac
Peter Diamantidis
Ray White St Marys – Diamantidis Group
Maclay Longhurst
Bresic Whitney Estate Agents – Darlinghurst
Alexander Phillips
PPD Real Estate
Mark Saleh
Pace Property Agents – Greenacre
Ric Serrao
Raine & Horne – Double Bay
Josh Tesolin
Ray White Quakers Hill – The Tesolin Group
David Walker
Ray White Upper North Shore
Brian Whiteman
The Agency Central Coast
QLD Top 10
Melita Bell
RE/MAX Success – Toowoomba
Chris Gilmour
All Properties Group – LOGAN
Brock Jaeger
BandD Realty – Narangba
Alex Jordan
McGrath Estate Agents – Paddington
Michael Kollosche
Kollosche – Broadbeach
Craig Morrison
Town – Sunshine Coast
Tony O’Doherty
Belle Property – Bulimba
Philip Resnikoff
Crafted Property Agents – Browns Plains
Nathan Strudwick
Elders Real Estate – Shailer Park
Ryan Suhle
Ray White – North Lakes
SA Top 10
Rosemary Auricchio
LJ Hooker – West Lakes | Henley Beach
Thomas Crawford
Toop + Toop
Travis Denham
Magain Real Estate – Adelaide
Kathleen Fry
Harcourts South Coast
Tom Hector
Harris Real Estate
Peter Kiritsis
Ray White – Woodville
Mike Lao
Edge Realty
Nick Psarros
Ray White – Port Adelaide
Kate Smith
Harcourts Smith – Semaphore
Stephanie Williams
WILLIAMS Real Estate
WA Top 10
Linton Allen
Empire Property Solutions – Fremantle
Shane Beaumont
Realmark – Coastal
Tim Cooper
Summit Realty – Bunbury
Elsie Corby
Douglas Corby – Ray White Rockingham Baldivis
Mark Grogan
O’Neil Real Estate
Eric Hartanto
Harcourts Applecross – Applecross7
Adam Naumovski
The Agency – PERTH
Mark Snelson
360 Real Estate – Ellenbrook
Jack Wormington
The Agency
Vivien Yap
Ray White – Dalkeith | Claremont
ACT Top 10
Symon Badenoch
Badenoch Real Estate – Belconnen
Louise Harget
Belle Property – Canberra
Brett Hayman
Hayman Partners – Canberra
Holly Komorowski
HOME.BYHOLLY – Dickson
Anthony McCormack
Hayman Partners – Canberra
Colin McIntyre
McIntyre Property – Conder
Sandy Morris
One Agency Sandy Morris – Kambah
Nick Purnell
Purnell Citywide Real Estate – Kingston
Mario Sanfrancesco
Blackshaw – Manuka
Jess Smith
Stone Real Estate – Gungahlin
TAS Top 10
Harry Coomer
Peterswald for property
Abi Freeman
Knight Frank – Tasmania
Matt Grice
One Agency – Burnie
Tegan Rainbird
Petrusma Property – Glenorchy
Richard Sims
Sims for Property – Launceston
Brad Stephens
Knight Frank – Tasmania
Wendy Squibb
Harcourts Devonport & Shearwater – Devonport
Jake Towns
Petrusma Property – Howrah
Mickey White
Knight Frank – Tasmania
Jeremy Wilkinson
Harcourts – Launceston
NT finalists
Andrew Harding
Real Estate Central – Darwin City
Daniel Harris
Real Estate Central Projects – Darwin
Adam Hayes
Call2View Real Estate – Palmerston
Sascha Smithett
Real Estate Central – Darwin City
Simon Watts
Real Estate Central – Darwin City
Land Campaign of the Year
Victoria and Tasmania finalists
Westbrook, Dennis Family
Riverwalk, Development VIC
Mt. Pleasant, KR Peters
NSW and ACT finalists
Ardennes, Allam Homes
Box Hill Rise, Opes Property Partners
Austral Estate, Urban Land & Housing Group
QLD and NT finalists
Ellendale, Cedar Woods Properties
The Arbour, Villawood
The Surrounds, Villawood
SA finalists
Tonsley Village, Peet
Springwood, Springwood Communities
Hamilton Hill, Woodforde JV / Iron Fish
WA finalists
Ariella Private Estate, Cedar Woods Properties
Harrisdale Green, Cedar Woods Properties
Alkimos Beach, Lend Lease Development
Builder Campaign of the Year
Victoria and Tasmania finalists
JG King
Mimosa Homes
Simonds Homes
NSW and ACT finalists
Champion Homes
Hudson Homes
Metricon Homes
QLD & NT finalists
Dixon Homes
Metricon Homes
Porter Davis Homes
SA finalists
Hickinbotham Homes
Rossdale Homes
Weeks Macklin Homes
WA finalists
Celebration Homes
Dale Alcock Homes
Redink Homes
Apartment Campaign of the Year
Victoria and Tasmania finalists
East Brunswick Village, Banco Group
Glenarm Square – Glen Iris, Deal Corporation
West Side Place, Fletchers
NSW & ACT finalists
Rhodes Central Stage 3, Billbergia
Château, Bridgestone Projects
Habitat, Century 21
QLD & NT finalists
Ocean, Meriton Property Services
Quay Waterfront Newstead, Mirvac
Croft on Fish Lane, Stockwell Property
SA Finalists
The Adelphi, Adelphi Apartments / Carat
E78, Eclipse Real Estate
Eighty Eight O’Connell, Modelfarm Studio
WA finalists
Civic Heart, Finbar Group
AT238, Finbar Group
Shenton Quarter, Iris Residential
