CONTRIBUTORSElite AgentOPINION

Melina Cruickshank: driving new business

As market conditions continue to change, as an agent, you want to ensure you're being seen by as many sellers and landlords as possible. REA Group Chief Product and Audience Officer Melina Cruickshank shares the ways REA is helping agents win new business.

REA is continuing to invest in our fast-growing Agency Marketplace.

With millions more buyers than anywhere else, we also have more sellers than ever before using realestate.com.au as a key part of the selling process. 

Our Agency Marketplace has become a core part of our value proposition, helping our customers secure new listings to grow their business.

Thousands of people all over Australia are now researching and selecting their agents by using the realestate.com.au Agency Marketplace.

With a record 25 million visits to Agency Marketplace last year, we are seeing a huge surge in demand for sellers requesting a property appraisal and selecting an agent to sell their property.  

While interest rate rises have tempered selling conditions from the very strong levels we saw at the start of 2022, the fundamental drivers of demand remain strong.

Buyer confidence is improving, likely driven by recent declines in property prices, and we’re seeing buyers actively searching on realestate.com.au.

In a recent consumer survey conducted on realestate.com.au, 44 per cent of buyers said they intended to purchase in the next six months and more than 50 per cent of sellers still plan to sell in the next six months.

It’s important to note that the stock of properties listed for sale in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra on realestate.com.au is above the prior decade average. 

Making the most of every connection with a potential vendor is more important than ever. 

Our Agency Marketplace is focused on connecting agents with Australia’s largest pool of sellers and landlords.

It encompasses Agent and Agency Profiles, find Agent and Agency functionality, ratings and reviews, and much more.

We know selecting an agent is one of the most challenging steps in the selling process and having the confidence to sell is one of the key barriers. 

Research plays a key role here, and we are committed to our part in helping connect the 1.8 million potential sellers who visit realestate.com.au each month with an agent to help them on their selling journey.

To ensure maximum exposure on Agency Marketplace and to build trust with consumers from the very beginning, our teams have three key tips: 

  1. Upload sold and leased listings in a timely manner â€“ this information is reflected in your Performance Snapshot on your Agent and Agency Profile and can also affect your Search rankings.
  2. Collect ratings and reviews from all your listings in the past 12 months â€“ build credibility and trust with prospective vendors by sharing authentic reviews from previous buyers and sellers. 
  3. Complete your full profile â€“ your Agent and Agency Profile provides an opportunity for you to showcase what makes you unique in a competitive market, so make sure you are promoting your awards, community involvement and everything that sets you apart.

For information on how you can build your brand, click here.

Show More

Melina Cruickshank

Melina Cruickshank is the Chief Product and Audience Officer at the REA Group.