Twenty-one winners were honoured at the third Annual REA Excellence Awards (AREAs) in Sydney last night.
Recognising the most innovative, community-minded and highest-achieving individuals and businesses in property and media, awards were presented across the categories of Innovation, Service & Marketing Excellence and Community.
This year saw the introduction of three new Gold AREA awards – Agent of the Year, Property Manager of the Year and Most Influential Woman in the Property Market – to further recognise the game-changers across the property industry.
Gold AREA award winners:
- Residential Agent of the Year – Ercan Ersan, Ray White, NSW
- Commercial Agent of the Year – Justin Dowers, CBRE, Vic
- Property Manager of the Year – Branka Stankovic, Novak Properties, NSW
- Most Influential Woman in the Property Market – Kylie Walsh, Di Jones Real Estate, NSW
- Residential Agency of the Year – Barry Plant Manningham, Vic
- Commercial Agency of the Year – Colliers International, NSW
- New Development Player of the Year – Lucent, Vic
Tracey Fellows, REA Group Chief Executive Officer, commented: “The AREAs are all about celebrating the success of the amazing people across the property and media industries. All of the finalists this year were exceptional.
“Congratulations to all the winners. It’s their passion, energy and creativity that drives our industry forward.”
REA Excellence Award Winners
Gold AREAs:
Residential Agent of the Year
Ercan Ersan, Ray White, NSW
Identifying a gap in the market, Ercan led the charge on creating an app to give the agency’s vendors up-to-date information about the sale of their property at any given time. In addition, Ercan implemented the agency’s ‘mystery shopper program’ to ensure expectations on customer service were being met by each member of the team. Passionate about giving back to his local community, Ercan continues to support one of his local schools to raise much-needed funds.
Commercial Agent of the Year
Justin Dowers, CBRE, VIC
Justin is a market leader of his own accord. He has built a team of truly remarkable agents who excel under his leadership. Over the last 10 years, Justin has developed deeply rooted relationships with shopping centre owners and retail investors in Australia. Having been involved in all aspects of the Victorian shopping centre space, his voice is well respected, and he is seen by his clients and peers as a market leader
Property Manager of the Year
Branka Stankovic, Novak Properties, NSW
Head of Novak Properties property management department, Branka is responsible for overseeing more than 1,500 properties. Identifying that the agency’s property management turnover was at an all-time high, Branka implemented a new business model and team structure which resulted in a 10 per cent growth of the property management business. In addition, staff retention is now at an all-time high and the agency’s landlords and tenants are thrilled with the level of service they receive.
Most Influential Woman in the Property Market
Kylie Walsh, Di Jones Real Estate, NSW
Having spent over 20 years working in all facets of the property industry, Kylie knows firsthand what it takes to run a successful agency. She has worked alongside, coached and led some of Australia’s and New Zealand’s best agents and agencies. She is an inspirational leader, speaker, advocate for women and more recently, through sharing her own personal journey with breast cancer, has helped raise the importance of self-care.
Residential Agency of the Year
Barry Plant Manningham, VIC
Investing in their people has been a key focus for Barry Plant Manningham over the past 12 months. In addition, they have successfully implemented a number of new initiatives across the business. They have expanded their brand across three municipalities, established a dedicated Residential Projects Division and continued to provide ongoing support to their community through partnerships with Make-A-Wish, as well as local schools and sporting clubs.
Commercial Agency of the Year
Colliers International, NSW
Recognising that individual wellbeing plays a pivotal role in creating a high-performing team, Colliers International launched a company-wide program to support its people in accelerating their success. In addition, they launched a client care program designed to measure client satisfaction, supported by dedicated client relationship managers. The company also plays a pivotal role in the community through their ongoing partnership with the Property Industry Foundation, supporting young people at risk of homelessness.
New Development Player of the Year
Lucent, VIC
Lucent is a boutique developer founded in 2014. Lucent’s mission is to find unique sites for downsizers and first-home buyers. They are led by where and how people want to live and believe that the legacy of a home is everlasting. They work with buyers to create a community, leaving it better than they found it.
Residential real estate agents and property managers
Game-Changer of the Year
Market Share Property, VIC
Brand Marketing Campaign of the Year
Harcourts Solutions Group, QLD
Excellence in Customer Service
Simone Firns, Network Pacific, VIC
Residential Property Campaign of the Year
home.byholly, ACT
Commercial real estate agents
Game-Changer of the Year
CBRE, NSW
Brand Marketing Campaign of the Year
FAL Property Group, QLD
Commercial Property Campaign of the Year
CBRE, VIC
Media agencies and clients
Game-Changer of the Year
Mindshare and NAB, VIC
Integrated Brand Campaign of the Year
RAMS, NSW
Developers, home builders, project marketers and developer media agencies
Game-Changer of the Year
Tick Homes, VIC
Brand Marketing Campaign of the Year
Porter Davis, VIC
Development Campaign of the Year
Geocon, ACT
Marketer of the Year
Joelene Riedo, Mirvac, QLD
Contribution to community
Contribution to Community
Cushman & Wakefield, NSW
