Top 100 Agents 2014

Bill Malouf

• Suburb: Double Bay, NSW
• Position: Licensee
• Years experience: 28
• Support staff: 1
• Average sale: $6.6 million
• $190.2 million
• 29 properties sold

LJ Hooker Double Bay

Bill Malouf has been acknowledged as the market leader in selling waterfront properties and prestige holdings in the $10 million -$30 million range for leading network LJ Hooker.

Specialising in Sydney’s eastern suburbs and consistently setting new sales records, Mr Malouf’s high-profile client base and landmark success stories encompass some of Australia’s most prestigious locations.

Establishing a reputation both in the industry and among Australia’s most discerning property players, he has a clear understanding of the economy-driven fluctuations affecting the market.

Upfront and open, Mr Malouf believes in telling clients how it really is, and he says he bases his business philosophy on delivering what he promises.

He nurtured his people skills during a 20-year career in the hotel management and catering industry. A doting family man and a lover of all the good things in life, Mr Malouf is proud of his track record in selling prestige property.

Michael Coombs

• Suburb: Mosman, NSW
• Position: Sales Agent
• Years experience: 8
• Support staff: 1
• Average sale: $3.4 million
• $139.3 million
• 41 properties sold

McGrath Mosman

If you’re a real estate agent and selling houses in the Sydney suburb of Mosman, it’s safe to say your average sale numbers are going to be big.

McGrath’s Michael Coombs is doing big numbers – very big. He says alongside cashed-up local buyers there’s been an influx of international buyers, meaning McGrath has cast its net a bit wider for business.

Mr Coombs also has some pertinent words of advice for young agents entering the industry.

“My advice for anybody starting out is about taking responsibility,” he says. “You can build a great future but it’s based on how much time you put in, how much effort you put in and how much you really want it.”

Listen to what Mr Coombs says about tailoring your processes to keep the vendor happy.

Tim Foote

• Suburb: Mosman/Balmoral, NSW
• Position: Sales Agent
• Years experience: 14
• Support staff: 3
• Average sale: $3.3 million
• $174.5 million
• 53 properties sold

Belle Property Mosman

As number one principal at Belle Property Australasia eight times in the past 11 years, Tim Foote has set many price benchmarks over his 14 years on Sydney’s lower north shore.

Very few agents can match Mr Foote’s consistency in sales results in the niche prestige sector – year after year.

In Balmoral, he achieved six of the top eight sales during the second half of 2013, including a property sale of $11.25 million.

Specialising in Balmoral and Mosman waterfronts, Mr Foote has successfully tapped into the Chinese market to generate superior results, with 35 per cent of sales going to Chinese buyers in 2013 and $56 million in sales achieved off market for private clients through his database.

Julian Hasemer

• Suburb: Darling Point, Bellevue Hill, Rose Bay, Woollahra, NSW
• Position: Principal
• Years experience: 22
• Support staff: 1
• Average sale: $2.8 million
• $106.2 million
• 38 properties sold

1st City Hasemer + Caldwell.Eyles

Given Julian Hasemer’s patch is one of the most lucrative markets for high-end sales in the country, it’s little wonder he is ranked among the top five agents in the country for highest average sale.

Mr Hasemer admits that while the eastern suburbs of Sydney remain a seven-digit property playground, the stiff competition in the area keeps him on his toes.

“While it’s a high-end market, it is a very small area and there are a lot of agents working it,” he says.

“There’s far more competition to get the business in this area, so that’s a challenge. Then, obviously you have to find the buyer. I think the dollar values if you do get the listings, and the sales more importantly, help in terms of getting the sales of the sort of levels I achieved last year.”

Listen to what Mr Hasemer has to say about the strategy of high-end buyers selling properties.

Scott Swingler

• Suburb: City Beach, WA
• Position: Licensed Real Estate Agent
• Years experience: 14
• Support staff: 1
• Average sale: $2.5 million
• $98.6 million
• 40 properties sold

Space Real Estate

Scott Swingler is not a man who buys into the idea that all of the best real estate happens on the eastern seaboard in the Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane markets.

A quick glance at Mr Swingler’s highest average sale figures and it’s hard to argue with him.

“The opinion over here is that we’re totally western seaboard focused and you guys are out on the periphery,” he laughs.

“Look, everyone exists in their own world; I think we’re the most isolated city in the world, so everything that happens here is the centre of the universe for us.”

Is there a difference between what vendors out west want from their agent and what those in the east want? Listen to what Mr Swingler has to say.

Andrew McDermott

• Suburb: Castle Hill, NSW
• Position: Principal
• Years experience: 10
• Support staff: 1
• Average days on market: 13
• $62 million
• 76 properties sold

Belle Property Castle Hill

Working closely with his wife and director of the business, Kellie Burns, Andrew McDermott has assisted her in bringing the respected Belle brand to Sydney’s Hills District, with the office being established in 2011.

“After careful consideration we came to the conclusion that Belle best represents our ethos and approach to real estate and enables us to best service our clients and perfectly showcase their properties in the marketplace,” he says.

With over 10 years’ experience in the real estate industry, Mr McDermott is a well-known, long-term local resident with a strong presence in the area and a firm commitment to the community.

Adam Crawley

• Suburb: Sylvania, NSW
• Position: Director
• Years experience: 13
• Support staff: 2
• Average days on market: 14
• $60 million
• 67 properties sold

Ray White Sylvania

A standout in the category for the shortest time on the market, Adam Crawley describes his selling method as 50 per cent auctions and 50 per cent private treaty.

“When I do an ‘offers over’ figure I normally get way over – on average 15-20 per cent over – because there is a lot of competition and I am able to push the buyers up and the owners are very happy to sell,” he explains.

“That is why I do a combination of auctions and private treaty, because auctions do take longer but some properties are better for auctions and some properties are better for ‘offers over’.”

Mr Crawley says cheaper properties such as units in areas where there is plenty of demand can be sold in the first week.

“That frees up my time so I can then list more because I’m not holding properties for six or seven weeks and I can still get the vendor the premium price because I have a lot of people trying to buy the place,” he says.

To listen to how Mr Crawley consistently sells so quickly, click on the audio.

Peter Chauncy

• Suburb: Naremburn/Crows Nest, NSW
• Position: Partner
• Years experience: 10
• Support staff: 1
• Average days on market: 15
• $143 million
• 119 properties sold

McGrath Crows Nest

A regular top 10 contender for the past three years running, Peter Chauncy has never been one to shy away from success.

When asked whether the robust state of the Sydney property market has made selling houses easier over the past year, Mr Chauncy is quick to defend.

“I don’t think [it is easier], every sale has a challenge,” he says.

“At this point in time in the marketplace, certainly selling properties is perhaps a little bit easier than it was but you still have to be skilled enough and good enough to list someone’s home, and that involves getting trust from the beginning, which is always the hard thing.”

Mr Chauncy believes the number one characteristic a vendor is looking for in a real estate agent is trustworthiness.

“I think they are looking for someone they can trust, someone they like, and I think they are looking for a brand which is credible,” he says.

“I think if you can tick all of those boxes and you are empathetic around [a vendor’s] needs and wants, you are a long way forward to getting that listing.”

Piers van Hamburg

• Suburb: Neutral Bay/ Mosman/ Cremorne, NSW
• Position: Director
• Years experience: 17
• Support staff: 3
• Average days on market: 15
• $131.4 million
• 100 properties sold

McGrath Estate Agents

An agent with quite a track record, Piers van Hamburg has assisted more than 1,000 clients in the buying and selling process.

Over the past 17 years, he has risen to become one of the Sydney lower north shore’s leading agents, known in the area for consistently delivering outstanding results regardless of property market conditions.

Mr van Hamburg achieves his best results when the property market becomes more challenging.

“In easy times, anyone can sell a home; however, now is a great time when I can demonstrate true salesmanship and my ability to achieve great results, regardless of what might be going on in the broader economy,” he says.

Mr van Hamburg believes that the key to achieving strong results consistently involves outstanding property presentation, an effective pricing strategy and a well implemented, well executed marketing campaign.

• Suburb: Belmont, WA
• Position: Director & Sales Leader
• Years experience: 23
• Support staff: 4
• Average days on market: 15
• $90.1 million
• 162 properties sold

michaelkeil.com

Finishing high up the leader board for fewest days on market and most properties sold, Michael Keil says the expansion of his team has provided the extra support needed to achieve success.

“I have a great team who is very active in following up the buyers and getting feedback,” he explains.

“Before I expanded the team it was just me and it was too hard to sell a lot of properties and to be able to have the time to follow up the buyers and qualify them.”

Mr Keil says there are “no tricks” involved in his achievements, with it coming down to having the experience to be able to price property correctly and then market it well to get the best price.

“We have always had a pretty good track record with our short days on market [result]. We don’t do many auctions – last year we probably only did about four auctions,” he says.

James Tostevin

• Suburb: Boroondara, VIC
• Position: Director
• Years experience: 19
• Support staff: 4
• $261.4 million
• 193 properties sold

Marshall White Boroondara

As well as being a selling powerhouse, James Tostevin uses his skills to train other real estate agents – and has been doing so for the past 18 years.

Meticulous time management and follow-up systems have significantly improved the capacity of those who have attended his training seminars.

Mr Tostevin’s innovative ideas and powerful motivation to succeed are a reflection of what he does best – listing and selling real estate.

Despite his posting huge numbers in the past few years, one of the challenges Mr Tostevin sees within the industry is commission discounting being as bad as ever – something he has had huge success in overcoming.

Robert Pignataro

• Suburb: Strathfield, NSW
• Position: Managing Director
• Years experience: 27
• Support staff: 2
• $186.9.3 million
• 183 properties sold

Strathfield Partners Real Estate

Achieving high results for the most listings secured and the most properties sold, Robert Pignataro narrows his success down to “word of mouth and reputation”.

“It is a lot of networking and relationships, I must admit,” he says.

“A lot of my meetings are done early in the morning; I am an early starter so most of the time I am in the office just after six o’clock, sometimes earlier, [and] I am pretty much on call 24/7.”

Mr Pignataro says he works a lot of long hours but his family is quite used to it after 24 years.

“In actual fact, I take my son and my wife with me to 100 per cent of my auctions,” he says.

“I think they understand this is what I enjoy doing because I don’t have any hobbies. I don’t have any other interests apart from real estate.”

To hear more on Mr Pignataro’s idea of a great challenge, listen in to the audio clip.

Michael Keil

• Suburb: Belmont, WA
• Position: Director & Sales Leader
• Years experience: 23
• Support staff: 4
• $90.1 million
• 162 properties sold

michaelkeil.com

Finishing high up the leader board for fewest days on market and most properties sold, Michael Keil says the expansion of his team has provided the extra support needed to achieve success.

“I have a great team who is very active in following up the buyers and getting feedback,” he explains.

“Before I expanded the team it was just me and it was too hard to sell a lot of properties and to be able to have the time to follow up the buyers and qualify them.”

Mr Keil says there are “no tricks” involved in his achievements, with it coming down to having the experience to be able to price property correctly and then market it well to get the best price.

“We have always had a pretty good track record with our short days on market [result]. We don’t do many auctions – last year we probably only did about four auctions,” he says.

Nick Renna

• Suburb: Bentleigh & district, VIC
• Position: Director
• Years experience: 20
• Support staff: 2
• $140.2 million
• 159 properties sold

hockingstuart Bentleigh

As director of hockingstuart Bentleigh and Oakleigh, Nick Renna has realised two long-standing career goals: to work at the highest level in his chosen profession and to work with leading estate agents.

“I'm proud to be a member of such a successful team,” he says. “At hockingstuart, we constantly stay ahead of the competition through innovative marketing strategies that provide maximum exposure across a wide range of both print and electronic media.”

Mr Renna’s cordial manner, good humour and single-minded determination have won him many accolades. His auctioneering skills have earned him far more than industry awards; they've also resulted in an extraordinary number of client recommendations.

“A successful auction is an event similar to any team sport,” he says. “The auctioneer is the most visible and recognisable part of the team; however, there are many people involved who make it all happen.”

Karen Vogl

• Suburb: Ringwood, Melbourne, VIC
• Position: Principal
• Years experience: 12
• Support staff: 3
• $87.1 million
• 159 properties sold

hockingstuart Ringwood

She may have surrendered her crown as Top Female Agent, but Karen Vogl continues to post numbers that are the envy of most agents in Australia.

Making the top five agents for both the most properties sold and most listings secured, Ms Vogl must be doing something right.

With the number of women entering the top 50 continuing to rise this year, she says long may it continue in what is traditionally a male-dominated industry.

“Females bring a different view to things,” she says. “If you’ve got a female as part of any real estate team it can bring a huge amount of benefit to the clients.

“Some buyers seem more comfortable dealing with female agents. They feel a little bit at ease; it’s important to have a [gender] balance.”

Listen to what Ms Vogl thinks is the key ingredient for notching up a high number of properties sold.

Mark Kentwell

• Suburb: Newcastle, NSW
• Position: Managing Director/Principal
• Years experience: 9
• Support staff: 2
• Listings secured: 156
• $76.7 million
• 120 properties sold

PRDnationwide Newcastle

The ‘main man in sales’ in the Newcastle region, there’s not much about real estate that Mark Kentwell doesn’t know. In fact, he has been caught by his partner Natalie rehearsing negotiation dialogue in his sleep!

Mark was the Newcastle and Hunter Young Achiever of the Year award winner and winner of the Harvey Douglas Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Real Estate Industry in 2010.

He has since racked up several other accolades, and was ranked 33 in last year’s Top 100 agents.

Mr Kentwell consistently achieves new record sale prices and lower days on market, while he has also sold more homes at auction than any other agent in Newcastle, Lake Macquarie or the Hunter Valley in the past five years.

He says he loves the unlimited possibilities and potential that business offers – and how he can bring people into the PRD team and help them create an amazing future and lifestyle for themselves and their families.

James Tostevin

• Suburb: Boroondara, VIC
• Position: Director
• Years experience: 19
• Support staff: 4
• Listings secured: 235
• $261.4 million
• 193 properties sold

Marshall White Boroondara

As well as being a selling powerhouse, James Tostevin uses his skills to train other real estate agents – and has been doing so for the past 18 years.

Meticulous time-management and follow-up systems have significantly improved the capacity of those who have attended his training seminars.

Mr Tostevin’s innovative ideas and powerful motivation to succeed are a reflection of what he does best – listing and selling real estate.

Despite his posting huge numbers in the past few years, one of the challenges Mr Tostevin sees within the industry is commission discounting being as bad as ever – something he has had huge success in overcoming.

Robert Pignataro

• Suburb: Strathfield, NSW
• Position: Managing Director
• Years experience: 27
• Support staff: 2
• Listings secured: 200
• $186.9.3 million
• 183 properties sold

Strathfield Partners Real Estate

Achieving high results for the most listings secured and the most properties sold, Robert Pignataro narrows his success down to “word of mouth and reputation”.

“It is a lot of networking and relationships, I must admit,” he says.

“A lot of my meetings are done early in the morning; I am an early starter so most of the time I am in the office just after six o’clock, sometimes earlier, [and] I am pretty much on call 24/7.”

Mr Pignataro says he works a lot of long hours but his family is quite used to it after 24 years.

“In actual fact, I take my son and my wife with me to 100 per cent of my auctions,” he says.

“I think they understand this is what I enjoy doing because I don’t have any hobbies. I don’t have any other interests apart from real estate.”

To hear more on Mr Pignataro’s idea of a great challenge, listen in to the audio clip.

Dave Manby

• Suburb: Mudgeeraba, Worongary,Tallai, Bonogin, QLD
• Position: Sales Executive
• Years experience: 5
• Support staff: 4
• Listings secured: 189
• $67.8 million
• 131 properties sold

RE/MAX Regency Robina

Dave Manby and his team are passionate about selling real estate so it should come as no surprise that they are ranked as RE/MAX Australia’s number one team, and number four internationally within RE/MAX.

What makes this team so successful is their 32 years’ combined experience, their track record, local knowledge, professional marketing, care, passion and ability to get results.

The team specialises in most suburbs at the southern end of the Gold Coast and in all aspects of sales from acreage, waterfront, and golf courses to traditional residential sales.

The benefit to listing with Mr Manby is his ability to network, not only with the local market but also with interstate and international buyers.

Karen Vogl

• Suburb: Ringwood, Melbourne, VIC
• Position: Principal
• Years experience: 12
• Support staff: 3
• Listings secured: 176
• $87.1 million
• 159 properties sold

hockingstuart Ringwood

Karen Vogl remains the queen of secured listings in Australian real estate.

The hockingstuart Ringwood principal has been dethroned as Australia’s Top Female Agent but is still posting superb numbers in terms of property listings.

“Look, I’ve been doing those sorts of numbers for a few years now,” she says.

“The reason I do these sorts of numbers is systems; you can’t do these numbers without a good system. When I speak to my clients about getting their home sold, I don’t speak to them about the set-up stage of it – I’ve got a whole team of people that get the home set up for me. I’m only really doing the activity that gets a home sold,” she adds.

Find out why Ms Vogl thinks saying no to certain business can often be a good strategy.

Mark Kentwell

• Suburb: Newcastle, NSW
• Position: Managing Director/Principal
• Years experience: 9
• Support staff: 2
• Listings secured: 156
• $76.7 million
• 120 properties sold

PRDnationwide Newcastle

The ‘main man in sales’ in the Newcastle region, there’s not much about real estate that Mark Kentwell doesn’t know. In fact, he has been caught by his partner Natalie rehearsing negotiation dialogue in his sleep!

Mark was the Newcastle and Hunter Young Achiever of the Year award winner and winner of the Harvey Douglas Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Real Estate Industry in 2010.

He has since racked up several other accolades, and was ranked 33 in last year’s Top 100 agents.

Mr Kentwell consistently achieves new record sale prices and lower days on market, while he has also sold more homes at auction than any other agent in Newcastle, Lake Macquarie or the Hunter Valley in the past five years.

He says he loves the unlimited possibilities and potential that business offers – and how he can bring people into the PRD team and help them create an amazing future and lifestyle for themselves and their families.

James Tostevin

• Suburb: Boroondara, VIC
• Position: Director
• Years experience: 19
• Support staff: 4
• $261.4 million
• 193 properties sold

Marshall White Boroondara

When James Tostevin speaks it’s in manner that exudes a forthright confidence, which seldom hints at any sort of arrogance.

And he’s a man who has every reason to speak confidently, having finished in the top spot to be crowned the country’s undisputed best agent for the second year running.

He puts his success down to not only “working smart” but also working exceedingly hard to establish a sizable database of clients.

“The number one weakness I see in real estate agents is their time management,” he says.

“People talk about having an ‘ideal’ day or weak, but I don’t believe there are many agents in Australia who have mastered it.

“I’m not saying my week is perfect, but I certainly delegate low percentage things so I can focus on things more likely to make money.”

Mr Tostevin says it means "a hell of a lot” to be ranked number one again.

“It’s a great honour,” he says. “It’s not just the commission you write; if all things were equal and I went in for a listing against the other top agents, and we couldn’t discount commission to get business, I’d back myself to win a vast majority of listings.”

Alexander Phillips

• Suburb: Woollahra, NSW
• Position: Partner
• Years experience: 12
• Support staff: 2
• $200.5 million
• 108 properties sold

Phillips Pantzer Donnelley

Clocking in seven days a week, Alexander Phillips lives and breathes real estate, and it has paid off with him skyrocketing to number two in the Top 100 Agents for 2014.

“Our team works 24/7 for our vendors. I structure my year so I go away two times a year for about a month at a time, since we work seven days a week,” he says. “We are doing a lot of private viewings – some days at eight o’clock at night,” he adds.

Finding himself in the top bracket of real estate agents is “definitely rewarding”, but Mr Phillips still believes there is plenty of room to grow and improve.

“Vendors are looking for transparency and commitment and someone who is a hard worker,” he says.

For agents just starting out in the real estate industry, Mr Phillips explains success is not going to happen overnight, but if you put in the hard yards “the sky is the limit”.

“If it is your first day on the job, accompany yourself with one of the Top 100 Agents that is a very good operator and you will get the right knowledge and the right habits to be a top agent,” he says.

Marcus Chiminello

• Suburb: Toorak, VIC
• Position: Director, Auctioneer
• Years experience: 12
• Support staff: 2
• $193.3 million
• 129 properties sold

Marshall White Toorak

Despite dropping one place from last year in the rankings, Marcus Chiminello continues to be one of the sharpest real estate operators in the country.

The Marshall White director, who joins colleague James Tostevin in the top three agents in Australia, is a man unafraid of that often scary word for agents: delegation.

“My absolute priority is to ensure every client enjoys a service where they feel like they’re the only one, and you need to be able to create that feeling irrespective of whether you have one client or 15 at any one time,” says Mr Chiminello.

“The way I do that is by the structure within my team. My numbers have grown significantly as I’ve put on new people. Whether it’s an administration or marketing assistant, it creates more time for me to focus on the dollar productive activities such as listing and selling.”

Mr Chiminello believes real estate is a “beautiful” industry, where success depends on your level of effort.

Peter Chauncy

• Suburb: Naremburn/Crows Nest, NSW
• Position: Partner
• Years experience: 10
• Support staff: 1
• $143 million
• 119 properties sold

McGrath Crows Nest

A regular top 10 contender for the past three years running, Peter Chauncy has never been one to shy away from success.

When asked whether the robust state of the Sydney property market has made selling houses easier over the past year, Mr Chauncy is quick to defend.

“I don’t think [it is easier], every sale has a challenge,” he says.

“At this point in time in the marketplace, certainly selling properties is perhaps a little bit easier than it was but you still have to be skilled enough and good enough to list someone’s home, and that involves getting trust from the beginning, which is always the hard thing.”

Mr Chauncy believes the number one characteristic a vendor is looking for in a real estate agent is trustworthiness.

“I think they are looking for someone they can trust, someone they like, and I think they are looking for a brand which is credible,” he says.

“I think if you can tick all of those boxes and you are empathetic around [a vendor’s] needs and wants, you are a long way forward to getting that listing.”

Vivien Yap

• Suburb: Nedlands Dalkeith, WA
• Position: Sales Executive
• Years experience: 2.5
• Support staff: 3
• $145.9 million
• 90 properties sold

Acton Dalkeith

Describing her rise into the Top 100 Agents as “meteoric”, Vivien Yap still can’t believe what she has managed to accomplish in the last year.

“I feel very privileged and extremely honoured because I never thought I would be where I am today,” she says.

“I always thought I would be a pharmacist and happy to be dispensing medications, and now I am a highly recognised real estate agent.

“You have to remain very positive even though you do have your ups and downs – I immerse myself with really successful people and ask how they are improving their sales and how they are improving their skills,” she adds.

Ms Yap says she would like to see herself as a successful female real estate agent because she doesn’t believe females get enough recognition in the real estate industry.

“It would be nice to be an inspiration to all female real estate agents who are starting out and those who are looking at real estate as a second career,” she says.

Michael Clarke

• Suburb: Manly, NSW
• Position: Principal and Sales Agent
• Years experience: 8
• Support staff: 3
• $139.6 million
• 97 properties sold

Clarke & Humel Property

A newcomer not only to the top five but the Top 100 itself, Michael Clarke believes real estate is as much a lifestyle as a profession.

“You’ve got to love it … and we do,” says Mr Clarke – the “we” referring to his wife and business partner Cherie.

“We eat, sleep and breathe it. I have the best scenario in the world because my wife is my business partner, so the two of us are on our own journey together.”

Mr Clarke admits real estate can be exhausting – an industry where you can go from the “height of elation to the depths of despair within an hour”.

He also believes the industry here currently has a fantastic opportunity to finally ditch the sterotype of agents being untrustworthy.

“I think that perception is a throwback to 20 years ago, but what a fabulous opportunity for us,” says Mr Clarke.

“Gone are the days of the fast talking, slimey sales agent. All of the good real estate agents I know are hard-working people, who tell the truth. It’s our part to show people that in order to get the best result you don’t have to trick or manipulate. The way you can get the best result for your vendor is to be transparent,” he says.