The Real Estate Institute of New South Wales (REINSW) president Leanne Pilkington said “The 2018 REINSW Awards for Excellence highlighted the industry’s biggest successes and most outstanding achievements across ten agency and 12 individual categories.”

All award entries required fairly detailed submissions, with very specific questions depending on the category.

Each question had certain criteria and points allocated to it, and some had panel interviews with the judges.

Real Estate Agency - Large was awarded to Highland Property Agents, Real Estate Agency - Medium to Harcourts Hills Living and Garwoods Estate Agents took home Real Estate Agency - Small.

Ms Pilkington told WILLIAMS MEDIA the “Large agency of the year has been doing some really interesting things in the last 12 months, growing and going into different directions”.

The Innovation award was presented to Cooley Auctions, Buyers’ Agent was awarded to Rich Harvey of propertybuyer and Residential Salesperson went to David Highland of Highland Property Agents.

In the new categories of Operational Leadership, Operational Support and Buyers’ Agency, the awards went to Pippa Rowntree of Leah Jay, Renee Edge of Aus Property Professionals and propertybuyer respectively.

“The prestigious Woodrow Weight Award, which recognises outstanding contribution to real estate agency practice was presented to REINSW Immediate Past President John Cunningham from Cunninghams.”

Related reading: Canberra’s real estate industry shines at the annual REIACT Awards for Excellence

“The Woodrow Weight Award is for people doing things for the industry. John has done so much in the last 12 months with Pathway to Professionalism,” Ms Pilkington told WILLIAMS MEDIA.

“He is travelling around the country in his own time garnering support from other leaders, and big brands and independents, talking about why we need to be a profession and what that means.

“It was his vision in the first place a number of years ago about the way the industry needs to go, and he has managed to get everyone on board with him.

“What is amazing is he isn’t getting anything for doing this, but he is making sure the industry survives.”

John Cunningham started his real estate career in property management in 1977, and opened his own business in Sydney’s northern beaches with his wife in 1991, now recognised as one of the area’s leading real estate agencies.

The Woodrow Weight Award is named after the legendary REINSW President, who was the first Australian ever to be elected World President of the International Real Estate Federation.

Mr Cunningham told WILLIAMS MEDIA it was a great honour to win the award and it has been a long ride to get there.

He also won the first ever REINSW award for excellence for residential sales in 1997.

Mr Cunningham said in the last year “I have had involvement in the national level, and I was instigator of the reform package in New South Wales over last three years which passed through Parliament earlier this year”.

Related reading: REIA National Awards for Excellence celebrates the best in the industry

“It’s one of my babies I've been pushing for 10 years, and alongside that I’ve been the driving force of the Pathway to Professionalism program.

“In terms of my own business, we are going through a massive elevate and evolve process, taking leaps in service offerings to clients.”

The Residential Property Management Team and Residential Sales Team award went to Morton.

Ewan Morton, managing director told WILLIAMS MEDIA the competition was there across all the boards, so winning the awards was phenomenal.

“In the last year our sales business has grown, and performance of our individual team members has improved," said Mr Morton.

“One of the things we stand out for in the sales side is we can actually help sales people progress their careers by helping them to sell more.

“We are a growth business, and regardless of market conditions we like to grow and evolve.

“I think in the next year the sales market will be an interesting space, and we are confident in growing our business.”

The Awards for Excellence Gala Dinner was held at Sydney Town Hall on Thursday, 27 September, 2018.

2018 REINSW Awards for Excellence Winners

Woodrow Weight Award
John Cunningham - Cunninghams

Buyers’ Agency
Sponsored by REI Forms Live
propertybuyer

Commercial Agency – large
Sponsored by JLT
Colliers International

Commercial Agency – Small
Sponsored by JLT
Commercial Property Group - Bennett

Communication
Sponsored by realestate.com.au
Nicholls & Co Estate Agents

Innovation
sponsored by NSW Fair Trading
Cooley Auctions

Real Estate Agency- Large
Sponsored by realestate.com.au
Highland Property Agents

Real Estate Agency – Medium
Sponsored by Industrie Media
Harcourts Hills Living

Real Estate Agency – Small
Sponsored by RealtyProtect
Garwoods Estate Agents

Residential Property Management Team
Sponsored by Smoke Alarm Solutions
Morton

Residential Sales Team
Sponsored by REI QuiContract
Morton

Achievement
Mark Stowe - Colliers International

Auctioneer
Sponsored by Realcover
Clarence White - BresicWhitney

Buyers’ Agent
Sponsored by REI Forms Live
Rich Harvey - propertybuyer

Commercial Property Manager
Sponsored by REI Forms Live
Paul McDonald - CBRE

Commercial Salesperson
Miron Solomons - Colliers International

John Greig OAM Community Service
Sponsored by REI Super
Alexandra Haggarty - First National David Haggarty

Operational Leadership
Sponsored by Realcover
Pippa Rowntree - Leah Jay

Operational Support
Sponsored by REI QuickCheck
Renee Edge - Aus Property Professionals

Property Marketer
Mechlenne Douaihy - Merc Real Estate

Residential Property Manager
Sponsored by Direct Connect
Laura Bowd - Cobden & Hayson

Residential Salesperson
Sponsored by realestate.com.au
David Highland - Highland Property Agents

Rural Marketer
Sponsored by realestate.com.au
Samuel Triggs – Inglis Rural Property

Related reading:

REINSW Awards for Excellence finalists announced

Submissions now open for 2018 REISA Awards for Excellence

Bronte Manuel makes history, wins REISA 2018 Auctioneering Championships four times