When REIA’s first conference was held one hundred years ago, the living wage for ‘female employees’ was £2, Sydney’s median weekly rents were about 12 shillings, a Paddington terrace house had just sold for £1750, and headlines raged about the ‘Acute Housing Shortage.’

REIA President Hayden Groves said that “On this day 100 years ago, leaders of the real estate industry across Australia descended on Sydney to explore opportunities to create a national body and a single national voice for our real estate sector.

“They also networked in true real estate fashion: dinner at the Wentworth Hotel, a visit to the Cabaret at Her Majesty’s Theatre, a visit to a National Park and waterfall and ‘travel by motor car.’”

REIA Deputy President and REINSW Board Director, Leanne Pilkington, said she was thrilled to reflect on this day 100 years ago to reflect on the development of the industry over the past century. 

“This is an exciting milestone for us as it was at this First Conference in 1923 it was agreed to establish a Federal Council of real estate institutes and associations in Australia, which is what REIA became in 1924.

“But it’s also a great time to reflect on how the real estate sector has evolved to reflect the face of modern Australia. Not only are we as a workforce of 67% women; we are also a multicultural reflection of the communities we operate in across suburbs and towns across Australia and often have bi-lingual offerings where these markets demand it like in Chinese and Indian communities.” 

A brief REIA history can be viewed here: REIA - About.