The most prestigious award at last nights REINSW Awards for Excellence 2021 was the Woodrow Weight Award, which recognises outstanding contribution to real estate agency practice was presented to Miles Felstead from Miles Felstead Realty.

“We are thrilled to recognise the valuable contributions Miles has made to the REINSW over a 45-year period. Miles has seen huge changes to the industry over the decades – some of which he has been instrumental in achieving through his work with us here at REINSW. His unswerving tenacity and commitment to our beloved industry cements his place as a respected member of the profession and a well-deserved recipient of this award,” says Ms Pilkington.

Miles Felstead: 2021 Woodrow Weight award winner

As a teenager fresh out of high school and just starting in property, Miles Felstead was given some valuable advice from his boss.

It was drilled into him that if he was to ‘make a go’ of his career, then he should join the Real Estate Institute.

So when he opened his own property management agency on Sydney’s North Shore back in 1976 - at just 24 years of age - he followed the advice.

His valuable contributions over the following four decades were officially recognised when he was announced as the winner of the 2021 Woodrow Weight award at this year’s REINSW Awards for Excellence Gala Evening.

“The Woodrow Weight Award for me is just a crowning moment, it is just unbelievable,” said Mr Felstead.

Mr Felstead joined the REI’s Property Management Chapter in 1980 and the following year was elected to the Property Management Chapter Committee where he stayed for the next 35 years - including two stints as chairman. As part of the committee, he was involved in important changes to the Residential Tenancy Act.

He has also been a long-standing member of the REI’s Board of Directors – serving eight years. He was a director of the Rental Bond Board – representing the REI - until June this year and in 2017 he received the REINSW Life Fellow Award.

His outstanding career in property came by chance when offered a job with AH Taylor at Petersham after finishing high school.

One of his tasks was collecting rent from what was known as ‘protected tenancies’. These were mostly WWII veterans on welfare. In the early ‘70s they were still paying $3.90 per week to rent a three-bedroom terrace in Newtown – the same amount paid in 1939.

“They didn’t have a bank or cheque account which meant cash payments had to be collected in person, but the rents were also so low that many owners could not afford to maintain the premises,” Mr Felstead said.

The experience gave an insight to both sides of property management which he has kept with him throughout his career.

When Mr Felstead started his own business, he would drive a taxi at night and deliver newspapers in the morning for extra income. He’d scour ‘to let’ classifieds contacting private advertisers to let them know of his services. Soon he no longer had to juggle multiple jobs and, to this day, he still manages one of his first ever listings in Cremorne.

One of his career highlights has been meeting all of the wonderful colleagues through the REINSW.

“The experience just broadened my horizons, it opened a pandora’s box of contacts and life-long friendships,” Mr Felstead said.