NSW’s top property young guns of past year: best selling agents aged under 35

The past year’s biggest property deal-makers under 35 have been revealed, with some earning millions a year in their 20s.

Top young gun agents art 3. NSW real estate.

They’re the young, ambitious real estate agents pulling in millions of dollars in earnings each year – some while still in their early 20s – thanks to the relentless march upwards in Sydney home prices.

Real estate transaction figures provided exclusively to The Sunday Telegraph revealed a range of Sydney and regional NSW agents under the age of 35 pulled in more than $100m in sales last year.

Many of the top performing young guns are understood to have scored more than $5m in gross commission over the year.

These are figures that many agents normally don’t achieve until they’ve been in the industry 30 years – and some never get there at all.

The 50 young agents with the highest total sales secured more than $7 billion in NSW property deals over the year.

It came as Sydney real estate prices had a surprise bounce back from interest rate increases, hitting new highs in spring and overtaking the previous peak in prices record during the pandemic.

Dib Chidiac, the head of inner west agency DibChidiac, was the top performer under 35 based on 2023 sales figures submitted by major agencies across the state.

The 32-year-old, who said he has about 200 telephone conversations a day, sold nearly $400m in real estate, much of which was homes in Harbourside suburbs like Drummoyne, Cabarita and Abbotsford.

Other agents pulling in jaw dropping sales figures included Alex Lyons, a young gun from Raine and Horne Double Bay, who pushed through $320m in sales.

Real estate agent Dib Chidiac secured close to $400m in deals.

The 28-year-old’s properties included a Bellevue Hill mansion that he sold to ex-freight boss Arthur Tzaneros for $61.5m, along with a Woollahra mansion sold for $15m.

Mr Lyons, who grew up in Wagga Wagga, had originally moved to Sydney trying to crack into professional sports but transitioned to real estate after an injury.

Tarun Sethi, 26, smashed out $320m in sales in the Strathfield area and its surrounds. It was only a few years ago that he started his real estate career working reception at a sales agency.

“I don’t think you can pin (success) down to one aspect,” Mr Sethi said. “On average I’m working about 12 hours a day.

“One of my motivations is that every time I got told no in life, even by my own mother, it was my dream to turn that no into a yes. I think that’s what selling real estate is about.”

Tarun Sethi sold over $300m worth of real estate - and he has just turned 26. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers

Eastern suburbs rising star Alex Lyons, 28, also sold over $300m in property, including a $61m Bellevue Hill mansion.

The top selling young NSW agent outside Sydney was Nick Clarke, 31, of Clarke and Co, who sold nearly 300 homes in the Maitland area for a combined $239m.

Real Estate Institute of Australia president Leanne Pilkington said the rise of online property information has helped young people achieve the kind of numbers only veterans used get.

“You can get educated on a market much quicker. Back in the old days, it took much longer to get market knowledge. Social media means there are also more ways to promote yourself,” she said.

But Ms Pilkington added that beneath the veneer of pressed suits and luxury cars was a brutal industry where succeeding was difficult.

Real estate agent Eva Xu had a huge year of sales.

“The top young agents are not representative of most newcomers’ experiences,” she said. “It’s not easy. These guys would be working very hard.

“One of the challenges for people starting out is getting known in the first place.

“People like to do business with others they like, know and trust. You have to be out in the local community demonstrating results.

“It’s relentless work. And you need a thick skin because there’s a lot of rejection.”

Mr Chidiac said the job was not as glamorous as it seemed.

“It’s not like what you see on TV,” he said. “If all you do is drive around nice cars and show off on social media that’s not the right way to get attention.”

Sothebys agent James Ball had the second highest total sales value among agents aged under 35.

Roger Wardy, 34, sold just over $131m in real estate. Picture: Julian Andrews

He added that few agents became successes overnight, even if they were younger.

“When I started people would say ‘I like you. I like your energy. But you’re too young. And once you turn more no’s into yes, you then have to deliver.”

Ms Pillkington said one aspect of selling properties that few outsiders considered was how stressed buyers and sellers often were when transacting.

“Selling and buying are both stressful. They’re huge life events. If you’re an agent you’re dealing with both sides of that.”

TRG agent Oliver Lavers, 34, sold $315m worth of real estate in Vaucluse, Double Bay and other upmarket suburbs last year.

Mark Saleh, 33, of Pace Property sold 265 properties, mostly in the Greenacre area, for a combined $313,664,000.

Ray White Eastern Beaches agent Nick Wise, 32, had 86 sales in the eastern suburbs for a combined $268m.

Ray White Penrith agent Jasmyn Calgaro, 27, was one of Western Sydney’s top agents selling $150m worth of homes.

McGrath agent Jackson Passas, 21, sold $49m worth of real estate in 2023.

BresicWhitney agent Jasmine Anglesey, 26, sold about $60m in homes.

LJ Hooker agent Larissa Schembri, 27, sold $44m worth of homes.

McGrath St George agent Trent Tarbey, 29, pushed through $137m in sales.

Sothebys agent Emily Davidson, who is in the team of legendary sales whizz Maclay Longhurst, is 29 and sold $172m worth of properties last year.

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