Victoria’s top 50 real estate agents

From an ex-builder who nailed $200m in sales in a month to a former door-to-door vaccum salesman, these are the agents who dominated 2021 as house prices soared. See the list.

Rob Curtain, Vicky Sayers and Sam Rigopoulos are among Melbourne's top real estate agents.

Meet Melbourne’s kings and queens of real estate.

From an ex-builder who this year racked up $200m worth of sales in a month, to a former full-time mum crowned the property sector's rising star of 2021, these are the agents behind the city’s biggest deals.

Industry publication Real Estate Business has named door-to-door salesman-turned-Jellis Craig Northcote director Sam Rigopoulos as Victoria’s No. 1 real estate agent of the year in its latest Top 50 Agents list, based on total value sold.

Sam Rigopoulos at 57 James St, Northcote. Mr Rigopoulos was No.1 on the list with $182m in total value of residential properties sold. Picture: Ian Currie

Mr Rigopolous holds the Northcote record for the suburb’s most expensive sale. 18 Henry St sold for $4.465m in 2019.

But top-end buyer’s advocate David Morrell has unequivocally crowned Marshall White director Marcus Chiminello and Sotheby’s Peninsula agent Rob Curtain Melbourne’s “kings of real estate”.

Mr Morrell said these men were behind some of the city’s biggest deals.

But their discretion – which was prized by their high net-worth clients – meant many went unreported.

“The deal-makers are the ones that get on and get it done and don’t run up big flags about themselves,” Mr Morrell said.

“That’s why Curtain and Chiminello are so good. They just get on with it. They roll their sleeves up (and) deals are done.”

Former builder Mr Chiminello was nicknamed Melbourne’s $200m agent earlier this year, after transacting that value in real estate in just one month.

A few months later, he eyed a new money-making record, after sealing the deal on more than $120m worth of property in just two weeks. He estimates his total for the year at more than $600m.

Although not on the Top 50 list because many of his big sales go unreported due to discretion, Sotheby's auctioneer Rob Curtain has been dubbed one of the “kings of real estate” in Victoria. Picture: Alex Coppel

While Marshall White director Marcus Chiminello, also not on the official list, was nicknamed Melbourne’s $200m agent after transacting the huge sum in just one month. Picture: Tony Gough

Mr Chiminello sold music promoter Michael Coppel’s luxury pad at 60 Hopetoun Rd, Toorak, for more than $30m.

These included the $43m sale of a British billionaire’s son’s Lansell Rd, Toorak, mansion to Chemist Warehouse boss Sam Gance and his Real Housewives of Melbourne partner, Janet Roach.

This amounted to the highest residential sale ever achieved in Toorak – and at an auction Australia-wide.

He also orchestrated the sale of top music promoter Michael Coppel’s luxe Toorak pad at 60 Hopetoun Rd for more than $30m, and the sale of the former home of lawyer and Gold Logie winner Steve Vizard at 17 Chastleton Ave for more than $20m.

As one of the Mornington Peninsula’s biggest property players, Mr Curtain’s big hits of 2021 have included the sale of a lavish mega-mansion at 90 King St, Flinders, for north of $20m, which set a record for the suburb.

He also sold two neighbouring properties on Musk Creek Rd, Flinders, for a total of $15m to deep-pocketed Kogan.com founder Ruslan Kogan.

Tim Heavyside, No.2 on the list with $165m in residential sales.

Andrew Keleher, No.3 with $137m in sales.

Mr Rigopoulos topped REB’s rankings for selling $182.8m worth of homes last year.

This was the largest total value reported to the publication, which relies on agent supplied data and therefore is not a comprehensive list of every agent.

But the Jellis Craig deal-maker’s 2021 was still a standout after he sold 19 Brooke St, Northcote, for $3.6m.

He also holds the Northcote record for the suburb’s most expensive reported sale at 18 Henry St, Northcote, which sold in 2019 for $4.465m.

“There’s only so much I could take dragging a vacuum cleaner door-to-door to people’s houses. So I figured I better be doing something better with my skill,” Mr Rigopoulos said.

Carla Fetter was No. 4 on the list with $151m in sales.

Chris Hassall, No.5 on the list with $148m.

He joined Tim Heavyside of Fletchers Real Estate, Jellis Craig’s Andrew Keleher and Carla Fetter, and Buxton’s Chris Hassall as the REB’s top five agents.

Meanwhile, the Real Estate Institute of Victoria dubbed two women their top agents of 2021, with RT Edgar Mt Eliza director Vicki Sayers named Salesperson of the Year for the fifth year in a row, and full-time mum-turned-RT Edgar Toorak top agent Antoinette Nido awarded Outstanding New Agent of the Year.

Vicki Sayers was named the REIV’s Salesperson of the Year for the fifth year in a row.

Antoinette Nido was named Outstanding New Agent of the Year.

After taking a break from her role as a tax director with Ernst & Young to raise her children, Ms Nido took on a real estate career and now specialises in selling mansions.

“Corporate heavyweights, they appreciate the level of professionalism I bring to the table,” she said.

Another top-end buyer’s advocate, Mal James, named Arch Staver of Nelson Alexander and Kay & Burton’s Gerald Delany as other accomplished movers and shakers in Melbourne real estate.

He added more women had also climbed the ranks, including Kay & Burton’s Jamie Mi, Buxton’s Romana Altman, RT Edgar’s Sarah Case, his James Buy Sell colleague Gina Kantzas, and Jellis Craig’s Geordie Dixon.

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