NSW’s top real estate young guns of 2024: best selling agents aged below 30

A mix of property prodigies under the age of 30 are dominating NSW’s cutthroat housing market due to sweeping industry changes. See the top dealmakers over the past year

A new generation of young real estate moguls has risen to the top of Sydney’s cutthroat property market, harnessing AI and other technologies to amass fortunes once reserved for industry veterans.

A review of industry sales figures over the past year revealed a multitude of agents who closed hundreds of millions of dollars in deals while still under the age of 30.

The sales lined the pockets of some of the top performers with millions of dollars a year in commissions.

Their impressive hauls have also dwarfed the earnings of many professionals in traditionally higher paying roles who, at the same age, have barely started their careers.

Alex Lyons is a former rugby league player who has become a star real estate agent at age 29. Picture: Jonathan Ng

Tom Panos, a seasoned real estate coach and industry commentator, said many of the younger agents pulling the biggest deals were a different breed from previous generations.

“Real estate used to be something people would fall into if they had the gift of the gap and hadn’t picked up a trade or studied, but now people are seeking out careers in real estate much earlier,” he said.

“There are a lot of very smart and disciplined people entering the industry. They have an advantage people who started out 15 or 20 years ago didn’t have because technology has changed everything.”

Mr Panos explained that AI and other technologies had allowed new entrants to build careers faster, without needing to rely on word of mouth – the primary driver of sales in previous decades.

“In 2024, the advantage lies in the fact that many processes in real estate are now underpinned by tech — digital kits, social media, and video are the main ways agents build their brands now.

“Now it’s all about AI and technology. And you normally find that agents under 30 are more adept at using these tools.”

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Among the biggest real estate players under 30 is McGrath agent Tarun Sethi, 26, who sold a whopping $363m in property over the year.

Agents’ gross commissions are usually charged anywhere from 1-2 per cent of the sales price.

Another big player is Raine and Horne-Double Bay agent Alex Lyons, who sold close to $310m.

Tarun Sethi, 26, has become one of Sydney’s top agents. Picture by Max Mason-Hubers

DibChidiac agent Alex Cummins, 25, pushed through nearly $180m in sales.

Mr Lyons was on track for a place in the starting line-up of the Sydney Roosters when a sudden injury at age 20 sent his dreams of playing in the NRL crashing down.

Three days later the Rugby League washout decided to work in real estate and, now 29, has never looked back.

“When things didn’t work out in professional sport, this just became the new plan and I never had a plan B after that,” he said.

“I never had a sense I’d be good at it, but I knew from sport that hard work beats talent. I wasn’t the most talented footballer but I worked harder than most people and I just took that approach into real estate.”

Ray White Eli Alkassar, 22, secured over $70m in deals over the past financial year. He had been a hairdresser in his teens.

Natalie Field from McGrath Coogee.

Carla Young.

Monique Layoun.

“I feel like 15 years ago it was a lot more about who you know. A lot of the older agents would do very well because people would look at who sold the property for someone they knew.

“Now it’s more about stats, which sellers can compare. You can do things on social media, it’s not just door knocking.”

Mr Panos cautioned that the high performance of many younger agents often came at a big personal cost.

Ray White Nepean Group agent Jasmyn Calgaro.

Jordan Bulmer of McGrath Terrigal.

Sarah Warren.

Maddy Este from BresicWhitney.

BresicWhitney agent Jasmine Anglesey.

Larissa Schembri of LJ Hooker Bankstown

Joseph Lombardo, from agency Adrian William, unlocking a house up for inspection. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers

“It’s a golden opportunity for young people, but there is a price to pay, and most aren’t prepared to do it,” he said.

“Your friends will have better social lives. Saturdays are long days for agents, and that means Friday nights won’t be about fun anymore. People enjoying their youth often struggle with the price you have to pay in this industry. You can’t just disappear for three months on a long Europe trip and expect to stay competitive.”

Originally published as NSW’s top real estate young guns of 2024: best selling agents aged below 30