Stellar venue for night of stars

The Star Brisbane set the scene for the announcement of RE/MAX Australia’s top performers through 2024 and it was a star-studded cast and an audience of 625-plus at the annual awards spectacular on 20th February.

The award roll-out traditionally culminates with the big two – the Pinnacle Enterprise Award and the Eagle Award.

“The Eagle Award holds an incredibly important place in RE/MAX history” explained RE/MAX Australia Managing Director Joel Davoren. “Many factors are considered in candidate selection - tenure with the brand, performance as a professional, values as a person, respectful conduct for those around them, contribution to network and more.

He announced Kathy Sweeney as recipient of the highest individual honour presented by the network.

“We recognise the respect and consideration Kathy gives to her team, clients, colleagues and the RE/MAX Australia team, her exceptional skills and business acumen, and her investment in the growth of the individuals in her business. Kathy’s focus and loyalty to our brand will never go underappreciated.”

Ms Sweeney opened RE/MAX Living in 2018 and the Burpengary team developed quickly into a leading business in the network and a highly respected and valued real estate office in the community.

Pinnacle Enterprise Award, the network’s highest business performance accolade, again this year went to RE/MAX Bayside-Results, which also won Top Multi Office for both commission and transactions.

At the helm of RE/MAX Results since 2016, Hayley Van de Ven took the reins at RE/MAX Bayside Properties in 2021.

Operating under her company, The Limitless Group, both retain their identity with the RE/MAX Results office in Morningside and RE/MAX Bayside Properties in Cleveland and Alexandra Hills.

“To be celebrating here tonight, in the heart of the $3.6 billion-plus Queen’s Wharf precinct, a stunning 12 hectares of riverfront, in one of the largest ballrooms in this city, feels special,” Mr Davoren said, “and is a fitting tribute to the wonderful people who make up our network.

RE/MAX Australia acknowledged four colleagues for their 25 years of continuous service. They were June Wheeler, Paul Turner, Shirley Mapp and Ryan Smith.

A further four were recognised with 20 Years of Service awards - Les Kelly, Karen Williams, Ric Boulter and Jason Martin. There were 21 celebrating 15-year anniversaries and 23 celebrating a decade with RE/MAX.

Club status, from 100% up to Triple Diamond, was acknowledged for more than 140 agents. One ‘Double Diamond Plus’, representing $2.5million to $3million in commissions was awarded, going to Toowoomba’s Jacqui Walker and Double Diamonds went to Fraser Evans, Kylee Harnisch and Melita Bell, with 28 Australian agents in all having reached or exceeded Diamond level through performance in 2024.

In addition, 16 offices were awarded Club status for service and achievements in property management.

Twenty-seven international RE/MAX career awards were announced.

Mr Davoren complimented the Australian network as a region recognised as a star performer in the global RE/MAX network and closed the 2025 event with heartfelt thanks and congratulations to the Australian network and the 625-plus RE/MAX members, partners and family who’d attended.

“Persistent high interest rates delivered another year of highs, lows and in-betweens last year, but also spectacular growth in presence and impact of the RE/MAX network across Australia. RE/MAX Australia grew in nearly every metric that we measure to identify success, a result every member of the network can be proud of.

“2025 seems primed to be an environment of interest rate drops, and while this won’t result in any big shift in house values, it should thankfully help to take the pressure off the cost of living.”

Mr Davoren said ‘cautiously optimistic’ was how he felt about real estate in 2025 and saw RE/MAX Australia prepared and ready for a big year of individual business and network growth.

“Our driver is ensuring our agents, property managers, support people, administrators and business owners remain responsive to the needs of their clients and their markets.

“It is about trusting the process,” he said. “RE/MAX Australia is attracting the best through providing the best, and presence, growth, innovation, energy and client success remain our core values and our strength.”

The awards rolled out with many individual, team and office achievements:

Individual top office, transactions: RE/MAX Success, Toowoomba
Individual top office, settled commissions: RE/MAX Regency, Robina
Young Sales Associate of the Year: Brooke Caple, RE/MAX Bayside-Results
Rookie of the Year: Aisha Waver, RE/MAX Advanced, Bribie Island
Top Sales Agent: Kylee Harnisch, RE/MAX Bayside-Results (transactions and commissions)
Top Commercial Agent: Chris Esdale, RE/MAX City
Top Sales Team: Jacqui Walker Team, RE/MAX Success (transactions and (commissions)
Most Productive Office: RE/MAX Advantage
Business Growth: RE/MAX Property Professionals (Office); David Cotterill (Sales Associate)
Property Management Growth: RE/MAX Bayside-Results (Net Growth); RE/MAX Pamilya Properties (% Net Growth)
Sales Associates Net Growth: Tied – RE/MAX Extreme and RE/MAX Supreme; Sales Associates % Net Growth: RE/MAX Supreme
Property Manager of the Year: Cheryl Head, RE/MAX Success (Platinum Plus office); Lydia Bonastre, RE/MAX Advanced (Emerging office)
Property Management Team of the Year: RE/MAX Success
Auction Award: Tied - RE/MAX Partners Real Estate & RE/MAX Bayside-Results (Office); Reece O’Brien, RE/MAX Partners Real Estate (Sales Associate)
Office Support Person of the Year: Rebecca Anderson, RE/MAX Property Professionals
Personal Assistant of the Year: Renae Spence, RE/MAX Select
Property Management Support Staff of the Year: Bryleigh Stimpson, RE/MAX Extreme
Business Development Manager of the Year: Kristie Clarke, RE/MAX Bayside-Results
Special Achievement in Marketing: Jacqui Walker Team (Team or individual); RE/MAX Property Professionals (Office)
Innovation Award: RE/MAX Bayside-Results
Community Service Award: RE/MAX Select
Pivotal Financial Awards (RE/MAX): Leanne Druery, Top Performing Agent; RE/MAX Results, Top Performing Office; RE/MAX Platinum, Top Market Share Office
Pivotal Financial Awards (finance specialists): Broker of the Year - Lachlan Macdonald; Top Market Share - Lachlan Macdonald; Pivotal Asset Finance Broker of the Year – Christian Tucker; Top Performer, RE/MAX Settlements – Tim Denton