Batemans Bay's My Agent Christine Ewin has been named the best small real estate agency in NSW.
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Since opening the doors to her business in June 2019, Ms Ewin felt "incredible" to win a Real Estate Institute of NSW (REINSW) award for excellence.
In October, 10 agency and 14 individual category awards were announced during a virtual gala evening. The best of the best within the real estate industry of NSW were recognised.
Ms Ewin said it was a laboursome process to apply.
"It's very full on; you have to open your books, let them know how much you turn over each year, what your market share is, your marketing and google reviews, and they research the company," she said.
Ms Ewin was interviewed by a panel of industry leaders after being shortlisted to the finals.
She believed she was the first in Batemans Bay to achieve such a prestigious award and celebrated with her team.
For someone who came into the industry without the backing of large franchise - the support has been phenomenal
- Christine Ewin
"For someone who came into the industry without the backing of large franchise - the support has been phenomenal," she said.
"And it's only because Batemans Bay got behind us - that's why we have done so well."
For 20-years Ms Ewin navigated her way through the real estate industry, landing herself an opportunity to start her own agency in 2019.
She wanted to create a boutique agency, separate from any franchise. Two years later, business took her by surprise.
"I thought I was going to be a small operation, to throttle back, sell the odd property and create a modest rent roll - my idea was to stay small," she said.
However, the booming real estate market and her "personal touch" to business, boosted their volume of sales as a boutique agency.
It was beyond her dreams to become a top agency in NSW: "I never expected it."
"And I never expected 10 women to work with me," she said.
"I never dreamed that big! It just happened - we became popular."
She was proud of her all-female team - even consisting of a female auctioneer.
Since the start of her career, Ms Ewin said opportunities have grown for women.
"I started off surrounded by male dinosaurs, who had been in the industry forever," she said.
"I was the new kid on the block, where women were only in admin and as assistants - none were in sales.
"At one stage in the Bay, there were all male principals - there was the odd woman who was selling, but all agencies were owned by men.
"Now, it's nice to know four agencies in the Bay are owned by women - others also with all-female teams.
"There has been a change in the industry, women are much more recognised."
However, Ms Ewin said the game is still tough: "It always has been up against the big boys."
"I think women have to work harder and smarter," she said.
Ms Ewin's advice for women pursuing careers in real estate was: "Be transparent and honest."
"People want to feel a connection with someone they can trust."
Ms Ewin shared her views on the real estate market at present.
It has been well-known the demand for property along the coast was very high. Her team has worked to keep up with the "bullish market", where not many houses were going up for sale and prices were inflated as multiple buyers compete.
Ms Ewin said auctions and best and final offers have been the most popular processes "to get the right price".
She predicts the market will change and balance naturally as buyers decrease and homes are on the market for longer.
"I don't think it will drop, but it will settle," she said.
It's a seller's market at the moment, where the cruddiest homes can be thrown on the market and be sold overnight.
A balanced market means sellers' due diligence comes back into play where more time is taken to get ready for sale and the demand for property becomes equal to the amount of properties available.
Ms Ewin hopes to see a balanced market soon where properties will be on the market for 30 days, allowing "time to breathe".