REIA’s founding conference was held in 1923 and we were incorporated by 1924.
So, this year, we’re celebrating a major milestone anniversary – 100 years of serving not only the real estate industry, but all Australians. Everybody needs a home, whether they buy or rent – and, over the past century, REIA has been at the forefront of lobbying for change to protect our valued members and their clients.
In this time, we’ve certainly seen incredible changes in the industry and we’re proud that our dedication has translated into a strong and growing membership.
REINSW has been such a strong part of this – hosting the inaugural conference of Real Estate Institutes from 18 to 20 September 1923 at Sydney Town Hall and the REINSW HQ.
Thanks to the foresight of our Institute members 100 years ago, REIA has been instrumental in lobbying for change.
Published over the last 30 years, our Housing Affordability Report and Real Estate Market Facts Report are highly regarded tools showcasing Australia’s housing market and housing affordability. These reports, available for REINSW members to download at reinsw.com.au, have supported our current mandate for governments to address housing supply and housing affordability.
More recently, we were asked to contribute to the anti-money laundering policy, which we know will impact on the real estate industry and our valued agents, both financially and timewise.
Other key advancements include our launches of the Getting Real 2.0 program, along with numerous projects to assist with cyber issues, particularly after so many recent violations across the country.
More recently, we launched the Short Stay Accommodation Report, which is a crucial analysis of the impact of the likes of Airbnb on Australia’s housing market, particularly at a time of housing affordability crisis.
REIA has also provided a 10-point plan aimed at assisting Australian renters to the Federal Senate Inquiry into the worsening rental crisis. Until we fix rental supply, we as an industry know there will be no relief for renters.
REIA has argued that the Inquiry must produce recommendations that are Constitutional, within the Federal Government's remit and solve the wicked problem of housing supply. To help Australia’s eight million renters, we need to sort out rental supply.
It's not a question of ‘us versus them’, as the Greens and Adam Bandt would have you believe. In real estate, our business is renters living in successful tenancies and as an industry we are all fatigued of turning away high-quality and hard-working applicants due to this catastrophic rental undersupply.
HAYDEN GROVES is the President of the Real Estate Institute of Australia.