Novice Auctioneers Competition

Budding auctioneers battled it out at the 2015 REINSW Novice Auctioneers State Final for their chance to enter the coveted Hall of Fame.

When you’re just starting out, it takes a lot of courage to stand in front of a crowd and conduct an auction. Congratulations to all of the finalists in the 2015 REINSW Novice Auctioneers State Final for accepting the challenge and demonstrating their professionalism and spirit. But there could only be one winner …

A series of hotly-contested local heats decided the finalists, and on 22 June 2015 in Sydney it was all action as the six finalists took to the podium to demonstrate their verbal dexterity and raise money for REINSW charity of choice – the St Vincent de Paul Society.

There was something for everyone, with auction lots including 18 holes of golf at Avondale Golf Club, dinner at the famous Aria restaurant and a 5-star overnight stay in the Hunter Valley. Throughout the evening, the bidding came thick and fast – keeping the finalists on their toes.

While all the finalists were polished performers, Emanual Comino emerged from the pack to take out the title.

In all, a total of $2,350 was raised over the course of the evening.

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And the winner is ...

Winner  Emmanuel Comino Local heat  South Sydney Auction item  Aria restaurant voucher Money raised  $465  How did you feel going into the competition considering you do not have a real estate background? I was probably a little more nervous going into the local heat, having never competed in an auction competition before. The mentors were great in offering support and advice in the lead up, so by the time the final came around I was more excited than anything else. How did you prepare to compete in the competition? I spoke with my mentor at length regarding my item description. We also worked on bidding patter and sequence; that really gave me a great deal more confidence than I had in the heat. I also found myself watching more auctions on YouTube than I care to admit, to help further my patter.

What made you choose the item you decided to sell?
I wanted something that would appeal to the widest demographic possible. The bulk of the points in the marking criteria are awarded on the flow of bidding. Obviously, without any bids it would be hard to score well in this section, so I wanted a somewhat generic item that just about all in attendance would identify a benefit in purchasing.

Is auctioneering something that you hope to do more of in the future?
Absolutely. Public speaking has always been something I have enjoyed and I’ve had a keen interest in real estate for as long as I can remember. Auctioneering seems like the perfect way to put those two things together. I really enjoy it.

What advice do you have for anyone looking to participate in the competition next year?
Just to have fun with it would be my advice. I was lucky enough to get a few laughs from the floor during the auction and I think in a fund-raising environment, when people are having a fun evening, adding a bit of humour to the bidding flow and enjoying the experience is paramount in getting the most out of the experience.

The 2015 finalists
 

  

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The judges

REINSW invited the following to judge this year’s Novice Auctioneers Competition State Final:

• Chief Judge: Bob Jury, REINSW Trainer and Auctioneer
• Michael Corolan, Raine & Horne Bondi Junction and Contract Auctioneer
• Mark Morrison, CEO of Harcourts NSW and Auctioneer at Morrison Property Auctions