Residential Real Estate Industry Salary Guide - 2025 - by Placed Australia.
- Andrew Turnbull
- 5 days ago
- 13 min read
Updated: 3 days ago
Welcome to the 2025 Australian Residential Real Estate Industry Salary Guide By Placed Australia – Real Estate Recruitment - www.PlacedAustralia.com.au
Whether you’re an Agency Principal, HR leader, or simply curious about real estate salary trends, this guide is for you.
As specialist Real Estate Recruiters, we have our finger on the pulse day-to-day and see what's driving changes across the industry when it comes to salaries and the way real estate professionals are being remunerated.
Inside, you’ll find hard-data benchmarks for every key role in real estate across all eight states and territories—no fluff, just facts.
We’ve harnessed Placed Australia’s internal placement data and publicly available listing information and official reports from the ABS, REIA, SEEK and state bodies to give you a guide of 2025’s salary landscape across residential real estate in Australia.
As the first annual edition, this report sets a baseline. From next year onward, we’ll measure growth or decline in salary bands, bonus structures and recruitment trends, so you can see how your business—and the broader market—evolves over time.
How to Use This Guide:
For Agency Owners & HR: Compare your current pay-structures against market averages to stay competitive, attract top talent and retain your best performers.
For Candidates & the Public: Understand typical pay ranges for each real estate role, region by region, and learn tips to negotiate or plan your next career move.
Residential Real Estate Market Trends Overview (2025)
Economic & Industry Drivers
Post-pandemic recovery & immigration continues to support residential sales and leasing activity, pushing gross commission pools higher.
Higher interest rates than during the pandemic have slowed investor & first home buyer demand in some markets (notably VIC and NSW), softening average sales agent incomes by 15–30% year-on-year.
Strong population growth in QLD, WA and ACT has fuelled rental demand and property-management roles, driving PM salaries up by 12–20%.
Agent's in QLD & Perth have been in high-demand, with population growth and lower housing values attracting the majority of the impatient investor market, continuing to drive the smaller capitals to record pricing levels.
Buyer confidence returning Mid 2025 with interest rates starting to ease and confidence starting to return to the market that was much softer toward the end of 2024 and the first half of 2025. Sentiment still feels soft with buyers still waiting for repayments to become much cheaper due to increased cost of living expenses across the board.
Skills & Roles in Demand & Emerging
#1 by far are Commission Only Sales Agents (we can't find enough for our clients).
#2 are experienced Property Managers with 2+ years experience.(again, we can't find enough for our clients).
Digital marketing expertise & AI (social media campaigns, CRM automation) commands a premium as agencies vie for online leads. Personal Assistants (PA's) and EA's (Executive Assistants) are being requested to have exposure to these new marketing mediums.
Value-add services (e.g., buyers agency, project sales) are expanding—salaries for specialist Buyers Agents have grown 6% in NSW and 8% in QLD.
Leadership turnover at senior levels has created openings for Sales Managers and Heads of Property Management, boosting median salaries by 4–6%.
Recruitment & Retention Trends
Flexible work arrangements—hybrid client visits plus remote admin days—are now table stakes for office staff.
Agencies starting to boast multiple commission streams to their staff for individual sales referrals and PM referral leads etc, boosting attractiveness and higher earning potential to prospective candidates (smart recruitment tool).
Upskilling budgets: 68% of agencies surveyed plan to increase training allowances in 2025, particularly for compliance and new digital tools like AI.
Diversity initiatives: A growing number of firms are introducing pay-transparency policies to support gender equity in commission splits. e.g - Having everyone on the same model with clear revenue performance milestones (e.g Hit this figure, get that comm, do more than that each month/quarter, move up to the next comm bracket etc.)
Year-1 Baseline Metrics
This report will capture for posterity our starting point in 2025. Key metrics include:
Average base salary vs. OTE for sales and property roles
Regional salary differentials (e.g., metro vs. regional NT, TAS, ACT)
Commission/bonus payout ranges by state
Year-on-year movement (to be populated in the 2026 edition)
Salary Benchmarks by Role & State (2025)
This section provides a comprehensive snapshot of base salaries and On-Target Earnings (OTE) for core real estate roles across all Australian states and territories. Figures reflect full-time salaries excluding super unless otherwise noted.
Chart reflects average base wages only and an indication of commission (Comms) ranges.
Role | NSW | VIC | QLD | WA | SA | TAS | ACT | NT |
Average Gross Commission (GCI) Agents charge for selling a property in 2025 | 1.8% for $2m + Property to 3.5% under $2m | 1.8% for $2m + Property to 2% under $2m | 2% for $2m + Property to 3% under $2m | 2.4% for $2m + Property to 3.25% under $2m | 2% for $2m + Property to 3% under $2m | 1.5% for $2m + Property to 3% under $2m | 2% for $2m + Property to 2.5% under $2m | 2.45% for $2m + Property to 2.8% under $2m |
Sales Associate – Junior | $50K–$65K + 10% - 20% of GCI | $48K–$60K + 10% - 20% of GCI | $50K–$62K + 10% - 20% of GCI | $48K–$60K + 10% - 20% of GCI | $47K–$58K + 10% - 20% of GCI | $45K–$55K + 10% - 20% of GCI | $52K–$65K + 10% - 20% of GCI | $50K–$60K + 10% - 20% of GCI |
Sales Agent – Credit / Debit | $50K–$70K + 35% - 50% of GCI | $50K–$65K + 35% - 50% of GCI | $50K–$65K + 35% - 60% of GCI | $50K–$70K + 35% - 50% of GCI | $50K–$60K + 35% -50% of of GCI | $50K–$60K + 35% -50% of GCI | $50K–$70K + 35% -50% of GCI | $50K–$60K + 35% -50% of GCI |
Co-Listing Agent (Career Associate) | $75k - $120k + 20% of CGI | $75k - $120k + 20% of CGI | $75k - $120k + 20% of CGI | $75k - $120k + 20% of CGI | $75k - $120k + 20% of CGI | $75k - $120k + 20% of CGI | $75k - $120k + 20% of CGI | $75k - $120k + 20% of CGI |
Personal Assistant (PA) or Exec Assistant (EA) | $65k - $120k + Bonus | $65k - $110k + Bonus | $65k - $100k + Bonus | $65k - $80k + Bonus | $65k - $80k + Bonus | $65k - $70k + Bonus | $65k - $90k + Bonus | $65k - $85k + Bonus |
Sales Agent - Comm Only | 60% - 80% of GCI (Some Agents pay Desk Fees or Franchise Fees out of this also.) | 60% - 75% of GCI (Some Agents pay Desk Fees or Franchise Fees out of this also.) | 60% - 80% of GCI (Some Agents pay Desk Fees or Franchise Fees out of this also.) | 60% - 80% of GCI (Some Agents pay Desk Fees or Franchise Fees out of this also.) | 50% - 75% of GCI (Some Agents pay Desk Fees or Franchise Fees out of this also.) | 50% - 70% of GCI. (Some Agents pay Desk Fees or Franchise Fees out of this also.) | 50% - 75% of GCI (Some Agents pay Desk Fees or Franchise Fees out of this also.) | 50% - 70% of GCI (Some Agents pay Desk Fees or Franchise Fees out of this also.) |
Sales Manager/Principal | $120K–$180K + Comms | $110K–$160K + Comms | $100K–$150K + Comms | $100K–$140K + Comms | $95K–$135K + Comms | $90K–$130K + Comms | $110K–$160K + Comms | $95K–$130K + Comms |
Property Manager – Junior | $55K–$65K | $53K–$63K | $55K–$65K | $50K–$60K | $50K–$58K | $48K–$55K | $55K–$65K | $50K–$60K |
Property Manager – Senior | $70K–$90K | $65K–$85K | $70K–$85K | $65K–$80K | $63K–$75K | $60K–$70K | $75K–$90K | $65K–$78K |
Head of Property Mgmt | $95K–$130K | $90K–$125K | $85K–$120K | $85K–$115K | $80K–$110K | $78K–$100K | $95K–$125K | $85K–$110K |
Leasing Consultant | $50K–$60K + Bonus | $48K–$58K + Bonus | $50K–$60K + Bonus | $47K–$57K + Bonus | $45K–$55K + Bonus | $45K–$52K + Bonus | $50K–$60K + Bonus | $48K–$58K + Bonus |
Buyers Agent | $65K–$95K + Comms | $65K–$90K + Comms | $65K–$95K + Comms | $60K–$90K + Comms | $60K–$85K + Comms | $58K–$80K + Comms | $70K–$100K + Comms | $60K–$85K + Comms |
BDM – PM or Sales | $70K–$90K + Bonus | $68K–$88K + Bonus | $70K–$90K + Bonus | $65K–$85K + Bonus | $60K–$80K + Bonus | $60K–$78K + Bonus | $70K–$90K + Bonus | $65K–$80K + Bonus |
Marketing Coordinator | $65K–$85K | $60K–$80K | $60K–$78K | $60K–$75K | $55K–$70K | $55K–$68K | $65K–$80K | $58K–$72K |
Sales/PM Admin Support | $65K–$80K | $65K–$80K | $65K–$90K | $60K–$90K | $48K–$63K | $48K–$60K | $55K–$70K | $50K–$65K |
Operations Manager | $90K–$120K | $85K–$115K | $80K–$110K | $80K–$105K | $75K–$100K | $72K–$95K | $90K–$115K | $80K–$100K |
General Manager / CEO | $160K–$250K | $150K–$240K | $140K–$220K | $140K–$210K | $130K–$200K | $125K–$190K | $150K–$230K | $140K–$200K |
Commission & Bonus Structures (2025)
Real estate is a performance-driven industry—and remuneration reflects that. This section unpacks how average commissions and bonuses are structured across residential sales, property management, business development, and support roles. Figures are based on aggregated insights from Placed Australia placements, public job ads, and salary survey data.
Residential Sales Commission Structures
Role | Structure Type | Typical Commission Split | Notes |
Sales Agent - Junior (Sales Associate / Apprentice) | Base Retainer + Commission | 10%–20% of gross commission | Often on a salary retainer of $50K–$60K with commission kicking in on results. |
Credit Debit Agent (12-18 months Exp) | Payback Retainer on Credit / Debit system | 20% - 60% | Still learning and not confident enough to go full commission only. |
Sales Agent - Senior (2yrs + Exp) | Commission Only | 65%–85% of gross commission | High performers in inner metro markets can earn between $300K–$1m + OTE. |
Sales Manager | Override + Personal Commission | 5%–10% override on team + own commissions | Typically includes bonuses for team targets. |
Buyers Agent | Commission + Acquisition Bonuses | 30%–50% of buyer-side fee or fixed % per deal | Some work on retainer + fee per successful purchase. |
📍 Average Agent OTE (2025):
Metro NSW/VIC: $150K–$250K
QLD/WA/SA: $120K–$200K
Regional/TAS/NT: $90K–$150K
Some Agents are also earning additional Comm's from other parts of the business like PM Referral's or Developer comms, Buyers Agent referral comms, Off Market Sales or Conjunctions with other Agents.
Learn what it's really like to work in Real Estate Sales by reading this no-holds Article here
Property Management Incentive Structures
Role | Incentive Model | Typical Bonus/Commission |
Property Manager (Junior) | Fixed salary + end-of-year bonus | $1K–$3K for retention, renewals or satisfaction KPIs |
Property Manager (Senior) | Base + Portfolio Growth Bonus | $2K–$6K annually; additional per-door bonuses in some firms |
Head of Property Mgmt | Performance KPIs + Team Growth Bonus | $5K–$10K depending on agency performance & leadership |
🏡 Emerging Trends:
Some agencies are turning everyone in their business into PM BDM's (even Sales Agents & Admin staff) with Principals offering "per-door" commissions of ($100–$300 per new managed property), especially in competitive metro markets like Brisbane, Canberra and Melbourne.
This has also solved some issues with Junior Staff on low wages wanting "more" ways to earn more money. This incentive allowed them to earn additional commission on top of their base wage. It has also been very welcomed by Sales Agents in some Agencies who cherish additional ways to keep commission payments flowing for cashflow between property settlements.
We see as much as the First Weeks Rent + Base Salary and in some instances a Car or Car Allowance offered to decent BDM's, with the average BDM contributing between 7 - 30 new signups per month on average.
Solid BDM's are contributing between 12 - 20 new signings a month consistently, but are very hard to come by if you need one, and are in high demand. Some Agencies have been eager to hold top performing BDM's under and Equity split arrangement so the BDM is building a future.
Business Development Managers (Sales or PM)
Incentive Type | Typical Bonus Range | KPI Examples |
Per-lead or Per-sign-up | $300–$1,000 or up to first weeks rent per listing secured | New managements, new vendors, developer deals |
Monthly Targets | 7-15 New Managements per month + | # of appraisals, conversion %, listings won |
Annual Bonus or Portfolio Sale Bonus if rent roll gets sold | $10K–$25K | Agency-wide net growth, market share |
🔎 OTE for BDMs: $80K–$120K Base + Comm (Some + Car) depending on state. (OTE $150k -$250k for a good BDM bringing in 12 - 30 new Management's a month consistently)
Support, Admin & Marketing Staff
Support roles are typically salary positions in real estate and often include small, structured bonuses for contribution to team or company goals.
We have noticed this area of the market needs more work on clear growth plans for staff as they usually take these roles hoping to get into sales roles at some point. Turnover can be high in these jobs if clearly defined timelines to progression are not outlined in the beginning.
Offering support staff additional ways they can earn additional income through commission of PM or Sales lead referrals is a great incentive and seems to keep support staff much longer.
Candidates that specialise in these roles and make it a career to be a support person can earn higher base salaries depending on their experience and how good they are.
Role | Bonus Model | Tenure Time | Bonus Model | Amount (Annual Range) |
Sales Admin / Reception ($65k - $80K) | End-of-year team bonus | 12-18 Months | End-of-year team bonus | $1K–$5K |
Property Admin ($50k - $70k) | Portfolio performance linked bonus | 6 Months | Portfolio performance linked bonus | $1K–$5K |
Marketing Coordinator ($65k - $85k) | Campaign success or GCI uplift | 18 Months - 2 years | Campaign success or GCI uplift | $2K–$5K in performance-linked firms |
Operations Manager ($95k - $130k) | Profitability / efficiency KPIs | 2 Years + | Profitability / efficiency KPIs | $5K–$10K depending on seniority |
🧠 Note: Bonus eligibility for support staff is becoming more common, particularly in high-volume offices.
4.5 Emerging Models
Profit-Share Agreements: Offered to long-term senior agents and business unit leaders.
Equity Options: In boutique or growing independent firms, select performers may be invited into ownership.
Commission Draw Systems: Used as a compromise between retainer and commission-only, especially for mid-level agents.
Salary Safety Net: Some Agencies are offering Commission Only Agents an "Emergency Salary" that they can switch-on and turn-off at any time they need it. Commission Percentages obviously get effected and this option can only be used for a short period.
State-by-State Salary Summaries & Insights
Each Australian state and territory has its own market rhythm. While major metro areas tend to lead on salary, regional markets can offer greater job stability, lower staff turnover, and growing demand for generalist skillsets.
This section highlights:
Average role salary trends
Hiring insights
Standout or emerging job types
Notable bonuses or OTE expectations
🏙️ New South Wales (NSW)
Market Summary: Australia’s largest real estate market continues to offer the highest earning potential, particularly across Sydney’s metro east, inner west, and northern beaches.
Top Earning Role: Senior Sales Agent ($250K+ OTE)
Property Management Trend: Salary uplift for mid-level PMs ($70K–$90K) due to chronic shortage
Hiring Note: Increased demand for experienced BDMs and bilingual agents
Bonus Insight: Most developed staff bonus schemes in the country, especially in Eastern Suburbs and North Shore
🌆 Victoria (VIC)
Market Summary: Melbourne's tightly held suburbs drive strong GCI, but salary bands remain slightly lower than NSW across most roles.
Top Earning Role: Buyers Agent in Inner Melbourne ($220K+ OTE)
Property Management Trend: Widening salary spread between junior and senior PMs
Hiring Note: High churn in admin and leasing roles, driving salaries up
Bonus Insight: PM portfolio growth incentives becoming standard
🌴 Queensland (QLD)
Market Summary: Brisbane and Gold Coast regions are in a strong hiring phase due to population growth and new development projects.
Top Earning Role: Senior Sales Agent in Gold Coast market ($200K+ OTE)
Property Management Trend: Portfolio managers in high demand, even in regional hubs
Hiring Note: Shortage of licensed agents in outer-metro suburbs
Bonus Insight: "Per-door" leasing bonuses more common than in southern states
🌊 Western Australia (WA)
Market Summary: Perth’s real estate sector has rebounded post-COVID with strong salary offers and limited candidate supply.
Top Earning Role: BDM for new developments in Perth ($130K OTE)
Property Management Trend: Consolidation into larger portfolios with performance bonuses
Hiring Note: Most competitive market for retaining skilled PMs
Bonus Insight: Retention and loyalty bonuses rising in popularity
🌇 South Australia (SA)
Market Summary: Adelaide’s property sector is stable and expanding. Employers often seek flexible, multitasking employees over pure specialists.
Top Earning Role: Sales Manager/Principal ($180K+ including overrides)
Property Management Trend: Salaries increasing, especially for high-retention roles
Hiring Note: Candidates with end-to-end experience across PM and leasing are in high demand
Bonus Insight: Discretionary bonuses based on team KPIs common
🏞️ Tasmania (TAS)
Market Summary: While salary bands are lower overall, job security and lower staff turnover make Tasmania an attractive location.
Top Earning Role: Agency Principal in Hobart ($150K–$170K + comms)
Property Management Trend: Smaller portfolios, but heavier admin loads
Hiring Note: Hard to attract mainlanders to relocate; local development of talent is key
Bonus Insight: Less structured, more tenure- or performance-based
🏛️ Australian Capital Territory (ACT)
Market Summary: Canberra continues to offer some of the most competitive real estate salaries per capita, particularly for government-facing or investor-heavy portfolios.
Top Earning Role: Senior PM or Team Leader ($100K+ base, $120K+ OTE)
Property Management Trend: Strong administrative support improves retention
Hiring Note: Frequent public-private candidate migration boosts salary expectations
Bonus Insight: Annual retention bonuses now common across PM and leasing roles
🌅 Northern Territory (NT)
Market Summary: Small but active market where generalists shine. Job openings often include relocation incentives or housing support.
Top Earning Role: Agency Principal / Senior Agent ($130K–$160K + bonus)
Property Management Trend: Multiskilled PMs in demand; fewer pure leasing roles
Hiring Note: High turnover due to transient population
Bonus Insight: Relocation packages, short-term loyalty bonuses ($2K–$5K)
State/Territory | Highest Avg Salary Role | Most Competitive Role | Bonus Prevalence |
NSW | Senior Sales Agent | Property Manager (Senior) | High |
VIC | Buyers Agent | Leasing Consultant | Moderate |
QLD | Sales Agent – Coastal Metro | BDM (Sales/PM) | High |
WA | BDM / Senior PM | Property Manager (Mid-Senior) | High |
SA | Sales Manager | PM with leasing crossover | Moderate |
TAS | Agency Principal | Property Admin | Low |
ACT | Senior Property Manager | Admin/Marketing Coordinator | High |
NT | Senior Sales Agent | Leasing/BDM Hybrid | Moderate |
Regional Insight: Regional towns and cities remain the hardest to attract high-performing talent too and are dominated by family run Agencies.
Key 2025 Trends:
PM salaries grew 6–10%
Commission splits shifting upward
Bonuses spreading into support roles
Demand for specialists increasing
Turnover driving wage pressure
Agencies turning their entire teams into PM BDM's
Salary Trends & Forecast for 2026
As Australia’s real estate sector navigates interest rate pressures, population growth, and evolving client expectations, salary structures are adjusting accordingly. This section captures the most notable trends from 2025 and where we expect the market to move in 2026.
🔺 Key Trends Observed in 2025
1. Salary Growth for Property Managers
National PM salaries increased by 6–10% in capital cities due to a persistent candidate shortage.
WA and QLD led the market in base salary growth for senior PMs.
2. Commission Splits are Shifting Upward
Mid-level sales agents increasingly negotiating 65–70% commission splits, particularly in boutique firms.
The commission-only model gained traction in inner Sydney, Melbourne, and the Gold Coast.
Top-Performing Sale Agents ($1m GCI +) are seeking Equity or EBU options more than ever.
3. Bonuses Now Standard in Support Roles
Roles like Sales Admin and Leasing Coordinators are increasingly tied to performance metrics.
End-of-year discretionary bonuses are now expected in 1 in 3 agencies surveyed.
4. Rise of the Specialist
Agencies are paying a premium for:
Leasing-only PMs
New development BDMs
Investor-focused Buyers Agents
5. High Turnover is Driving Pay Increases
Staff churn in leasing and junior roles is creating upward wage pressure.
Employers are offering more structured onboarding bonuses and retention incentives.
📈 Forecast for 2026
Role Category | 2026 Salary Forecast | Market Commentary |
Sales (Mid-Level Agents) | ↑ 3–6% increase in OTE | Driven by higher GCI in recovering markets |
Property Managers | ↑ 5–8% increase in base + incentive packages | Demand remains high; agencies investing in retention |
Business Development | ↔ Stable base, ↑ variable commissions | Agencies prefer to tie pay to results |
Support & Admin Roles | ↑ 3–5% growth, especially in marketing/admin | Bonus eligibility expanding; more defined career paths |
Buyers Agents | ↑ Continued upward trend in inner-city markets | Rise of investors and high-end buyers fuels growth |
💼 Emerging Roles to Watch
Digital Listing / AI Coordinators Hybrid roles combining marketing, CRM, and campaign coordination.
Vendor Advocates Particularly in Victoria and NSW, more buyers and sellers are hiring agents for negotiations only.
Team-Based Agent Models Agencies experimenting with shared commission pools for pods or sales teams.
🔮 Placed Australia's 2026 Salary Market Outlook
More consolidation: More smaller offices will merge with bigger offices. (We can help with that too)
Agency competition: Mid-level firms will increase salary / commission offerings to attract mid-level talent away from national brands.
Regional opportunity: Roles in growing regional hubs (e.g. Ballarat, Newcastle, Sunshine Coast) will offer metro-level salaries in 2026 - 27.
Training = Pay Rise: Candidates with formal PM, BDM, or marketing, lead generation / AI training will increasingly command above-average salaries.
Recruitment Support: Grow your business...
If you are looking for work or staff in Real Estate, please reach out to any one of the Recruiters at Placed Australia Real Estate Recruitment today for a confidential chat www.PlacedAustralia.com.au
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