This week we celebrate four of our Stone agents who have made it into the top 100 agents in Australia! The REB Top Agents ranking is the premier benchmark for real estate professionals across the nation.
With around 65,000 agents Australia wide, to make it into the top 100 is incredible recognition of their hard work, and dedication. These are the agents who have navigated their way through challenging markets and used their expertise to achieve the best results for all of their clients.
There is no such thing as an overnight success. It takes years of dedication, long hours, far too many “no thankyou’s” (and some not so polite versions of this), and ultimately a true love of people and property.
And as every home is different, every agents journey in making it to the top is just as unique.
Annika Bongiorno- McMahons Point
Annika Bongiorno (#47) is Principal of Stone McMahons Point, who was once told by a prominent male figure in the industry, that she would never make it as a stand alone agent as she was a woman and a mother.
“Nothing has ever given me more motivation or determination to prove him wrong. And I have.There was never a time I didn’t think I could do this, or that I was at a disadvantage because I was a woman. I always believed in my self, which was hard at times due to the nature of the industry, but I was determined to prove that I was just as good – if not better than any of my male competitors!
As a Partner of Stone Real Estate Lindfield, Jill Henry (#62) is a highly respected agent who has been named in Australia’s top 100 agents for four years running!
Straightforward and approachable with a reputation for integrity, Jill puts her clients at ease and provides complete peace of mind. She understands the emotional and physical stress of selling a property and her reputation for looking after all aspects of the sales process from preparation to settlement, and achieving outstanding results is well deserved and hard earned.
“I think the hardest thing for all agents establishing themselves, is patience. It doesn’t happen straight away – you have to work hard and be patient.
I also have good empathy with my owners, I think I can read the situation well and react accordingly. I think some buyers like these attributes which women generally demonstrate really well.”
Kevin Dearlove – Beecroft/ Castle Hill
As hands-on Principal/Director of Stone Real Estate Beecroft and Stone Real Estate Castle Hill, Kevin Dearlove (#69) draws upon his vast experience, intimate market knowledge and unwavering enthusiasm for property to deliver clients the finest calibre of service.
Kevin has been named the number one Real Estate Agent in Beecroft and Cheltenham in 2017, 2018 & 2019 by independent agency, Rate My Agent, Kevin manages a team of like-minded professionals who share his vision and passion.
“I am so very excited to make the Top 100 REB Agents in Australia again in 2020 – this was a goal that we wanted to achieve as we did not make the list in 2019. We have heavily focused on process and our client experience this year and this has paid dividends. The team structure is vital – if you want to write volume you need to become a manager of people and work to each other’s strengths and leverage accordingly. Bigger and better for 2020 and 2021!”
Maria Cassarino, (#83) Partner and licensee of Stone Seaforth has a hard-earned reputation as one of the Northern Beaches’ most successful, respected and knowledgeable sales consultants. Maria is totally dedicated to her vendors and buyers.
Growing up in Seaforth to Italian immigrant parents, Maria honed her local knowledge of the area and all that it has to offer. Her strong family values have given her the empathy to understand and deal with the many challenges clients face when buying and selling property.
Prior to following her passion into real estate, Maria was a leading paralegal, specialising in insolvency and later property and banking/finance for some of Sydney’s top firms. This experience means that her ability to interpret and understand a contract for sale of land is exceptional – a skill which has proven highly beneficial to her clients, particularly during the negotiation process.
