ACT's Jenna Dunley the first female finalist in REIA Auctioneering Championships history

Canberra’s Jenna Dunley became the first woman to make it through to the finals at the 2019 Australasian Real Estate Institutes’ Auctioneering Championships on Thursday.

Dunley, of LJ Hooker Kippax, rose to the top after competing in the Real Estate Institute of the ACT’s annual auctioneering championships, winning novice auctioneer of the year in 2018 and then auctioneer of the year this August.

“I was absolutely stoked when I found out I was a finalist. I’ve worked extremely hard to make it to that point, but I still didn’t expect it. I was over the moon,” she said.

A career in real estate was a path that took Dunley by surprise but a keen interest in drama and debating throughout school lead to her discovering an undeniable passion in auctioneering.

“There’s nothing I love more than women getting out there and giving auctioneering a go, showing that we can do it.

“Hopefully this inspires other women in the industry to get into auctioneering and compete too.”

It was also an all-Australian affair after competitors representing New Zealand failed to make the cut.

Real Estate Institute of Australia president Adrian Kelly said this was exciting to see after Kiwi, Andrew North took out the championships last year.

“The standard of the finalists was exceptionally high, and the competition was very close. It is especially pleasing to see our event grow stronger each year and the diversity of talent Australasia has to offer,” he said.

The Real Estate Institute of Victoria and the Real Estate Institute of Tasmania played host this year in Melbourne to the five national finalists, and the winner was announced at the REIV Awards for Excellence dinner held on the night of the competition.

The title went to Justin Nickerson of Queensland, who completed against Dunley as well as Luke Banitsiotis from Victoria, and Leon Axford and Clarence White from New South Wales.

Judges decided on a winner after the five finalists were briefed and mock-auctioned a property.

“It was a high-end, three-storey terrace house in St Kilda – very modern and the build had just been finished,” Dunley said.

“There were plenty of tricky numbers that were thrown out in the bidding, testing questions about the character of the area and knowledge of development plans.”

Presentation and the first impression are key in the initial judging criteria, and Dunley has become synonymous with a playful auctioneering energy and style to boot – pink nails, matching lippy and shoes at the preliminary state competition seemed to have worked their magic.

“Look good, feel good, perform well is my mantra,” she laughed.

Kelly said the competition was tough and an extreme test of the auctioneers’ skill, technical knowledge and ability that highlighted the best the industry has to offer.

“Devised bidding processes test the auctioneers’ aptitude, attention and ability to think on their feet and to be successful, competitors have to deal with a wide range of testing questions and unpredictable bids. Combining skill, professionalism and technical knowledge, the candidates are highly accomplished, high-energy performers,” he said.

Last year, the ACT was represented by Mark Larmer of Independent Property Group Inner North & City and Alec Brown of Ray White Canberra, who were named the two finalists to compete in Auckland last October.

Despite being the first Canberra agent to make it through to the Australasian Real Estate Institutes’ Auctioneering Championships, Brown placed second in the nation.