Women revolutionising Canberra real estate

When it comes to real estate, property management is the “less sexy” part of the industry.

While many property managers work tirelessly to balance the demands of tenants and landlords, they often cop the brunt of any dissatisfaction just for doing their job.

It was a role in property management that launched the real estate career of Hannah Gill when she was 21 years old. Since then, she has gained a potent mix of experience across leadership and business development, with her dedication extending beyond her day job.

Gill currently serves as the deputy president of the Real Estate Institute of Australia (REIA) and is the president of the Real Estate Institute of Australian Capital Territory (REIACT).

Her passion for revolutionising the industry also led her to establish The Property Collective in late 2020 with business partner Will Honey, offering end-to-end real estate across sales, projects and property management.

“We truly want to give back to our clients and make sure that we can help them create wealth, whether they’re a tenant or an owner,” she says.

The Property Collective’s philosophy revolves around collaboration and innovation. From its in-house marketing team to its dedicated maintenance service and concierge move-home service, the business is all about enhancing client experience and streamlining processes.

For Gill, it’s about eliminating friction points and making real estate transactions smoother for everyone involved, particularly in property management.

“We believe that clients, both tenants, and investors deserve better in that space. And we’re really eager to try to design and introduce that model to the industry,” she says.

As for her professional experiences in the industry, Gill has been “lucky to be surrounded by great mentors and a supportive network who have lifted her up”.

But she knows there is plenty more work to be done.

“I’ve heard some pretty terrible horror stories over the years from experiences other women have had in the industry,” she says.

“We know property management is predominantly female as an industry, but we’re seeing more and more women enter sales roles, which is fantastic. I think having models that are sustainable and flexible means women can have kids and raise a family and still enter into the industry in any number of roles now, whereas five or 10 years ago, I feel like that was far more rigid and less possible.”

While Gill believes International Women’s Day on March 8 is an important date on the calendar, she says everyone has a role in creating lasting, positive change every day of the year.

“I love the quote, ‘the behaviour you walk past is the behaviour you choose to accept’. And I think if everyone’s accountable, we rise above, and we don’t tolerate what’s unacceptable,” she says.

“It can’t just fall down to the one person who’s experiencing it. I’ve been in that position in the past where I was having a tough time in a workplace and in isolation I couldn’t make the change. But when people rallied around me and helped, you actually made a difference.”

Gill says she is in awe of all the property managers, whom she calls the unsung heroes of the industry, and feels she is surrounded by many great female industry leaders.

“I could give you a list of 100 women who are inspiring in the industry that just do really good things. What I love about the industry is there’s this real tribe who genuinely want to see each other succeed and innovate and collaborate and work together, not just in Canberra, but more broadly. That’s really special, and one of the things I love most about it.”

Celebrated annually on March 8 to raise the profile of gender equalities worldwide, International Women’s Day in 2024 will rally behind the campaign theme of Inspire inclusion.

This article is part of Allhomes’ Spotlight Series for International Women’s Day 2024, recognising influential women in Canberra real estate who are creating positive change for the industry and the broader community.