If you’ve looked at a house for sale in Australia, you’ve probably used realestate.com.au. Here’s how the company behind it, REA Group, makes its money.
REA Group is the company behind realestate.com.au, Australia’s biggest property website, and one of the largest technology companies on the ASX.
It started in 1995 in a garage in Melbourne. Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp is its biggest shareholder, owning about 61 per cent. REA reports in Australian dollars, and its financial year ends on 30 June.
Listing fees
Most of REA’s money comes from residential listings, the ads for homes for sale.
Sellers usually pay for these through their real estate agent, as part of their marketing costs. The basic listing is the cheapest. Premium options, such as Premiere, put the property at the top of search results and make the ad bigger, and cost much more. Most of REA’s revenue comes from these “depth” products.
The price REA earns for each listing is called yield. REA has raised its prices every year, often by about 10 per cent or more, and pushes sellers towards premium ads. Because realestate.com.au has far more visitors than its main rival, Domain, agents and sellers are willing to pay.
REA also earns money from ads for rentals, commercial property and new developments, and from agents’ subscriptions.
Other businesses
REA owns Mortgage Choice, a mortgage broking business, and sells data and software to banks and property professionals through PropTrack.
It has invested in property websites overseas, and is selling its Indian business, Housing.com, while keeping a minority stake.
The risks
Because sellers pay for listings, REA’s income depends on how many homes are put up for sale. Higher interest rates or a weaker housing market can reduce listings, although price rises have helped make up for that.
The risks include a fall in listings, competition from Domain, pushback from agents and sellers over prices, and regulation.
Cameron McIntyre has been chief executive since 2025.
Latest results, as at 9 November 2026
Full year to June 2026, reported 6 August 2026: revenue rose 7 per cent to $1.79 billion, and core profit rose 15 per cent to $651 million. The number of homes listed for sale nationally was flat, but REA’s average price per listing rose 13 per cent. It paid total dividends of $2.97 a share, fully franked.
Next update: REA reports its half-year results, to December 2026, in February 2027.
