First National Real Estate

What First National Real Estate does

First National Real Estate is a member-owned cooperative network of independently owned and operated real estate offices headquartered in Richmond, Victoria, Australia. Founded in 1981, the network comprises over 400 offices across Australia, New Zealand, and Vanuatu, with member offices providing residential, commercial, rural, and business property sales, as well as rental and property management services. The legal entity, First National Group of Independent Real Estate Agents Limited (ACN 005 942 192), operates a National Support Office that coordinates brand, marketing, technology, and member services for the franchise network, while individual offices retain full operational independence and local market accountability.

The underlying technology platform is powered by Zenu, delivering a unified website experience with property search, listing management, and customer inquiry processing across the network. First National also operates a dedicated commercial platform (firstnationalcommercial.com.au) and a suite of consumer-facing digital tools including a home price calculator, borrowing capacity and stamp duty calculators, Property Alert email subscriptions, and a content engine spanning property guides and an active blog.

Revenue mechanics at the parent level derive from member franchise fees, technology and marketing program contributions, and centralized service offerings, while end-customer transactions are monetized at the member office level through sales commissions (transaction fees) and recurring property management fees. The customer base spans home buyers, sellers, renters, property investors, and commercial/rural buyers and sellers, with a sales-led, relationship-driven go-to-market executed through 400+ local offices. The network has won the Finder Awards' Legendary Service and Most Loved Real Estate Agent categories twice in four years, based on feedback from 60,000 Australian customers.

Name

First National Real Estate

Legal name

First National Group of Independent Real Estate Agents Limited

Website

https://firstnational.com.au

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

First National Real Estate is a member-owned cooperative of over 400 independently operated real estate offices across Australia, New Zealand, and Vanuatu, providing residential, commercial, rural, and property management services to buyers, sellers, renters, and investors through local agents backed by a national Zenu-powered technology platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Residential Real Estate Brokerage

NAICS

Offices of Real Estate Agents and Brokers (53121), Offices of Real Estate Agents and Brokers (5312), Offices of Real Estate Agents and Brokers (531210)

SIC

Real Estate Agents & Managers (For Others) (6531), Real Estate (6500)

akta.pro primary industry

Traditional Residential Brokerage (Existing Homes) (BPAJAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Transitional/Development Land Brokerage (Entitled, In-Path-of-Growth) (BPAJADAJ), Manufacturing & Heavy Industrial Facilities Brokerage (BPAJACAB), Commercial Real Estate Brokerage (Leasing & Sales) (FSAEAJAB)

Keywords

• Residential real estate services
• Property sales brokerage
• Property management services
• Commercial real estate brokerage
• Real estate franchise network

Headquarters

HQ city

Richmond

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Real Estate Sales Commission: First National agents earn commission on property sales transactions. The company operates as a member-owned cooperative where individual offices are independently owned and operated, each generating revenue through real estate sales commissions.
2. Property Management Services: Property management services for investors, including finding quality tenants, rent collection, and day-to-day property management, generating ongoing management fees.
3. Rental Services: Rental listing and tenant placement services for landlords and property seekers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

First National Real Estate is a member-owned cooperative network of more than 400 independently owned and operated real estate offices delivering residential, commercial, rural, and business property sales brokerage, rental placement, and ongoing property management services. Services are delivered through local offices supported by a national brand, a website with property search, online calculators, and free market appraisals.

Product overview

First National Real Estate is a member-owned cooperative network of independently owned and operated real estate offices across Australia, New Zealand, and Vanuatu. The company offers a unified platform connecting buyers, sellers, renters, and investors with local agents through its website. Core services include residential, commercial, rural, and business property sales; rental and property management; and free market appraisals. Online tools include home price calculators and financial calculators for mortgage repayments and stamp duty. Educational resources include property guides (Buyer's, Seller's, Investor's, Tenant's) and a blog covering market trends and lifestyle content.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Residential Property Sales
• Commercial Property Sales
• Rural Property Sales
• Business Sales
• Rental and Property Management
• Free Market Appraisal

Quantifiable outcome

• Won both Legendary Service and Most Loved Real Estate Agent awards twice in four years at Finder Awards, based on feedback from 60,000 Australian customers

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ZenucoreTechnology or IntegrationZenu provides the website platform technology powering First National's online presence, including property search functionality, listing management systems, and customer inquiry processing across the franchise network.
• First National New ZealandcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFranchise network operating independently owned offices throughout New Zealand, extending the First National brand across the Tasman Sea with offices in Wellington, Taranaki, Auckland, and Southland regions.
• First National Vanuatu (Espiritu Santo and Port Vila)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInternational franchise offices operating in Vanuatu, extending the network to the South Pacific region with offices in Espiritu Santo and Port Vila.
• International First National OfficesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOverseas recipients of personal information in countries where First National members operate, including New Zealand, The Philippines, Vanuatu, and other countries where franchise offices are based.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• McGrath Estate Agents: Listed Australian residential real estate agency group (ASX: MEA). Competes as a residential sales and property management platform across Australia, particularly in NSW and Queensland, with overlapping buyer/seller and investor segments.
• Century 21: Internationally recognized real estate franchise with operations across Australia/NZ. Competes head-to-head as a franchised residential brokerage network serving the same buyer/seller segments with shared brand, training, and referral infrastructure.
• RE/MAX: Global real estate franchise network with substantial Australia/NZ presence. Directly competes as a franchise-based brokerage network offering residential and commercial sales with similar independent agent structure and brand-based differentiation.
• Ray White: Largest real estate group in Australia/New Zealand with a franchise network of 1,000+ offices across ANZ and Asia. Directly comparable as a cooperative/franchise brokerage model serving residential, commercial, and rural clients across the same geographies as First National.
• LJ Hooker: Iconic Australian/NZ residential real estate franchise network with 700+ offices. Operates a similar franchise model serving buyers, sellers, landlords, and tenants in overlapping Australia/NZ markets with residential sales and property management services.
• Belle Property: Premium Australian real estate brand with offices across metropolitan markets. Competes in the residential sales segment with a franchise network serving similar buyer/seller personas, though more concentrated in premium metro areas.
• Harcourts: New Zealand-founded real estate group with strong Australia presence. Operates a similar franchise/cooperative model offering residential, commercial, and rural sales plus property management across ANZ markets.

Emerging players

• Domain Group: Leading Australian property portal and residential real estate services platform (owned by Nine Entertainment). Comparable as part of the Australian residential real estate ecosystem serving the same buyers, sellers, and renters; increasingly competing in adjacent services like agent referrals and property management.

Broad incumbents

• Coldwell Banker: Large international real estate franchise with Australia presence. Comparable as a franchised brokerage serving residential markets, but operates globally and does not concentrate on the ANZ-specific cooperative dynamics that drive First National's value.
• Sotheby's International Realty: Global luxury real estate franchise network with Australia/NZ affiliates. Comparable at the network/franchise model level and customer segments, but focuses on luxury residential rather than First National's broader mass-market positioning.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/firstnationalrealestate
• Instagraminstagram.com/firstnationalrealestate
• YouTubeyoutube.com/firstnationalrealestate
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/first-national-real-estate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about First National Real Estate