Australian real estate agencies are set to have greater flexibility over where and how they advertise properties following an Australian Competition and Consumer Commission investigation into REA Group's contracts with agencies. 

On the 14th of September 2026, the ACCC announced it had accepted a court-enforceable undertaking from REA Group, which operates realestate.com.au, requiring it to remove a number of restrictive provisions from its agency contracts. 

At the centre of the ACCC's concerns were contractual provisions that required or incentivised agencies to list all or most of their properties on realestate.com.au, as well as provisions relating to the use of higher-fee listing features. 

The changes don't mean agencies will suddenly stop using Australia's largest residential property listing portal. But they do mean agencies should have greater freedom to make individual advertising decisions based on the property, the market and what is appropriate for their vendor or landlord client. 

So, what exactly is changing? 

What was the ACCC concerned about? 

According to the ACCC, most of REA's contracts with real estate agencies previously required agencies to list all properties for sale or lease on realestate.com.au. 

Some contractual arrangements also required or incentivised agencies to list all, or a proportion, of their properties using features that attracted higher fees. 

The ACCC was concerned these provisions limited the choices available to agencies and made it more difficult for competing property listing services to compete effectively. 

Importantly, the ACCC has not said that a court found REA to have breached competition law. 

Rather, REA has acknowledged the ACCC's concerns that its conduct may have been in breach of competition law and has entered into a court-enforceable undertaking to address those concerns. 

What has REA agreed to change? 

Under the undertaking, REA will not be able to require or incentivise an agency to list all or most of its properties on realestate.com.au. 

The undertaking also addresses contractual provisions relating to agencies purchasing higher-fee listing products. 

REA has committed to the changes for a period of three years. 

In practical terms, the ACCC says this should give agents greater flexibility when determining how their vendor and landlord clients' properties are advertised for sale or rent. 

That's the part agencies should pay attention to. 

Does this mean agencies should stop listing on realestate.com.au? 

No. 

Realestate.com.au remains Australia's largest online residential real estate listing portal and will undoubtedly continue to form a significant part of many agencies' property marketing strategies. 

The change is about choice, not whether one particular portal should or shouldn't be used. 

Instead of an agency's contractual arrangement with REA determining that all or most properties must appear on the platform, agencies should have greater flexibility to consider the advertising strategy that makes sense for an individual property and client. 

For many listings, that may still include realestate.com.au. For others, agencies may decide to use a different combination of portals, digital advertising, social media, database marketing or other channels. 

The significant difference is that agencies have greater scope to make that decision themselves. 

What could this mean for vendors and landlords? 

Potentially, more choice. 

Property advertising can represent a significant component of a sales campaign, particularly when premium portal products and other digital advertising are included. 

The ACCC has specifically encouraged vendors and landlords to discuss the available listing options with their agents, including the different products and fees available across property portals. 

That could lead to more conversations between agents and clients about what they are actually purchasing as part of a marketing campaign. 

Rather than presenting a particular portal or listing product simply as something the agency uses for every property, agents may increasingly need to explain why they are recommending it. 

For vendors and landlords, that creates an opportunity to understand the different options available. 

For agents, it reinforces the value of being able to explain the strategy behind a recommendation. 

This could change the conversation around property marketing 

For years, Australia's major property portals have been an integral part of how residential property is marketed. That isn't likely to change overnight. 

What could change is the degree of flexibility agencies have around the advertising packages they offer clients and the way those recommendations are made. 

An agency might determine that maximum exposure across multiple portals is appropriate for one campaign. Another property may require a different strategy based on its location, likely buyer or tenant audience, price point, campaign objectives and available marketing budget. 

The important point is that those decisions can be made based on the needs of the campaign and client rather than simply because an agency's portal contract requires a particular approach. 

That gives agencies an opportunity to revisit a broader question: 

Are we recommending property advertising because it is the right strategy for this client and property, or because it has always been part of our standard package? 

Could it mean greater competition between property portals? 

That is certainly part of what the ACCC expects the undertaking to achieve. 

The ACCC considered REA's previous contractual provisions had the effect of limiting customer choice and hindering the ability of competing listing services to compete effectively. 

Removing those restrictions could give competing portals and listing services a greater opportunity to win individual listings or agency business. 

Whether that ultimately leads to changes in portal pricing, products or competition remains to be seen. 

But agencies having greater freedom to choose where their listings appear creates greater opportunity for those services to compete for that business. 

What should agencies do now? 

There is no need for agencies to immediately overhaul their entire property marketing strategy. 

But this is a good opportunity for principals, sales leaders and property management teams to understand how the changes affect their current REA arrangements and review the way advertising options are presented to clients. 

Consider whether your current marketing packages assume every property will appear on the same portals or use the same listing products. 

Look at how portal fees and upgrades are explained to vendors and landlords, and whether your team understands the different advertising options available. 

Most importantly, make sure agents can explain why a particular advertising strategy is being recommended. 

Greater flexibility is most valuable when it leads to better-informed decisions. 

More choice, but the strategy still matters 

The ACCC described the outcome as a win for competition in the real estate listing market, with the expectation that the benefits will ultimately flow through agents to Australian property owners. 

For agencies, the immediate takeaway is simpler. 

You now have greater flexibility around how properties are listed. 

That doesn't automatically make one portal, product or advertising strategy better than another. It gives agencies more room to assess the options and recommend an approach based on the individual property and client. 

And in an industry where vendors and landlords are increasingly conscious of costs, being able to clearly explain where their marketing dollars are going, and why, is a valuable conversation for agents to be able to have. 

Reference 

Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, Realestate.com.au removes restrictions in contracts with real estate agents after ACCC investigation, published on the 14th of September 2026. 

The ACCC announcement details the court-enforceable undertaking accepted from REA Group, the contractual provisions that raised competition concerns and the changes REA has committed to make for three years. 

This article provides general information only and does not constitute legal advice. Agencies should review the terms of their individual agreements and seek appropriate advice where required.