Real estate agencies run on commission, trust accounts and the value of a rent roll, and the accounting needs to reflect that. We work with agency principals across Brisbane, Logan and Greater Springfield on compliance, cash flow, structure and growth, including the hard questions about buying or selling a rent roll.
An agency has two businesses inside it.
02Queensland agencies operate trust accounts under the state's property agents legislation, with annual audits and strict rules on how money is handled.
03Sales commission lands at settlement, which can be thirty, sixty or ninety days after the contract.
04The rent roll is usually the agency's most valuable asset, and it should be protected accordingly.
An agency has two businesses inside it. Sales is lumpy, high-margin and dependent on the market and the agents. Property management is steady, lower-margin and the thing that actually gives the agency a sale value. Most principals know this instinctively, but the accounts rarely show the two sides separately.
We set up reporting so sales and property management each show their own revenue, cost and margin. That makes it obvious whether the rent roll is subsidising a sales team, whether a star agent is actually profitable after their split, and what the business is worth to a buyer. It also makes tax planning sharper, because the two sides have different cash patterns.
Kurt from NGU Real Estate Greater Springfield described working with us as "a game-changer for our business." The change was mostly visibility: knowing which parts of the agency make money and planning around that.
Queensland agencies operate trust accounts under the state's property agents legislation, with annual audits and strict rules on how money is handled. The trust account is not the agency's money, and the accounting has to keep it completely separate from the operating accounts. We work alongside your trust account auditor and make sure the general ledger reflects commission only when it is genuinely earned and transferred.
Agent remuneration is the other compliance minefield. Commission splits, retainers, debit-credit arrangements, bonuses and the question of whether an agent is an employee or a contractor all have tax, superannuation and payroll consequences. The ATO's current rules on contractors are applied to the facts, not the contract title.
GST on commissions, marketing recoveries and letting fees needs care too, especially where vendor-paid advertising runs through the agency. Clean bookkeeping on Xero, reconciled weekly, keeps the BAS accurate and the auditor happy.
Sales commission lands at settlement, which can be thirty, sixty or ninety days after the contract. Marketing is paid up front. Wages and rent are due every fortnight regardless. A busy month of listings can be a terrible month for cash.
We build cash flow forecasts around the agency's pipeline: contracts signed, expected settlement dates, conditional risk, and the steady base of management fees. The forecast tells a principal when a hiring decision is safe, how much to set aside for tax and super, and whether the overdraft is a bridge or a habit.
For agencies with several offices or a growing team, our virtual CFO service adds monthly management reports, budgets by division and the modelling to test an expansion before signing a lease.
The rent roll is usually the agency's most valuable asset, and it should be protected accordingly. Many principals hold the rent roll in a separate entity from the sales business, so that a dispute or a bad year in sales does not put the management income at risk. Licensing rules shape what is possible, so the structure has to be designed with them in mind.
We review agency structures and advise on companies, trusts and holding entities that balance asset protection, tax efficiency and the ability to bring in partners or sell down later. If a principal is planning to bring a senior agent into ownership, the structure needs to allow for it from the start.
Rent rolls are bought and sold constantly, often on a multiple of management fees that is quoted as if it were fixed. It is not. The real value depends on retention, fee levels, arrears, the quality of the landlords and how dependent the portfolio is on one property manager.
We provide valuations and due diligence for principals buying a rent roll or a competing agency, and we help sellers prepare their portfolio and their accounts so a buyer pays full value. Deal structure matters as much as price: retention clauses, earn-outs and how the purchase is funded all have tax and cash flow consequences. Greg Blackaby's background in business acquisitions is put to work on every one of these deals.
“Working with Acquire Strategic Accounting has been a game-changer for our business.”
Sales and property management as separate divisions, with their own revenue, direct costs and margin. Commission recognised only when earned and transferred from trust. Agent splits tracked per agent. Rent roll metrics such as properties under management and average fee. Without this, a principal cannot see which part of the agency is actually making money.
Commonly as a multiple of annual management fee income, adjusted for the quality of the portfolio. Retention history, average fee, arrears, landlord concentration, lease terms and how much of the relationship sits with one property manager all move the number. A proper valuation looks at the actual data rather than applying an industry rule of thumb.
Yes. We work with agencies in Greater Springfield, Logan, Ipswich and across Queensland, and with interstate agencies by video. Our offices are in Victoria Point and Jimboomba, but agency bookkeeping, reporting and advice are delivered online. Location rarely matters as much as having an accountant who understands the industry.
The trust account audit must be done by an independent auditor under Queensland's property agent rules. We prepare the agency's general accounts, keep the operating ledger properly separated from trust, and work with your auditor so the audit runs smoothly. Many clients find having the two roles coordinated saves time and stress each year.
It depends on how the arrangement actually works. An agent who operates under your licence, your brand and your systems with set expectations will often be treated as an employee by the ATO and Fair Work regardless of what the agreement says. That brings superannuation and withholding obligations. We assess each case and help you set it up correctly.
