PRDnationwide Newcastle's top gun salesman George Rafty has been recognised as the franchise network's number one performer for the third consecutive year.

Mr Rafty pocketed the highly acclaimed Sales Agent of the Year Award at PRDnationwide's Annual Awards at Brisbane City Hall on August 17, adding the 2013 accolade to his existing acknowledgements as the top agent in 2011 and 2012.

When accepting his award, Mr Rafty admitted that as a three-time recipient of the award he was humbled and "running out of words." In his acceptance speech, he paid a wonderful tribute to his wife, family and esteemed colleagues at PRDnationwide Newcastle.

"I want to acknowledge my beautiful wife Rosanna. I'm up here getting an award, but she's always at home looking after three kids under ten years of age, and she's been doing that for seven years, so I think I've got the easy part of the deal," he said.

"I've got a magnificent team behind me in Joe Olsen (Sales Associate) and Ashleigh Dodt (Buyer Manager - Residential Sales)."

"I work with an amazing office. Mark Kentwell, Alan and Shula (Kentwell), they gave me an opportunity three years ago and I'm thankful for that. They've given me all the systems and all the tools that I need to do what I do, they are wonderful people."

2013 has proven to be a year of great accomplishment for Mr Rafty, who featured at number 12 in Real Estate Business' Top 100 Agents list and was recently named among the five nominations for the national Sales Agent of the Year at the Australian Real Estate Awards held in Sydney.

The award recognised the best operators in the industry and Mr Rafty already held unique status in the competition, having been the only non-metropolitan based agent in the running for the top honour.

As a side note, the PRDnationwide Top Ten Sales Agents list was dominated by NSW, with nine of the award recipients based in the "First State".  Only PRDnationwide Horsham agent Robert Dolan broke the trend, placing third behind Port Stephens agent Dane Queenan and ahead of Hunter Valley duo Cathy Cattell and Charlie Lund.

Port Stephens' Rebecca Dean finished in sixth position, while Ettalong Beach agent Stuart Gan pipping Rafty's Newcastle-based compatriot Luke Murdoch for seventh place.

The Hunter Valley's Todd Capon made it three representatives inside the top 10 for that office, while PRDnationwide Penrith's Daniel Latty rounded out the prestigious list.

Media contact:
John Shirley
johnshirley@prd.com.au
+61 7 3026 3383