A 22-year-old has become Queensland’s youngest real estate business owner, with a new agency set to open on the Sunshine Coast.
Andy Phythian will open a Place Estate Agents office in Beerwah later this month, marking a rapid rise for the agent who only entered the industry four years ago.
The office, located at Shop 15, 22 Peachester Road, is being launched in partnership with Robbie Lofaro and will service the hinterland property market, including Beerwah and the Glass House Mountains region.
Before real estate, Mr Phythian had ambitions of playing basketball professionally, competing in Queensland’s State League and training for years with hopes of progressing further. However, a series of injuries forced him to reconsider his future.
“I always thought basketball was the path I’d take, but injuries can change everything pretty quickly,” he said.
“That’s when I realised I needed something where I could still build a future, no matter what happened.”
Mr Phythian began working in real estate while still at school, completing work experience at 16 before obtaining his licence on his 18th birthday. He said the early stages of his career were driven by a determination to succeed in a competitive industry.
“I’d heard most agents don’t last their first year, so my goal at the start was just to prove I could stick it out,” he said.
After initially working under senior agents, he transitioned to operating independently at 19, building a client base across the northern Moreton Bay and Sunshine Coast hinterland corridor.
He has since sold more than 125 properties, including several high-value and record-setting sales in the region. Among them is a recent sale at 12 Lilly Lane, Beerwah, which set a new suburb benchmark, alongside previous record results in the Glass House Mountains area.
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Mr Phythian said his approach to marketing properties — including a strong focus on digital platforms — had helped differentiate him in a market traditionally dominated by more established agents.
“A lot of my competitors had been doing things the same way for a long time,” he said.
“I’ve tried to bring a different approach, especially with online marketing, and vendors have responded to that.”
The decision to move into business ownership followed a period of rapid growth in his sales activity, as well as a shift toward building a broader team structure.
He now leads a small team and said the new office would allow for further expansion into property management and commercial services, alongside residential sales.
While based in Caboolture, Mr Phythian has increasingly focused on the Sunshine Coast market and is building a home in the Aura development at Banya.
He said the region’s combination of lifestyle and growth potential made it an ideal base for the next stage of his career.
“The hinterland and coastal areas offer something really unique, and there’s still strong demand for that lifestyle,” he said.
Mr Phythian said his long-term goal was to establish multiple offices across the Sunshine Coast, with Beerwah the first step in that plan.
The new office is expected to open in late March.
