Harcourts Adelaide Hills makes two finals in Women in Real Estate Awards

Harcourts Adelaide Hills has two finalists in the 2026 Real Estate Business Women in Real Estate Awards: Head of Operations and Client Experience Sarah Stokes, for Operations Professional of the Year, and its property management team, for Property Management Team of the Year.

The winners will be announced at the Hilton Sydney on Thursday 26 November.

25 years behind the scenes

Ms Stokes joined the industry in 1999 and has worked in real estate for more than 25 years. At Harcourts Adelaide Hills she runs the operations side of the business, supporting business leaders Kim and Trent, and has received multiple administration awards during her career.

"I'm really proud to be recognised among the finalists. Much of my role is about supporting our people and making sure they have what they need to do their jobs well. This recognition is a reflection of the whole team and the work we do together every day," she said.

Rachel Kucina, Partner and Head of Property Management, said the team nomination "belonged to the people" doing the work. "Property management takes a great deal of organisation, care and commitment. Our team works hard to look after our clients, support tenants and manage the many details that come with the role," she said.

Heather Edwards, chief executive of Harcourts SA/WA, said the nominations reflected "the experience, dedication and care" in the business.

Why it matters

Operations roles rarely get a category of their own, yet in most agencies they hold together compliance, systems and the client experience. Karmen Costigan, Head of Harcourts Property Management, said the result showed "the important contribution that operations and property management professionals make to the industry, often behind the scenes".