From Agent to Owner at 22, Queensland’s Youngest Real Estate Business Leader Steps Up

At an age when many young professionals are still finding their footing in the workforce, one Queensland agent has taken a significant step forward, opening his own real estate business at just 22.

Andy Phythian has officially launched his own office after already spending close to five years working in the property industry, becoming one of the youngest business owners in Queensland real estate.

The milestone highlights a broader shift occurring across the profession. A new generation of agents is entering the industry earlier, building experience quickly, and moving into leadership roles faster than many expected.

For Phythian, the journey started well before the typical career timeline.

While many of his peers were still completing school or university, he was already learning the mechanics of the property market, building relationships, and understanding how the business side of real estate operates.

Opening an office at such a young age is not simply about ambition, it also reflects the evolving structure of the industry. Modern real estate businesses are increasingly driven by personal brands, digital marketing, and lean operating models that allow driven agents to build businesses earlier in their careers.

The decision to launch his own office signals confidence not only in his own ability but also in the opportunities still available within the profession for those willing to commit early and move quickly.

While youth in real estate has traditionally been associated with assistant roles or early sales positions, stories like this are beginning to challenge that narrative. Across Australia, a growing number of agents in their twenties are stepping into leadership positions, building teams, and establishing independent businesses.

For the industry, it raises an important question.

If the next generation of real estate professionals is entering the business younger, learning faster, and thinking more entrepreneurially, what will the real estate office of the future actually look like?

One thing is clear.

Age is increasingly becoming less relevant than drive, experience, and the willingness to take the leap.

And for one 22 year old in Queensland, that leap has already happened.