Realestate.com.au upgrades
When you list with PropertyNow, your property is published as a Standard Listing. While this gets you onto Australia’s #1 portal, realestate.com.au (REA) uses a priority system to determine which properties buyers see first. Upgrading your listing is an effective way to move towards the front of the queue, increase your enquiry rate, and help secure a faster sale. But upgrades aren't necessarily right for every owner. Read on to find out if they're right for you.
Why upgrade? How REA orders search results
By default, REA sorts listings by Upgrade Tier first, then by Date. Unlike social media, updates to your listing (like changing the price) do not refresh your position. If you have been on the market for a few weeks, you are likely being pushed to Page 3 or 4. An upgrade is the only way to move higher up in the default sort order. Note: users can adjust the sort order to latest listing, or highest/lowest price which will override upgrade based sorting.
Click on the Tier title to learn more about each tier.
Tier | Search Priority | Ad Size | Best For... |
|---|---|---|---|
#1 (Top of Search) | Extra-Large | Fast sales, luxury homes, Auctions, and high competition. | |
#2 (High Priority) | Large | Gaining a significant edge in busy markets. | |
#3 (Mid Priority) | Same as Standard, with a styled title bar that makes the listing look slightly bigger in results | Standing out from the Standard pile. | |
Standard | Base Level | Standard | Unique properties in very low-competition areas. |
What difference does an upgrade make?
According to realestate.com.au's own research, compared with a Standard listing:
Tier | Email enquiries | Listing views | Times seen in search results |
|---|---|---|---|
Premiere | 2.2x | 2.2x | 2.0x |
Highlight | 1.3x | 1.4x | 1.3x |
Feature | 1.2x | 1.3x | 1.2x |
Results vary by suburb and property, so treat these as a guide rather than a guarantee.
How the 30-Day upgrade period works
An upgrade puts your home in front of the maximum number of buyers at once.
- Duration: All upgrades last for 30 days. The live quote and purchase in your account are for 30 days, and that's the quickest way to upgrade. A 45-day Premiere is available on a custom quote from our team.
- Premiere rotation: Premiere listings automatically refresh to the top of their tier every 15 days, giving you two spikes in traffic.
- Auctions and high-value homes: For auctions or high-value homes, a Premiere upgrade is the industry standard to ensure you don't miss a single serious buyer.
PropertyNow vs. traditional agents
Why do our prices look different? Because we are transparent.
- No hidden fees: Traditional agents often pay for "All Premiere" bulk subscriptions. They hide the cost in their large upfront marketing fees and lock every owner into a Premiere listing, whether they need it or not.
- You keep the commission: An agent making $15,000+ in commission can afford to subsidise an upgrade to get a quick result. At PropertyNow, you keep that $15,000, and we provide the upgrade at the direct, raw cost from the portal with zero markups.
Is it right for your property?
Before you spend, take two minutes to check your suburb:
- Search your suburb on REA (uncheck "Include surrounding suburbs").
- Count the competition. If there are 10+ Premiere listings sitting above you, you are essentially invisible to buyers who only browse the first two pages.
- Decision: If you are buried on Page 4, a Premiere or Highlight upgrade is the most effective way to restart your campaign.
Rules and pricing to know
- Non-refundable: REA does not offer pro-rata refunds. Once an upgrade is live, you have committed to that 30-day period.
- Moving up a tier: If you'd like to step up part way through (for example from Feature to Highlight), contact us. realestate.com.au gives a pro-rata quote that takes the unused value of your current upgrade off the price of the higher tier. The credit shrinks each day your current upgrade runs, so the sooner you ask, the bigger it is.
- Dynamic pricing: Prices change daily based on suburb demand, so we don't publish guide prices or ranges. The only accurate figure is the live 30-day quote for your suburb in your account (steps below).
Ready to see your live quote?
Not listed with us yet? Your quote is free and instant, with no obligation. It takes under a minute:
- Create a free account.
- Start a listing and enter your property's address and type.
- Click 'Listing Enhancements' at the top of the page, then 'REA Listing Upgrades'. Your live 30-day prices for your suburb appear straight away.
You don't need to finish or pay for your listing to see your quote. Quotes cover residential, land and rural properties; for commercial, see RealCommercial upgrades.
Already listed with us?
- Log in to your Dashboard.
- Click 'Manage Property & Edit Listings' next to your property.
- Go to 'Listing Enhancements' > 'REA Listing Upgrades'.
- View your 30-day quote and launch your upgrade in minutes.
A lower-cost alternative: If a Premiere upgrade is outside your budget, consider our Social Media Campaign ($249). We can target thousands of local buyers directly in their Facebook feeds for a fraction of the cost.
Updated on: 12/10/2026
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