Next Address connects buyers and sellers via an online real estate marketplace. 

Founder Julie O’Donohue said the company aims to secure up to 20 per cent of Australia’s $283 million real estate market. The Ballarat entrepreneur gave a live pitch at the state finals in Ballarat on Wednesday. 

“One of the judges’ comments was ‘this is needed’ and it’s testament that we’re on the right track to creating a more ethical, transparent platform,” she said.

Right now a Ballarat property takes between 92 and 120 days to sell. Ms O’Donohue can see this coming down to just 60 days. 

“Resistance happens to any change because we are threatening the traditional,” she said. 

“There will still be real estate agents. We’re not going to knock them off their perch but what we will do is more accountable and we’ll give them some tools to make their life easier as well.

“We certainly believe innovative, progressive real estate agents will go ‘I get this, I can actually save my clients cost”. 

The business already has plans for an offshoot platform, called Next Paddock and are developing a property valuation tool which would give real-time valuations. 

“We’ve registered the name Next Paddock, we want to get into land because farmers don’t have time to look at land.”

Australia Post chief innovation officer and judge Greg Sutherland said the five competitors showed start-ups could succeed outside of capital cities.

“We were pitched five smart, forward-thinking and innovative business ideas that demonstrated commercial potential to meet a real, practical need,” he said.

“Julie’s pitch was confident, creative and a fantastic reflection of what people from regional areas can accomplish when given the opportunity. I think we’ve attracted some outstanding examples of regional innovation.”

​Ms O’Donohue will go on to represent Victoria in New South Wales next month.