Bidding brilliance as Prash Nayar wins REIWA’s Gift of the Gavel

Prash Nayar from Perth Realty Group has been named WA’s top auctioneer, after winning REIWA’s 2024 Gift of the Gavel Auctioneering Championships.

REIWA CEO Cath Hart said the annual competition celebrates the art of auctioneering and showcases the high standards set by WA auctioneers.

“To be a successful auctioneer, you need to have extensive knowledge of the market and legislation to answer any question that comes your way,” she said.

“It’s certainly not an easy task – you must be able to think on your feet, calculating bids while working the room to reach the best outcome for the owners. Each competitor showed why they are among the state’s top talent.

“Prash’s auction was captivating, and he created a warm and welcoming environment right from the start.

“His energetic style and ability to keep the auction moving at the right pace set him apart and caught the eye of the judges.”

Mr Nayar will represent WA at the 2024 Australasian Auctioneering Championships (AUSTROS) in Hobart on May 15-16.

"Prash is an experienced competitor, having also won the WA championship in 2022 and competed at AUSTROS in previous years,” Ms Hart said.

Mr Nayar said winning the 2024 REIWA Gift of the Gavel competition was a huge honour and reward for the months of rigorous training, continuous growth and immense passion for auction sales. His goal is to bring the Australasian trophy back to WA.

“In May, I will be representing WA at the nationals, and I truly look forward to being on stage with Australia and New Zealand's top 15 auctioneers,” Mr Nayar said.

Sam Hedges from Hedges Property Group took out the title for top novice auctioneer after a solid performance.

Prior to the competition, master auctioneer Harry Li from iSell Group led an inspiring masterclass offering valuable insights on key aspects of the craft including preparation, presentation, voice coaching, bidding strategies, and building rapport with buyers.

Pictured above: Boyd Fraser (Chair, REIWA Auction Agent Network Committee), Prash Nayar, Harry Li and Sam Hedges.