Auctioneer Tom Panos has claimed many real estate agents make less than Uber drivers in a video which also saw him take shots at NSW Premier Chris Minns and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese over their housing policies.
Prompted by a video of real estate agent Stephanie Marshall – of recent Married At First Sight fame – claiming she made $600,000 in a year, Panos said “I want to make it very, very clear, she doesn’t get $600,000.”
According to Panos, after deducting office fees, assistant fees, taxes and the costs of business, an agent like Marshall would be left to take home around $130,000-$140,000.
Auctioneer Tom Panos has claimed real estate agents “don’t make as much as people think they do”. Picture: Alison Wynd
“Guess what, that’s not that much of a different salary than what everyone else is getting in the world these days, man, like it’s lower than what an Uber driver gets,” he said.
“So get real, real estate agents don’t make as much as what people think they do.”
An Uber driver in Sydney working 38 hours per week makes approximately $82,435.42 annually, according to Finder analysis from 2024.
Panos claimed in the video that many people believed real estate agents made high incomes owing to those who wear expensive clothing and drive flashy cars, though he said “they’re leases most of the time”.
“I’m not talking about this specific agent, but let me tell you, all I see is a lot of real estate agents around Australia leasing cars,” he said.
“Some own a property, some don’t, some are renting – so it’s not as flashy as what people think it is.”
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Panos even said many agents made less per year than Uber drivers after deducting costs and taxes. Pictures: YouTube/Uber Eats
Viewers of Panos’ rant were quick to challenge the idea real estate agents and Uber drivers had similar salaries.
“You have to be a shit real estate agent if you haven’t made bank over the last 15 years,” one viewer commented.
“Uber drivers don’t make 200k lol, they are lucky if they make 60k after fuel and car deductions,” another said.
Panos used the rest of the video to target politicians, first directing his attention to Premier Chris Minns and NSW’s housing supply shortfall.
“Chris Minns announced that they were changing the zoning and the code on what you can build. He introduced some books, pattern books, that you could build,” he said.
“I have not seen one property built yet, not one, and we keep looking at every other thing but supply.
“If only the government stuck to doing their targets we’d have less of a housing issue.”
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The NSW housing pattern book was launched in July 2025. Picture: NewsWire/John Appleyard
Panos then called out Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who recently attended a South Sydney Rabbitohs game.
“Don’t get me wrong, Albo, enjoy the rabbits, but come out to Smithfield,” he said.
“Instead of walking on the oval, walk the streets of Smithfield, Liverpool, Busby, St Marys, have a look at what’s going on out here.
“There’s pain, there’s suffering, there’s uncertainty, cost of living is through the roof.”
Panos then claimed in the video that there was “fear in the market” in Sydney, being fuelled by war and inflation driving up interest rates.
“It’s getting hard. And I’m letting you know every real estate agent now is on notice,” he said.
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Panos called for Anthony Albanese to “walk the streets” of Sydney. Picture: David Swift
Panos said nearly 70 per cent of properties he was set to auction last week never went to auction, being either cancelled or sold prior.
“This my friends is the leading indicator that we have a marketplace that is changing, at least in Sydney.”
“That is a clear indicator that buyer depth is actually diminishing.”
Panos added that some of his clients had held home opens last week which zero interested buyer groups had attended.
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