How to Hire a Top Level Virtual CFO at ‘Zero Cost’
Virtual CFO Services are becoming more the norm for small/medium businesses. You can hire a Virtual CFO for a mere fraction of hiring someone full time.
Running a real estate agency or property management business comes with unique financial challenges, particularly managing your accounting. From managing multiple client trust accounts, agent commissions, rental income, property-related expenses, and regulatory compliance, to forecasting cash flow and optimising profitability — there’s a lot to manage.
Hiring a full-time CFO is expensive, but without strategic financial leadership, your agency could face delayed payments, inaccurate commission tracking, or missed growth opportunities.
We provide outsourced CFO-led accounting services for real estate agents, agencies, property management companies, and investors — combining strategic financial guidance with hands-on accounting expertise.
But hiring one internally can cost well over $250k per year.
You get real-estate specific financial expertise, better systems, accurate numbers, and strategic guidance — all delivered at a fraction of the cost of a full-time CFO.
| Option | CFO-led accounting (outsourced) | In-house CFO | Accountant / Bookkeeper | Controller |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | Predictable monthly retainer | Full salary package (+ on-costs) | Lower (compliance-focused) | Moderate |
| Agency & Property Financial Oversight | Yes — portfolio, agent, and property-level oversight | Yes | No | Limited |
| Commission & Margin Tracking | Accurate agent commission tracking, office-level profit analysis, and project/property margins | Yes (depending on internal systems) | Limited | Limited to operational tracking |
| Cash-flow Forecasting | Included — factoring in rent cycles, client payments, deposits, and agent commissions | Yes | Not typical | Moderate |
| Trust & Client Account Support | Managed — reconciliations, compliance, and reporting | Depends on workload | Not typical | Sometimes |
| Payroll & Supplier Payment Management | Streamlined workflows & compliance | Yes (resource-dependent) | Basic processing | Moderate |
| Time-to-value | Weeks — 30–60 days for quick wins | Months — recruitment & ramp-up | Immediate (limited scope) | Months |
| Coverage & resilience | Team-based coverage & escalation | Single point of dependency | Single point of dependency | Single point of dependency |
| Meeting cadence | Fortnightly financial sessions; monthly management pack | As set internally | Ad-hoc / EOFY | Monthly ops focus |
| Best for | Real estate agents, agencies, property managers, and investors needing CFO-level oversight without full-time cost | Large multi-office agencies or real estate groups | Basic bookkeeping & tax support | Process & operational control discipline |
Our CFO-led accounting services can cater to every real estate financial need, including:
If your business depends on accurate costing, forecasting, and commission tracking, we can help.
| Service | Description |
|---|---|
| Property & Agent Costing | Track income and expenses per agent, office, or property; monitor profitability and ensure optimal resource allocation. |
| Budgeting, Forecasting & Cash Flow | Includes rolling budgets, cash-flow forecasts, and scenario analysis for property sales, rent collection cycles, and commission payouts. |
| Revenue, Profit & Cash Flow Improvement | Strategies to improve revenue, profit and cash flow through analysis, KPIs and close monitoring. |
| Commission & Trust Account Support | Manage agent commission calculations, reconciliations, trust accounts, and compliance reporting. |
| Payroll & Supplier Payment Management | Streamline payroll for staff, agent payments, and vendors while maintaining compliance with real estate regulations. |
| Management Reporting & Dashboards | Monthly dashboards including revenue per agent, property profitability, office performance, and portfolio KPIs. |
| Systems & Process Improvement | Optimise accounting, CRM, and property management platforms (Xero, MYOB, Re-Leased, or similar) for accuracy and efficiency. |
| Strategic Advice & Growth Planning | Provide guidance on expanding office locations, agent commissions, portfolio optimisation, and scaling your real estate business. |
| Finance Team Support & Capability Building | Mentor internal admin or accounting staff to ensure accurate reporting, compliance, and strategic financial decision-making. |
We start with a no-obligation call to understand your real estate business, property portfolios, commission structures, and current financial challenges.
You’re matched with a real estate-experienced CFO who develops a 90-day plan covering budgeting, cash flow, reporting improvements, and quick wins tailored to your agency or property management operations.
Your CFO manages cash flow and budgets, prepares monthly dashboards, attends office or management meetings, and provides ongoing strategic guidance. Engagements can be monthly, quarterly, or project-based to suit your property cycles and business operations.
We start with a no-obligation call to understand your real estate business, property portfolios, commission structures, and cash-flow challenges.
You’re matched with a real estate-experienced CFO who develops a 90-day plan covering budgeting, cash flow, reporting improvements, and quick wins.
Your CFO manages cash flow and budgets, prepares dashboards, attends office or management meetings, and provides ongoing strategic guidance. Engagements can be monthly, quarterly, or project-based to suit your business cycles.
To de-risk the transition, we follow a structured onboarding:
Week 1: Access & diagnostics – review your general ledger, commission records, prior year accounts, and compliance filings.
Week 2: Clean-up & KPI design – tidy the chart of accounts, streamline property and agent tracking, and design real estate-specific KPIs.
Week 3: Forecast & budgeting – build a 13-week cash flow model and property/agent budgets.
Week 4: First management-ready pack – deliver a dashboard and action plan; refine the plan for the next 60 days.
We will ask for access to your accounting system, bank/merchant portals, commission and trust account records, employment agreements, and office policies to get started.
Hiring a full-time CFO in Australia can cost well over AU$250,000 per year.
Our CFO accounting services are available on a retainer or project basis, typically ranging from AU$3,000 to AU$15,000 per month, depending on complexity, size, and scope.
Engagements can be month-to-month or three-month terms. There are no hidden setup fees. Most clients see quick wins in the first one to two months, with benefits that far outweigh the cost.
Our goal is to maximise profitability and efficiency across your real estate business. Working with our CFOs, agencies, property managers, and investors have:
One multi-agent real estate agency reduced month-end close time by five days and increased property-level margin visibility after implementing our 13-week cash forecast and agent/project budgeting methodology.*
* example for illustration; specific client results vary.
Our Virtual CFOs are ready to help you, Australia-wide. Tell us about your financial challenges, we can talk by phone, online or in person.
Call 1300 36 24 36
Virtual CFO Services are becoming more the norm for small/medium businesses. You can hire a Virtual CFO for a mere fraction of hiring someone full time.
There’s a role gap between Bookkeeper and an Accountant. It’s a CFO, who provides information and guidance. Find Out More Online!
Explore the key differences between a Financial Controller and a CFO. Understand their roles, responsibilities, and impact on your business’s financial success.
"*" indicates required fields
Need help to boost your cashflow or profit?
Talk to a CFO