realestate.com.au CEO Tracey Fellows said the way people search for property had changed dramatically in 20 years and had embraced new technology. Picture: Darren England. Source: News Corp Australia

According to figures released by realestate.com.au to celebrate its 20th birthday, the national median house price in 1995 was $129,800 now it is $475,000. Western Australia was the best performer with its median up fivefold from $98,500 in 1995 to $495,000 in 2015.

Victoria’s median went up 4.1 times and South Australia’s median was now four times higher.

In the Northern Territory the median was now 3.6 times higher, in New South Wales it was 3.5 times higher and in Tasmania 3.3 times higher.

Prices are not the only thing that has changed during that 20 year period according to REA Group CEO Tracey Fellows.

Back in the old days, how realestate.com.au looked not long after it first started out Source: Supplied

She said the desire for easy to obtain real estate information had increased significantly since realestate.com.au started out in August 1995.

“Realestate.com.au completely changed how we look for real estate,’’ Ms Fellows said.

“Now we’re extending that even further with innovations like 3D walk-throughs, our digital rental application form and wearable apps. Our Apple Watch app does really cool things like notify you when you walk past a house for sale and lets you record voice notes during your inspection.”

Twenty years ago Queensland’s most popular suburb for buyers was Surfers Paradise, now its Holland Park, where this home will be auctioned on August 29. Picture: realestate.com.au Source: Supplied

Ms Fellows said what drew her to be involved in an industry so reliant on technology was the speed of change.

When the group started out they had to explain to agents what the internet was.

There were only 13 mobile phones per 100 people in Australia in 1995 now there are 20 million mobile phone users in Australia.

When the website launched there were only 23,500 websites world wide - now there are 1 billion.

“Today some 20 years later we have four million Australians who use our website on any given month,’’ Ms Fellows said.

She said people now used, computers, ipads and mobile phones to search their site and their audience would spend on average an hour and half a month on it.

“The industry has really been revolutionised.

“When we think about the real estate sector - and while I believe there will always be and should always be a role for print in terms of how properties are advertised, I think that will absolutely continue - we took the industry and made it much more digital.

“When you do that it changes the experience, it changes the experience for what consumers expect and the things that are now possible.’’

Not only has the way real estate information was accessed changed in twenty years.

The most popular suburbs for buyers now reflects a push closer to the CBD. In 1995 it was Port Macquarie, 385km from the Sydney CBD, which recorded the highest number of transactions.

In 2015 the most popular sellers’ market, where most buyers were looking, was Freshwater about 17km from the Sydney CBD.

Twenty years ago South Yarra was the most popular suburb for buyers in Victoria, now its Albert Park, where this home will be auctioned on August 29. Picture: realestate.com.au Source: Supplied

MOST POPULAR SUBURBS 1995

NATIONAL – Port Macquarie (NSW)

ACT – Ngunnawal

NSW – Port Macquarie

NT – Bakewell

QLD – Surfers Paradise

SA – Mount Gambier

TAS – Devonport

VIC – South Yarra

WA – Thornlie

TOP SELLERS MARKETS 2015

NATIONAL – Freshwater (NSW)

ACT – Palmerston

NSW – Freshwater

NT – Wulagi

QLD – Holland Park

SA – Unley

TAS – Hobart

VIC – Albert Park

WA – Shenton Park