Anti-money laundering (AML) compliance is not usually the topic that gets a room excited.
But with Tranche 2 AML reforms now moving into real estate, agencies can no longer treat it as something happening in the background. From 1 July 2026, sales agencies will need to start building AML checks into the way they list, sell and settle property.
The good news?
For most residential sales agencies, AML does not need to bring your business to a standstill. With the right process, the right training and the right technology, it can become a manageable part of your sales workflow.
That was the focus of PropertyMe’s recent webinar with APLYiD, where the teams walked through what agencies need to know, what needs to happen before 1 July, and how the upcoming PropertyMe Grow CRM and APLYiD integration will help make AML checks easier to manage.
What real estate agencies need to prepare for
AML compliance is not just an ID check.
That is one of the biggest misconceptions. While customer due diligence is a major part of the process, agencies also need to think about the broader compliance framework around it.
Before the new obligations begin, agencies will need to prepare:
- An AML compliance program
- Internal policies and procedures
- A business risk assessment
- AML training for relevant team members
- A training log showing who completed what and when
- A process for customer due diligence
- A system for record keeping
- A way to support annual compliance reporting
The record-keeping piece is particularly important. Agencies will need to retain records for seven years, even after the transaction is complete and the person is no longer an active client.
In other words, AML is not just about asking for a licence. It is about being able to prove what you checked, when you checked it, how the risk was assessed and what decision was made.
The sales workflow is where AML matters most
For PropertyMe customers, one of the key points from the webinar was clarity around where AML applies.
The focus is sales.
Residential rentals and commercial leases were called out as not requiring AML checks under the process discussed in the webinar. For sales agencies, however, AML checks become part of the listing and contract workflow.
In PropertyMe Grow CRM, AML checks will appear in several key areas, including appraisals, listings and contracts.
For example, before a property can be marked as active, the vendor AML check must be complete. If the check is still in progress, the system will display a reminder and prevent the property from being pushed forward too early.
The same logic applies at contract stage. Once a purchaser is added, an AML check can be triggered. The property cannot be marked as unconditional until the purchaser check has been completed.
That might sound like an extra step, but it is designed to protect the agency. Instead of relying on team members to remember every compliance requirement manually, the workflow creates guardrails at the exact points where things could otherwise be missed.
How the APLYiD integration works
The upcoming PropertyMe Grow CRM and APLYiD integration is designed to reduce double handling.
When an AML check is created inside PropertyMe, the relevant listing and contact information is sent through to APLYiD. That means agencies do not need to rekey the same details into another system.
From there, APLYiD manages the customer due diligence process.
The client receives a branded link via text message and completes the ID verification on their phone. They can use a driver licence or passport, take the required photos and complete the process remotely.
For agencies, this is important because the easier the client experience is, the less likely AML becomes a bottleneck. If vendors struggle to complete a check, listings can be delayed. If buyers are confused, contracts can slow down.
APLYiD also includes automatic follow-up reminders if the client has not completed the check after a few days, reducing the need for agents or admin teams to chase manually.
What happens behind the scenes
Once the client completes their ID check, APLYiD performs a series of checks in the background.
These include identity verification, biometric matching, document checks and AML screening, including checks for sanctions and politically exposed persons.
A politically exposed person, often referred to as a PEP, is someone who holds or has held a position of influence or public responsibility. Being flagged as a potential PEP does not automatically mean the person is suspicious or that the transaction cannot proceed. It simply means the agency needs to review the match and record the outcome.
The webinar example showed how this works in practice. A potential match may appear because of a similar name, but the agency can review the details, compare the date of birth or other information and determine whether it is genuinely their client.
That decision is then recorded, including who made the decision. This creates a clear audit trail if the agency is ever asked to show how a check was handled.
Risk assessments do not need to be complicated
One of the most practical parts of the webinar was the discussion around risk assessments.
For many agencies, the phrase “risk assessment” sounds complex. But in practice, most residential real estate transactions will be low risk.
APLYiD simplifies this by using a questionnaire-style process. Team members answer a set of questions, and the platform calculates the risk level based on the responses.
For example, the system may ask whether the client lives outside Australia, whether they are a politically exposed person, or whether the agent has met them.
The platform then applies scoring in the background and identifies whether the client is low, medium or high risk. If the client is higher risk, the workflow changes and prompts the agency to collect any additional information required.
For standard residential agencies, most transactions should be straightforward. The more complex scenarios are likely to involve structures such as companies, trusts, offshore entities or very high-value transactions.
What about companies and trusts?
The webinar also covered one of the most common questions from agencies: what happens when the owner or buyer is a company?
In that case, the agency needs to identify the beneficial owners.
A beneficial owner is generally someone who owns or controls 25% or more of the company. Once those individuals are identified, AML checks need to be completed on them.
APLYiD can search company records, identify ownership structures and guide the user through the next steps. If one company is owned by another company, the platform continues tracing through the structure until the relevant beneficial owner is identified.
This is where guided workflows become especially valuable. Most Agents do not want to become AML experts. They want to know what information is needed, collect it correctly and move the transaction forward
What happens with existing listings?
Another practical question raised in the webinar was around listings already live before 1 July.
The guidance discussed was that if a listing is already live before the new obligations commence, the vendor does not need to be retrospectively checked for that listing. However, if the property sells after commencement, the purchaser check will still need to be completed.
This is a helpful distinction for agencies with existing stock. The key is to have a clear process ready for new listings and accepted offers once the obligations begin.
AML should not stop agencies from selling property
The strongest message from the webinar was that AML is serious, but it does not need to be scary.
Agencies should take the requirements seriously. There are real obligations, and compliance needs to be documented properly. But for most residential sales teams, the day-to-day process should be manageable.
The risk is not that every agency suddenly needs to become a financial crime investigator.
The risk is having no process at all.
A well-structured AML workflow helps agencies show that they have taken reasonable steps, completed checks, assessed risk and kept the right records.
That is where the PropertyMe Grow CRM and APLYiD integration is designed to help. By building AML checks into the sales workflow, agencies can reduce the chance of missed steps, avoid unnecessary double handling and keep listings and contracts moving.
The takeaway
AML compliance is coming, and agencies need to be ready.
That means setting up policies, training the team, understanding when checks are required and choosing a system that supports the way your agency actually works.
For PropertyMe customers using Grow CRM, the APLYiD integration will help bring AML into the existing sales process, from appraisal to listing to contract.
The result is a more guided, trackable and practical way to manage compliance without turning every listing into an admin headache.
Because at the end of the day, real estate agencies do not want to spend more time on AML than they have to.
They want to list property, sell property and keep their business moving.
AML is simply becoming part of how that gets done.
Disclaimer: The information enclosed has been provided for general information only. It should not be taken as constituting professional advice.
PropertyMe is not a financial or legal adviser. You should consider seeking independent legal, financial, taxation or other advice to check how the information relates to your unique circumstances.
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