When Ray White Semaphore principal Bianca Denham sat down with Luke O’Kelly from Ray White West End, he shared how he built an auction-first business in one of Brisbane’s most challenging apartment markets.
Luke’s real estate journey began in his family’s property management business, where he spent ten years before moving into sales seven years ago.
Despite never having sold a property or called an auction, he joined Ray White after months of research, visiting offices and studying high-performing auction businesses.
His foresight was clear from the start — he built an auction room in his West End office three years before ever calling his first auction.
Starting in West End meant beginning from scratch. Luke entered a competitive market dominated by long-established agents, with no database and a surplus of apartments often selling below purchase price.
In those early years, he focused on helping clients minimise losses, using the auction process to move stock efficiently and deliver the best possible outcomes in tough conditions.
Today, Luke leads a Chairman’s Elite business with multiple top-performing agents and an impressive 90 per cent internal auction share.
His success is built on a disciplined prospecting culture – everyone from sales associates to agents makes more than 100 calls daily.
Operating from a bullpen environment that fosters accountability, his team maintains databases of 6,000 to 12,000 contacts each.
Luke also prioritises balance and efficiency. Associates work from 8:30am to 3pm, focusing solely on prospecting, while auctions are held in-room at 11am on Thursdays to maintain control and avoid late-night hours.
In a suburb where auctions are uncommon, Luke has had to overcome buyer and seller hesitations at every listing presentation.
His team invests heavily in buyer education and employs an in-house loan broker to smooth the path to purchase.
For those starting in real estate, Luke’s advice is straightforward: focus on clean data and consistent activity.
His business measures just three metrics, calls, appraisals, and auctions, confident that results follow from mastering the fundamentals.
Away from the office, Luke’s creative outlet is scrapbooking, crafting photo albums from family holidays – a personal touch that contrasts with the precision of his data-driven professional life.
