When Josh Tesolin sets a goal, you better believe he’s going to achieve it. After all, this is a top-performer who clocked up $1 million Gross Commission Income (GCI) in his first year as an agent.
Last year, Josh wrote $7 million, selling almost a property a day to take home the coveted Annual REA Excellence Award for Top Residential Agent for New South Wales.
Josh concedes the market in Sydney was running hot at the time, but it wasn’t without its challenges, with Western Sydney heavily affected by COVID lockdowns.
He set a goal to sell 350 properties and that’s exactly what he achieved.
“Three hundred was the initial goal and then I hit 300 in about late October,” Josh says.
“I said to myself, ‘You know what, let’s do 350, no-one’s done that. And look, I did it.”
Not only is Josh a high-performing sales agent, he is also the principal of Ray White Quakers Hill and says it takes a team to sell properties at that volume.
Within that team are his partner and his mother, and Josh says this allows him to concentrate on real estate 24/7.
He also explains he does not specialise in a particular market. Instead, he’s more than happy to take any listing that comes his way, regardless of whether it’s a $500,000 unit or $1.8 million house.
“We’re not specialists just in one area. We cover the whole northwest of Sydney, and we sold the most in Western Sydney last year,” Josh says.
Key to that success is structure and follow-up. The team meets regularly, and together, they step through the real estate process with a focus on pricing properties correctly and communicating with vendors.
The reward is shared success, and Josh says that was something he felt was important from the start of Ray White Quakers Hill less than two years ago.
Regardless of who gets the sale, the whole team celebrates, and Josh is intent on leading from the front.
“When I opened my own office, I wanted my team to see their principal write $7 million and do 350 sales,” he says.
“It’s got to motivate them. And I think that’s what keeps me going.”
In terms of follow-up, Josh says it’s all about ‘over-communicating’, and he says this skill will be increasingly important in the period ahead.
“If you’re selling your house, we’ll talk every day about what’s happening,” Josh explains.
“In a tough market a lot of agents hide, and they call their vendors once a week.
“I over-communicate because it’s not my fault it’s not selling. It’s not the owner’s fault it’s not selling. If it’s the buyer’s fault, then we’ve got to meet the market, price it to sell and get the result.”
In addition to his recent REA award, Josh has also picked up the top award for Rate My Agent for the third time running and is currently in contention to become Ray White’s Top Selling Principal.
“If I win all three, I’ll be the first one to do it,” he says.
This ambition is not just about winning accolades, however. Josh uses the data when communicating with clients.
“I’ll actively tell sellers, ‘You want the right agent? Look at the numbers and see who sells the most. Who’s got the most buyers and who’s working the hardest in Quakers Hill?’.”
The sheer volume of properties he has sold supports that case, along with reams of positive published reviews.
“When you’ve got happy customers, people believe it because they see it,” he says.
“Numbers are one thing, but happy customers are another.”
Despite his success, Josh readily admits he is not the agent for everyone and has his fair share of rejection as well.
He acknowledges his energy level is high, his drive is relentless and his commitment to real estate involves personal sacrifice.
For other agents looking to emulate his career, Josh advises them to embrace rejection, do everything possible for your client, and quite simply ‘love what you do’.
“It’s just dedication,” he reflects.
“If you love something, you’ll do anything to achieve it.”