Samantha McLean
Samantha McLean is the co-founder and Managing Editor of Elite Agent, Australia's leading independent platform for real estate professionals. Over 17 years, she and co-founder Mark Edwards have built Elite Agent from a print magazine into a digital media and technology company serving agents and property managers across Australia and New Zealand. Sam delivers AI training and keynotes to major real estate networks across the country, and has built multiple AI-powered products for the industry. She is a three-time Business Magazine Editor of the Year (Mumbrella Publish Awards) and holds a Bachelor of Business from UTS.
From salesperson to principal: what a real ownership pathway looks like
More agents are moving beyond individual sales success to build scalable businesses of their own, with Jarita Rayasam saying leadership, structure and the right network are becoming the real drivers of long-term success in real estate.
Grant Hackett lists Brighton block after abandoning grand home plans
The Olympic champion and his wife are seeking up to $8.8 million for a prime site that is…
Kolmeo Labs launches a new suite of tools targeting property management workload
A new AI suite embeds intelligence directly into daily workflows, aiming to reduce the growing pressure of fragmented…
The Budget change that could reshape how your agency is structured
The negative gearing headlines are one story. But buried in the same budget papers is a package of…
More leads won’t fix this: why rent roll growth breaks down well before the appraisal
When rent roll growth slows, the default response is predictable: we start stressing that “we need more leads.”
Insurance conversations: Why silence can create greater risk
Why property managers must talk insurance carefully, and document it properly, to reduce risk for both landlords and…
Stop Selling to Everyone: How AI Buyer Personas Can Transform Your Next Listing Presentation
In the a special AI Edit Extended Edition, Samantha McLean walks through a step-by-step process for using AI…
Build the tools. Then make the call
The 2026 budget just handed you a reason to use AI and a reason to pick up the…
What Just Landed: The Budget Night Negative Gearing Breakdown
The Treasurer is calling it the most significant tax reform in more than a quarter of a century.…
The grind (and the grace) of long-term prospecting
Crown Perth was standing room only on Thursday as REIWA Connect 2026 drew more than 1,000 delegates, a…
Ray White’s USA study tour: innovation, influence, and evolution
From Silicon Valley to Wall Street: what the world’s most powerful platforms reveal about the future of real…
What Your Investor Clients Are Googling Right Now
The negative gearing and CGT changes explained – what’s actually happening, what’s not, and what to say when…
The AI Edit Ep. 11: Your vendor isn’t online – here’s how AI can still help
Samantha McLean introduces the "empathy analysis" - a framework for using AI to prepare for vendors who have…
Would a salaried agent give a more honest appraisal?
What if the way agents are paid is shaping the industry's biggest problems — from trust and burnout…
Performance gap widens – HX 2026 sets out to close it
As market pressure rises, Harcourts’ HX Conference brings together industry leaders to sharpen skills, lift standards and turn…
Beyond the ban: Eight leaders on fixing real estate’s trust problem
Eight industry leaders go on the record to challenge the "false read" of GCI metrics, call for an…
Readers respond: The mirror talks back
We held up the mirror. The industry talked back. From underquoting in NSW to over-quoting in Queensland and…
The mirror has many faces
An April 2026 editorial on industry incentives, accountability and the standards needed for meaningful transparency.
How to find your next hire in the age of AI
Practical ways to look beyond polished applications, test job-related skills and use AI to support a fair, human-led…
AI basics for real estate: turn a sale into a case study
Use your own experience, checked facts and the Portal Test to give people a story worth finding.
AI basics for real estate: discuss a client’s AI answer
Examine an AI answer with your client and explain the evidence, trade-offs and questions that matter.
The ultimate guide: 35 practical ChatGPT tips for real estate professionals
35 actionable AI strategies for real estate agents: write sharper listings, plan smarter, and win clients without working…
When execution is cheap, judgment is worth the premium
In an era where AI eliminates the "blank page," human judgment becomes the industry’s scarcest resource. Success now…
Edge Case: Will The Real Estate Office Still Exist in Five Years?
"If the office exists just to distribute information, it should die. But if it exists to host trust,…
Tony Morrison: Why Your Best Listing Presentation Happens in Your Office, Not Their Kitchen
"If you're in your environment, you're in control." – Tony Morrison
Why Candice Whinnett Dedicates One Day a Week to AI
"You don't have to be a tech head to get started. You have to be curious, you have…
Richard Manthel: Why July 2026 Is the Finish Line, Not the Start Line for AML Compliance
"One of the things about AML is that it's not what you know – it's what you don't…
Tom Panos: Your 90-Day Playbook for a Fast Start to 2026
Tom Panos reveals to Samantha McLean why the January window is critical, what's really behind the underquoting debate,…
Inside Ben White’s Optimistic Framework for AI-Enabled Property Management
Why the CEO believes property managers who understand their value creation have "nothing to fear" from artificial intelligence.
Raising Professional Standards: Will Higher Barriers Protect Consumers or Choke the Talent Pipeline?
John Foong and Jacob Caine go head-to-head on one of the industry's most uncomfortable questions.
What Does AI Say About You?
When AI answers questions about your property market, will it cite you – or your competitors?
From the Titanic to the “Breaking Bad” House: The Art of the Comeback
"If we were just listing it as a four-bedroom home, it was a nice $350,000 house... The intrinsic…
Tom Harrison: From “Don’t Sign That Paperwork” to Agency of the Year
In 2020, Tom Harrison’s business coach told him he was 'mad' to take sole ownership of a real…
Is Company Culture Overrated? (Do Results Matter More Than ‘Vibes’?)
“What have you got if you don't have results? A whole lot of people sitting around in beanbags…
AI basics for real estate: test a new workflow
Start with a problem your team recognises, then design a small experiment with clear human responsibility.