BEST PRACTICEElite Agent

Daring to dream

Danica Smith grew up in a family that knew the value of property. Now, as head of the Student Experience Team at the Harcourts Real Estate Training Centre, Danica is well on her way to realising her dream of being a top auctioneer.

Real estate is an industry where anything can happen.

I didn’t truly understand the depth and breadth of the industry until I joined the Harcourts business last year.

Coming from a family who actively purchased and invested in property, I had a deep interest in real estate from the outset.

To pursue a dream of working in real estate, you need to set goals and actively pursue them.

I have taken the opportunity to attend every internal and external professional development workshop and event, simultaneously completing three qualifications and connecting with mentors and subject matter experts from the industry.

After being exposed to the many career options the industry has to offer, I aspire to become a leading female auctioneer.

Naturally competitive and driven to succeed, my aspiration to become an auctioneer in a traditionally male-dominated area has never looked so appealing.

My goal is to compete in the REIQ Auctioneer of the Year Competition in 2020. Harcourts has been an integral part of my learning and development and is incredibly supportive of me pursuing this dream.

I understand becoming a real estate agent, or auctioneer is no small feat.

The expectations of me will include: understanding multiple pieces of legislation, negotiating with vendors and buyers, managing my personal media and marketing brand, cold-calling to build a listing pipeline, keeping abreast of the real estate market and suburb insights, and building successful vendor campaigns, all the while maintaining a work-life balance.

As part of my journey, I aim to inspire other women to join real estate and the exciting and challenging opportunities it presents.

I pride myself on lifelong learning, and I try to instil this same desire in the students who come through Harcourts Real Estate Training Centre.

I’m excited about the opportunity to work at the coalface as an auctioneer while still operating in the learning development role so I can bring to life real-world training to support the success of young people in Harcourts as future agents.

If I have learned anything on my journey so far, it is that you don’t need a significant amount of money to learn.

Most people associate learning with formal education at school, TAFE or university. However, you can learn from work colleagues, mentors, and access an abundance of learning modules online.

I would encourage anyone to take a leap and learn something new, move out of your comfort zone, stretch and challenge yourself.

You will be amazed where these opportunities will take you, particularly in real estate. The sky’s the limit.

Show More

Danica Smith

Danica Smith is the Chief Experience Officer at Harcourts Training Center. Danica is responsible for ensuring the delivery ofr an exceptional student experience and is the key point-of-contact for student guidance