Born in New Jersey and raised in a working-class family with 10 siblings, Corcoran famously turned a $1,000 loan into The Corcoran Group, one of New York Cityโs most successful property brokerages.
She had no formal business training, dyslexia made school difficult, and she didnโt come from money.
But what she did have was hustle, charm, and a willingness to do just about anything to get noticed.
And her breakthrough ultimately came from bold marketing, according to realestate.com.au.
In the early days of her business, Barbara faked a market report (based on just 14 sales), taught dogs to shake paws to impress co-op boards, and even created a made-up โMadonna Reportโ to position herself as the go-to agent for celebrities, despite never working with Madonna.
That fake report got her press. That press got her listings. And those listings made her millions.
Now 76, she is a bestselling author, podcast host, social media star and beloved judge on the US version of Shark Tank, where she invests in everything from food trucks to tech startups.
But at her core, sheโs still a property hustler who knows how to turn a moment, or a gimmick, into a headline.
When Barbara recently took to TikTok to share the โunhingedโ tactics she used to get ahead in real estate, it was a masterclass in modern personal branding.
โThe press made me credible overnight,โ she said, recalling how being quoted in The New York Times (thanks to her self-published report) caused her phones to ring off the hook.
Thatโs the lesson for agents today.
Being good at real estate is important, but being seen is essential.
And across Australia, agents are following in Barbaraโs footsteps, using controversy, creativity, and unconventional flair to rise above the crowd.
Sam Nader – Dancing his way to a record price
When LJ Hooker Bankstown agent Sam Nader launched a real estate video featuring a couple dancing across countertops, diving into beds, and slow-motion pirouetting through a family home, the internet wasnโt sure what to make of it.
Some called it โcringe.โ Others called it genius.
But what mattered was that the video went viral, racking up views and drawing more than 1,000 people to the open home.
One of those viewers, a 23-year-old buyer, bought the house for $1.72 million before auction, smashing suburb records.
โThe whole point of real estate is to get as many eyes as possible on the property,โ Sam said.
โMission accomplished.โ
Richard Faulkner – Turning trash into treasure with brutal honesty
In 2020, Central Coast agent Richard Faulkner didnโt hide the faults of a dilapidated fixer-upper.
He used them to his advantage.
โNothing says romance like lying in bed and talking to your partner in the toosh,โ he said, because of an exposed toilet in the hallway.
The listing became the most-viewed in NSW that year, with 350,000+ clicks on realestate.com.au.
It sold for $535,000, $85,000 above the guide.
Matt Micallef – Lycra, wigs and a $1.6 million sale
Some agents stage flowers. Matt Micallef stages himself, and often in costume.
Whether parodying Steve Irwin to sell a family home or spoofing Dodgeball as a skintight-suited egomaniac named Forrest Goodman, Matt knows how to make buyers laugh, share, and most importantly, enquire.
One of his most memorable campaigns helped sell a 5-acre hinterland estate, โSunpeaks,โ for $1.61 million.
The video, while outrageous (he even appeared nude in the final scene), showcased the propertyโs lifestyle, including features like the dams, a yurt, dirt bike tracks, in a way no standard listing could.
โIf people remember me, they remember the house,โ he said.
Amir Jahan – Selling first home buyer properties with supercars
In Sydneyโs west, 25-year-old Amir Jahan routinely parks Lamborghinis or McLarens in front of modest properties, even one-bedroom apartments, to drum up attention.
โI get people saying, โThe carโs worth more than the property!โ And I say, thatโs the point,โ he said.
The contrast is what sparks conversations, shares, and eventually, buyer interest and it worked.
His brand is now synonymous with flair, even if the bricks and mortar are humble.
Noah Rezaie – Billboards and beauty votes
โVoted #1 Best-Looking Agent in Narre Warren South,โ the billboard said with an asterisk: โas voted by my mum.โ
Melbourneโs Noah Rezaie bet on humour over hubris, launching a self-deprecating campaign that blanketed local buses and billboards in 2024.
Some laughed, others rolled their eyes, but it made him a household name.
TV picked up the story and social media ran with it.
And most importantly, listings followed.
โYouโve got to be memorable,โ Noah said.
โPeople wonโt remember a just-sold flyer.
โBut theyโll remember this.โ
Ash Swarts – Gas masks, grow rooms, and grit
In Perthโs Armadale, agent Ash Swarts didnโt shy away from marketing a cannabis grow-op property.
Instead, he wore a military-style gas mask in his listing video to tour the homeโs hydroponic room and pungent interiors.
He highlighted every fault, every missing lightbulb, even the fact that the pool cover had been nailed to the ceiling.
The campaign was hilarious, honest, and surprisingly effective.
Six offers poured in within days, and the rundown duplex sold quickly.
โMore eyes means more offers,โ Ash said.