Leo Edwards says he has cracked the code on something most agents are still struggling with – building an owned audience that rivals the major property portals.
The Bass Coast agent, principal of Inverloch 3996 @realty, has developed what he describes as a sophisticated digital ecosystem that regularly delivers property views to match the listing portals, all without a shopfront and without portal dependency.
Leo’s journey to Inverloch began in 2014 when he made the sea change from an international finance career with his wife Janelle and son Alfie.
But his real estate success story actually started before he even arrived in the coastal Victorian town.
“We built that platform first when we knew we were moving back,” Leo said.
“We knew we were going to need a ready-made audience.”
The platform, Inverloch3996.com, filled a gap in the market when the region had very little online presence.
Leo leveraged his photography background to create an image-led platform focusing on the landscape, beaches, and local businesses.
That creative capability has since been formalised as 3996Studio, an in-house production arm that handles photography and content for every campaign.
By the time he launched his real estate business, he already had 20,000 followers.
That number has now grown to more than 30,000, an owned audience spanning Inverloch, Cape Paterson and Wonthaggi on Victoria’s Bass Coast.
A different approach to property marketing
What sets Leo apart is his comprehensive approach to property marketing.
Every listing gets its own standalone website, packed with information that goes far beyond what the major portals allow.
“Every property gets its own standalone website where we can actually attach a lot of info to that, unlike portals, which Leo says typically limit listings to 25 photos and a Statement of Information,” he said.
He has partnered with services like LandChecker and Develo to remove friction points for buyers.
LandChecker surfaces nearby planning applications and overlays, while Develo due diligence reports cover the things buyers cannot see, from easements and flood risk to bushfire ratings and heritage controls, all without buyers having to search themselves.
“That’s probably the benefit of a website as well. You can’t really do that with the property portals,” Leo said.
The pre-market advantage
Leo has refined a two-week pre-marketing campaign for every property that builds his database while generating early buyer interest.
“Every property we list will run a two-week premarket campaign,” he said.
“We usually lock access to those properties off for the first couple of weeks. So the only way people can see that new release property is they’ve got to input their data.”
This strategy means every new listing adds another 300 to 400 names and email addresses to his database, creating a snowball effect for future campaigns.
Quality over quantity
Unlike traditional agencies chasing volume, Leo deliberately limits his business to around 20 listings at any time.
“We get four or five in, four or five out. So we can do a good job on all of them,” he said.
“We’re not trying to be the biggest. We’re just trying to provide the best service and get the best prices for our sellers, really.”
This approach allows him to operate as a sole agent without employing junior staff, ensuring every client receives principal-level attention.
“If we carry forty, sixty listings like a franchise office, we’ve got to weaken the offer because we’re going to have to employ juniors,” he said.
“People get principal-level attention on every listing.”
A lifestyle business with scale potential
Operating as Inverloch 3996 @realty, Leo has built what he describes as a lifestyle business that is performing exceptionally well without the overhead of a physical office, he says.
“We don’t have a physical office by design. It’s just dead money that we’ve got to pass on to the seller,” he said.
“I think the only people in a coastal town now going into a real estate agent’s office, they’re just waiting for their fish and chips or their coffee.”
Going forward, Leo remains focused on maintaining the quality service that has made him successful while enjoying the coastal lifestyle that brought him to Inverloch in the first place.
“It really is more of a lifestyle business we’ve built here,” he said.
“And it’s doing well.”