OPINION
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The three-person leadership model transforming agencies
For many agency principals, growth becomes a trap. The bigger the business, the more decisions land on one desk - and the harder it is to step back and lead. Michael Nitschke faced the same pressure before restructuring his agency around a simple idea: three key leaders, meeting with intent, backed by a quarterly system that forces focus.
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Beyond the transaction: why the modern real estate agent must be a community pillar
Adrian Knowles explains how modern real estate agents are moving beyond transactional roles to become trusted community advocates, using technology to enhance service while building lasting relationships in their neighbourhood.
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The consequences of keeping 360kg gorillas
When a high-performing ‘gorilla’ threatens more than revenue: the hidden costs of big personalities in real estate teams
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Stop chasing silver bullets and start stacking points
Consistency is the ultimate competitive advantage. Avi Khan believes that when the market gets noisy, the best agents win by doing the work no one sees.
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When affordability solves one problem and creates another
As affordability drives buyers into regional Western Australia, housing pressure is rising for locals. Shane Kempton examines the unintended consequences.
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When family is the business: How to lead, negotiate and survive in a family-run agency
What a leadership discussion reveals about authority, succession and when loyalty holds agencies back.
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The two things that have the greatest impact on a real estate career
Luke Evans, General Manager of Sales NSW/ACT for The Agency, says the agents who have great real estate careers focus on two main things.
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The 6-stage sales script: turning conversations into commitments
A trust-based approach to sales that shows agents how to listen better, lead conversations with purpose, and close with confidence.
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AI trap in real estate: poor implementation burns clients and brands
AI has enormous potential to improve efficiency in real estate, but when implemented poorly it risks damaging the very trust the industry relies on.
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A hierarchy of human connection
Most of us wake to emails we instantly delete, mistaking noise for communication. As Mark McLeod explains, real estate agents who outperform understand a simple truth: not all communication is equal, and the highest-impact conversations still happen face to face.
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What vendors want today from their agent
Today's property vendors seek agents who deliver more than sales pitches—they demand market data, transparent timing advice, and nuanced understanding of buyer demographics. As Melbourne's housing market shows strong auction clearance rates amid affordability challenges, successful agents combine hard data with strategic guidance to replace uncertainty with confidence.
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Case for change: Why NSW and Victoria should look north on price at auction
Australia's real estate pricing system faces a crisis of trust, with Queensland's auction model emerging as a potential solution to the underquoting debates plaguing NSW and Victoria. While southern states consider more regulations, the northern approach embraces market competition over price predictions, allowing Adam Smith's "Invisible Hand" to determine true value.
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Clear goals, proof points and maintaining authenticity – leading through change in the real estate industry
Real estate veteran Belinda Sinclair shares how industry leaders can navigate today's shifting landscape through clear goal-setting, data-driven decisions, and authentic customer relationships. "Change will never feel impossible if you approach it with an open mindset.
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The future is arriving faster than real estate thinks
Futurist and innovation strategist Nikki Greenberg outlines the forces reshaping real estate, from the redesign of cities to the digitisation of buildings. With technology, climate priorities and Gen Z changing how people live, work and transact, the sector is entering a period of rapid change. This feature breaks down the lessons real estate professionals need to apply now to stay…
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The simple question transforming how leaders work
Many leaders still operate from the boardroom down, convinced they already know what their teams and business partners need. According to Harcourts NSW CEO Andrew McCulloch, that mindset is a fast route to becoming irrelevant. Real progress begins by asking a simple, direct question: What do you want?
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Lisa Pennell on fixing underquoting: “Use the tech we already have”
Barry Plant CEO, Lisa Pennell, argues that the real fix for underquoting lies in modern enforcement systems, not more rules.
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If you’ve got a ‘Squidward’ at work, read this
It’s easy to let outside opinions influence how you show up online, but according to The Agency's Luke Evans, if you’ve ever held back from posting because you’re worried about a colleague’s reaction, you might have a Squidward in your life.
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How to coach agents to nail every listing presentation
Too many agents treat listing presentations like an audition by memorising scripts, chasing the close, and slipping into “sales mode.” But, Michael Nitschke says performance doesn’t win trust, and trust is what wins listings. If your team’s struggling to convert, it’s not about more polish; it’s about more presence. By coaching your agents to connect, listen, and solve instead of…
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The Reinventors: 5 types of leaders our industry desperately needs right now
After years of steady progress and comfortable growth, real estate is entering a period of reckoning. Climate, technology, and consumer behaviour are changing faster than the industry itself. Harcourts Australia CEO Adrian Knowles believes that survival and success will depend on the willingness of today’s leaders to re-examine everything they know. The future, he says, will not be shaped by…
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Stand firm, trade smart, walk away: the three pillars of powerful negotiation
Ask most agents when negotiation begins, and they’ll point to the moment an offer lands. In reality, Mark Carter says it starts much earlier — sometimes from the very first phone call. Every discussion about price, commission or expectations is a form of negotiation. The agents who understand this don’t just react to objections; they shape the conversation long before…
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Why brevity wins in business communication
Email remains the backbone of professional communication, but too often it’s misused. Lengthy messages filled with unnecessary detail slow decisions and bury key information. Darren Krakowiak, Founder of CRE Success, writes that most effective communicators know that clarity and brevity close deals faster - and that the best emails are rarely long ones.
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What it really takes to open a high-performing real estate office
Opening a real estate office isn’t just about cutting a ribbon, it’s about building a business ready to perform from day one. Harcourts Head of Operations Kyrstie Nolan explains that success starts long before launch, with the right planning, systems, and people in place.
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Tackling underquoting with transparency
Underquoting in real estate often leaves buyers feeling misled, but greater transparency could change this. Leanne Pilkington explains that agents can build trust by sharing comparable sales data, outlining the factors that make pricing challenging, and helping consumers understand market dynamics, rather than quoting prices below realistic expectations.
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Cracking the deposit code: What agents and brokers need to know about first-home buyers
Agents are about to gain a powerful new way to bring first-home buyers back into the market. Buyers can purchase with just five per cent down - no Lenders’ Mortgage Insurance (LMI), no income caps and higher property price limits nationwide. Understanding and explaining these changes could turn hesitant prospects into active clients and keep your pipeline moving.
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The real reason people leave
Six silent killers that drive your best people away, and the "TX strategies" that make them stay.
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How to scale a real estate business without burning out
If you run a business, it’s easy to fall into the habit of being the fixer. A client is unhappy, a team member is stuck, a system breaks — and before anyone else can blink, you’re already in the trenches, sorting it out yourself. But, as Michael Nitschke explains, over time, that approach drains you, disempowers your team, and quietly…
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Own your growth: why great leadership starts with you
In real estate, market knowledge and negotiation skills only get you so far. REMAX managing director, Joel Davoren, says the real game-changer is how well you lead yourself - your mindset, discipline, and daily choices. Master that, and you’ll have the foundation to lead clients, teams, and your business to lasting success.
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Why happiness should come before success in real estate
In real estate, success is often measured in listings, sales, and market share, but chasing those milestones without looking after your own wellbeing can leave you burnt out. Harvard professor and author Arthur C. Brooks argues in The Happiness Files that the real formula works the other way around: focus on your happiness first, and greater, more sustainable success will…
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Styling versus renovating: What adds the most value before selling?
Professional styling offers homeowners a higher return on investment than pre-sale renovations, costing a fraction while significantly impacting buyer emotion and marketing appeal. For most properties, strategic styling can mask dated features, maximise perceived space, and create emotional connections- all without the delays and financial risks of major renovations.
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The biggest lie in real estate: “Just do this one thing and you’ll grow”
Real estate expert Kylie Walker debunks the industry's biggest myth that "just one thing" leads to business growth. Her own cautionary tale of gaining 100 clients while losing 95 reveals why sustainable success requires strong foundations, not quick fixes.
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Leadership fatigue is the hidden risk no one talks about
In an age where “always on” has become the default setting for many leaders, the pressure to be decisive, available and endlessly resilient can take a hidden toll. For Thomas McGlynn, Director/CEO of BresicWhitney, the warning signs aren’t abstract; they appear in the decisions leaders make, the hours they keep, and the strain that shows long before burnout arrives.
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Is it time to retire the GOAT? Rethinking auction clearance rates as the market barometer
Australia's long-trusted auction clearance rates may no longer tell the full story of the property market. As selling strategies diversify and buyer behaviors evolve, this once-definitive metric increasingly captures only a fraction of transactions, raising questions about what truly measures market health in today's complex real estate landscape.
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The great property pause: How agents can turn “not yet” into “let’s go”
For many Australians in their 20s and 30s, buying a first home feels out of reach. Buyer’s agent Tash Kessel says hesitation is growing, but the right guidance can turn that pause into progress.
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The leadership trap that’s killing your culture (and how to fix it)
Harcourts WA CEO Shane Kempton shares why ego kills culture - and how mission-driven leadership can transform your team's performance, retention, and legacy. A must-read for real estate leaders ready to level up.
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If Amazon sold property – lessons from a global behemoth
Avi Khan travelled to Amazon HQ and discovered what AI has in store for the real estate industry.
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