GOOD MORNING FROM ELITE AGENT 👋

Elite Agent has just dropped Edge Case, a new debate series where real estate’s toughest questions get thrashed out … no fence-sitting allowed! First up: Should star agents get special treatment, even if it ruffles feathers? Dom Thurbon says yes, arguing a top performer is worth ten average ones.

Fiona Blayney fires back, warning that toxic high performers can sink productivity and send staff running for the exits. Six rounds later, the truth bombs drop as both reveal what they really think. It’s feisty, data-packed, and guaranteed to get people talking. The poll’s now live; so whose side are you on?

Today’s read time: 7 minutes, 52 seconds

New to The Brief? Join us for free. 🤝

SALES PSYCHOLOGY

Why success can stall top agents (and what to do about it)

The secret to scaling without burning out

Top real estate performers often fall into the trap of repeating what worked in the past. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” becomes the unofficial mantra. But as Pancho Mehrotra, CEO of Frontier Performance, reveals, that very mindset can quietly sabotage future growth.

Drawing on principles from neuroscience and professional sports, Pancho shows how even the best agents can unknowingly resist change, clinging to old routines long after they’ve stopped delivering. The good news? You don’t need to work harder. You need to think smarter. The key lies in something called elastic thinking.

Why comfort can be your biggest risk

Humans are wired to seek familiarity, and in sales, this translates into repeating strategies that once paid off, even if they’re no longer effective. Pancho points to two key cognitive biases at play: confirmation bias, where we selectively notice what validates our current beliefs, and belief perseverance, where we stick to those beliefs even when the evidence says otherwise.

Agents may double down on old habits like 100 cold calls a day, mistaking busyness for productivity. “Immediate gratification always wins for many people,” he says. But this resistance to change creates blind spots, stalls income growth, and leaves agents behind as competitors evolve.

Why hard work isn’t always the answer

There’s a seductive logic in the “just grind harder” philosophy. After all, effort feels like control. But that mindset often masks stagnation and burnout. Pancho shares a story of a high-performing agent who insisted on brute-forcing calls until burnout hit hard. Only after making small tweaks to his pitch did he double his results in a single month.

The takeaway? It's not about doing more, it’s about doing things differently. Like elite athletes who refine their technique to stay competitive, agents must optimise process, not just volume, to level up. As Pancho puts it, there's a big difference between effort and effectiveness.

The mindset shift that unlocks your next level

To break past performance ceilings, agents need to embrace elastic thinking, a concept defined by physicist Leonard Mlodinow. Unlike rote scripts or purely analytical approaches, elastic thinking allows for creative problem-solving, curiosity, and strategic reframing. Pancho suggests starting with small experiments: test a new phrase, reframe an objection, or change the way you prep for meetings.

He also encourages agents to value downtime as those relaxed mental states often produce the freshest ideas. If you're already earning big commissions and want to scale further without sacrificing your sanity, smarter systems and sharper thinking, not just more hustle, are the real multipliers.

Read the full story here.

ICYMI, yesterday we reported on how a no d**khead policy” has built one of Sydney's fastest-growing real estate businesses.

TOGETHER WITH BIZCOVER

Cybersecurity for agents: Don’t get caught out

Real estate agencies have become prime targets for cybercriminals, with everything from rental applications to passport details making valuable bait for hackers. Common threats include phishing emails, vishing calls, ransomware, and even supply chain breaches that sneak in through trusted vendors.

The industry’s mobile workforce and multiple digital platforms only add to the risks, leaving plenty of doors open for attack, but simple steps like reviewing your digital tools, securing mobile devices with VPNs, and vetting contractors can go a long way to closing those gaps. But even the best defences aren’t foolproof, which is why many agencies are now turning to Cyber Liability insurance. Cover can help with claims, data breaches, and business interruption costs, offering a safety net when things go wrong.

Read more about BizCover’s Cyber Liability insurance here.

METRO MOVES

Sky-high prices, slow growth: Sydney Metro’s million-dollar paradox

Sydney’s shiny new Metro line may make commuting easier, but it hasn’t supercharged property prices. A year after Phase 2 opened, houses within a kilometre of a station are worth nearly $2.9 million, yet their annual growth of 2.3% trails the citywide average. Units are faring even worse, with values dipping despite their hefty $1.42 million median. Renters, on the other hand, are paying through the roof – up to 80% more for a house near the Metro compared with the rest of Sydney.

Some suburbs, like Chatswood and Cherrybrook, even went backwards over the past year. The report suggests sky-high starting prices and stretched affordability are keeping growth in check, even as demand for access to the Metro keeps values far above the Sydney median.

FINANCE

Mortgage market recovery pushed back to 2036 as loan sizes balloon

Australia’s mortgage market is expected to take more than a decade to recover to the lending volumes seen during the Covid housing boom. New analysis from Money.com.au shows daily home loan approvals peaked at 1,322 in March 2021 before falling sharply as the Reserve Bank lifted interest rates. Lending has since stabilised but averaged just 890 approvals per day in the June quarter of 2025. At the current pace, volumes are not forecast to return to peak levels until 2036, when approvals are tipped to reach about 1,327 per day. By then, the average new home loan is projected to hit $1.15 million, up from today’s $676,000.

DUBAI NEWS

Dubai courts British buyers amid weakening dirham

British investors are flocking to Dubai's property market as the UAE dirham has weakened approximately 8% against the pound since January. This currency advantage has helped UK residents become Dubai's top foreign property buyers for the first time since 2023, with investments surging 62% year-over-year in Q2 2025. Major UAE developers including Binghatti and Danube have opened London offices to capitalise on this trend, though Fitch warns of a potential 15% price contraction through 2026.

CELEBRITY HOMES

Australian Survivor champion's resort-like home hits the market

Former Survivor contestant and memory coach Anastasia Woolmer is selling her award-winning Paddington property. The six-bedroom home features dual living spaces with separate kitchens and ensuite bathrooms for each bedroom, creating what Anastasia describes as a "resort-like" experience. The 2015 Master Builders award-winning property includes a professional-grade gym with $30,000 worth of equipment alongside a swimming pool, perfect for intergenerational living or potential rental income.

MOVERS + SHAKERS

Harcourts expands with new Greater Melton office

The team is led by top-rated agent Martin Mintoff alongside brother Mark, Sebastian Oberoi and David Nguyen, bringing local expertise to the western suburbs. More here.

Matt Micallef expands Gold Coast network

The Ray White top performer has acquired three established offices in Nerang, Oxenford and Canungra, growing his team to 54 people just two years after launching his first location. More here.

Success doesn’t rest on weekends! 
Get the latest on top agent and agency moves every Sunday with our weekly roundup in Movers & Shakers. Subscribe now.

AGENTS ON SOCIAL

Safe in your hands? That’s when buyers bring coffee to the inspection instead of stress sweat. ☕😅

Seen an Agent On Social we should include? Let us know here (email link)

Wishing you a productive day!

Elite Agent is the definitive platform for ambitious agents and industry players. Thought Leaders is the weekly show where top operators reveal how they’re reinventing real estate. AI-Powered Agents is your playbook for deploying AI that sells homes and scales teams.

Elite Agent is crewed by Mark Edwards, Catherine Nikas-Boulos, Rowan Crosby, Charmagne Arrubio and Samantha McLean. We aim to uplift the real estate industry by delivering forward-thinking, hype-free news and education that fosters knowledge and fuels ambition.

Content in the ‘Together With’ section is sponsored. Interested in promoting your brand to Elite Agent’s audience? Learn more at advertise.eliteagent.com.

Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up here.