GOOD MORNING FROM ELITE AGENT

On 10 July 1856, Nikola Tesla, one of the most prolific inventors in modern history, was born. Known for his pioneering work in electricity and the development of alternating current (AC), Tesla helped lay the foundations for how we power homes, buildings, and entire cities today.

More than 160 years later, his legacy quietly hums through every property transaction, every development approval, and every auction hammer fall. Without Tesla’s innovations, the concept of “move-in ready” wouldn’t exist, because there would be no power to switch on.

Today’s read time: 6 minutes, 25 seconds

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AGENT GROWTH

From $300k to $1m: The real work behind real estate growth

How mindset shifts, business structure and the right support can turn capable agents into profitable, high-performing teams

Hayley Van de Ven is reshaping the way real estate leaders think about growth, not just in GCI terms, but in how agents build businesses with purpose, profitability, and personal resilience. As CEO of multiple high-performing REMAX offices, she works closely with agents to help them scale from solid performers to sustainable business operators, focusing on mindset, tailored strategy, and lean, effective team structures.

High performance without the fluff

In Hayley’s world, big numbers alone don’t impress. “Four people writing $2 million? That’s a great business. Eight people doing the same? That’s a waste of time,” she says. Her focus is on profitability and sustainability, not “vanity metrics”. By building lean teams with strong systems and accountability, she says she helps agents grow smart, not just fast.

Leadership that holds space, not just targets

Hayley’s leadership is as personal as it is strategic. Whether she’s helping an agent through illness, addiction recovery, or rebuilding after workplace trauma, her method is grounded in belief and trust. “Sometimes people just need someone to believe in them before they believe in themselves,” she says. It’s that commitment that turns good agents into standout performers.

From salesperson to business owner

One of her core strengths is helping agents shift from an agent mindset to a business mindset. Hayley challenges her leadership team to think about roles, returns, recruitment, and structure - not just listings and sales. “You already know how to list and sell,” she tells them. “Now let’s build something that lasts.” That mindset shift is the catalyst for many of her agents going from $300k to $1M+ performers within just a few years, she says.

Read the full story here.

ICYMI, yesterday we reported on how Kate Hansen overcame adversity to achieve her real estate goals.

TOGETHER WITH TAPI

Tapi takes top honours at 2025 Proptech Awards

Tapi has won two major accolades at the 2025 Proptech Association of Australia Awards, including the event’s highest recognition: Residential Proptech of the Year. The company was also awarded Most Innovative Proptech for Property Management & Maintenance.

“We are thrilled to be recognised by the industry with the Residential Proptech of the Year award,” said Tal Meser, CEO and Co-founder of Tapi. “A huge thank you to our team, customers, partners and friends of Tapi, this is only the beginning.”

Tapi is a leading property maintenance software, supporting more than 400,000 properties in Australia and New Zealand. The platform is loved for its simplicity and smart automation turning traditionally manual processes into modern, scalable solutions.

Read more about Tapi’s win here.

RENTAL MARKET STALLS

Rental growth hits pause as affordability bites

After years of relentless rent hikes, Australia’s rental market is finally showing signs of slowing. Domain’s latest Rent Report reveals house rents have flatlined across the combined capital cities for four straight quarters, the first time this has happened since 2019.

Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane all recorded their slowest June quarter growth in years, while Perth has now tied with Canberra as the second most expensive city to rent a house. Unit rents, however, are still climbing, hitting record highs in every capital except Melbourne, as renters downsize or shift preferences to stay within budget.

ELITE AGENT TV

Rebecca Toone’s real estate transformation

In an interview with Ray White Head of Performance and Recognition Bianca Denham, Rebecca Toone shared how she went from fashion buyer to one of New Zealand’s most successful real estate agents. A self-described “late starter,” Rebecca entered the industry in her early 40s and now sells 70–80 homes a year in Christchurch’s top-tier market.

LONDON URBAN PLANNING

Live, work, repeat: Co-location gets serious in London

A new study from advisory firm Turley shows that London’s “co-location” trend, mixing homes with modern industrial space, is kicking into high gear, with more than 31,000 new homes now in the pipeline. From student digs to co-living setups, alternative housing formats are booming, now featuring in half of all applications. The model isn’t just flexible, it’s lucrative, with potential to generate £715 million a year and house over 85,000 people.

CELEBRITY HOMES

Mariah’s music mansion gets a price cut

Mariah Carey’s one-time recording hideaway in New Canaan, Connecticut, is back on the market, now with a markdown. Originally listed for US$13.9 million ($20.9 million AUD), the estate has dropped to a cool US$12.4 million.

The songbird superstar reportedly rented the Jacobean-style manor while working on her latest music, even appearing in a video clip wandering the grounds. The 18,000-square-foot home features 12 bedrooms, 16 bathrooms, a cinema, a castle-inspired great room, and a wellness centre bigger than most city gyms.

MOVERS + SHAKERS

Nigel Summerville appointed Head of Sales at Harcourts RG

The industry veteran with over 20 years of experience joins the leadership team at Hope Island alongside Tamara Rodgers, Oliver Rodgers, and Jacinda Pearse. 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

Spending six hours filming a reel, editing with cinematic flair, adding trending audio, perfect captions… and then watching it get 12 likes, eight of which are from your team.🎬📉

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.

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