GOOD MORNING FROM ELITE AGENT 👋

Here’s a gentle nudge that a little early planning can make the festive season far smoother. For real estate agents, PM’s and business owners, Shopping Reminder Day doubles as a cue to tidy up end-of-year tasks, prepare client gifts, and organise diaries before the December rush.

A few minutes spent getting ahead now can create more space for calm conversations, quality client care and time with family as the year winds down.

Today’s read time: 6 minutes, 17 seconds

New to The Brief? Join us for free. 🤝

INDUSTRY INSIGHTS

How real estate offices are adapting to new pressures

The shift toward support-led real estate offices

Real estate is moving away from the traditional small-office structure as rising costs and heavier operational demands make it harder for agents to manage their businesses independently. Highland Property CEO David Highland says, “The cost of running these real estate businesses is exponentially more than what it was five or ten years ago,” a shift he believes is only increasing across the sector. Many new agents, he notes, now “jump straight into sales,” skipping the operational grounding once gained through leasing or property management, which creates gaps agencies now need to support.

In response, firms that centralise functions such as compliance, marketing, payroll and financial reporting are giving salespeople the chance to focus on client work rather than administration, and this model is likely to guide how offices operate in 2026 and beyond. David believes these changes reflect “the way the industry is moving” as agencies build structures that suit the needs and expectations of the modern agent.

The rising cost of running a real estate office

David says the industry is reaching a point where the traditional standalone office is no longer equipped to manage the growing list of operational requirements. With compliance, staffing and marketing costs continuing to rise, he believes agencies are being pushed toward shared service structures that allow them to work more efficiently.

As he explains it, “The industry has moved past these small mum and dad real estate offices,” and while they may still suit some markets, the broader trend is forcing groups to rethink how they resource their teams and sustain growth.

A new generation of agents and the skills gap

The changing profile of new agents is another driver of this shift, with many recruits entering directly into sales without the staged experience once gained through leasing or property management. David observes that “many people now jump straight into sales,” which means they often excel at relationship work but lack confidence with operational tasks that used to form part of their early training.

He believes this new pathway makes strong support structures essential, ensuring agents can perform at a high level without being weighed down by work they are not trained to manage.

Why centralised support is becoming the preferred model

Centralising services and improving data visibility are emerging as key features of the modern agency model. At Highland Property, teams can hand over everything from compliance to payroll to personal cash-flow management, something David describes simply as “taking all the things off them that are non dollar productive.”

The business also provides real-time performance dashboards that track appraisals, conversions and marketing results, giving agents a clear view of their progress and allowing them to adjust quickly. David sees these developments as part of a wider shift, saying agencies are now creating workplaces that reflect “how real estate works today, not how it used to work.”

Read the full story here.

ICYMI, yesterday we were schooled by a global futurist about what’s next in real estate.

NATIONAL REPORT

Housing affordability reaches breaking point

Australia's housing market has become virtually unreachable for many, with new data showing it now takes nearly 12 years to save for a standard deposit. Home values have surged 47.3% since March 2020, adding about $280,000 to the median dwelling price. Renters aren't faring better either, now dedicating a record 33.4% of their income to housing – well above the 20-year average.

STRATA NEWS

NSW overhauls strata laws for 1.2 million residents

The NSW government has introduced its fourth and final strata reform bill, completing a modernisation program affecting more than 1.2 million people living in strata properties. Key changes include allowing residents to install EV charging stations without unreasonable objections, publishing compliance actions against owners corporations, and freeing duplexes from unnecessary administrative burdens. The reforms aim to make higher-density living more attractive as part of the state's broader housing strategy.

US MARKET

Turnover rate drops to 30-year low 

The US is seeing the lowest rate of home turnover in nearly 30 years, with only about 28 in every 1,000 homes changing hands so far this year. Redfin’s analysis shows homeowners are remaining in place far longer, a trend linked to weaker employment mobility and the cost of trading out of ultra-low pandemic-era mortgage rates. Economists note that a sluggish labour market, with minimal hiring and reports of job losses across major companies, is dampening people’s willingness to relocate.

CELEBRITY HOMES

Kiss-cam CEO sells $5.8M apartment

Former Astronomer CEO Andy Byron has sold his luxury Tribeca apartment for $5.8M following a viral kiss-cam scandal. Andy, who resigned after being caught in a compromising position with an employee at a Coldplay concert, made a modest profit on the off-market sale. The four-bedroom warehouse conversion features white-brick walls, soaring ceilings, and Hudson River views, all apparently not enough to keep the disgraced executive in Manhattan.

AGENTS ON SOCIAL

I just closed a deal, and yes, my dance moves are as epic as the paperwork was long. 💼🕺

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.