GOOD MORNING FROM ELITE AGENT

On this day in 1974, a pack of Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit became the first product ever scanned with a barcode. It took 25 years, a bit of laser magic, and some serious industry coordination to get to that beep, but that moment in a Troy, Ohio supermarket kicked off a retail revolution. So what’s it got to do with real estate? Everything, really.

From inventory-tracking for property marketing materials to QR codes on signboards, the barcode’s DNA is now embedded in every efficient, data-driven system agents use. No more guesswork. No more lost keys. Just scan, track, list, repeat.

You might not sell houses by scanning gum, but thanks to the barcode, the way we do sell houses has never been slicker.

Today’s read time: 6 minutes, 53 seconds

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LEADERSHIP

Culture in action

Why culture - not control - is driving the next era of real estate leadership

Top-down management is yesterday’s news. In today’s real estate world, agents crave visible, supportive, and collaborative leadership, and Laing+Simmons CEO Leanne Pilkington is proof that this shift is more than a trend.

Reflecting on nearly three decades of change, Leanne shares how evolving expectations, particularly post-COVID, have forced leaders to pivot from command-and-control models to cultures of curiosity, accountability, and psychological safety.

“Leadership is no longer a one-size-fits-all exercise,” she says, and the role of the leader is now less about micromanagement and more about empowering teams to help shape their path forward.

From friction to flourishing: a culture transformation

When Leanne joined Laing+Simmons in 1995, relationships between franchisees, and with head office, were fraught. “It became obvious very quickly that the franchisees didn’t like each other. They liked head office even less,” she recalls. Transforming that dynamic took years of intentional effort, from reshaping the training calendar and event direction to building team unity.

The result? A Net Promoter Score of 91.4, putting the network among the world’s most admired. “Establishing a culture is like building any other part of a business. It takes meaningful, deliberate steps and actions in pursuit of a defined target outcome.”

Building psychological safety

Modern leadership isn’t about pretending everything’s perfect. She champions a culture of reflection, where mistakes are opportunities to learn - not punish. “If your culture encourages curiosity, that means embracing the times when things go wrong,” she says.

Inspired by Google’s Project Aristotle, her team’s mantra is: “Let’s get curious about how we could have done that differently.” That mindset is now institutionalised, from monthly sprints and supplier updates to team retreats, anchoring the entire business in continuous improvement.

Visibility over titles

Leadership shouldn’t cloistered behind corner office doors, and Leanne says she likes to lead by example - literally. “I make sure I am part of our daily huddles. I attend as much of the training as I can, and I personally run the bi-monthly inductions for all new team members,” she says.

“Everyone across the brand has my mobile number and knows I will respond if they reach out.” For today’s leaders, Leanne says presence isn’t optional, it’s pivotal: “It’s not about what I say, it’s about people watching what I do.”

Read the full story here.

ICYMI, yesterday we reported on why PM’s need to do things differently.

TOGETHER WITH LEESY

How Leesy’s IRIS is taking the stress out of rent reviews, and putting revenue back in

Leesy’s IRIS platform is helping agencies boost revenue and ease pressure on stretched property managers by automating rent reviews. What once took 40 hours a year can now be done in seconds, with suburb-specific insights and rent recommendations delivered straight to the PM’s inbox.

Managers can tweak and send a professional proposal to landlords in just a few clicks. In testing, 90% of IRIS rent estimates matched manual reviews within 10%, proving both accuracy and efficiency.

With rents up 5.8% in the past year, agencies can unlock significant revenue without adding to anyone’s workload.

Read more about Leesy here.

FIRST HOME BUYERS

REIQ cheers budget boost for first home buyers and builders alike

First home buyers in Queensland just got a serious leg-up, with the State Budget rolling out a $165 million shared equity scheme. With as little as 2 per cent saved, eligible buyers could score up to 30 per cent equity on a new home, and the property cap has jumped to $1 million. REIQ CEO Antonia Mercorella says the move finally reflects what homes in Brisbane and the coasts actually cost. There’s also some long-awaited relief for foreign-backed housing projects, with red tape slashed for developments that benefit the public.

WESTERN SYDNEY LEADS

Billions for the burbs: NSW budget sparks commercial shift

The NSW Government just dropped a budget that’s less about the Sydney CBD and more about what’s next. With $30.8 billion in infrastructure and a new Investment Delivery Authority to fast-track big builds, Western Sydney is shaping up as the state’s new commercial heavyweight.

Tech, health, education, and even the creative sector are getting serious backing, think innovation hubs, screen studios, and hospital precincts that double as commercial magnets. In an Australian first, the state will guarantee the pre-sale of up to 5,000 apartments, which it claims will allow developers to get finance to build 15,000 new homes over five years.

PROPTECH AND PLANNING REFORM

AI to the rescue: NSW plugs planning bottlenecks with DAISY

Proptech thought leader Peter Schravemade has thrown his support behind NSW’s move to trial AI tools in local planning, a response to years of frustration over approval delays. With systems like DAISY now being tested by councils, he sees real potential in using AI to streamline assessment, boost productivity, and reduce bottlenecks.

While Peter acknowledges government uptake will be cautious, with privacy and risk slowing things down, he believes even partial automation could significantly improve workflows. The NSW Budget backs this shift with $24 million in innovation funding, marking a broader push to modernise housing delivery.

CELEBRITY HOMES

Former baseballer hits property home run with $113m Miami listing

Former Dodgers slugger Alex Guerrero is stepping up to the plate again, this time in the luxury property game. He’s listed an under-construction spec home on Miami’s exclusive North Bay Road for USD $75 million (around AUD $113 million). The plans are bold: over 10,000 square feet, seven bedrooms, three kitchens, a hot tub, and a garage that fits 18 cars, complete with a waterfall that pauses when vehicles approach.

MOVERS + SHAKERS

Ratio Rajput opens Harcourts Evolution

The Brisbane agent brings over a decade of experience and an impressive $44.5 million in sales in the past year to the new business. More here.

Success doesn’t rest on weekends! 
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AGENTS ON SOCIAL

This agent just went viral for doing a full Donald Trump impersonation in a listing video, complete with questionable accent and the bold claim that “golf is a fake sport.” Reactions range from horrified to hysterical. 🧑‍⚖️🎯

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

Wishing you a productive day!

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