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TRUE OR FALSE?

When showing an empty home, one strategically placed chair can give buyers perspective and make the space pop.
(Scroll to the bottom for the answer!)

In today’s edition of The Brief

• The iconic Harrods Estates shuts down after 130 years

• Why the NSW Govt has pledged to buy up apartments

• How one agent scored a suburban record with a villa in need of renovation

Today’s read time: 4 minutes 15 seconds

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AI: RECRUITMENT

When every candidate sounds perfect

Thomas McGlynn called it years ago: a job interview is "the meeting of two lies." The employer exaggerates the culture. The candidate exaggerates their abilities. Ninety days later, everyone finds out.

Now multiply that problem by AI.

When every candidate produces flawless written applications, written applications stop being useful filters. Reading cover letters to "get a sense of the person" doesn't work when the person didn't write them.

The solution? Samantha McLeans says it’s to test for things AI can't fake - yet. The full article reveals situational questions that expose how someone actually thinks, plus a compatibility test that prevents 90-day disappointments before they happen.

What you'll learn in the full article:

• Situational questions: Specific scenarios that reveal thinking, not prompting ability

• The AQ test: A 1-10 rating system that predicts job fit better than any cover letter

• 60-second video rule: Why 15 seconds of footage beats two pages of writing

• Three-layer compliance: How to use AI in hiring before December 2026 changes hit

The agencies that figure this out first won't just hire better people – they'll keep them.

Read the full article

ICYMI yesterday: Forget percentages, real negotiation is human, not mathematical.

TOGETHER WITH REALESTATE.COM.AU

realestate.com.au unveils smarter tools for property buyers and homeowners

Realestate.com.au has launched five new features to make property searching, exploring, and managing smarter.

The AI-powered search assistant allows users to combine budget, suburbs, travel time, and lifestyle needs in a single search, while iGUIDE offers immersive 3D virtual tours and detailed floor plans. Map Draw lets buyers pinpoint exact streets and nearby amenities, and the AI Assistant tracks property values and local market trends. Homeowners can also compare and switch energy plans with the Energy Comparison tool.

REA Group Chief Product Officer Jonathan Swift said: “Our consumer strategy is focused on engaging our audience throughout the property journey and helping them act sooner with confidence. New features like iGUIDE are designed to turn initial interest into serious buyer engagement. Highly immersive content drives more views and enquiries, while 1 in 3 buyers agree video or 3D tours make them more likely to inspect a property, which underpins the value we provide customers and vendors.”

Read more about the new tools and data here.

POLICY

$1B NSW scheme fast-tracks 540 new homes

If pre-sales fall short, the NSW government will buy up to half the apartments – that's the new Pre-sale Finance Guarantee. Since October, the scheme has pushed 540 homes forward, with 45 more developers in the queue. More regional projects could be next.

INTERNATIONAL

London icon Harrods Estates shuts down after 130 years

Harrods Estates, the iconic London luxury property arm once directed by Princess Diana’s stepmother, has shut down after 130 years. The closure comes amid falling demand for high-end London homes caused by higher stamp duty, the end of non-dom status, and shifting buyer preferences toward Mayfair and Belgravia.

Milan draws wealthy fleeing Gulf conflict

Italy's flat-tax scheme is pulling ultra-wealthy expats away from a conflict-rattled Gulf. Foreign residents can pay €300,000 (about $520,000) annually on all overseas income, regardless of earnings, and Milan property prices have jumped 38% in five years as buyers pour in. Via Monte Napoleone briefly overtook Fifth Avenue as the world's priciest shopping street in 2024.

HOW IT SOLD

Five bidders push unrenovated villa to $1.43m record

A four-week auction campaign transformed a Bexley North villa requiring renovation into the suburb's highest-ever villa sale. Chadia El Hage of CobdenHayson attracted five registered bidders despite rainy auction day conditions, securing $1.43 million for the three-bedroom property.

Agents across Australia and New Zealand are turning sales into stories getailsa.com →

CELEBRITY HOMES

Goodbye Sydney - Roxy Jacenko lists Paddington HQ

After a decade running Sweaty Betty PR from Paddington, Roxy Jacenko has listed her Elizabeth Street headquarters. The publicist has moved to Singapore, and the corner property goes to auction on 12 May. The Blainey North interiors don't disappoint.

MOVERS + SHAKERS

Nick Dowling joins FOUNDIT as chairman

The Jellis Craig chairman and REA Group board member will lead governance as the buyer's agent platform scales nationally. More here.

Bert Geraerts launches The Agency Bayside

The veteran agent brings over 30 years of local experience to the new Melbourne office covering Beaumaris, Black Rock and Sandringham. 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

First deal jitters: one call away from panic, the next… world’s best agent 😬💃

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

TRUE OR FALSE:

When showing an empty home, one strategically placed chair can give buyers perspective and make the space pop.

And the answer is …

TRUE. Minimal staging tricks like one well-placed chair give buyers perspective and highlight spaciousness. Other industry sources also note that empty rooms give buyers no reference point for scale, which can make them appear smaller or ambiguous - the exact reason staging uses furniture to help anchor spatial perception.

Wishing you a productive day!

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