GOOD MORNING FROM ELITE AGENT

It’s National Eat Your Vegetables Day … (we can hear your groan from here). In a profession fuelled by coffee, convenience food, and the occasional half-eaten muesli bar from the glovebox, today’s a gentle reminder to put something green on your plate that isn’t a contract.

No one’s saying you need to become a kale ambassador overnight, but if you’ve got six appraisals and back-to-back opens, a handful of sugar snap peas might carry you further than a sausage roll. And for those of you selling homes with veggie gardens? Consider it your moment. “Room for a herb garden” suddenly sounds a bit more appealing today.

Today’s read time: 7 minutes, 03 seconds

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LEADERSHIP

Why structure wins

The real anatomy of a high-performance real estate sales team

“Great teams are built, not found.” That’s the guiding principle behind Aaron Chuah’s take on sales leadership, drawn from 25 years of experience recruiting, coaching, and scaling teams across real estate.

In his words, success comes not from “finding ‘superstar’ agents and hoping they carry the load,” but from creating a system where “the average agent becomes exceptional through systems, culture, support, and standards.” In a market where both clients and competitors are more sophisticated than ever, Aaron lays out a no-nonsense blueprint for what actually drives consistent performance.

Momentum is a choice, not a condition

Top teams don’t wait for the stars to align; they act. “Success in real estate doesn’t wait for the perfect market, the ideal listing, or the dream client,” he says. What matters is mindset: a collective belief that outcomes are earned through resilience and repetition. That shows up in things like “relentless follow-up that stretches beyond the third, fourth, or fifth touchpoint” and learning from every deal, even the ones that fall through. “This kind of mindset can’t just be preached from the top,” he notes. “It must be lived and reinforced across the team.”

Clarity builds trust, and better numbers

High-performing sales environments aren’t run on guesswork.

“Everyone knows what’s expected of them, what excellence looks like, and how progress is measured,” Aaron explains. Defined KPIs, transparent team goals, and real-time check-ins replace vague performance metrics. He emphasises that “performance reviews aren’t annual, they’re ongoing,” with leaders coaching instead of micromanaging.

“They offer clarity when goals shift and provide support when roadblocks appear” - a structure that fosters trust and individual accountability.

Systems free people to perform

Contrary to the myth that structure kills creativity, Aaron argues the opposite: “Chaos is optional, process is power.”

Whether it’s leveraging CRMs, AI for identifying warm leads, or calendar-driven prospecting cadences, strong teams use systems to reduce noise and focus energy.

“They let agents focus on high-value activity, not reactivity,” he says. But it doesn’t stop at tools - the tone is set from the top.

“No team will outperform its leader,” and the best leaders, he says, “show up. They prospect. They learn. They bring energy into the room, even on tough days.”

Read the full article here

ICYMI yesterday, we broke down why real estate isn’t complicated - people are.

TOGETHER WITH PM/ONE

Property Management steps into the spotlight with PM/ONE

After more than two decades advocating for the property management profession, Fiona Blayney has announced the launch of PM/ONE, a two-day national conference set to take place on 14–15 September 2025 at the Hilton Sydney.

PM/ONE aims to reposition property management as a strategic, business-critical function by creating a space for the industry to unite – one profession, one community, one stage. The event will feature over 20 expert speakers, an interactive expo, morning masterclasses, networking sessions, and innovative activations.

With more than 30% of Australian households relying on rental properties, Fiona says the conference is a long-awaited opportunity to highlight the essential role of property managers.

Read more about PM/ONE here.

DEPT OF SHORT TERM RENTALS

Call for Airbnb levy to ease essential worker housing shortage

Unions NSW has welcomed a parliamentary report highlighting the housing challenges faced by essential workers and is urging the NSW Government to introduce a 7.5% levy on short-term rentals, such as Airbnb. The report, led by MP Alex Greenwich, found that frontline workers are being priced out of their communities due to limited long-term rental stock and the profitability of short-stay platforms. Unions NSW argues the levy could fund dedicated housing and has also proposed a 60-day annual cap on un-hosted short-term stays.

DEPT OF WEEKLY MARKET WRAP 

Auction market rebounds as capital city volumes lift sharply

Australia’s auction market snapped back to life last week, with the preliminary clearance rate lifting to 70.1%, according to Cotality. The previous week’s dip to 60.7% was no surprise, given the slowdown over the King’s Birthday long weekend. But with 2,216 homes going under the hammer, up a hefty 61% from just 1,373 the week before, it’s clear that sellers and buyers wasted no time getting back into action.

DEPT OF PORTFOLIO LIQUIDATIONS

Ex-Rugby player set to score $1.4 billion deal

Lestyn Lewis, a former Bath Rugby player turned property mogul, is in final talks to offload his student housing empire to private equity for a staggering £750 million (AU$1.44 billion). His company, Rengen Developments, owns a significant slice of student and rental flats across Bath, Bristol, and other major UK cities.

Iestyn, who launched Rengen from his dining table in 2006, has already built and sold two property portfolios. The former athlete’s next move? Reinvesting his windfall to build yet another empire. With student rents rising and high-tier university towns like Bath and Bristol in high demand, he is cashing in at the perfect time.

CELEBRITY HOMES

Bob Newhart’s $10.5m Century City townhouse hits the market, with a story as entertaining as his career

Bob Newhart’s former Century City townhouse has just hit the market for $10.5m USD (approx. $15.75m AUD), and it’s more than just a premium listing, it’s a home with serious Hollywood pedigree. Purchased in 2016 to be close to close friends Don and Barbara Rickles, the three-level residence is set in the exclusive Enclave at Century Woods, where homes rarely change hands.

It features four bedrooms, a top-floor office with city views, his-and-hers bathrooms, and a layout perfect for entertaining. During lockdown, neighbours (including Jane Fonda) gathered for nightly cul-de-sac catch-ups, proving once again that lifestyle and location go hand in hand.

AGENTS ON SOCIAL

A real estate agent’s brain never switches off, it just switches from prospecting to panic at 2am. “Did I send the contract?” “Was that price too high?” “Should I cold call at breakfast?” 🧠⏰

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

Wishing you a productive day!

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