GOOD MORNING FROM ELITE AGENT

Next year’s residential developments are all about balance, according to Nick Symonds of MAS Architecture. In 2025, your buyers will embrace nature with green walls and courtyards, and upgrade their wellness spaces to include saunas and therapy rooms. It’s a shift driven by rising costs and residents’ growing expectations for healthier, connected living.

Today’s read time: 4 minutes, 19 seconds.

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MOTIVATION

Leaving ego behind: the leadership shift real estate needs

Thomas McGlynn, CEO of BresicWhitney and REINSW President, is calling on real estate leaders to ditch ego-driven approaches and embrace mentorship to secure the industry’s future.

Reflecting on lessons from leaders like John McGrath, Thomas highlights how collaboration, vulnerability, and knowledge-sharing can break down the toxic "self-made leader" myth.

The myth of the self-made leader

One of the greatest misconceptions in real estate is the myth of the self-made success. Thomas recalls a pivotal moment watching John McGrath rehearse for a parliamentary address.

"Despite being one of the most accomplished speakers I’d ever seen, he still wanted feedback.” The message? True leadership involves vulnerability and a willingness to learn. "No one achieves greatness alone.”

The cost of ego in leadership

Ego-driven leadership is stifling real estate’s potential, warns Thomas. "We see it in the reluctance to share knowledge, in the competitive hoarding of information, and in the false notion that there’s only one path to success," he says.

This culture limits innovation, fosters toxicity, and excludes diverse perspectives. Without a shift, Thomas says the industry risks a leadership vacuum when current leaders retire. "We miss opportunities to learn from others and fail to prepare for succession.”

A new leadership model for the future

Thomas advocates for an "eyes in, hands out" leadership approach, where oversight is maintained while team members are empowered to lead. "It’s about sharing not just successes but challenges and failures," he says, emphasising the importance of mentorship and flexibility.

In his role as REINSW President, Thomas hopes to inspire leaders to create formal mentorship programs, celebrate diverse approaches, and openly share knowledge. "The future of our industry depends on our ability to develop strong, capable leaders who can take us forward.”

ICYMI, yesterday we covered battling year-end decision fatigue

TOGETHER WITH MRI

PropTech to simplify AML compliance
Real estate agents in Australia will soon be required to conduct mandatory anti-money laundering (AML) checks for vendors and purchasers under new federal legislation. Adam Campbell of MRI Software explains that CRM platforms, such as Vault, will play a critical role in ensuring compliance.

"It's all about identifying dirty money... and it will be the agent's responsibility to do what will be called an AML check," says Adam. "The key thing is, the CRMs are going to be central to this, to ensure each agency abides by the law." He also views artificial intelligence integration into CRM platforms as a key innovation, streamlining processes and improving operational efficiency for real estate businesses.

Read more about MRI’s solution for AML checks here

SMART SNIPPETS

AI transforms weekly market updates
Agents have now got a smarter way to create engaging market updates with the help of AI. AI Powered Agents shows how agents can transform basic property data into valuable insights in less time than it takes to drink a morning coffee. The approach focuses on sharing personal market observations and real transaction experiences, rather than just statistics, making updates more readable and shareable. Also, we’re developing a community on Skool called Spark, which stands for Scalable Property Agent Results Kit (and yes, AI helped come up with that!).

Become involved in the Spark community here and level up your AI skills today

Australians embrace fresh starts with every move
New research reveals moving home is more than just changing addresses for Australians. A study of 1,600 people shows that 66% use relocation to overhaul their finances and daily routines, with one-third switching utility providers and two-thirds conducting complete financial reviews. Of the 11.9 million monthly realestate.com.au visitors, 2.3 million are actively planning their next move.

Property market braces for 2025 rate relief
The Reserve Bank of Australia is set to cut rates in late 2025, bringing welcome relief to homeowners struggling with cost of living pressures. Ray White’s 2025 outlook predicts that Perth and Adelaide are expected to lead residential growth, while Queensland's Gold Coast will emerge as Australia's second most expensive luxury market, surpassing Melbourne. The retail sector shows particular promise, with neighbourhood centres anchored by supermarkets leading the recovery.

World’s priciest eco-district opens in Monaco
Prince Albert has unveiled Mareterra, a €2 billion luxury "eco-district" on reclaimed land in Monaco. With flats exceeding US$100,000 per square metre and villas priced over US$200 million, the development blends sustainability with ultra-luxury. While hailed as a success, critics question its environmental impact, arguing you can’t balancing exclusivity with conservation.

MOVERS + SHAKERS

Area Specialist partners with Real Estate Brilliance in WA
Michael Choi and Ryan Thompson join forces to provide comprehensive agent training and support across Western Australia. 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.

SOUND WAVES

From rookie to real estate mogul

Vivian Tu, otherwise known as "Your Rich BFF," recently interviewed Atlanta real estate mogul Glennda Baker on the "Networth and Chill" podcast. In today’s curated listen, she shared her journey from a broke young mum starting in the industry in 1992 to becoming a top agent.

”I didn't have the luxury to fail. Not selling a house was not an option. Not getting a paycheck was not an option for me.”

Dive straight into the listen below or the deeper dive here.

Read the report from Popsugar.com here

AGENTS ON SOCIAL

When a real estate agent isn’t working, they’re probably scrolling listings for “fun” or mentally staging every room they enter. Basically, if they’re not closing deals, they’re thinking about how to close the next one. 🧑🏻‍💻🧾

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

Wishing you a productive day

Elite Agent is crewed by Mark Edwards, Catherine Nikas-Boulos, Rowan Crosby, Giverny Pringle, 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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