🥱 "People are bored of seeing sold posts." Simon Withers on what actually builds your brand now

GOOD MORNING FROM ELITE AGENT 👋

TRUE OR FALSE?

Ciao! In Italy, you can buy a home for the bargain price of €1 and immediately own it outright with no strings attached.
(Scroll to the bottom for the answer!)

In today’s edition of The Brief

• How smarter workflows are changing real estate success

• Tax changes and weak auctions drive stress into wealthy suburbs

• Australia’s premium suburbs reveal massive internal price gaps

Today’s read time: 5 minutes, 50 seconds

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STRATEGY

Why working harder no longer wins listings in real estate

For decades, real estate success was defined by volume - more calls, more door knocking, more conversations at the end of long days. But Simon Withers, WA Business Growth Manager at REMAX Australia, says that model is losing ground as effort is increasingly redirected into systems, automation and smarter workflows.

“It’s all about AI technology, processes, and automating your systems so you’re spending less time prospecting and more time in front of your clients,” he explains, pointing to a shift where traditional hustle is being replaced by structured, system-led business growth rather than pure output.

Simon stresses that this isn’t the disappearance of prospecting, but a rebalancing of how agents work day-to-day; he explains that the most effective operators are building systems that handle repetitive tasks in the background, allowing them to stay focused on relationships and client engagement rather than on manual follow-up.

One of the other most significant changes, he adds, is how agents present themselves publicly. “People are bored of seeing ‘I’ve sold this house’ or ‘we’ve listed this property’,” Simon says.

“They want to know who their agent is, what their personality is.”

Social media, he argues, has effectively become the new front door of the business, where trust and familiarity matter more than traditional listing content.

What you'll learn in the full article:

• The automation rebalance: How to redirect effort from prospecting to actual client time

• The entertainment shift: Why listing posts are killing your reach (and what to post instead)

• The staged tech approach: How to avoid the subscription spiral that traps new agents

• The internal client framework: Why treating your salespeople as clients transforms retention

Simon's perspective challenges the deeply embedded identity that still values hustle above all else. His reframe might be the key to sustainable growth.

Read the full article

ICYMI, yesterday: Ben Crowe at AREC26 on what truly drives high performance.

EVENTS

Launch’26 targets next-gen real estate performance

LAUNCH’26 will return to Brisbane on 21 July at the RNA Showgrounds, bringing together leading agents, auctioneers and real estate professionals from across Australia and New Zealand for a full-day conference centred on growth, leadership and performance.

Apollo Auctions Australasia General Manager, Greg Brydon, said the event is designed to challenge conventional thinking and lift industry standards. “There’s no shortage of information in this industry. What’s rare is being in a room with people who are actually doing it at the highest level.”

The conference will feature keynote speakers, including Elite Agent’s Samantha McLean, McGrath’s Kon Stathopoulos, CoStar’s Belinda Sinclair, and sporting legends Dan Carter and Simon Black, among others, and will be hosted by television personality Shelley Craft.

Topics will include leadership and team culture, business growth and performance, brand positioning, consumer behaviour, auction strategy, market adaptation, and operational efficiency, with a strong focus on helping real estate professionals evolve and execute at a higher level in a changing market.

Apollo Director Justin Nickerson said, “The market has changed. Consumers have changed. Expectations have changed,” adding that “the businesses that thrive over the next five years will be the ones prepared to evolve, communicate better, lead stronger and execute at a higher standard.”

Read more about Launch‘26 here.

ECONOMY

Mortgage stress spreads into affluent suburbs

Mortgage stress is expanding into affluent Sydney areas, with DFA data showing severe stress in postcodes in Sydney’s Lower North Shore jumping from 749 to 2,306 households in the first quarter. Rising repayments, cost pressures and policy changes are increasingly impacting middle- and high-income suburbs. At the same time, Cotality reports auction clearance rates remain below 60% for most of the past two months, signalling soft demand despite higher listings. Analysts say tighter investor incentives and weaker market conditions are adding pressure across all levels of the housing market.

MARKET

Same suburb, $11M price gap

In Vaucluse, the gap between the cheapest and most expensive pockets is $11.68 million – within one suburb, not across postcodes. REA economist Megan Lieu says it comes down to micro-location: waterfront versus five streets back can mean millions.

HOW IT SOLD

Weekly calls delivered $180k in three days

After trying to sell themselves and receiving a $1.55 million offer, vendors at the Handley Street home in Helensburgh asked Elle Ritson if she could achieve more. Elle had 15 ready buyers in her database – built through regular contact with serious prospects every single week. Three days and 15 inspections later, the property sold for $1.73 million

Stories like this build your online reputation long after the sold sticker comes down. Want yours told? getailsa.com

CELEBRITY HOMES

Jemima Goldsmith lists £6.5m London mews home after nearly 30 years

The British writer, producer and ex-wife of former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan is selling her long-held London home (A$11.6 million) after nearly three decades, as she prepares for a new chapter, splitting time between Switzerland and the UK countryside.

MOVERS + SHAKERS

Mark Blit joins Ray White The Bayside Group

The veteran agent brings 17 years of experience across Melbourne's Bayside suburbs to the team. 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

Real estate friendships are strong… until you mention another agent and suddenly everyone’s personally offended. 🤦🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♂️

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

TRUE OR FALSE:

Ciao! In Italy, you can buy a home for the bargain price of €1 and immediately own it outright with no strings attached.

And the answer is …

False. The €1 Italian homes aren’t a free, hassle-free purchase. Buyers must commit to strict renovation plans, lodge deposits, and complete works within set timeframes (often 1–3 years), with significant costs usually running into tens of thousands of euros. It’s less “buy a house for €1” and more buy a legally binding renovation project in a declining town.

Wishing you a productive day!

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