GOOD MORNING FROM ELITE AGENT 👋

TRUE OR FALSE?

In Singapore, you can be fined for being naked in your own home if your neighbours can see you.
(Scroll to the bottom for the answer!)

In today’s edition of The Brief

• REMAX and Real Brokerage set to merge in a US$880M deal

• What happens when agents practise auctions before real clients are on the line

• How to train ChatGPT to actually write in your voice

Today’s read time: 4 minutes, 35 seconds

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TRAINING

What happens when agents become the vendor, buyer and crowd?

Most agents only get to practise their auction skills on real clients, with real money and real emotions on the line. Harcourts Victoria has been asking a different question - what if you could rehearse the high-pressure moments before they count?

The five-hour simulation

The program runs participants through the full arc of an auction campaign, from vendor meetings through to post-auction negotiation – in a low-stakes environment. But here's what makes it different: agents rotate through roles as vendor, bidder, crowd member, even neighbour. Not everyone gets the full picture, replicating the complexity of real auction day.

What you'll learn in the full article:

• The rotating role system: How practising as vendor, bidder, and crowd member builds skills you can't develop any other way

• The pre-auction truth: Why so much of the result is decided before anyone raises their hand

• Working the room: The specific questions to ask every person in the crowd – and what to do with hesitant bidders

• Post-auction bridging: How to bring vendors and buyers together when the market tells you what it's willing to pay

Read the full story here.

ICYMI, yesterday we found out why losing your star agent might be the best thing for your business

MERGER

REMAX and Real Brokerage set to merge in US$880M deal

REMAX Australia is entering a tech-driven era following the announcement of a definitive US$880 million merger between its global parent and The Real Brokerage Inc to form the Real REMAX Group. Managing Director Joel Davoren moved quickly to brief the local network, highlighting the integration of the reZEN AI platform as a major leap forward for Australian digital capability. While the brands will continue to face the market under their respective names within the new unified ecosystem, the merger is designed to fuse REMAX’s massive global scale with leading AI technology.

AI

Train ChatGPT to write in your voice

Most agents know the frustration – ChatGPT produces content that sounds polished but recognisably not you. In the latest episode of The AI Edit, Samantha McLean walks through building a custom GPT loaded with your personal "voice print" – upload a writing sample, run a prompt, and the AI learns your tone and structure. Even that single step, Sam says, beats default ChatGPT for listings, client comms, and social posts.

HOW IT SOLD

Off-market strategy secures one-day sale

A Coogee home sold off-market in a single inspection day, with coordinated buyer outreach creating immediate competition – securing a deal prior to styling or full launch. Nick Papas of Agents & Co matched pre-qualified buyers from his database to the opportunity, using timing and transparency to bring forward the result.

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

CELEBRITY HOMES

Starman’s old apartment is looking for a new owner (BYO piano)

The late great David Bowie and his wife Iman called this Central Park South apartment home for a decade – and it's back on market at US$4.95 million (about $7.7 million). The ninth-floor Essex House unit features a 12-metre window overlooking the park. The 2017 listing included David’s beloved piano – this time, you'll need to bring your own.

MOVERS + SHAKERS

Matt Gibbon trades rugby for real estate

The former Wallaby has joined Harcourts Northern Rivers in Ballina after a knee injury ended his professional career in 2023. His building background and rural upbringing are proving valuable in the regional market. 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

Agents finally making content their parents can brag about: “She’s not just selling houses - she’s going viral.” 📱👏

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

TRUE OR FALSE:

In Singapore, you can be fined for being naked in your own home if your neighbours can see you.

And the answer is …

True. Under laws in Singapore, it’s an offence to appear nude in a private place if you’re visible to the public or neighbours, and it causes annoyance. That means being inside your home doesn’t automatically protect you if you’re in clear view. It’s a reminder that even private property comes with public boundaries.

Wishing you a productive day!

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