GOOD MORNING FROM ELITE AGENT 👋

The brutal truth: Many real estate leaders are working harder than their teams.

They're the first ones in, last ones out. Fixing problems. Chasing lagging numbers. Managing instead of multiplying.

Starting today, Mark McLeod (Chief of Strategy, Ray White) and Samantha McLean are opening The Performance Coach Sprint – five days of the exact frameworks Mark uses to coach leaders across Australia's largest real estate group.

Whether you want to step fully into a coaching role or transform your leadership approach within your current team, this sprint is designed to change how you think about performance.

Here’s what you’ll cover across the five days:

• Day 1: Making success visible – Use signalling to drive daily behaviour (not monthly reviews)

• Day 2: Focus on what matters – Coach leading indicators before lagging ones kill momentum

• Day 3: Communication that creates rhythm – The Monday Night email that ends micromanaging

• Day 4: Recognition that drives behaviour – Reward effort and improvement, not just outcomes

• Day 5: The two-cycle performance system – Structure your week like a professional sports team

If you've ever thought, "I'm working harder than my team," these five days might just be what you need. Sign up now.

Today’s read time: 6 minutes, 51 seconds

New to The Brief? Join us for free. 🤝

OPINION

Why your best people really leave and what to do about it

Money talks, but it’s not what makes them walk

In real estate, we obsess over recruitment with glossy job ads, sign-on bonuses, selling the dream. However, Shane Kempton, CEO of Harcourts WA, argues that retention is where leadership truly shines. Even your best hiring strategy won’t save you if your team experience (TX) is broken.

TX: The missing link in team loyalty

Shane introduces the concept of TX (Team Experience) as the emotional and practical ecosystem in which your people operate. It’s the internal version of CX (Customer Experience). Great TX is about belonging, psychological safety, trust, recognition, smooth systems, and growth.

Without these elements, your team may not only leave, but also disengage quietly, spreading cultural rot before walking out the door.

The 6 silent killers of retention

If a top performer’s resignation has ever blindsided you, chances are one of these six TX failures played a role:

1. Lack of recognition – Even elite agents want to be seen and valued.

2. Unfulfilled promises – Nothing erodes trust like unmet commitments.

3. Clunky tech and systems – A broken CRM is more than an annoyance—it’s a confidence killer.

4. Toxic culture – If it’s not safe to speak up, it’s not safe to grow.

5. No shared purpose – People need more than a paycheck—they need a “why.”

6. Stagnant growth – No career progression? No long-term loyalty.

Score your team experience

Shane includes a practical TX Health Checklist, encouraging leaders to rate their environment across the six categories. A total score under 18 signals urgent attention while over 24 means you’re doing something right. He says that you already track your listings, start tracking retention the same way.

Turn the revolving door into Velcro

Here are Shane’s top strategies for making your team stick:

• Stay interviews, not exit interviews – Ask what’s working before they’re halfway out the door.

• Retention KPIs – Celebrate tenure like you celebrate GCI.

• Train for leadership – Recognition, coaching, and conflict resolution are the new manager’s toolkit.

You can’t out-recruit a retention problem. If you want loyal, long-term team members, build a TX that makes them want to stay. As Shane says, “Always be recruiting, yes. But always be retaining too.”

Read the full article here.

ICYMI, yesterday, we found out how to scale a real estate business without burning out

TOGETHER WITH ‘A HOME FOR ALL’ FOUNDATION

Property industry tackles hidden homelessness crisis

A new property industry-led foundation is aiming to address Australia's growing domestic violence and homelessness problem. The "A Home for All Foundation" revealed that domestic violence-related homelessness has more than doubled between 2021 and 2024. While 122,000 Australians experience homelessness nightly, only 6% are visibly sleeping rough, highlighting the hidden nature of the crisis.

The Foundation aims to raise $1 million by November through its "A Night Without Home" campaign.

Find out more here.

RBA: EXPERT OPINIONS

Spring property buzz holds steady as RBA hits pause on rate cuts

Australia’s cash rate is staying put at 3.6%, with the Reserve Bank choosing to pause after three cuts earlier this year. Experts say the hold was widely expected, as inflation, especially housing costs, remains sticky and the labour market is still tight, with unemployment at 4.2%.

Housing values have climbed 4.7% since February’s first cut, helped by record-low listings and strong buyer demand. Spring sales activity is holding firm, with auctions well attended and buyers eager to secure homes before year’s end. Market watchers say the RBA is waiting for fresh inflation data due in October before deciding on another move in November.

FIRST HOME LOAN DEPOSIT SCHEME

Rising rents make 5% deposits a better deal

The expanded First Home Guarantee scheme commences today, making it increasingly attractive as rental costs continue to rise nationwide. In Sydney, using the scheme's 5% deposit option could save buyers approximately six years of saving time and around $251,000 in rent payments. While smaller deposits mean higher interest costs, Cotality research shows the rent savings often outweigh these expenses, with the scheme already helping over 168,000 Australians into homeownership since its inception.

RECOVERY TIME

Interest rate cut revives Canada’s housing market

Canada's housing market is finally waking up after the central bank slashed interest rates to their lowest level in three years. The Bank of Canada's cut to 2.5% comes after five consecutive months of small increases in national home sales, which rose just over 1% last month. Real estate represents a significant 13% of Canada's total economy, with the government now launching a $13B agency to boost housing construction on federal lands.

CELEBRITY HOMES

Take That star's historic penthouse hits the market

A £2.85M duplex penthouse in London's historic Gatti House, once home to Take That's Jason Orange, is up for sale. The Grade II-listed building has fascinating connections to both the Titanic disaster and celebrity culture. Built in 1886 as a restaurant that hosted Oscar Wilde and Noël Coward, it later became the blueprint for the Titanic's first-class restaurant. The 1,324-square-foot luxury residence features vaulted ceilings, private balconies, and full air conditioning.

MOVERS + SHAKERS

Warren Hitzke expands with third Ray White office

The Bundaberg director has acquired Coastline Realty in Bargara, adding to his growing real estate portfolio in the region. More here.

Harcourts Foundation delivers backpack beds to homeless charities

The 48 beds were purchased with $7,000 raised at their inaugural golf day and donated to Northwest Community Group and Nourish Street Inc in Brisbane. 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 agents: professional door whisperers, amateur locksmiths — jingle, jiggle, swear, repeat.🔑🏡

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

Wishing you a productive day!

Elite Agent is the definitive platform for ambitious agents and industry players. Thought Leaders is the weekly show where top operators reveal how they’re reinventing real estate. AI-Powered Agents is your playbook for deploying AI that sells homes and scales teams.

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