🛠️ Stop hiring problem-reporters, start hiring MacGyvers

GOOD MORNING FROM ELITE AGENT 👋

TRUE OR FALSE?

We've mentioned him before - but he was a bit of a big deal. Sir Robert Torrens - did he model his revolutionary land title system on the registration process used for transferring ownership of ships?
(Scroll to the bottom for the answer!)

In today’s edition of The Brief

• The MacGyver factor – why you should hire people who "handle it"

• Owner-occupier suburbs outpace investor areas on capital growth

• Pocock pushes bill to force 30% affordable housing on federal land

Today’s read time: 4 min 38 sec read

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TODAY'S FEATURE

The five-level test for your next hire

Some people report a problem. Others just say, "It's handled." There's now a simple five-level framework – already used by a Morning Brew co-founder with every new hire – for spotting which one you're interviewing, and it has nothing to do with skills, certificates, or years on the job.

What you'll learn in the full article:

• The five-level ladder: the exact model top operators use to sort initiative from excuse-making, level by level.

• The MacGyver question: one interview line that reveals whether a candidate treats a missing resource as a wall or a detour.

• The flip side: why your highest-agency people might already be quietly planning their exit, and what's driving it.

Read the full article

TOGETHER WITH FORMS LIVE

Forms Live launches independently in Queensland

If you're a Queensland agent who's built years of workflow around Forms Live, the good news is you don't have to start over. Dynamic Methods has taken the platform independent in the state, pairing it with new Dentons Lawyers contracts, a mobile app for tracking forms on the go, and AML and CRM integrations to cut the double-handling.

Take a look at what's changed and sign your agency up via the Forms Live website.

Learn more →

DEPT OF DATA

Owner-occupier suburbs beat investor pockets on growth

$148,000 – that's the extra gain owner-occupier suburbs have banked on units since 2010, per new Cotality analysis, compared to investor-heavy pockets in the same cities. Annabelle Mezieres puts it down to renovations, longer holds and less exposure to sudden supply swings. With negative gearing being grandfathered from mid-2027, that gap could get bigger still.

DEPT OF POLICY

Bill sets 30% affordable housing quota

ACT Senator David Pocock wants a legal minimum: 30 per cent of new homes on Commonwealth land reserved as affordable housing, with rent capped well below market rate. The bill would apply to around 67 surplus Defence sites being sold off nationally, from Randwick Barracks to HMAS Cerberus. It still needs crossbench or government backing to pass.

HOW IT SOLD

$120k above estimate despite a boundary dispute

A retaining wall built over the property line sparked threats from a neighbour – including a Halloween horror mask photo sent to agent Lisa Black. She kept communication open, brokered a repair agreement, and sold the Petrie duplex in 14 days for $740,000 – a street and duplex record, and $120,000 above Domain's pre-sale estimate.

Find out the story behind how it sold

A listing lasts weeks. The case study lasts forever. getailsa.com

CELEBRITY HOMES

Josh Duhamel lists LA home for doomsday cabin life

Actor Josh Duhamel is saying goodbye to Hollywood luxury by listing his stunning, Philippe Starck-inspired Encino mansion for US$2.99 million. He is swapping the glitz of LA for a slower pace, relocating his family to the Midwest to spend more time at his beloved 50-acre off-grid cabin in Minnesota.

Read the full article →

MOVERS + SHAKERS

Lukas Pedder to lead new McGrath office in Mildura.

Mildura's property market is drawing fresh attention from investors and buyers' agents, with McGrath Research ranking it 11th out of 191 east coast markets in March 2026. Lukas Pedder, who has worked in the region since 2016 and previously sold real estate for McGrath in Melbourne, has been appointed principal of the network's new Mildura office, running both sales and property management.

Urban Real Estate offices become OzHarvest food drop-off points.

Katrina Tarrant is turning Urban Real Estate's office network into a community food bank this winter. As CEO, she's partnered with OzHarvest to open every branch across the Hunter, Sydney and Illawarra as a drop-off point for non-perishable donations, twice weekly, supporting families facing food insecurity.

Harcourts Sapphire opens in Western Sydney, bringing a fresh perspective to real estate.

Vinay Jhamb pairs a background in IT with high-definition photography, virtual tours and data analytics, while Gunjan brings a doctorate in education and psychology to her advisory work with buyers and sellers. The pair have opened Harcourts Sapphire, serving Parramatta, Westmead, Wentworthville, Baulkham Hills, Norwest and Schofields, with more than 95 per cent of their client reviews citing transparent communication and trust.

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

Mad respect to the agents keeping the chaos looking this chic! 🕶️✨

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

TRUE OR FALSE:

We've mentioned him before - but he was a bit of a big deal. Sir Robert Torrens - did he model his revolutionary land title system on the registration process used for transferring ownership of ships?

And the answer is …

Answer: False — but only just. Sir Robert Torrens didn't copy and paste the shipping registry for land; he was inspired by it. Having served as Collector of Customs in South Australia, he was intimately familiar with the Merchant Shipping Act. He recognised that the shipping industry’s system — where a single, government-backed record provided absolute proof of ownership — was exactly what the chaotic, deed-heavy land market needed. Rather than adapting an existing maritime framework, he created a completely new system for land, resulting in the Real Property Act 1858 (SA). So, next time someone calls property settlement a "slow boat," you can tell them the paperwork was literally inspired by one.

via SA History Hub.

Wishing you a productive day!

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