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Despite decades of retailers using "charm pricing" – those $9.99 and $499,000 price tags – research suggests consumers often prefer round numbers. When video game developers let customers pay whatever they wanted, 57 per cent chose whole-dollar amounts ending in zero.

The psychology is simple: round numbers feel more trustworthy and are easier to process. Our brains don't have to work as hard, which creates a subtle sense of confidence in the transaction. Odd prices can trigger suspicion, so why the extra effort to make it seem cheaper?

In today’s edition of The Brief

• The one questions that could be costing you thousands in offers

• Where is cheaper to buy than rent

• Australia is finally joining the international AML community

Today’s read time: 7 minutes, 54 seconds

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OPINION

The one question killing your offers

Auctioneer, author and coach Andy Reid has placed a bet with hundreds of agents about the first thing they say after a buyer decides to make an offer. He's never lost. The question itself isn't wrong - but what it assumes is costing agents thousands.

The assumption trap

When a buyer says they want to make an offer, most agents jump straight to "How much?" It's natural – it's the exciting part. But Andy argues this skips something critical: checking whether the buyer actually knows how to make an offer.

"That assumption leaves some doubt as to what their next steps are, which creates anxiety brought about by the fear of the unknown."

That anxiety makes buyers pump the brakes. Here's what most agents miss about why this happens – and why experience actually makes it worse.

The 33% lesson

He shares a story from a recent sales team session. An experienced agent – "a really experienced player who knows what he is doing" – nearly lost a listing because of one assumption. He didn't lose it entirely, but it cost him a third of his commission.

The full article reveals exactly what went wrong and why experience can actually increase your risk.

The 30-second fix

Andy’s solution involves what he calls "mental circuit breakers" – conscious pauses built into your process. The key insight? This might be your 5,000th offer. For your buyer, it might be their only one ever.

What you'll learn in the full article:

• The 35,000 decision shortcut: Why your brain naturally creates costly assumptions – and how to interrupt the pattern

• The perspective reframe: One mental shift that changes how you approach every customer interaction

• The 30-60 second process check: The exact question to ask before moving to numbers

• The PM blindspot: How property managers are making the same costly mistakes with tenants and landlords

Andy says opening his eyes to this "simple glitch" left him "excited and concerned in equal measure." The full breakdown explains why – and what to do about it.

Read the full story here.

ICYMI yesterday: Why the best agents never complain about challenging market conditions.

TOGETHER WITH CROSSUB

Most agencies expand their rent rolls by hiring more staff, and watch profits quietly vanish. Crossub co-founder Geng Xu says each new property manager adds fixed costs, supervision, onboarding and operational inefficiencies, while each new property brings variable complexity that erodes margins. Under a traditional model, he explains that an agency needs roughly 138 properties just to cover a property manager and assistant’s $180,000 fully loaded annual cost.

Crossub offers a different approach: agencies retain ownership of their rent roll while Crossub provides the back-end operations, keeping overhead variable and tied directly to portfolio size. The results speak for themselves: one client grew from three to 140 doors in 12 months and generated six-figure net profit - all without hiring a single property manager.

“It’s not about whether to grow. It’s about how to structure growth for profit.” Crossub now partners with agencies across Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane to help them scale efficiently while protecting margins.

Read more about Crossub here.

MARKET

Inner Melbourne units now cheaper to buy than rent

New data from Cotality shows there are still pockets of Australia where the cost of buying an apartment is now comparable to renting - a shift that could reshape buyer conversations for agents. The March Housing Chart Pack found mortgage repayments on a median unit in inner Melbourne are about $322 per month lower than the equivalent rent, with similarly tight gaps emerging in parts of Darwin and Canberra’s Woden Valley. Gerard Burg said strong rental growth combined with more moderate unit price increases had narrowed the rent-buy gap in several markets.

BACK TO BASICS

AML made simple

Anti-money laundering (AML) rules are no longer just a back-office concern - they are becoming a core part of everyday real estate practice. For agents, it’s about knowing your clients, spotting red flags like unusual funding or secrecy, and escalating concerns to your compliance officer when needed. Most legitimate transactions are straightforward, and AML isn’t about interrogating buyers but staying alert and documenting decisions.

Globally, countries including the UK, US, EU, and UAE already require agents to verify identities and report suspicious activity, and Australia is now catching up. By understanding these basics, agents can stay compliant, protect their business, and confidently navigate property transactions in a changing regulatory landscape.

HOW IT SOLD

Seven days to sold in a 28-day market

A targeted campaign across premium portals, social media, and CobdenHayson Drummoyne's buyer database helped Tony Nico sell a five-bedroom Wareemba home in just seven days. The suburb's median sits at 28 days. Vendors credited clear communication and a stress-free process for the rapid result.

This story started with a 10-minute phone call. Imagine boosting this on socials to your farm area. getailsa.com →

CELEBRITY HOMES

Miranda Lambert's 25-acre Texas compound for sale

The Grammy-winning country star's Lindale, Texas property – where she lived from age 14 to 21 – has hit the market for US$1.6M (about $2.3M AUD). It includes two houses, an outdoor kitchen, and yes, a 100-yard shooting range.

MOVERS + SHAKERS

Ray White Rural Stanthorpe returns to the network

James and Sally Croft alongside James Arthur and Alison Jones have taken the reins at the original franchise location. The group now operates five offices across the Southern, Western and Darling Downs with Alison Jones appointed Operations Manager and Guy Sellick leading rural sales. More here.

Callan Lister opens Harcourts Port Adelaide | Largs Bay

The award-winning principal has assembled an experienced team focused on elevating service standards in the Peninsula after his successful tenure in Adelaide's northern suburbs. 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

Buyers asking to see the house without pre-approval loans are like me asking to drive a Ferrari with a tricycle licence. Ambitious, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves.💵 🏡

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

Wishing you a productive day!

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