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GOOD MORNING FROM ELITE AGENT 👋 TRUE OR FALSE? Amsterdam's iconic narrow canal houses were built that way because 17th-century Dutch property taxes were levied based on the total height of a building's façade. (Scroll to the bottom for the answer!) |
In today's edition of The Brief - If your agency's culture pitch is "we're like a family", we've got bad news – and a better metaphor that actually survives contact with accountability.
- Mortgage stress just jumped 515% in one quarter in blue-chip Bilgola – proof the pain has well and truly left the growth corridors.
- Plus, a Melbourne mansion apartment built seven years before the city had electricity is up for auction for the first time in 18 years.
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TODAY'S FEATURE  Why "we're like a family" is hurting your agencyMost agencies describe their culture in one of two ways: family, or fine. Neither holds up. Hannah Gill argues real estate has been getting the culture metaphor wrong for years, and that the sink-or-swim approach to new team members is costing agencies far more than they realise. The fix isn't a values poster on the wall. |
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What you'll learn in the full article: - The sporting team swap: why ditching the "we're a family" line for a team mentality changes how you handle accountability and pressure.
- The unravelling test: the small, everyday moments that quietly erode culture long before anyone notices turnover creeping up.
- The blame reversal: the one question leaders almost never ask when a new hire struggles or walks, and why it should come before "were they the right fit?"
Read the full article → |
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TOGETHER WITH ELITE AGENT Looking for real estate talent? Generic job boards are likely to put your role next to hospitality and retail listings, then bury you in applicants who've never sold a house or run a portfolio. Elite Agent Jobs is the industry's own board. Post your role for free, and it lands in front of real estate professionals who already read Elite Agent on our jobs website and on eliteagent.com. Boost for extra reach. Learn more → |
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DEPT OF COMMERCIAL  Brisbane tops yields as tax changes favour commercialResidential properties might have lost some of their negative gearing perks in the recent Federal Budget, but commercial real estate kept theirs. According to REA’s Anne Flaherty, this tax advantage - combined with easing interest rates - could give the commercial sector a serious boost. Industrial property is still the market's star player, with returns getting squeezed tighter across every capital city this past year. |
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DEPT OF DATA  Mortgage stress spreads into blue-chip suburbsBilgola on Sydney's Northern Beaches just saw severely stressed households jump 515% in a quarter – proof mortgage stress isn't confined to growth corridors anymore. Premium suburbs like Lane Cove and Brighton are now topping severe-stress lists, and analysts believe it's shaping up as a long, difficult stretch rather than a quick turnaround. |
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HOW IT SOLD  Doubling open home numbers turned this sale aroundCessnock agent Bryce Gibson pivoted from a database campaign to full market exposure after buyer interest stalled. Despite a sluggish start, pivoting the strategy paid off. By week three, open home traffic had doubled compared to week one, securing a $745,000 sale in just 27 days. Find out the story behind how it sold → This story started with a 10-minute phone call. Imagine boosting this on socials to your farm area. getailsa.com → |
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CELEBRITY HOMES  Step inside the 1887 mansion fit for toyaltyMelbourne’s real property royalty has entered the chat. Hidden inside the grand 1887 Lanark mansion opposite Fawkner Park, this top-floor corner penthouse is hitting the market for the first time in nearly two decades. Boasting soaring original arches, a private balcony, and a storied past involving high society and military secrets, it’s the ultimate heritage flex. Read the full article → |
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MOVERS & SHAKERS  The strategic shape-shifter – why Laura Langford embraces the 'curly' dealsSome agents avoid complicated transactions. Laura Langford looks for them. The Republik Property and Ras360 sales executive cut her teeth clearing out a tricky receivership portfolio of student accommodation. After mastering Gold Coast commercial deals, she's now bringing that same sharp strategy to premium residential and management rights sales across Brisbane and the Coast  Adam Alexander joins The Agency on Mornington PeninsulaDromana and Rosebud have a familiar face under a new banner. Adam Alexander brings more than 25 years selling real estate on the Mornington Peninsula, along with a string of awards for his sales and auctioneering work, to The Agency. His wife Hollie joins him, rounding out a team with deep local roots and plans to grow. |
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AGENTS ON SOCIAL When they hit you with "Is the price negotiable?" before even stepping inside... 💦🤷🏻♂️ |
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TRUE OR FALSE: Amsterdam's iconic narrow canal houses were built that way because 17th-century Dutch property taxes were levied based on the total height of a building's façade. And the answer is … False. Amsterdam's canal houses are narrow because taxes were based on the width of the street frontage, not the height. Property owners kept façades as slim as possible – sometimes just sixteen feet wide – and compensated by building deep and tall, up to seven storeys. The tax rules even allowed cornices, balconies, and ornamental protrusions to extend beyond the property line without penalty, which is why those gables are so gloriously extra. Proof that the taxman has always been architecture's most influential silent partner. via Common Edge. |
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