GOOD MORNING FROM ELITE AGENT 👋

Kansas City has taken "curb appeal" to literary heights with a public library parking garage that's literally an open book. The facade resembles a giant bookshelf, featuring spines towering 7.6 metres tall – perhaps the only property where "shelf space" refers to the exterior.

What makes this architectural narrative especially compelling is that local residents selected the titles themselves, transforming a utilitarian structure into a community conversation piece. No boring concrete walls. No missed opportunity for place-making. In real estate, sometimes the most memorable properties are those that reflect the character of their communities rather than just serving a purpose.

In today’s edition of The Brief:

• Why strong leadership requires operational fluency, not just org charts

• Rents hit record highs as pressure builds across Australia’s rental market

• Privacy audits put real estate agencies firmly in the regulator’s sights

Today’s read time: 6 minutes, 56 seconds

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LEADERSHIP

Why CEOs need to go beyond org charts and get operationally fluent

Why knowing your business beats delegating it

Michael Nitschke, CEO of Nitschke Real Estate, has long championed structure, believing in leadership teams, org charts, and well-oiled systems. But when a key department head announced extended leave, he realised he didn’t fully understand how that part of the business functioned.

Sound familiar?

While many agency leaders focus on sales metrics or plugging short-term revenue gaps, Michael argues the true measure of leadership is knowing your business inside and out, every system, workflow, client need, and market shift.

The illusion of operational control

It’s easy to assume that strong leaders are those who delegate well and focus on high-level strategy. But even with solid scaffolding, blind spots can fester.

“When a team leader announced she’d be taking time off, we were exposed,” he admits. “We weren’t in crisis, but we weren’t ready either.”

That gap revealed a lack of knowledge of other departments, a vulnerability that many leaders won’t see until it’s too late.

Leadership isn’t just strategy, it’s immersion

For the past three months, Michael has taken a different approach by embedding himself alongside other department heads to understand their worlds. It’s been illuminating and humbling.

His advice is to know the fine details. Understand the core systems and workflows; get familiar with onboarding and offboarding processes, and pay close attention to client pain points and feedback loops. Also, stay across the market conditions impacting each vertical.

This kind of operational immersion doesn’t mean micromanaging; it means equipping yourself to make better decisions, lead with empathy, and spot opportunities earlier.

Step back to lead forward

If you’re constantly caught in the day-to-day, chances are you’re missing the bigger picture. Michael argues that agency owners must make space to work on the “important but not urgent” parts of the business. That might mean less time listing properties and more time lifting your team.

“I’m better off (and happier) when I’m leading the team and learning how every part of the business functions,” he says. “It improves my decision-making.”

Read the full article here.

ICYMI, yesterday we found why the sales conversations that win listings are never left to chance

RENTS SURGE

Rental prices soar to unprecedented heights

Australia's rental market is reaching painful new records, with the national median weekly rent hitting $650 in December 2025. Renters are now paying an extra $1,560 annually compared to last year, with Sydney maintaining its position as the most expensive city at $760 per week. The annual median rent is now nearly $12,000 higher than five years ago, and experts warn prices will continue climbing throughout 2026.

PRIVACY ALERT

Real estate industry targeted in first OAIC privacy sweep

Elite Agent founder Samantha McLean warns that real estate agencies are among six sectors being audited by the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner this month. "It's not about fear. It's about being professional," she explains. With new penalties of up to $66,000 for individuals and potential direct lawsuits from consumers, her breakdown of what agents need to check in their privacy policies, especially regarding AI usage and data handling, is worth a few minutes of urgent attention.

HOW IT SOLD

Five buyers chase one penthouse to $2.11m

With no comparable sales in sight, Joel Leach ran a tight 17-day auction campaign to let the market determine value on a unique Tweed Heads ocean-view penthouse. All five interested parties submitted offers before auction day – one secured the property for $2.11 million.

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

CELEBRITY HOMES

Hollywood legend's estate hits the market

Gene Hackman's sprawling Santa Fe compound has been listed for US$6.25M following the deaths of the actor and his wife last year. The 53-acre estate features a 13,000-square-foot main residence, guesthouse, putting green, and artist's studio. Unlike traditional adobe homes, the property showcases a contemporary design with floor-to-ceiling windows and custom features like a soundproofed library where the Oscar winner reportedly watched movies.

MOVERS + SHAKERS

Ray White AKG teams up with activewear brand LSKD.

The collaboration brought together 60+ team members for a rooftop workout session, emphasising wellness as a performance strategy in high-pressure industries. More here.

Harcourts Low & Co opens second location.

Grace Low has expanded her agency to Yeppoon on the Capricorn Coast, returning to her hometown while building on her team's top-three state ranking for client experience. 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

Just because a seller can renovate doesn’t mean they should. Bedrooms, garages and bathtubs sell houses. Home gyms and bold wallpaper create objections .🛠️💸

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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