🌟 The "make me move" negotiation

GOOD MORNING FROM ELITE AGENT 👋

TRUE OR FALSE?

In Feng Shui, a home where the front door lines up directly with the back door is considered bad for wealth because energy is thought to flow straight through, potentially making the property harder to sell and affecting perceived value.
(Scroll to the bottom for the answer!)

In today’s edition of The Brief

• The relationship economy behind Pilbara’s record property prices

• New study reveals safety and reporting gaps in real estate

• The AI giving agents a pre-pitch advantage

Today’s read time: 6 minutes, 40 seconds

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REGIONAL REAL ESTATE

Pilbara prestige: why relationships, not postcodes, are driving record-breaking sales

While prestige property headlines are often dominated by Sydney and Melbourne, some of Australia’s most surprising premium results are emerging in remote regional markets like the Pilbara, where relationships and timing can outweigh traditional market dynamics. Just weeks after opening Acton | Belle Property Karratha, principal Dylan Rakich secured a record-breaking $2.7 million off-market sale in Baynton, resetting Karratha’s residential benchmark and highlighting how tightly held regional markets can deliver capital city-level outcomes.

But according to Dylan, selling in the Pilbara is fundamentally different to selling in larger metropolitan markets.

“We are not a market with 10 to 15 buyers at any one time with $2 million-plus budgets,” he said. “Sometimes there is one. Sometimes there are two. And when they transact, it shifts the top end.”

In towns like Karratha, where buyer pools are smaller and premium stock is limited, high-end sales are often driven by relationships, reputation and off-market strategy rather than broad public campaigns. Dylan said trust plays an outsized role in a region where personal and professional networks are deeply intertwined.

“This is a community where you see the same people at the shops, at the gym, at the pub,” he said. “Trust and reputation matter because if you lose that, you lose your market.”

The $2.7 million Baynton transaction was negotiated entirely off-market after Dylan identified alignment between a qualified buyer and a tightly held property that was not formally listed for sale. The result reinforced how scarcity and timing continue to shape the Pilbara’s evolving prestige market.

“It is a relationship business first,” Dylan said. “The sales follow from that.”

What you'll learn in the full article:

• The relationship-first framework: How Dylan builds the trust that makes off-market deals possible in tight-knit communities

• Scarcity economics: Why fewer buyers can actually mean higher prices when you understand the dynamics

• The "make me move" negotiation: How to identify sellers who aren't selling – and structure deals that work for everyone

• Micro-market positioning: Why remote regions are increasingly behaving like high-end ecosystems

For agents considering regional markets or looking to apply relationship-driven principles in any market, Dylan's approach offers a compelling alternative to volume-based strategies.

Read the full article

ICYMI, last week: Why real estate agents are being coached liked athletes.

SHORT-TERM RENTALS

Landlords are choosing Airbnb despite lower returns

Most Australian Airbnbs actually return less than long-term leasing when you factor in real occupancy – only three-bed Sydney houses and larger Hobart homes beat the market. New AHURI research found owners often persist because they want personal use of a future retirement home, or have had bad tenant experiences. Despite that, the report found that some locations have 36 times more short-term accommodation than long-term rentals.

WOMEN IN REAL ESTATE

Only 58% of women feel safe at inspections

A new national study has found troubling gaps in workplace safety and reporting. Over a third of women have experienced harassment during their careers; yet two-thirds who faced issues never reported them. Laing+Simmons' Jacqui Barnes, who led the research for the Women In Real Estate, says businesses must review their protocols and "have the conversations" to create environments where everyone can thrive.

INTERNATIONAL

UK agents launch $2.9B lawsuit against Rightmove

Thousands of UK estate agents claim the property portal has exploited its market position to impose "excessive and unfair" subscription fees, with some reporting costs that have more than doubled in recent years. The class action, seeking £1.5 billion (A$2.9 billion) in damages, heads to a certification hearing in November. One agent told the BBC his monthly Rightmove bill now equals "two full-time staff salaries."

THE AI EDIT

AI reveals if you're the favourite or fool

Most agents spend hours preparing listing pitches without knowing whether they’re the preferred agent or just the comparison quote. In Week 2 of the AI Sprint, Samantha McLean explores how AI-powered DISC profiling and pre-meeting surveys can help agents understand vendor personality and intent before they walk in. The result is a more tailored pitch, sharper communication, and a clearer read on who you’re really dealing with. Sign up for the AI Sprint sessions here.

CELEBRITY HOMES

NFL coach selling his infamous Texas snake bite home

A snake bit the family dog before one game; an owl got inside before another. Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer is listing his home after just one season – officially blaming the commute, though we suspect the wildlife didn't help. The $5.9 million spread comes with an infinity pool, yoga garden, and floor-to-ceiling marble fireplace.

MOVERS + SHAKERS

Ray White AKG expands into Holland Park

Piers Crawford and Darren Bonehill will lead as joint principals, bringing the 35-year-old office into the AKG network across South East Queensland. More here.

Darren Piper hits a decade at Universal Buyer's Agents

His Brisbane-based team of 14 is about to crack 1,000 purchases and $1 billion in total transactions across Southeast Queensland. More here.

Success doesn’t rest on weekends! 
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AGENTS ON SOCIAL

Mixed signals, late-night stress, and you still saying “all good” like you’re fine. 😮‍💨👨🏻‍💻

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

TRUE OR FALSE:

In Feng Shui, a home where the front door lines up directly with the back door is considered bad for wealth because energy is thought to flow straight through, potentially making the property harder to sell and affecting perceived value.

And the answer is …

True. In Feng Shui tradition, a direct line from the front door to the back door is considered unfavourable because it is believed energy (chi) flows straight through the home, symbolically meaning wealth does not “settle.” As a result, some buyers who follow or value Feng Shui may view the property less favourably, which can influence demand and occasionally affect price or days on market in certain cultural or local segments.

Wishing you a productive day!

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