GOOD MORNING FROM ELITE AGENT

Horizon, a striking holiday home on the Great Ocean Road’s Wye River, has earned the 2024 HIA-CSR Australian Home of the Year title. Designed by Crosier Scott Architects and built by BCM Homes, it showcases the perfect blend of sustainability, bold design, and coastal luxury. For agents, it’s a prime example of what premium buyers seek: bespoke craftsmanship and harmony with nature.

The Elite Agent Industry Influencers and Innovators Awards are back for 2024, and this year, we’re giving you the power.

Our Top 50 list is dropping soon – but we need your help to crown the People’s Choice Top 10.

This is your moment to make sure your favourites don’t get overlooked.

So, don’t leave them hanging. Let’s give the real changemakers of 2024 the recognition they deserve.

Vote now and help us shine the spotlight. Influencers and Innovators 2024 lands on December 20 – don’t miss it.

Today’s read time: 5 minutes, 6 seconds.

New to The Brief? Join us for free 🤝

MOTIVATION

Get comfortable with being uncomfortable

Inspired by Michael Easter’s The Comfort Crisis, Shane Kempton, CEO of Harcourts WA, wants you to know about the transformative power of stepping into discomfort for personal and professional growth in real estate.

He explains that modern comfort-seeking habits, like avoiding prospecting or difficult conversations, can hinder resilience and business success. By embracing challenges and pushing beyond comfort zones, agents can build mental toughness and perform with confidence under pressure, whether it’s negotiating prices or managing client expectations.

The perils of comfort in real estate

Modern life's addiction to ease, such as digital distractions and avoiding uncomfortable tasks, undermines resilience. In real estate, this translates to sidestepping personal interactions like door-knocking or direct prospecting in favour of easier, less impactful strategies. “Comfort doesn’t build character; discomfort does.” Agents who avoid these moments of discomfort miss opportunities for growth, weakening their mental resolve and limiting their success.

“Stretch goals” builds mental resilience

The Japanese concept of misogi encourages pursuing stretch goals that push individuals beyond their comfort zones. In real estate, this could mean committing to 100 client interactions in a week instead of the usual 15–20. These challenges not only improve business outcomes but also strengthen resilience for high-stakes moments, such as tough negotiations.

Neuroscience of seeking discomfort

Neuroscience reveals that embracing discomfort rewires the brain for positivity and motivation. Practices like morning workouts or cold showers elevate dopamine levels, boosting energy throughout the day. In real estate, agents can apply these principles by reframing rejection or tough conversations as opportunities for growth. “By training your mind to seek discomfort intentionally, you condition yourself to tackle challenges head-on,” says Shane.

ICYMI, yesterday we called on agents to re-discover the lost art of selling

TOGETHER WITH CALL ME SUCCESSFUL

From the Auction Floor to the Boardroom: Jason Andrew’s Playbook for Leadership and Reinvention

In this episode of Call Me Successful, Avi Khan sits down with Jason Andrew, the CEO of Ray White Queensland, to uncover the remarkable journey from auctioneer to industry leader. Known for his dynamic leadership, Jason reflects on the experiences that shaped him, from his early days learning the ropes on the auction floor to his current role spearheading one of Australia's largest real estate networks.

Jason shares how competition in auctioneering fostered camaraderie and innovation within the industry, and why he believes in training the next generation of auctioneers - even at the risk of creating competitors. He also talks about the pivotal moment he realised he needed to step away from auctioneering, redefining his career and purpose along the way.

Tune in to the latest episode of Call Me Successful here

SMART SNIPPETS

CoreLogic’s Best of the Best 2024: Perth leads a surprising year in property
Perth has claimed the spotlight in CoreLogic’s report, dominating the top 10 suburbs for house value growth, with all delivering gains above 30%. Bellevue Hill retained its title as Australia’s most expensive suburb, while Beachlands in WA and Dolphin Heads in QLD led national growth for houses and units, respectively.

Australia's priciest street reaches new highs
Sydney's Wolseley Road in Point Piper has claimed the crown as Australia's most expensive street, with median house prices soaring to $45 million. The prestigious address saw a dramatic 36% price jump from last year, more than doubling its nearest rival, Wentworth Road in Vaucluse at $23.8 million. Nine of Australia's top ten priciest streets are in Sydney, with most just a twenty-minute stroll from the coast.

Americans are snapping up luxury European homes
US buyers now dominate Europe's super-prime property market, accounting for 25% of London's £20 million-plus sales and 80% of luxury deals on the French Riviera. Helped by favourable exchange rates, wealthy Americans are increasingly choosing prestigious European addresses over traditional markets. The trend is expected to grow even stronger in the coming years.

CELEBRITY HOMES

Step into Hollywood glamour
The Manhattan penthouse of iconic actors Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward is now available for US$9.95 million (AUD $14.93 million), offering a rare glimpse into the couple’s glamorous private retreat. The stars shared this home throughout their 50-year marriage before his passing in 2008 at the age of 83.

MOVERS + SHAKERS

Noble Park and Keysborough agent Laura Voinea has built her real estate career on prioritising personalised service over volume.

Operating under the Area Specialist model, she manages fewer listings to ensure top-tier service for both vendors and buyers. 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.

SOUND WAVES

Looking to re-join the real estate workforce after a career break can feel challenging, but it often enhances leadership and adaptability while leaving your skills intact. Today’s curated listen to reports on why employers value meaningful experiences during breaks.

Dive straight into the listen below or the deeper dive here.

Read the report from Enterpreneur.com Here

AGENTS ON SOCIAL

Ah, the joys of real estate. One moment you're discussing interest rates, the next you're being grilled on whether that tree out front is a native eucalyptus or a "deciduous thingy." 🧠🌳

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

Wishing you a productive day

Elite Agent is crewed by Mark Edwards, Catherine Nikas-Boulos, Rowan Crosby, Giverny Pringle, 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.

Stories marked with * are sponsored, including 'Together With' and the weekday 'Movers & Shakers' sections. Interested in promoting your brand to Elite Agent’s audience? Learn more at eliteagent.com/advertise.

Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up here.