Turn your database into a lead goldmine, Styling rules to prompt buyers to pay more, Capital city growth hotspots, +news and more

Good Morning from Elite Agent

Good conversations equal good business, but folks find it hard to strike up a yarn with people they don’t know. But a recent study might give you a good reframe on this: Science Advances analysed 1656 conversations between 19 to 66-year-old adults and found:

1. People felt happier after having a conversation, even with a stranger. The study found that chatting with someone new for just 20-30 minutes gave people a significant mood boost, regardless of their age.

2. Good conversationalists are good to listen to. They tend to speak a bit faster, vary their volume more, and add novel topics to the discussion. When listening, they nod, shake their heads, and smile more compared to those rated as poor conversationalists.

So, while you are making that call list for today, we just thought we might also let you know someone who also likes to chat and who you may never have met before is Sam. We know she can talk someone's ear off about real estate and marketing, but if you want to learn more about AI and how it’s impacting real estate, there’s a list of events where she’s speaking at the bottom of this email and would love to say hi 👋🏻

Today, we are also covering:

• This year’s growth hotspots

• How you can master your database

• Styling rules to prompt buyers to pay more

• The group fundraising to help sick kids

• And much more!

Let's get to work 🚀

Instant Inspo 💡

EMPOWER YOUR TEAM

Empower your team, especially women, by building their confidence and self-esteem. Encourage them to step out of their comfort zone and become role models for others in the industry.

Go deeper with Laura Valenti here.

On our radar

2024’s growth hotspots revealed

Australia’s big capital cities are ripe for growth, with Brisbane, Adelaide and Sydney named this year's top Rising Stars. The growth pattern is a reversal of the regional migration of recent years, with Brisbane’s multi-million dollar infrastructure spend ahead of the 2032 Olympics one of the main reasons it has taken this year’s top spot on the Canstar rising stars list. Affordability is also key, with 54 per cent of potential growth suburbs having a median price below $600,000. Find out which suburbs are set to outperform in 2024 here.

FREE Training kicks off April 19

Master your database

Do you want to leverage your database to identify potential listings before they come to market? What about using it to launch targeted marketing campaigns? Then our upcoming 3 session Master the Market with Mark Kentwell series is for you!

Session 1 of this series, for sales agents generating up to $750K in GCI, will also teach you how to manage your contacts efficiently, drive more referrals and create a robust database that is a lead-generation gold mine. Find more info and registration details here.

Today’s Feature

Justine Wilson: Six golden styling rules to prompt buyers to pay more for property

Styling a home before selling isn't just about aesthetics—it's a strategic move that can significantly increase a property’s value. In today’s feature, Vault Interior’s Justine Wilson the six golden styling rules she uses to help sellers achieve as much as a 10 per cent premium on their unstyled counterparts. More here.

Today’s Quiz

Step into the light and guess—did tech pave one of these glowing paths?

Brekky Browse

Meanwhile, in the USA 🇺🇸

Tinseltown, Meet Techtown

Codi, a flexible office platform known for providing move-in ready, private workspaces, is expanding in Los Angeles. This expansion follows an 87 per cent year-on-year increase in the number of buildings in New York and the establishment of over 96 spaces in San Francisco. Codi has already established a presence in West Hollywood, Los Angeles, and plans to expand its reach to neighbourhoods such as Culver City, Santa Monica, Century City, and further into West Hollywood. Currently, 36 office spaces are available in Los Angeles, and there are more than 50 additional spaces in the pipeline.
Read more here.

Anything else?

Stay in your pj’s today… (or not…!)

We know a snazzy suit is regular work attire in the real estate industry. Still, today is National Wear Your Pajamas to Work Day - which seems to have a some loose connection to improving employee productivity + reducing stress. If you’ve got appointments, it’s probably not realistic, so we have other ideas on refocusing and revitalising here.

Dates for your diary

Find Elite Agent Editor Samantha McLean speaking about real estate and AI at these upcoming events:

May 2 First National Conference, New Plymouth NZ
May 10 AI Powered Agents Subscriber Masterclass (Virtual)
May 17 Raine & Horne PM Conference, Bowral, NSW
May 27 AREC, Gold Coast, Qld
June 3 Harcourts PM Conference, Gold Coast, Qld
July 12 AI Powered Agents Subscriber Masterclass (Virtual)
July 19 Leah Calnan National PM Day, Melbourne, Vic
July 30-Aug 1 Proptech Summit + Workshop, Sydney
August 11-14 Elite Retreat, Hayman Island, Qld
August 25 PPM Conference, Gold Coast, Qld