GOOD MORNING FROM ELITE AGENT 👋

TRUE OR FALSE?

If you own a building with a clear view of the Eiffel Tower you are often legally forbidden from building anything that might obstruct that view for others.

(Scroll to the bottom for the answer!)

In today’s edition of The Brief

• An in-depth editorial from Managing Editor Samantha McLean

• How AI is closing the construction productivity gap

• Get ready for Payday Super changes

Today’s read time: 5 minutes 10 seconds

New to The Brief? Join us for free 🤝

EDITORIAL

The piece that nearly didn’t get published

Sam here - and you know, I didn't want to write this one.

If you've been reading Elite Agent for any length of time, you know we're usually here for the good stuff — the wins, the new ideas, the people doing great work. That's what we love about this industry. But they say the standard you walk past is the standard you accept, so here we are.

Josh Tesolin's 10-year ban made headlines everywhere. You already know the story.

Elite Agent published content featuring Tesolin. We gave him a microphone. We've since taken all of it down – not quietly archived, removed. That's not a victory lap. That's what I would call a late start - and in this article, I explain why.

Everyone I've spoken to this past week is angry. The good people of the industry (that’s you!) should be. And even more angry about a new coaching adventure (I get it, I am too.)

But you can’t be a coach if people don’t listen to you, so my thesis is that we all need to accept some responsibility for the problems we complain about.

Outrage is easy. Fixing the problem is harder. Why? I’d call it the “messy middle”.

About that “messy middle”?

When I look at the various governments’ fixes for underquoting – like mandatory price guides and statements of information – through the lens of 2026, it feels a little bit like requiring a man with a smartphone to carry a map just to prove he knows where he’s going.

One foot is stuck in the 2019 playbook of vendor conditioning and information hoarding, and the other is hovering over a 2030 reality of AI-driven radical transparency. Sellers are not always angels either.

Today's editorial is about all of it – what built him, who enabled it, where AI fits in, and what the messy middle looks like between now and a future where you can't charm an algorithm. It's the longest thing I've written in a while.

I don't have all the answers. Over the coming months, I'll be asking industry leaders for theirs. If you've got a view – even if you disagree with mine – I want to hear it.

It’s a spicy long one. Put the kettle on and read the full article here.

ICYMI, yesterday: How Hannah Gill is re-thinking property management.

TOGETHER WITH APLYiD

Tranche 2 compliance shifts from guidance to on-the-ground execution for real estate agencies

Real estate agencies are now being urged to move beyond understanding AUSTRAC’s Tranche 2 requirements and focus on embedding compliance into everyday workflows.

The key challenge isn’t awareness, but translating AML obligations into practical processes that fit within fast-moving transactions involving buyers, vendors, solicitors and financiers.

AUSTRAC is less concerned with written policies and more focused on whether agencies can demonstrate real-world actions - including identity verification, risk assessments, and documented decision-making throughout the transaction lifecycle.

Many agencies still struggle with fragmented, manual systems, but best practice is emerging around integrated onboarding, clear accountability, and consistent record-keeping that stands up to scrutiny. Technology providers like APLYiD are positioning themselves as enablers of this shift, offering structured tools to streamline compliance, reduce manual handling, and support agencies in meeting Tranche 2 obligations without enterprise-level complexity.

Read more about APLYiD here.

POLICY

Real estate agencies face ticking clock on Payday Super changes

From 1 July, super must reach employee accounts within seven days of each payday – not quarterly. The ATO is urging agencies to check payroll systems now, especially if you're using the Small Business Superannuation Clearing House (it closes permanently on the same date). Agencies are also being warned to transition early from the closing Small Business Super Clearing House, with the ATO signalling leniency for early mistakes, but little tolerance for those who leave it too late.

CONSTRUCTION

AI begins to close construction’s decades-long productivity gap

Construction has lagged other industries for decades, with productivity barely improving since the late 1980s due to its fragmented, project-based nature. Nerida Conisbee discusses how AI is beginning to close the gap by reducing downtime, cutting errors and improving decision-making through better data and forecasting, even as larger gains from robotics and modular building remain further off.

HOW IT SOLD

One home open sparked a $342k premium

Nic Di Rosso set an aggressive 'from' price and refused all pre-inspection offers on a Bedford rear home, insisting buyers compete at the single scheduled open. More than 50 groups attended, 11 registered, and seven submitted offers – pushing the property to $1.35m, beating the asking price by $342,000.

A listing lasts weeks. The case study lasts forever. getailsa.com →

CELEBRITY HOMES

King of Staten sale: Pete Davidson offloads New York retreat

The SNL alum is letting go of his 1930s Westchester County cottage after just three years – the 90-minute commute to family became too much when daughter Scottie Rose arrived. The 6-acre property includes a guesthouse, movie theatre, pool, and cold plunge. And yes, there's a hidden speakeasy behind a sliding wall.

MOVERS + SHAKERS

Cairns powerhouses merge under REMAX

Powerhouse Property's Kate Fern, Meaghan Confait and Michele Annison have joined forces with Tony Williamson's REMAX Real Estate Services to create REMAX Powerhouse in Far North Queensland. More here.

Lachlan McCarthy joins Pulse Property Agents

The Sales Associate brings over six years of experience to the Sutherland Shire team with a client-first approach and strong industry foundation. More here.

Trina Henry launches Premier Estate Agents GC

The 25-year veteran and top 150 Queensland agent is building a family-led business on the Gold Coast, specialising in luxury real estate across residential, commercial and industrial. 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

Another day in real estate: one deal closed, one human completely horizontal on the pavement 📉😴

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

TRUE OR FALSE:

And the answer is …

FALSE. France has no automatic legal right protecting a private owner's view of the Eiffel Tower. A view easement (servitude de prospect) must be explicitly written into your property deed as a private contractual agreement to be enforceable. Paris's height restrictions protect the city's general skyline — not any individual's sightline.

Wishing you a productive day!

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Elite Agent is crewed by Mark Edwards, Catherine Nikas-Boulos, Rowan Crosby, Iris Rebello 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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