GOOD MORNING FROM ELITE AGENT 👋

What does the Home Alone house in Winnetka, Illinois, the Fresh Prince mansion in Brentwood and The Dude's Venice apartment from The Big Lebowski have in common? They're not Hollywood sets - they're actual homes where real people live, sleep, and presumably get very tired of tourists taking photos.

Some have become pilgrimage sites. The Hocus Pocus house in Salem is now a museum you can walk through; The Groundhog Day Victorian in Woodstock, Illinois, still operates as the Cherry Tree Inn bed and breakfast and the Edward Scissorhands house in Lutz, Florida? It last sold in 2020 for US$230K – pastel paint job and all.

Something to mention next time a buyer says their dream home "only exists in movies."

In today’s edition of The Brief

• Why grounded leadership builds more trust than people-pleasing ever could in real estate

• ATO ruling may speed up inherited home sales

• How to pivot into a real estate career

Today’s read time: 7 minutes, 13 seconds

New to The Brief? Join us for free 🤝

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

The hidden cost of people-pleasing and why honest leadership is a competitive advantage

Real estate rewards confidence, presence, and persuasion. But beneath the surface, many professionals are quietly softening truths to win listings, holding back in meetings, and absorbing pressure without complaint.

Transformational coach Marianne Hynes spent decades in performance-driven industries, and her debut book ‘Unmuted’ examines what happens when capable people stop waiting for permission to speak clearly.

The conditioning most agents don't recognise

Marianne was capable and driven, yet speaking up filled her with anxiety. Like many high performers, she approached it logically – presentation training, Toastmasters, professional development. What she didn't recognise was that the issue wasn't skill, but conditioning.

"I genuinely thought there was something wrong with me," she says.

The full article reveals what finally shifted her perspective – and why so many high achievers share this pattern.

The trust paradox in client work

In an industry where income is tied to approval, telling people what they want to hear feels safer. But Marianne sees a critical blind spot.

"Most clients are far more perceptive than we assume. They know when they're being managed rather than told the truth."

The best professionals she's encountered weren't the smoothest – they were the most grounded.

Small shifts that change everything

Speaking with clarity isn't about becoming louder. It's about being more direct – noticing when you soften a point, over-explain, or stay quiet to keep things smooth.

"These moments seem small," she says. "But repeated over time, they change what feels normal."

What you'll learn in the full article:

• The "not-enoughness" cycle: Why hitting goals feels good momentarily then fades – and how to break the pattern

• The body's response: What happens when emotions are pushed down long enough

• People-pleasing vs. trust-building: The shift from managing clients to honest advice delivered with care

• The energy starting point: Why Marianne's first recommendation isn't a communication framework

Your voice is one of your most valuable professional assets. This article shows you how to use it.

Read the full article.

ICYMI, yesterday we discussed the apprenticeship mindset that every agent needs.

TOGETHER WITH REA GROUP

realestate.com.au launches its first real estate app for ChatGPT

realestate.com.au has launched its first dedicated app within ChatGPT, giving Australians a new, conversational way to search for homes without relying on traditional filters. The integration allows users to ask natural-language questions and receive live listings from realestate.com.au, displayed in a map view with photos, pricing, property details and agent information. Buyers can now refine searches in real time, save properties, contact agents or click through to the full listing on the platform.

Chief Product and Audience Officer Jonathan Swift said the uptake of AI tools is growing, particularly among younger buyers, making it important for listings to be accessible early in their search process.

Read more about REA’s ChatGPT launch here.

POLICY

ATO draft tightens inherited home tax rules

Estates still have two years to sell a deceased person's main residence CGT-free – but beyond that, draft determination TD 2026/D1 requires a beneficiary to have an express right to occupy under the will and actually live there. Tax advisers warn the stricter reading could push families to sell faster, meaning more time-sensitive estate listings and trickier conversations with grieving vendors.

BACK TO BASICS

Advice for career-changers entering real estate

Switching careers into real estate can look deceptively simple from the outside, but Harrison Turner’s experience tells a very different story. After leaving a compliance role in commercial law, he chose to enter the industry slowly, working under an experienced mentor rather than chasing fast wins. His view is blunt: real estate rewards discipline, patience and daily effort far more than confidence or shortcuts. For career-changers weighing the leap, he says it’s important to treat the new role like an apprenticeship.

HOW IT SOLD

16 bids pushed this unit $57k past reserve

A targeted 29-day campaign by Macwell Property's Jason Bedwell generated 60 inspections and six registered bidders for a Norman Park two-bedroom. Jason – a qualified auctioneer – called the auction himself, with competitive bidding driving the final price to $867,000, some $57,000 above reserve.

Your competitors know media coverage gets clients. Are you ready to get yours? getailsa.com

CELEBRITY HOMES

Georgian townhouse on Blair's London square listed

When Tony and Cherie Blair needed a London base after Downing Street, they chose Connaught Square – cementing its status as one of the capital's most discreet A-list addresses. Now a six-bedroom Georgian townhouse on that same square is listed for £6.5 million ($12.7 million AUD). Five levels, private courtyard garden, and access to communal gardens that almost never come with London listings.

MOVERS + SHAKERS

Leo Edwards pioneers digital real estate in coastal Victoria

The @realty agent has revolutionised property marketing in Inverloch through social media and digital platforms, maintaining an impressive 92% list-to-sale price ratio. More here

Ray White Victoria hosts record launch event

CEO Domenic Belfiore challenged 1,200 members to pursue market leadership while celebrating three consecutive record-breaking months and 18,000 settled sales in 2025. More here

REA announces winners of 2025 Excellence Awards

REA Group has announced the winners of its 2025 REA Excellence Awards, recognising standout agencies, teams and individuals across Australia’s property industry.

OC Real Estate claimed both Residential Agency of the Year and Property Management Team of the Year, while RWC Bayside was named Commercial Agency of the Year.

CADRE won Game Changer of the Year and Equality Media + Marketing took out Contribution to Local Community.

In the individual categories, Hayley Van de Ven (REMAX Results) was named Most Influential Woman in Property, with Belinda Kolstad (Smart Real Estate) awarded Rising Star of the Year. 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

When a client introduces you to their friends as their agent, you suddenly feel like a local celebrity. No spotlight, no speeches … just a small reminder that reputation travels faster than you do. ✨😌

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, 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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