GOOD MORNING FROM ELITE AGENT 👋

Before inboxes and Instagram feeds, the humble paperboy was the one delivering the day’s headlines door to door. Newspaper Carrier Day tips its hat to Barney Flaherty, the very first carrier hired back in 1833, and to all the kids who pedalled through rain or shine to keep their neighbourhoods informed.

While the way we get our news has changed, the principle hasn’t; timely, local information is everything. Just as residents once relied on the morning paper to know what was happening, in our industry buyers and sellers today count on agents to deliver the latest property insights straight to their doorstep … or at least their inbox.

So, whether it’s a listing alert, a market update, or a clever social post, think of yourself as the modern-day news carrier for your community: keeping people in the know, and always one step ahead.

Today’s read time: 7 minutes, 17 seconds

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SALES

Dominating your patch

Why 50 sales changes everything

There’s a tipping point in real estate performance, and according to Ray White’s Chief Strategy Officer Mark McLeod, that line is drawn at 50 sales per year. Agents who consistently exceed this number are far more likely to keep climbing to 60, 70, 80 transactions and beyond. While team-building is often part of that success, Mark says there's something even more critical at play: geographic focus.

In analysing the data, a clear pattern emerged. “The majority of these high volume agents were very geographically focused,” he explains. Their success wasn’t just in numbers - it was in narrative. They concentrated their efforts into a single area and became the most recognisable and relevant voice in that community.

The power of consistent, relevant messaging

Mark says agents who sell over 50 homes annually “continue to tell a consistent story into a tight geographic area.” He credits Allison Gough of Ray White Townsville for nailing the concept: “their messaging into the tight geography was consistent, was highly relevant and told the story of what was occurring in and around their community.”

This kind of storytelling doesn’t just advertise a listing, it embeds the agent in local conversations. Mark puts it like this: “Home owners at night start to talk about ‘the listing that Billy Smith has in the street.’ Then in two weeks time they mention Billy again for a sale around the corner.” That repetition creates a sense of familiarity and trust that makes it easier for agents to pick up the phone and convert that recognition into results.

“What great agents do is control the conversation of their vendors and their community when they are not in the room.”

The pitfall of spreading too thin

On the flip side, agents stuck below the 50-sales mark tend to lack that tight geographic strategy. Their listings are scattered, their messaging diluted, and their visibility in any one area minimal. “We found their listings (as they chase opportunities) very sporadic around geography,” says Mark. “They never became the dominant communicator of relevancy to their vendors and therefore never became part of the discussion in their homes or community.”

That lack of consistency leads to a grind that becomes unsustainable. “They were constantly chasing deals or as I put it, deeply spinning on the treadmill constantly looking for any opportunity to make sales.” Without local dominance, many are also forced to compromise on commission to win listings.

Stop chasing, start creating

For Mark, the takeaway is both strategic and philosophical: agents need to shift from chasing deals to creating them. That starts with three critical questions: “Do I provide relevant communication to a community? Do I have a structure of laying and creating familiarity, and am I becoming part of the conversation of my homeowners? Am I chasing deals or creating deals?”

The bottom line is simple: “Your story and your community story is up to you.”

Read the full the story here.

ICYMI, yesterday we reported on the Spring auction rush.

FIRST HOME BUYERS

Rate cuts bring hope for first-home buyers despite record-low affordability

First-home buyers are expected to benefit from recent interest rate cuts, with lower mortgage costs set to make more homes accessible, according to the new PropTrack CommBank First Home Buyer Report 2025. The report found affordability remains at its lowest level since 1995, with an average household needing 5.9 years to save a 20 per cent deposit. Despite this, more first-home buyers are active today than a decade ago, aided by government schemes, low-deposit loans and Lenders Mortgage Insurance.

OVERSTRETCHED CITIES

Gold Coast growing beyond ‘ideal size’, study warns of housing and infrastructure strain

The Gold Coast has been ranked Australia’s most over-populated city, operating 14 per cent above its “ideal size”, according to a Monash University study of 655 centres. Researchers found sustainability peaks when a city sits within four per cent of its capacity, where housing, jobs, transport and services stay in balance. By contrast, Perth and Port Pirie were close to their ideal size, while Melbourne, Sydney, the Sunshine Coast and NSW’s Central Coast also showed signs of strain.

TECH SMART

India plots digital path to global property investment

India is giving its land records a full digital reboot by December, and the real estate world is watching closely. With 99.8% of land records already digitised, the reform promises cleaner titles, faster deals and fewer disputes. Industry heavyweights say this could unlock billions in foreign direct investment, with global players finally able to move with confidence in India’s market.

The June quarter alone saw institutional investment hit ₹17,530 crore (USD $2.05 billion / AUD $3.15 billion), a 67% jump from the previous quarter. Residential property led the pack with 24% of inflows, while Mumbai dominated as the top investment hotspot. Experts believe the digitisation push will put India on par with countries like Singapore and Estonia when it comes to property transparency.

CELEBRITY HOMES

Love Shack? B52s Kate Pierson lists Woodstock cabin

B-52s icon Kate Pierson is saying goodbye to her Woodstock hideaway, a kitschy three-bedroom cabin now on the market for $750,000 (AUD $1.1 million). Nicknamed “Kate’s Lazy Cabin,” the 1950s retreat is packed with quirky touches, from hand-painted murals to its original 1950s kitchen appliances. Think wood panelling, colourful motifs and plenty of retro charm.

Set on two wooded acres just minutes from Woodstock, the home offers the best of seclusion and small-town buzz. Kate, 77, shares the rustic spot with her wife, artist Monica Coleman, though it’s not their main home. The couple have form when it comes to fun real estate; they’ve previously run vintage-themed motels like “Kate’s Lazy Desert” in Joshua Tree and “Kate’s Lazy Cape” on Cape Cod. Their local motel, “Kate’s Lazy Lodging,” sold for $2.25 million (AUD $3.35 million) in 2021.

MOVERS + SHAKERS

Peter Diamantidis opens seventh Ray White office

The Ray White United Group principal has launched Ray White Arndell Park with a team of 12 experienced professionals, growing from just five staff in 2021 to over 100 team members across western Sydney. More here.

Harcourts Property Centre opens new Birkdale office

Andrew South and Levi Van Dijk join HPC after 17 years of running their own business, bringing their entire team to strengthen the company's Bayside presence. 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 the house oozes classic charm, the marketing doesn’t dare show up underdressed. ✨🏡

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

Wishing you a productive day!

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