🤷 Why good agents lose listings they should have won

GOOD MORNING FROM ELITE AGENT 👋

TRUE OR FALSE?

The core purpose of escrow has always been to remove risk between parties who don’t fully trust each other.
(Scroll to the bottom for the answer!)

In today’s edition of The Brief

• Why prestige homes stall (and how to fix it)

• Labor-Greens deal clears path for tax overhaul

• Metro to regional migration hits record high

Today’s read time: 5 minutes, 20 seconds

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SALES STRATEGY

Why stalled prestige listings don't need price cuts

When a prestige property fails to sell, the conversation almost always turns to price. But Ray White Wilston sales and marketing specialist, Elisa McMahon, says that's often the wrong place to start. Having successfully relaunched luxury homes that had previously stalled, Elisa believes the key is understanding why buyers failed to connect with the property in the first place.

"A lot of the time it's not really about the price," she said. "I've actually sold properties for more than what they'd had offers come in previously. It's really interesting how repositioning and communicating the right attributes about the property can just change the whole trajectory for it."

From analysing buyer behaviour and campaign data to identifying a property's unique value proposition, she argues every prestige listing deserves a bespoke strategy rather than a cookie-cutter campaign.

One standout example saw Elisa relaunch a five-bedroom Brisbane apartment that had sat on the market for four months; instead of recommending a price reduction, she commissioned independent research, overhauled the photography and rebuilt the campaign, resulting in a sale within 24 hours of auction for more than the previous conditional contract.

She believes too many agents focus on conditioning vendors instead of educating buyers, particularly in the prestige market where purchasers are prepared to wait years for the right home. "I'd rather spend more time with buyers explaining and demonstrating the value in the property," she said. "Sometimes a property is unique and it needs a unique strategy."

What you'll learn in the full article:

• The campaign autopsy method: How Elisa pulls apart a failed listing before writing a single word of new copy

• The value reframe: How a commissioned research report turned a stale apartment into a 24-hour sale

• The doctor conversation: A framework for telling vendors what they need to hear without losing the relationship

• Conviction over urgency: Why prestige campaigns need an entirely different marketing philosophy – and how to build one

Elisa's full breakdown of her relaunch process is packed with practical detail you can apply to your next stalled listing – at any price point.

Read the full article

ICYMI yesterday: Multi-generational homes are now in highest demand.

TOGETHER WITH PM/ONE

PM/ONE 2026 sets the stage for property management’s future

Australia’s dedicated property management conference, PM/ONE – The Property Management Conference, will return to Hilton Sydney on 13–14 September 2026, following its successful debut in 2025, with more than 500 property management professionals expected to attend and over 200 already registered.

Created by industry leader Fiona Blayney, the two-day event will feature more than 20 speakers, including Tim Duggan, Chelsea Pottenger and Dom Thurbon, focusing on the future of property management across AI, automation, leadership, wellbeing, operational excellence and rent roll growth.

The event is positioned as a key industry gathering for practical insight, professional development and sector connection ahead of Early Bird pricing closing on 30 June.

Read more about PM/ONE here.

FEDERAL POLITICS

Labor and Greens strike a deal to fast-track property tax reform package

Labor and the Greens have struck a deal to advance the Albanese government’s capital gains tax and negative gearing reforms, paving the way for the package to pass Parliament within weeks. The agreement includes concessions on property investor tax loopholes and SMSF borrowing rules, while introducing new offsets for workers as the housing tax overhaul moves closer to becoming law.

MIGRATION

Regional migration hits record as Toowoomba triples inflows

Capital city residents moving to regions now outnumber the reverse by 29.7 per cent, with the Regional Movers Index hitting its all-time high in the March 2026 quarter. Toowoomba's net metro inflows jumped 236 per cent year-on-year, while the Sunshine Coast stayed the most popular destination overall.

HOW IT SOLD

Controversy became the drawcard at $1.4m

Nic Di Rosso leaned into the polarising Perth Park development when marketing a Burswood apartment – and it worked. The approach split buyers at the first open: older prospects worried about disruption, while a younger family saw future vibrancy worth nearly double the suburb's $725,000 median unit price, paying $1.4 million for the two-bedroom property.

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

CELEBRITY HOMES

The Hollywood estate rumoured to be Rudolph Valentino's secret love token

Legend has it Rudolph Valentino commissioned this 1923 Spanish Revival estate for actress Pola Negri — never confirmed, but never forgotten. Now fully restored, the Whitley Heights property is listed for US$2,295,000 (A$3.21 million) and offers unobstructed views of the Hollywood Sign.

MOVERS + SHAKERS

First National Real Estate unveils new brand identity

Research revealed members are seen as trusted professionals, but the brand itself had become dated, prompting a network-wide rebrand led by CEO David Edwards. More here.

Alicia Lecky returns to Jellis Craig as Head of Property Management

The 25-year industry veteran rejoins the brand at Boroondara, where she'll lead a team of 38 managing 3,900 properties. 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

Homes are taking longer to sell right now… Agents are basically on awkward dates: “So… how long have you been on the market?” 🤔📉

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

TRUE OR FALSE:

The core purpose of escrow has always been to remove risk between parties who don’t fully trust each other.

And the answer is …

TRUE. Whether it was parchment held by a neutral third party in medieval England or funds secured in a modern trust account, escrow has always existed to bridge uncertainty in transactions. At its heart, it is a trust mechanism: neither buyer nor seller has to rely on the other’s promise alone. Instead, an independent intermediary ensures conditions are met before value changes hands, protecting both sides from fraud, default, or broken agreements. While the tools have evolved from physical deeds to digital banking systems, the principle has remained remarkably consistent for centuries. In Australia, we generally do not use a formal escrow company for standard home purchases. Instead, when a house is sold the deposit is held in a regulated trust account managed by either the seller's real estate agent or a solicitor.

Wishing you a productive day!

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