GOOD MORNING FROM ELITE AGENT

Yayy! It’s International No Diet Day and while it's a celebration of ditching calorie counting and embracing comfort, it's also a good excuse for real estate agents to treat themselves between open homes and meetings. Forget bland protein bars in the glove box; today’s about grabbing that extra pastry at the cafe, saying yes to the slice of cake at the office, and leaning into a bit of indulgence.

Just like buyers want homes with butler’s pantries and bonus rooms, agents can enjoy a no-guilt day of snacks, soft pants after hours, and listings with all the extras. Go on, you know you want to.

Today’s read time: 6 minutes, 14 seconds

New to The Brief? Join us for free 🤝

OPINION

No sales team, no problem: How PM-only agencies are quietly winning

How Property Managers are building better businesses solo

For decades, property management was seen as the sidekick to sales—a reliable but unspectacular stream of income that couldn’t stand on its own. But in 2025, that narrative is shifting fast. Kylie Walker (aka That Property Mum) has watched a new breed of PM-only agencies quietly rewrite the rules, proving that focus, systems, and smarts can outperform size and traditional structures.

Rethinking the real estate blueprint

The old real estate model, think big offices, bloated overheads, and reliance on commission windfalls, is feeling its age. With rising costs and more discerning clients, agencies are being forced to look inward.

“When staffing costs and subscription expenses started climbing too high, I had to lean down my own business,” says Kylie. That pivot toward lean, systemised operations is where PM-only businesses shine. Instead of being a bolt-on to sales, property management is being repositioned as a stable, scalable core. The result? More predictability, lower risk, and greater resilience, especially in turbulent markets.

The power of specialisation

When agencies ditch auctions and weekend opens, they gain time and mental space to double down on delivering standout property management service. These businesses aren’t competing on who charges the lowest fees, they’re winning by delivering better outcomes: higher occupancy, fewer maintenance blowouts, and happier tenants who stick around. It’s about doing one thing exceptionally well. And it’s working.

Tech-driven, people-centred

Kylie highlights how tech has supercharged this transformation. Cloud-based platforms and AI tools now allow one person to do the work of three. But the magic isn’t in replacing people, it’s in freeing them up to do the things only humans can: building relationships and giving great advice.

Savvy PM-only agencies also embrace a smart blend of local and offshore teams. Virtual assistants handle repetitive tasks while local staff focus on high-value conversations. It’s efficient, yes, but also incredibly personal.

Growing without sales? Absolutely.

Growth doesn’t need to come from internal sales handovers. Today’s top PM-only businesses are leveraging:

• Digital marketing and automation

• Client referrals from consistently strong service

• Partnerships and networking with BDMs and investors

The outcome? A healthier, more loyal portfolio, without burning out staff or compromising on service standards.

Read the full story here.

ICYMI, yesterday we unveiled the three-minute social media rule for PMs

ELITE AGENT TV

From Pain Points to Profit

Feeling bogged down by PM busy work? In our latest podcast episode, we sat down with Curtis Thomson, a true "systems whisperer" who co-founded Simpro and is now tackling property management inefficiencies head-on with Our Property. He shares fascinating insights into how automation and AI can finally handle the "donkey work", think trust accounting headaches, chaotic maintenance coordination, and even arrears follow-ups.

If you're ready to explore how technology can free you up to focus on building relationships and actually growing your portfolio, instead of just keeping up, you won't want to miss this conversation. Break free from outdated processes and build a more streamlined, human-centric business by tuning in here.

TOGETHER WITH @REALTY

The tech tool boosting agent productivity by 53%

Today's real estate agents need sophisticated CRM systems to stay competitive. @realty's Cloud CRM offers 15 essential features, including AI-generated listing descriptions, digital proposals, and automated prospecting tools. The comprehensive system handles everything from open home scheduling to offer management. Agents using the CRM boost productivity by 53%, and spend less time on administrative tasks and more on building client relationships.

Find out about the 15 must-have features here.

DEPT OF POLITICS

Labor's housing policies could backfire before it helps

Australia's returned Labor government has put housing affordability front and centre, but experts warn their policies might make things worse before they get better. The signature First Home Buyers Guarantee allows purchases with just a 5% deposit, potentially reducing Sydney deposit requirements from $200,000 to just $50,000. However, economists warn this increased purchasing power, without immediate supply increases, will likely drive prices higher in the short term before Labor's 1.2 million new homes target can take effect.

DEPT OF NON-AFFORDABLE HOUSING

Buying a Home in the US now takes $114K a year, up 70% Since 2019

The income required to buy a median-priced US home has soared by 70.1% from just six years ago, according to Realtor.com’s April 2025 Housing Trends Report. While affordability remains a major barrier, rising inventory and growing price flexibility are offering buyers more choice. Active listings jumped 30.6% year-on-year, and 18% of listings saw price reductions. However, pending home sales have fallen for four consecutive months as higher mortgage rates stall demand. In the nation’s priciest markets, including San Jose and Los Angeles, buyers now need annual incomes well over $300,000 to qualify.

DEPT OF AI

ChatGPT got real polite, and people are weirded out

ChatGPT used to debate, push back, even get a bit cheeky. Now? It’s all "Yes, absolutely" and "Great question!" Since a recent update, users say the AI feels less like a sparring partner and more like a customer service rep in a cardigan. Is this OpenAI’s attempt at better alignment… or did the bot just discover self-help podcasts? Let’s unpack why ChatGPT suddenly feels like it’s been to empathy school, and what that means for your chats.

CELEBRITY HOMES

Fancy owning David Bowie’s childhood home?

Before he was Ziggy Stardust, David Bowie was a six-year-old David Jones living in a modest terrace in southeast London. That very Bromley home is now for sale at £449,500 (about AUD $926,000). It’s got two bedrooms, a sweet little back garden, and a chunk of pop history baked into the bricks. The Jones family didn’t stay long, just a year, but Bowie’s Bromley years were formative, laying the groundwork for his creative spark. It’s not exactly Space Oddity chic, but the listing agents are saying it’s a rare chance to say you’ve lived where a legend once did (even if only briefly).

MOVERS + SHAKERS

Sam Owens joins Harcourts SA as performance coach

Sam brings over a decade of experience to help real estate professionals unlock their full potential through mindset and strategy development. 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

Just so you know, somewhere behind that artfully draped throw is a laundry basket full of last-minute panic.🫣 🤦🏻‍♀️

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 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.

Stories marked with * are sponsored, including 'Together With' and the weekday 'Movers & Shakers' sections. Interested in promoting your brand to Elite Agent’s audience? Learn more at eliteagent.com/advertise.

Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up here.