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Monaco pricing puts “blue-chip” into a category of its own. Average resale values hit €51,967 per square metre in 2024, (around $86,000 AUD), rising above €97,000 ($161,000 AUD) per square metre in prestige pockets like Larvotto. For agents doing the maths, that means a fairly standard 100-square-metre apartment lands at roughly $16 million AUD. Before renovations. Before styling. Before stamp duty gives you pause. The upside? No income tax. The downside? Your buyer qualification process needs to be super watertight.

In today’s edition of The Brief

• A real example of why searchable strategy matters more than a single sale

• Data ownership is the goal, but portals still hold the attention

• What principals actually look for on a real estate CV

Today’s read time: 7 minutes, 06 seconds

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PR & MARKETING

Why your best work should outlive the sale

Most agents create content that disappears within days. Social posts fade, listing descriptions vanish after settlement, and the strategic thinking behind strong results never reaches the people actively searching for demonstrated expertise. As Klemich Real Estate parter and property consultant, Brenton Milewski, discovered, Ailsa changes that equation entirely.

The searchability problem

In a digital-first market, being findable matters as much as being successful. Yet the insights behind your best campaigns - the repositioning, the sequencing, the conversations that shaped outcomes - rarely survive in searchable form. Ailsa captures that thinking through AI-led interviews and compiles it into structured editorial content designed to be indexed and enduring. Brenton Milewski's recent $5.65 million campaign across three Adelaide townhomes shows exactly how this works in practice.

The reframing that changed everything

The Flemington Street properties had already passed through two agents without securing offers. When Brenton took over, he identified that the homes weren't the problem – the story was.

"The previous agents didn't really focus on the quality of the build," he says. "And the large gum trees were being positioned as a negative."

What Brenton did next delivered a $2 million sale within ten days. The full article reveals his exact approach.

Strategic sequencing

Rather than launching all three properties simultaneously, Brenton and the vendor made a deliberate choice about which home to sell first, and why that decision maximised pricing across the entire portfolio. The third property sold off-market after Brenton set one specific condition for the buyers. This kind of decision-making rarely appears in marketing material, yet it is exactly the thinking Ailsa is designed to capture and make searchable.

What you'll learn in the full article:

• The narrative reframe: How Brenton turned perceived negatives into the campaign's strongest selling points

• The sequencing strategy: Why selling the corner property first set pricing for the remaining homes

• The off-market conversion: The exact condition Brenton set that secured an unconditional offer

• The Ailsa process: How campaign insights become searchable, enduring content that supports your digital presence

Your best thinking deserves to work harder for you. This is how to make it happen.

Read the full article

ICYMI, yesterday, we discussed why local presence matters more than your social media following.

TOGETHER WITH REA GROUP

REA Group has named 24 submission finalists for its 2025 Excellence Awards, recognising agencies, teams and individuals across residential, commercial, new homes and media markets throughout Australia. Now in its ninth year, the program celebrates realestate.com.au and realcommercial.com.au customers for their performance in supporting Australians through their property journey.

REA Group Chief Customer and Commercial Officer Kul Singh said the awards provide an annual opportunity to recognise customers “who are setting new benchmarks for what great looks like in our industry”.

Kul added that, “from agencies transforming their businesses with digital tools, to teams championing wellbeing and inclusion, this year’s finalists truly represent the best of the best”.

The 2025 program also introduces a new residential Top Agent award, powered by the same data that underpins realestate.com.au’s Agent Search rankings and Residential Top Agents will be recognised with a ‘Top Agent’ badge on their Agent Profile for 12 months. Winners of both the submission-based and Top Agent awards will be announced online in mid-February.

Read about the 2025 REA Excellence Awards here.

TECH

Agencies want data ownership but portals still dominate

The intent is there but the spend tells a different story: 77% of property professionals say they want to control their digital footprint, yet 58% still rely on portal ads and 52% on Meta. One in three agencies now list on their own site before portals - and Cotality's research suggests that gap may widen in 2026.

BACK TO BASICS

What principals really want on entry CVs

Direct property experience isn't the dealbreaker most aspiring agents assume. Attitude, communication skills, and reliability consistently rank higher on agency wish lists – and transferable experience from hospitality, retail, or admin often stands out. This guide covers how to frame existing skills for agency life and the common mistakes that get CVs overlooked.

HOW IT SOLD

Small spend sparked five offers on Shellharbour villa

Rome McGrath advised his vendor to repaint skirting boards and replace carpet before listing a 10-year-old villa in Shellharbour City Centre. The targeted presentation investment generated more than five offers over four weeks, with the property exchanging at $900,000 in a suburb with minimal recent sales activity.

Read the full story

Agents across Australia and New Zealand are turning sales into stories. getailsa.com

CELEBRITY HOMES

Paparazzo turned mayor lists $6M property pair

Darryn Lyons went from snapping celebrities in the '90s to serving as Geelong's mayor; quite the pivot. Now he's selling two properties totalling over $6 million as he relocates overseas: a far north Queensland beach house (gorilla sculptures included), and a pink-themed apartment in Sydney's Harry Seidler-designed Horizon Building. The beach house has a private seven-mile stretch of sand for a backyard.

MOVERS + SHAKERS

Chantel Dielwert joins Ray White Buderim.

The experienced agent and auctioneer will work across both Buderim and Maroochydore offices, supporting the group's goal of conducting over 500 auctions annually. More here

Ben August launches August Estate Agents.

The Cairns-based strategist ranks #1 in Northern Queensland with 40 sales averaging just 6 days on market under @realty's OASIS model. 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

Gav Rubinstein shared details of his new venture from the beach, where big ideas clearly travel well with a sea breeze and a bit of sunshine 🌊☀️

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

Wishing you a productive day!

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