GOOD MORNING FROM ELITE AGENT

The RBA is meeting today, and there’s strong talk (and fingers crossed) of a rate cut, which could light a fire under the property market. For agents, this means buyers might get a bit braver with cheaper money on offer, so it’s a great time to follow up on those fence-sitters.

While affordability is still a challenge thanks to record-high prices, a rate drop could be just the nudge some buyers need to get moving.

Today’s read time: 5 minutes, 36 seconds

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LISTING

Thomas McGlynn on winning listings (without sounding like everyone else)

As the property market heads into winter, some agents slow down, while others lean into preparation and consistency

According to Thomas McGlynn, CEO of BresicWhitney, the difference often comes down to how agents approach listings before, during, and after the presentation.

“There’s always going to be sales,” Thomas says. “And there’s always going to be people who want to sell.”

The Listing presentation - before, during, after

Thomas breaks the process into three critical phases:

• Before: Preparation is everything. “Winging it is not a strategy,” he says. “If you fail to plan, you should plan to fail.”

• During: Ask strong, relevant questions to tailor your conversation. “You need to understand what the client wants, how much they know, and what’s important to them, before you even walk in.”

• After: Don’t let the follow-up fall flat. “A genuine follow-up strategy, not just a mechanical one, can be the difference between winning and losing the listing.”

He encourages agents to confirm everything discussed during the presentation and continue to show initiative.

“Ring out saying, ‘I’ve been thinking about your property a lot, and there are a few other things I think I can bring to the table.’ That kind of follow-up can sometimes win the business.”

Customising your approach

Whether the potential vendor is a downsizer, first-time seller, or a remote investor, Thomas says tailoring the conversation is critical. That begins with pre-listing research and questions. “Some clients are really detail-oriented. Others are looking for a transference of feeling. They want to feel comfortable sitting in the lounge room with you every week.”

Bringing out irrelevant data or overloading them with stats can cause disengagement. “As soon as someone becomes disinterested, it’s very difficult to get them back on track.”

Avoiding the trap of sounding like everyone else

One of the biggest mistakes he sees from newer agents is generic pitches. “Everyone sounds exactly the same. The only difference is the brand and their own personality. And that tends to become a race to the bottom - who’s willing to do it for the cheapest.” The fix? Be able to articulate your value clearly and quickly.

“If I were to ask an agent, ‘Can you tell me within a couple of minutes why I should use you?’, most couldn’t answer. And that’s quite scary. Because sometimes you only get a few minutes to make a first impression.”

Finally, overstaying a welcome can be just as damaging as rushing through a presentation. Thomas advises asking upfront how much time the client has and if there are specific concerns they want to address.

Read the full story here.

ICYMI, yesterday we covered why asking the right question beats making the perfect pitch.

DEPT OF DATA

Trump’s tariffs, falling rates and rising auction activity: What’s really driving Australia’s housing rebound

Auction clearance rates have hit 72 per cent, the highest since early 2022, as the property market picks up steam. According to new data from Ray White, prices are on the move almost everywhere, with Perth racing ahead of the pack. But this uptick isn’t just a local story. Global politics (yes, including Trump and his headline-grabbing tariffs) are shaking things up, shifting investor behaviour and nudging interest rate forecasts lower.

DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

Listings climb in the US; buyers are window shopping

Sellers are flooding the US market with new listings, up 7.6% from last year, but buyers are still playing it cool. Despite lower mortgage rates and slightly cheaper monthly payments, newly pending sales fell 2.5% in April. Nearly a quarter of homes had to cut prices to tempt cautious house hunters. Inventory is up, time on market is a little longer, and buyers finally have room to breathe. But with economic jitters and high living costs, many are still sitting on the fence.

DEPT OF AI

How I built a “Wall of Love” with AI (and why you should too)

Struggling to keep track of all those lovely client reviews? You're not alone, and now you don't have to. Samantha McLean found a clever tool called testimonial.to that pulls all your feedback into one shareable, branded page (aka your “Wall of Love”). It even uses AI to help you set it up in minutes. Whether it's Google reviews, social media shoutouts or quick video clips, this makes collecting and sharing social proof way easier.

CELEBRITY HOMES

Jim Carrey chops $10M off his mansion, all righty then!

Jim Carrey is clearly ready to move on, and he’s not mucking around. The actor has just slashed the price of his long-held Los Angeles estate by a whopping US$10 million, bringing it down to a cool US$ 18.8M. The Brentwood spread, which he’s owned for nearly 30 years, comes with everything you’d expect from an A-lister: five bedrooms, six bathrooms, a tennis court, a pool with a waterfall, and even a meditation trail (because of course it does).

AGENTS ON SOCIAL

If your buyer can commit to a 12-month phone plan, they can commit to a mortgage. Almost the same thing, right? 🏡💰 

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.

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