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Property management finally has a conference that's entirely its own – and it's back for round two.PM/ONE – The Property...
23/06/2026

Property management finally has a conference that's entirely its own – and it's back for round two.

PM/ONE – The Property Management Conference – returns to Hilton Sydney on 13–14 September 2026, with more than 500 professionals expected through the doors.

Created by Fiona Blayney, the event was born from a simple truth: property management sits at the heart of real estate, yet rarely gets a dedicated stage.

"Property managers wanted a space where they could come together, share ideas, learn from each other and focus on the future of the profession," Fiona said.

Over 20 speakers are confirmed – including Tim Duggan, Chelsea Pottenger and Dom Thurbon – covering everything from AI and automation to wellbeing, leadership and rent roll growth.

More than 200 have already registered, and Early Bird tickets at $795 are available until 30 June (group discounts included for agencies sending multiple team members).

If you've been to PM/ONE before, what was your biggest takeaway from the first event?



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A prestige listing sat on the market for four months. The relaunch sold it within 24 hours of auction – for more than th...
23/06/2026

A prestige listing sat on the market for four months. The relaunch sold it within 24 hours of auction – for more than the previous offer.

Elisa McMahon, sales and marketing specialist at Ray White Wilston, says the default instinct when a luxury listing stalls is to drop the price. But that's often the wrong fix.

"A lot of the time it's not really about the price," Elisa says. "I've actually sold properties for more than what they'd had offers come in previously."

Her approach starts with pulling apart the previous campaign – buyer feedback, enquiry levels, saves on portals, photography angles, even the time of day photos were taken.

For one five-bedroom apartment in Brisbane's West End, she commissioned a research report comparing resale value to new builds, secured media coverage around it and completely rebuilt the campaign imagery.

The result? Sold within 24 hours of auction.

Her philosophy is simple but often overlooked – prestige buyers don't need urgency, they need conviction. They'll wait years for the right home. The agent's job is to make sure marketing tells the right story, not just a louder one.

"I think one of the biggest mistakes agents make is thinking they need to condition the seller down in terms of price. I'd rather spend more time with buyers explaining and demonstrating the value."

When you've relaunched a property that previously failed to sell, what made the difference?


Elisa McMahon Global Voice & Real Estate Ray White
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US$100 million in 2016. US$36 million at auction in 2017. Now back on the market for US$64 million – after failing to se...
23/06/2026

US$100 million in 2016. US$36 million at auction in 2017. Now back on the market for US$64 million – after failing to sell twice.

The Crespi Estate in Dallas has one of the wildest pricing histories in American luxury real estate.

Built in 1938 for an Italian count and his American wife, Villa Fiorenza has hosted Coco Chanel, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, and multiple US presidents. George W. Bush lives next door.

The numbers are staggering – 27,000+ square feet, 10 bedrooms, 11 fireplaces, a ballroom, a heliport, and 15.7 acres in one of Dallas's most exclusive pockets.

Listed at US$60 million in 2023, then reduced to US$47 million in 2024, it's now back at US$64 million (roughly A$102 million) – the highest ask yet. The difference? Three adjacent lots have been bundled in.

Late art historian Richard Brettell once called it "the most important home of its era built anywhere in the country."

It's a fascinating case study in prestige property pricing – when does history and provenance outweigh comparable sales data?

What's the most unusual pricing strategy you've seen work in the luxury end of the market?



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Same team. Same values. New brand backing them up.Peter Lawton Property – a name well known in the Bowen community – has...
23/06/2026

Same team. Same values. New brand backing them up.

Peter Lawton Property – a name well known in the Bowen community – has officially joined the Explore Property network as Explore Property Bowen.

"Joining Explore Property gives us access to additional support, systems, marketing reach and opportunities for growth, while allowing us to remain the same local team our clients know and trust," the Bowen team said.

For Explore Property Group Founder Andrew Acton, the fit was clear: "Our role isn't to change that legacy – it's to strengthen it."

What sealed the deal? Values alignment. The Bowen team said Explore "never felt like just another franchise – it felt like a team we could grow with while staying true to who we are."

The addition further extends Explore Property's regional Queensland footprint – and reinforces a model built around empowering strong local operators.



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Three decades in Noosa's luxury market – and now a new chapter begins.Veteran prestige property specialist Eric Seetoo h...
23/06/2026

Three decades in Noosa's luxury market – and now a new chapter begins.

Veteran prestige property specialist Eric Seetoo has joined Harcourts Property Centre, bringing with him a career that stretches back to 1995 and includes sales exceeding $23 million across some of the Sunshine Coast's most coveted addresses.

Eric has set benchmark prices in Noosa's tightly held enclaves – Witta Circle, Mossman Court, Noosa Parade, Arakoon Crescent and Allambi Rise among them.

Despite the record-breaking results, his philosophy stays simple.

"Real estate is built on trust," Eric said. "Clients are making some of the most important decisions of their lives, and they deserve honest advice, clear communication and someone who genuinely has their best interests at heart."

For Harcourts Property Centre Co-Managing Director Aaron Brooks, the move speaks volumes.

"When someone of Eric's calibre chooses to align with your brand, it says a great deal about where we're headed as a business."

The appointment strengthens Harcourts Property Centre's growing presence across South East Queensland's prestige sector.

What do you think matters most when a top agent decides to change brands – culture, systems or something else entirely?


Harcourts Real Estate Australia
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McGrath Lower North Shore and Harbourside has created a brand-new role – Head of Growth and Performance – across its six...
23/06/2026

McGrath Lower North Shore and Harbourside has created a brand-new role – Head of Growth and Performance – across its six Sydney offices, appointing Jon McConkey to fill it.

Jon brings 20+ years of leadership across real estate, media and proptech, including senior roles at Domain (State Sales Director NSW, National Director of Corporate & Enterprise) and most recently Chief Revenue Officer at Before You Buy.

Group Director John Paranchi says the timing is deliberate: "At a time when many businesses are reducing investment, we're taking the opposite approach. We see significant opportunity in the market."

Co-director Tracey Dixon adds that Jon's "character, values, commitment to excellence and clear vision for the future" made him a standout choice.

Jon himself says: "Exceptional results come from great people, strong culture and a shared commitment to excellence."

The role spans Hunters Hill, Lane Cove, Crows Nest, Willoughby, Mosman and McMahons Point – a significant footprint across Sydney's Lower North Shore.

What does your business do differently when the market tightens? Invest in people and capability, or pull on the reins?


McGrath Estate Agents
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Your landlord just had a claim denied – and they're looking at you.Not because it's your fault. But because no one flagg...
23/06/2026

Your landlord just had a claim denied – and they're looking at you.

Not because it's your fault. But because no one flagged what their policy actually covered before something went wrong.

EBM RentCover highlights the most common insurance assumptions that catch landlords off guard – and where agents can step in early.

Loss of rent isn't always automatic. It depends on the cause, how the policy defines it, and the period of cover.

Accidental damage and malicious damage sound similar but are treated very differently by insurers. Motive matters.

"Everything is covered" is one of the riskiest beliefs going around. Pet damage, wear and tear, sub-limits on payouts – the gaps are real.

Agents don't need to give insurance advice to add value here. Simply helping landlords understand that not all policies cover the same risks – and that the cheapest option often comes with trade-offs – can shift the conversation from price to suitability.

A five-minute chat at the start of a management agreement could save weeks of frustration at claim time.

What's one insurance misconception you find yourself correcting most often with landlords?



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A two-day inquiry for tax changes that could affect millions of Australians.That's the detail fuelling the Coalition's f...
23/06/2026

A two-day inquiry for tax changes that could affect millions of Australians.

That's the detail fuelling the Coalition's fury right now.

Deputy Liberal Leader Jane Hume has come out swinging against the Albanese government's proposed changes to negative gearing and capital gains tax, calling them "terrible, toxic taxes" and an "assault on aspiration."

Her message is blunt: "There is only one solution here. Axe the tax."

Hume also pointed to what she called "extraordinary hypocrisy" – questioning whether Labor and Greens politicians have themselves used negative gearing to build wealth, while now moving to wind back access for the next generation.

The Opposition argues the changes are structurally flawed and will hit small businesses hardest, with Canberra effectively deciding "which businesses are worthy of a carve out."

Meanwhile, behind the scenes, the Greens are reportedly linking support for the property tax reforms to a delayed NDIS inquiry timeline – a move that could cost the federal budget an estimated $17 billion over forward estimates.

It's shaping up as one of the most consequential policy fights of this parliamentary term.

How are you seeing these proposed changes play out in conversations with property investors and vendors in your market?



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Australia's national auction clearance rate just hit 48% – a level that draws comparisons to the pandemic. But the real ...
23/06/2026

Australia's national auction clearance rate just hit 48% – a level that draws comparisons to the pandemic. But the real story isn't missing buyers.

It's missing confidence.

Domain's Dr Nicola Powell says buyers are still out there – they're just more cautious, more selective and increasingly convinced prices have further to fall.

"Buyers are price sensitive, and they're very focused at the moment on value and not overpaying," she said.

The vendor side is shifting too. In May, almost 26% of auctions were withdrawn before they even went ahead. Reserves aren't aligning with where the market sits, and sellers are pulling listings rather than risk a pass-in.

Sydney is feeling it most – a 47% clearance rate with 213 withdrawals from 865 scheduled auctions. Brisbane recorded just 20%. Melbourne held up best at 52%, though still well off last year's 66%.

Nicola describes it as a standoff shaped by rate sensitivity, affordability pressure, policy uncertainty and global headwinds – all compounding at once.

Her outlook? "We're in for a period of slow activity and weakening prices," but eventual rate cuts will spark a revival – with investors likely to move first.

How are you adjusting your auction strategy in this kind of market?


Domain Agent Centre
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Western Australia is adding 3.2 people for every new home completed.That single stat tells you where prices are heading....
22/06/2026

Western Australia is adding 3.2 people for every new home completed.

That single stat tells you where prices are heading.

Ray White Group Chief Economist Nerida Conisbee has mapped ABS population growth against dwelling completions state by state – and the picture is far from even.

Nationally, Australia added 412,500 people and completed 172,794 dwellings in the year to December 2025. That's 2.4 people per new home – close to the average household size of 2.5.

But Nerida argues that number is misleading. Growth is migration-led, skewing towards students, younger workers and renters – people whose household size is likely closer to 2.0. At that ratio, we needed 206,000+ homes. We built 172,794.

The state-level gaps are stark:

WA – 3.2 people per new dwelling, prices up 25.2%
QLD – 2.8 people per new dwelling, prices up 17.0%
VIC – 2.2 people per new dwelling, prices up just 2.0%

"Where new housing delivery is closer to population growth, price pressure is calmer," Nerida said. "Where population growth is running well ahead of completions, prices and rents are doing exactly what should be expected."

Victoria added the most people of any state (117,300) yet kept the ratio lowest among the major states – proof that supply volume matters.

As Nerida put it: "Housing supply is not a side issue in affordability. It is the issue."

Which state or region are you watching most closely right now – and what are you seeing on the ground?



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