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With annual sales exceeding $800m, including over $200m in just one fortnight, Alex Lyons told REB that the resilience and consistency he learnt throughout his sporting career have driven his success.
Back in 2014, Alex Lyons was a promising rugby league player before a serious brain injury ended his hopes of a sporting career.
Instead, Lyons turned to real estate, becoming one of the top-performing agents in the Raine and Horne Double Bay | Bondi Beach office.
While he is now pleased with his real estate career, he said that the hardest part of his injury was handling the recovery.
“It’s tough; you are starting again,” Lyons said.
“Anyone can find an excuse not to make it, but you have got to find a reason why you are going to make it. I think it was just resilience and grit that got me through.”
Although losing the chance at a National Rugby League (NRL) career to injury can impact mental health, Lyons viewed it in a different, more positive light.
“It’s never a loss; it's a lesson,” he said.
“Lessons have brought me to where I am, and you can either let them make you or break you.”
Originally from Wagga Wagga, Lyons developed an interest in the real estate industry when living in Sydney’s eastern suburbs while training with the Sydney Roosters.
“I was fascinated by the scope and the beautiful properties in the area,” Lyons said.
Resilience and consistency
When making the transition into real estate, Lyons said the first few years were a real struggle, but the resilience he had developed through sport kept him on track.
“I had weekly thoughts about giving up and doing something else, but I was always determined to make a success of it.”
According to Lyons, his time in professional sports was crucial and taught him several lessons he still uses regularly, including showing up consistently and sticking to a structure.
“You have got to roll with the punches and regardless of what is going on, whether it is good or bad, you have got to have that structure, discipline and mindset that the next good thing is just around the corner.”
Lyons noted that the ‘never give up’ approach helped him to secure repeat and referral clients, which form close to 80 per cent of his business, applying the same effort regardless of the size of the deal.
“I follow the same process whether it is a $500,000 property or a $150 million property.”
“What gets us repeat and referral business is just following a strict process, structure and giving 100 per cent.”
“You have to remove yourself from the outcome and just worry about the process.”
According to Lyons, the best agents aren’t necessarily the strongest at sales.
“It's connecting with people and understanding where you can help, give advice and service, without the expectation of result.”
“That’s when you can work at your best because that’s when you are genuinely working in the client's best interest.”
Recent sales
Lyons said that the mindset he learnt while playing sport helped him achieve his sales record of $800m by November 2025.
While he said that several of his recent sales were under NDA’s, one involved a property in Potts Point that had been to market six times unsuccessfully with other agents before finally being sold.
Another recent sale was several blocks of land in Rose Bay that are set to be redeveloped into an aged care facility.
Lyons said that while buyers in the eastern suburbs were usually looking for turnkey properties, there was also an increased interest in redeveloping in the area.
“With all the rezoning the state government’s been doing, there are definitely a lot of redevelopment opportunities on the market,” Lyons concluded.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mathew Williams
Born in the rural town of Griffith NSW, Mathew Williams is a graduate journalist who has always had a passion for storytelling. Having graduated from the University of Canberra with a Bachelor of Sports Media in 2023, Mathew recently made the move to Sydney from Canberra to pursue a career in journalism and has joined the Momentum Media team, writing for their real estate brands. Outside of journalism, Mathew is an avid fan of all things sports and regularly attends sporting events across Sydney. Get in touch at
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