Years of strong property growth allowed some of the fundamentals of real estate to take a back seat, but one of Brisbane’s leading inner-city agents said the changing market would put agents’ skills back under the microscope.
Place Bulimba Lead Agent Tom Kralikas said agents who had built their businesses in a rising market now faced a different test as buyers became more selective, properties took longer to sell, and vendors required more considered advice.
For Tom, who has worked in real estate for 19 years and transacted more than $400 million in Brisbane property, the change wasn’t necessarily bad news for agents.
He said it was a reminder of what the job required.
“The last few years have been an extraordinary period for Brisbane property, but when almost everything is moving, it’s easy to confuse a strong market with strong agency,” Tom said.
Tom specialises in Brisbane’s inner-city apartment and housing market and was named the number one agent for Brisbane City in 2024.
He said one of the biggest mistakes agents could make in changing conditions was responding by simply doing more marketing or prospecting without improving the quality of the work behind it.
“Doing more isn’t necessarily the answer. Agents should be looking very closely at how well they know their market and their buyers, how often they’re communicating with vendors and whether the advice they’re giving is useful,” Tom said.
“When buyers have more choice, you can’t rely on urgency to do the work for you. You need to understand why someone should buy that particular property and you need to know who’s most likely to see that value.”
Five Things Agents Should Double Down on Now
Know the buyer, not just the database.
A large contact list means little if an agent doesn’t know who’s genuinely in the market, what they can spend and what will make them act.
Have the pricing conversation early.
When conditions change, yesterday’s comparable sale can quickly become less useful. Vendors need current evidence and direct advice rather than a price designed simply to win the listing.
Follow-up becomes a sales skill again.
When buyers are no longer competing for every property, agents need to understand objections, maintain conversations and recognise when interest can be converted into an offer.
Make marketing earn its money.
More choice means a property must compete harder for attention. Presentation, photography, copy and campaign strategy need a purpose rather than being treated as a standard package.
Get better at difficult conversations.
Strong markets can postpone uncomfortable discussions. Changing conditions require agents to communicate early when buyer feedback, price expectations or campaign strategy need to be addressed.
Tom said agents who entered the industry during Brisbane’s strong growth period shouldn’t view more demanding conditions as something to fear.
Instead, he said this part of the cycle could produce better agents.
“A market where everything sells quickly can teach you how to process transactions. A more demanding market teaches you how to be an agent,” Tom said.
“If you use this period to get better at the fundamentals, those skills don’t disappear when the market changes again.”