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The period between Christmas and New Year has always existed outside the normal operating rhythm of the real estate industry.

The final days of the year are often framed around what comes next. New goals. New plans. New momentum. What is discussed far less is what gets left behind.

As the year comes to a close, I wanted to step out from behind the publication for a moment and speak directly.

In the lead up to Christmas, many agencies begin to wind down marketing and outreach, assuming attention has largely shifted away from property.

What if I told you that some of the most successful decisions I've made as CEO came not from spreadsheets or market analyses, but from that peculiar feeling in my stomach that whispered, "This is right"?

Have you ever lost a listing you were sure you had in the bag? I certainly have. The initial sting is sharp, isn't it? It’s tempting to spiral into what I call ‘Why Mode’ – a rabbit hole of questions like, “Why did the vendor choose another agent?”, “Why didn’t my presentation land?”, or even, “Why does this always happen to me?”

There is a shift underway inside Australian real estate that is not being spoken about openly. It is not showing up in clearance rates or headline sales figures just yet.

The last few weeks have been some of the hardest I’ve had since becoming a working mum.

There has been significant discussion across the Victorian real estate sector this week following news of proposed changes to auction laws, including a suggestion that agents and vendors may be required to publish the reserve price one week before auction.

For thirty years I have watched this industry become more complicated, more regulated, more competitive and, sadly, more commoditised when it comes to our people. And the result has been devastating. Good people are leaving the industry. Strong performers are leaving businesses. Not because they lack talent, but because they were set up to fail rather than to succeed.

It’s been years since I first read Brené Brown’s Dare to Lead, yet one line continues to echo in my mind long after finishing it: “To be clear is to be kind. To be unclear is to be unkind.”

The RET Trailblazer Awards celebrate the individuals and organisations shaping the future of Australian real estate. Across sales, leadership, marketing, property management, and innovation — these awards recognise those who have demonstrated exceptional creativity, courage, and commitment to progress in an ever-evolving industry.