The Method Myth: Why Great Agents Don't Play Favourites

·       Adam Fiteni, CEO Harcourts Victoria, on Auctions vs Private Treaty 

I’ll start with this — I’m an auction guy, through and through.

It is where I built my career, and honestly, it is where I still feel most at home. Even now, as CEO of Harcourts Victoria, I deliberately spend my Saturdays out in the field calling auctions. It keeps me grounded in the reality of what our agents face every week, rather than just theorising from behind a desk.

I believe in the theatre and transparency of the auction process. I have seen the magic it creates: the palpable energy, the fierce competition, and the premium outcomes when the market speaks in real time.

But here is a hard truth I have had to swallow over the years: in this industry, being a one-trick pony is a dangerous game.

The moment we become romantically attached to a single method of sale, we stop truly serving our clients. Our job is not to dictate the process based on what makes us look good or feel comfortable. Our job is to align with the strategy that delivers the absolute best result for the person handing us the keys.

Auctions are a phenomenally powerful tool. They forge urgency and strip away price ceilings. For a highly sought-after property in a strong market, a well-executed auction campaign is a masterclass in emotional engagement. But they are not foolproof.

They demand deep buyer pools, unwavering market confidence, and an agent whose communication skills simply cannot be faked. If those ingredients are missing, the process can quickly fall flat.

Private treaty, conversely, offers a different flavour of control. It is the quiet achiever. It provides the flexibility required for delicate negotiations and welcomes cautious or conditional buyers who might sprint in the opposite direction at the sight of a gavel. In softer markets or with niche properties, a private treaty can offer a highly strategic, measured path to success.

Yet, without the built-in urgency of a ticking clock, properties can stagnate, and buyers will inevitably test the waters with underwhelming offers.

This is precisely where exceptional agents separate themselves from the pack.

It is incredibly easy to default to what we know. If you are a charismatic auctioneer, you will naturally want to draw a crowd. If you are a meticulous negotiator, you will prefer the safety of a private treaty. But the best agents do not operate from a place of comfort; they operate from a place of acute clarity.

They assess the property. They read the market. They understand the seller’s unique definition of success, and they meticulously map the buyer landscape. Only then do they recommend a path forward.

At the end of the day, both auctions and private treaties are simply tools in a toolbox. Like any tool, their value lies entirely in the hands and judgement of the person wielding them.

I will always have a soft spot for the electric energy of an auction—that will never change. But my perspective has evolved.

True success does not come from forcing a familiar process; it comes from having the maturity to select the right one. When you strip away your ego, remove your bias, and focus purely on the client, you stop being just another salesperson. You become a trusted advisor.