Luxury agents share secrets to success

Ms Tuhaka was joined on stage by Ray White Dalkieth | Claremont selling principal Vivien Yap, Ray White White Double Bay principal Elliott Placks and director Ashley Bierman, and Ray White Collective selling principal Matt Lancashire.

“On the outside, luxury real estate looks like a dream, million dollar views and luxury cars in the driveway. These agents didn't stumble into luxury, they built their way there. This is a game of trust, time, and tenacity, and it’s not for the faint hearted,” Ms Tuhaka said.

“Ray White lists 2.4x the amount of luxury property than any other brand across Australia and New Zealand.”

Ms Yap shared insights into how she provides the best luxury experience with her clients, sharing three core pillars which have transformed her business: elevate the clients experiences, collaborate with brands, and sell properties through unique experiences.

“It’s not just about selling the home, it’s about selling an emotional experience and creating a lifestyle,” she said.

“When you’re elevating client experiences, many agents send a bottle of wine at settlement, but when you work in luxury real estate, this isn't enough. I gift Hermes platters flown in from Sydney, Chanel No5 perfume or Tiffany glassware.

“I also have my own artwork which I paint for my clients. It’s not about gifting but creating emotional value and ongoing relevance.

“My goal is to make sure I am not just a transactional agent, I’m a trusted curator of lifestyle.”

Ms Yap said she makes sure she’s engrained in the luxury sector in Perth by collaborating with luxury brands.

“I do my networking in the luxury lifestyle sector,” she said.

“My husband is a lover of cars and is a brand ambassador for Rolls Royce which connects my to high net worth clients.

“We’ve hosted events at Louis Vuitton, for example Mothers’ Day, we also recently hosted a Cartier event. I also make sure I attend all of the events from those luxury brands.

“You don't need to start at Louis Vuitton, start with your local businesses in that sector, it could be a hotel or a jewellery store.”

Ms Yap said selling a home isn't just about selling a home, you’re selling a vision and a dream.

“Open homes and shiny brochures aren't enough. We recently partnered with Moet-Hennessey to hold an event at a home we were selling. We had a private chef cooking so our clients came through and saw the chef cooking and smelled the lovely food.

“We didn’t sell the home that night, but we did secure two listings. Whatever you do, just make sure it’s an experience.”

After helping to build a fashion brand in New York, Mr Bierman moved home to Australia and was offered an opportunity in real estate with Elliott Placks. Eighteen years later, Mr Bierman is one of the most successful luxury real estate agents in Sydney, alongside Mr Placks.

Mr Bierman said he liked to remain quiet and let the results speak for themselves.

“You’ve got to find a way that makes you feel comfortable. I think staying quiet gave me strength, and letting my results speak for themselves,” he said.

“Social media was growing but I chose to go a different way and built a career around that.”

He said he took providing the trust and discretion of his clients really seriously.

“I always talk about the butterfly effect. The butterfly effect is every detail, promise, obligation, everything I'm given with the task to sell a home. I take it all very seriously.

“I think that the vibration I give off is what gets me a lot of business. I'm not a great prospector, but how I put myself out there is by putting those results up that my clients and my competitors talk about.”

Mr Placks said connecting with people was something Mr Bierman did very well.

“There’s a lot of listening that goes into it and connecting with people,” Mr Bierman said.

“If there’s stakeholders in the room it's about understanding who they are and how their needs need to be met.

“It’s not about selling a home, it's about securing a future for their families. And I take all of that on and it is hard work, which is why I can only take on so many listings at a time, honestly.”