Ray White elites lead the way

For the first time in two years, Ray White’s elite level performers gathered together in Sydney at an exclusive conference designed to recognise and inspire the best of the best in the real estate industry.

The leading group remains proudly family-owned and led in its 120th year. The group broke all the record books in the last fiscal year and helped more than 230,000 buyers and sellers realise their property ambitions across Australasia, worth $85 billion in total sales value.

Ray White Group Managing Director Dan White said the collective impact and success of the elites helped propel the group to record levels of market share too.

“Our market share has never been higher. We continue to rethink what we are doing, invest in people, invest in technology to respond to these industry forces and keep improving ourselves,” Mr White said.

“We believe our best days are still well ahead of us. There is no finish line for us. We’re so proud of where we are. Our commitment to our elites is that we'll deliver the same energy you have brought us for so many years to make sure we’re still moving forward.”

The head of the family, Ray White Group Chairman Brian White addressed the 150 elites at the conference and said he felt very proud that the fourth generation family business was only getting stronger.

“We are the competition creators. Nothing puts a positive push on a property more than having competition and multiple buyers.”

Keynote speaker Rachael Robertson, who famously led a year-long expedition in Antarctica, reminded the elites to always look for the personal attributes of empathy, nurturing, and resilience when recruiting.

“You can teach skills but in our team, the mantra was ‘respect trumps harmony, every time’.”

A highlight of the conference was when Ray White Group Head of Performance Tim Snell interviewed top performer Josh Tesolin of Ray White Quakers Hill about his hyper business growth.

The 26-year-old Mr Tesolin opened his own Ray White business last year with zero market share and it was now 56 per cent.

“I started with Ray White with no listings, a new phone number, no contacts and last year I sold 350 properties. My role is very face to face, in fact I still write all of the advertising copy for my properties and I’m doing more hours now than I ever have in my career.

“We always celebrate the wins in my team and every month we go out, invite partners and celebrate. Culture is everything. Show that you appreciate your team. The smallest things can go so far and mean so much. Frequency builds trust is my mantra in life.”

And what does Josh do for fun?

“I love listing and selling. My life is work. Real estate is a lifestyle. If you want to do big numbers, the awards - it comes with obsessing yourself with real estate,” he said.

Elsewhere, big hitters Tom Lyne of Ray White New Farm in Brisbane, Vivien Yap of Ray White Dalkeith | Claremont in Perth’s western suburbs and David Walker of Ray White Upper North Shore in Sydney all spoke with Mark McLeod, the Ray White group head of strategy (real estate).

Ms Yap, the highest performing agent internationally, said her greatest skill was her ambition. “I’m not trying to be the best in everything. I’m providing for my family as well as spending time with them. I’m putting more time for myself,” she said.

“I’m good at building relationships very quickly. I ask a lot of questions as well and take the time to get to know people. I don’t want to rush the process.”

Mr Walker admits to being able to talk under water.

“I ask a lot of questions in the listing presentation. I try to get more information and make an assessment of who they are and what’s important to them and think it back to what I’m saying. It all links back to how I’m going to get them the best price. “

Later Ray White Commercial Head of Agency Andrew Freeman interviewed commercial specialists Scott Stephens of Ray White Lower North Shore and Tom Barr of Ray White Commercial QLD.

Mr Barr specialises in the $10m-$50m bracket with institutional and private clients in Brisbane, while Mr Stephens was a retail focused leasing professional.

“I know how to add value. I started off thinking if I could manage 50 properties in my area I’d be doing well and we now manage 400,” Mr Stephens said.

The conference continues in Sydney today.