New research shows an interesting, but not completely unexpected divide in the Australian property market: buyers are holding out for better value, while sellers remain reluctant to reduce their expectations. (source: domain.com.au)
Sound familiar?
For real estate agents, this is where the job gets harder — but it’s also where good agents can really stand out.
Having spent more than 20 years in real estate, I learned that challenging markets require something that costs absolutely nothing:
Communication. And lots of it.
When a property isn’t selling as quickly as expected, silence is one of the worst things an agent can offer a seller.
This is the time to communicate more, not less.
During a campaign, I believe sellers should be kept informed almost daily. Not just about how many people came through the open home, but about the whole picture:
- What are buyers saying?
- What objections are you hearing?
- What competing properties have come onto the market?
- What has sold nearby — and for how much?
- Has buyer sentiment changed?
- What is happening with enquiry and activity?
- And importantly, what should we do next?
One of the lessons I talk about in Confessions of a Woman in Real Estate – And How to Do It Your Way is the importance of building relationships and treating people as people — not transactions.
Your seller has trusted you with what may be their largest financial asset. When the market becomes difficult, they need to know that you are still there, still working and still thinking strategically about their property.
And buyers need communication too.
A buyer who says, “It’s too expensive” isn’t necessarily a lost buyer.
Stay in touch. Ask questions. Understand what value looks like to them. Keep them informed if circumstances change.
Because markets move. Sellers reconsider. Buyers reconsider. Life circumstances change.
The agent who keeps communicating is often the agent who is there when the opportunity finally appears.
My tip this month
If you have a listing that feels stuck, don’t simply increase the advertising and hope something changes.
Increase the conversation.
Talk to your seller. Talk to your buyers. Review the competing properties. Look at the feedback honestly. Discuss price and positioning when necessary.
And above all, persevere.
A challenging market doesn’t necessarily require you to work twice as hard.
Sometimes it requires you to communicate twice as well.
Clarity. Communication. Consistency.
That’s what builds trust — and trust is what keeps sellers and buyers working with you when the market gets tough.
Join me for my FREE online workshop
STAY IN THE GAME!
Communicate. Adapt. Persevere.
How to keep buyers and sellers moving when the market isn’t!
📅 Wednesday, 21 October 2026
⏰ 8.00am NSW | 7.00am QLD
💻 Online & FREE
Join me for a practical 60-minute session where I’ll share some simple strategies, including NLP techniques, to help you communicate, adapt and stay focused when buyers and sellers aren’t quite meeting in the middle.
I’d love to see you there!
👉 JOIN HERE – Eventbrite Link
