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​This episode we welcome Clare Nation, Director of Haiven Property Central, for a chat that's been on the cards for a long time. Clare takes us through 31 years in the industry, starting on reception at 17 and working her way through property management, sales and business ownership before landing at Haiven. We talk​e​d about what it takes to build a long career in real estate​ and what a difference it makes moving into sales when you're ready for it versus when you're not. We discuss her move from running The Property Exchange to joining forces with Shane and Sean at Ha​iven, and how she navigated becoming the sole income provider for her family.  We also get her read on the Subiaco market right now, including a surprising trend in the apartment sector​ (note from Jess - we recorded this one a few weeks back now so keep that in mind when listening to Clare's market comments - we know the market is changing quickly!)

​Ben Hatch, Director at Harcourts Mandurah, joins Jess and Shane for a career-spanning chat that starts in car yards and ends up running one of WA's most consistently successful offices. Ben walks through Mandurah's wild ride, from the mid-2000s holiday home boom driven by overseas investors to the brutal GFC crash that saw prices more than halve and buyer enquiry dry up almost overnight.  He breaks down the data-driven systems behind his office's success (right down to tracking database conversion rate by the percentage), his hard line on recruiting and rehiring, and why customer service, not ego, is what actually builds a career that lasts. Plus his take on where the Mandurah market sits right now.

Long overdue, this ep we're talking to someone from Perth's northern corridor! James Bosdet from Professionals Northern Coast Real Estate works Jindalee, Alkimos, Eglinton, Butler and Yanchep and he got there the long way: three-time BDM of the year before switching to sales full-time just two years ago. What you'll take away: Negativity vs reality: Days on market went from 9 to 21 and listings roughly tripled, which sounds like a crash but is really just the market catching its breath. James reckons the only people getting caught out are the agents who overpriced. The stock is still moving and people still need places to live. Infrastructure doesn't ring a bell: New train stations, a Costco, the freeway extension. All good for the area, but the growth happens in the anticipation, not the day someone cuts the ribbon. A few other things he flagged from Jindalee, Alkimos and Eglinton: The market isn't crashing, it's normalising. Days on market moved from 9 to 21 and listings roughly tripled. In most markets, tripling the stock would be a collapse. Up here it's still under supply. The agents getting caught out are the ones who overpriced to win the listing. Investor heat has cooled. Inquiry that ran close to 50% investors at the peak is back around 20 to 25%, with owner-occupiers, downsizers and first-home buyers filling the gap. Have a listen, then send it to anyone still reading the headlines.

It's a new financial year so we pulled Shane in for his read on where the Perth market is sitting. His take? The market hasn't crashed, it's corrected, and that's a healthier place to be. What you'll take away: "Less panic, more logic." Owners stuck on the peak they think they missed are ignoring the years of growth behind them. Buy at $420, watch it hit $920, sell at $850 and calling that a $70k loss is a trick your brain plays. You never had the $920. The lag in data is the real trap. Sales from the hot Jan and Feb run in low-volume suburbs like Wembley are only settling now, and fresh sales stay off the public record for another 12 to 16 weeks. Today's real prices are softer than what's showing online, so honest, live conversations matter more than ever. Mind the 5% deposit scheme ceiling. With the median house price now over $1M and the scheme cap sitting at $850, buyers get squeezed right above that line. A buyer using the scheme can finance at $849 but not $855, which quietly caps growth just under the cap. Predictions to bring back in December: listings pushing toward 6,500 by the end of August and 8,000- 9,000 by year end as investors sell into the new financial year, plus a tightening rental market. With immigration steady and investors chasing every dollar of rent, Shane reckons rents and prices both climb.

The final stop on our regional tour, recorded live at REIWA CONNECT. Jess and Shane sit down with Elliot Briers, Sales Manager at Kalgoorlie Metro Property Group, and he showed us exactly why he's one of WA's top agents. In this ep:  Growing up with a builder dad and Kal's #1 agent for a mumWhy he sells cashflow, not capital-growth dreamsThe Eastern States investors who started the fire while locals watched onTrades shortages when the mines pay $40/hr moreThe locals who can't afford to leave town, even after doubling their moneyPlus the best steak in Kal and the tour everyone queues for (it's not the Super Pit).Enjoying The Crunch? Follow the show on Spotify so you never miss an episode, and if this chat gave you something, leave us a rating and review. It's the best way to help us reach more people in WA real estate. 🎧

​Recorded live at REIWA Connect, we sat down with Lara Sadowski and Warwick Neville from Geraldton Property Team for a snapshot of one of regional WA's most talked-about markets. Geraldton's median house price has jumped from $350K pre-COVID to around $650K, and Lara and Warwick unpack exactly how it happened. From east coast investors buying sight unseen during lockdown to buyer's agent calls going from almost none to 60 a week​ to where we sit now. In this episode: The 0.2% vacancy rate and what it means for renters and investorsFirst home buyer reality: what $650K gets you and why bank of mum and dad is doing heavy liftingBuild costs jumping from $1,200 to $3,000 per square metreThe two-geared market: why $750K-$850K is the sweet spot while million-plus listings stall​Why Warwick says the market is at 11:59 on the property clock ​and their best advice for buyers and sellers over the next 12 monthsPlus the all-important verdicts on Geraldton's best coffee, pub meal and the mystery roadhouse pie.

​Jordan James is the director of Realmark Karratha and one of Australia's only FIFO real estate agents. With two offices 1,200km apart and 8 years in the Karratha market, Jordan gives us some insight at what it takes to operate in the Pilbara. We discuss boom-bust cycles, the "Pilbara tax," why 95% of his rent roll is leased to mining companies, how COVID changed his entire staffing model, and what investors need to know before chasing an 11% yield in the Pilbara.  Recorded live at REWA's CONNECT event.

We're kicking off a special short series recorded live at REIWA's CONNECT Conference, where we took the opportunity to sit down with some of the speakers and attendees we wouldn't normally get access to. First up: Mat Steinwede. If you were at CONNECT, you saw the reaction he got - and the reason why was clear within the first five minutes of his keynote. Vulnerable, honest, and genuinely generous with his experience. In this episode we cover: How his "why" has shifted across 25+ years in the industryWhy he believes prospecting is still the non-negotiable foundation of any real estate careerWhat burnout at the peak of his career looked like, and the habits that turned things aroundHow he thinks about building a team, giving people runway, and letting go of the ego that can hold that backA John McGrath quote that reframed how he sees success entirely

​Ellie Hill from Centurion Real Estate joins Jess and Shane to talk about why she focused on building her personal brand before she had built her business. From running a dress hire company to cracking real estate in her first couple of years, Ellie's approach has been anything but traditional. She's made serious noise on social media and in this episode she's open about why it works, what it doesn't do for you, and why followers and traction are two very different things. Shane puts his coaching hat on as they dig into the realities of growing a business, knowing when it's time to bring on a team member, and why "I don't know" might be the most underrated phrase in real estate. A good one for new agents finding their feet, and a solid reminder for the experienced ones too.

This week Jess and Shane sit down with Nicola Fleet from Mint Real Estate — the number one agent in Bicton and Attadale, and someone who's been quietly building one of the most service-focused businesses in Perth for over a decade. Nicola shares how she fell into real estate (spoiler: it wasn't the plan), why she's always capped herself at four or five listings at a time, and what that kind of intentional restraint actually looks like when you're the top agent in your area. The conversation gets into the shift in buyer behaviour post-COVID - less communication, more DocuSign, and what that means for agents who built their business on relationships. They also dig into community give back, with Nicola having donated close to $80,000 in commission to her sellers' chosen charities since 2019. And with the WA market showing signs of change, Shane and Nicola weigh in on what's coming - longer days on market, more realistic sellers, and why the agents who coasted through the boom might be in for a rude awakening.

On this episode we're joined by two of Perth's most experienced operators. Theo Kouroulis spent 25+ years building Paragon Property alongside Nick Zounis before merging with Edison. Pasquale Cianfagna was on the other side of that deal as Edison's director. Together they cover what alignment in a partnership really means, why ego quietly kills businesses and why doing what you said you'd do is still the most underrated business strategy around. If you're thinking about going out on your own, looking for a business partner, or trying to build something worth keeping — this one's for you.

Kareena Ballard needs very little introduction in WA real estate. From starting her career in nursing to building Jones Ballard alongside her son Adrian, Kareena has shaped the industry at both a business and leadership level. She’s the first female President of REIWA and the Real Estate Institute of Australia, and recently had the Kareena Ballard Achievement Award announced in her honour. In this episode we discuss career pivots, leadership and what really matters whether you’re just starting out or well into your career and wondering what’s next. If you’re in real estate for the long haul, this one’s worth a listen.

We hit episode 100 and brought back a familiar voice to mark the milestone. Mark Grogan from O’Neil Real Estate joins Jess and Shane for his third appearance on The Crunch to talk all things Perth property as we head into 2026. We cover:• Why 2026 already feels like “the 13th month of 2025”• Buyer behaviour in a low stock, high-pressure market• The reality of subject to sale offers and why they’re no longer the ugly cousin• How stock shortages are changing the way people buy and sell• What’s really going on with agents in a market where listings are scarce but competition is brutal• Why some sellers might be leaving money on the table by selling too fast• The impact of investor activity, interstate buyers and shifting suburb perceptions This is an episode worth tuning into/.

In this episode of The Crunch, we’re joined again by REIWA President Suzanne Brown to unpack what actually played out across WA real estate in 2025 and what agents and property managers should be watching as we head into 2026. Suzanne breaks down the real market drivers behind the headlines, where the pressure points showed up for sales and property management, and what surprised even those closest to the industry. We also look ahead to 2026, covering expectations around supply, demand, regulation, and where agents should be focusing their energy as conditions continue to shift.

Former pro athlete turned Perth real estate agent, Corey Adamson joins The Crunch. Corey’s path to property is anything but standard. From US professional baseball to elite WA footy then back home into real estate, his career has been built on discipline, pressure and performance. In this episode we unpack:• How his sports background shaped his mindset in business• The transition from professional sport to selling property• Working alongside Paul Tonich and what that partnership has taught him• Using social media as a serious business tool, not just content for content’s sake• Standing out in a crowded Perth market without losing authenticity Plenty of practical takeaways for agents, plus a few good stories along the way.