📱 A Transform winner shaking up the app scene, a son who knocked on every door, 26 agents at the Four Seasons

In this week’s edition of Movers +Shakers…

Danielle Brown wins Transform XIV with one desk to run her whole day

Queensland selling agent Danielle Brown of K&D Properties has won Transform XIV, our 30-day AI program, with One Daily Desk. It's an app she built to pull her tasks, calls, appointments and team chat into one place (she won't be renewing Slack in December). Claire Weggery of Get Smart Property in New Zealand came second, and Erin Marr of Belle Property Orange third. PropertyMe put up the A$5,000 prize pool. More here

Matthew Farrugia buys LJ Hooker Terrigal from his mentor

Matthew Farrugia rang Tim Andrews at 19 after spotting his number on a sale sign, and Tim took him on even though there was no role available. Fifteen years later, after a succession plan that took him from a 20 per cent stake to 50 per cent, the 32-year-old has bought LJ Hooker Terrigal from his mentor. New premises are due early next year, with plans to double the business in size. More here

Century 21 names new growth director for Queensland offices

Century 21 has handed its Queensland expansion to Stephen Lea, its new Queensland Franchise Growth Director. Stephen brings more than 25 years in franchise development, business growth and talent acquisition, and in his recent consulting work sold luxury apartments in the Jewel and Langham precincts and helped take Capri Residences past 50 per cent sold within three months. He'll recruit and support new franchise partners and help existing offices grow. More here

Dean Pieroz takes over Ray White Asset Management Alexandra Hills

Dean Pieroz has worked alongside his mum "since day dot", and now he's the owner. He has taken over Ray White Asset Management Alexandra Hills from Cathy Pieroz, who opened the business and is staying on the team. Dean joined her in 2012, went full-time in 2014 and listed his first property that year. Next on his list: systems, new sales talent and growing the rent roll. More here

Highland flies 26 top performers to Hong Kong

Twenty-six of Highland's highest-performing agents and senior leaders spent the group's annual conference at the Four Seasons Hong Kong. Day two took them out to the South Side islands for a luxury cruise and a private beach picnic, then dinner overlooking Hong Kong Harbour. Founder and CEO David Highland says the business's strength comes down to its people, and the trip celebrated how far it has come as it nears 20 years. More here

Kristina Mastrullo returns to Colliers as national director

Kristina Mastrullo is back at Colliers, where she spent almost three years in research leadership, including as Director of Research for the office sector. She returns from Cushman & Wakefield's office leasing team as Sydney-based National Director, Portfolio Strategy, in Occupier Services. Kristina will support portfolio strategy for Colliers' Enterprise Client accounts, lead business development and oversee the Colliers360 analytics capability and roadmap. More here

Lauren Brewer joins REIQ Board with a focus on technology and the future of real estate

Lauren Brewer wants real estate agents to get the recognition they deserve. The REMAX Australia Marketing & Innovations Manager has been elected the REIQ's Young Director, the board seat reserved for someone under 35, after a race CEO Antonia Mercorella says was hotly contested. Lauren, a 2026 REIQ LIFT Ambassador with nine years in the sector, wants technology to make businesses stronger and good people to stay in the industry. She'll serve a three-year term. More here

Peter Travlos opens McGrath's new Taylors Lakes office

Peter Travlos has opened McGrath Taylors Lakes, 20 kilometres northwest of Melbourne's CBD, with a sales team of eight, five support staff and a property management division of 11 looking after 740 properties. Peter wants a business built on lasting relationships and repeat and referral work rather than transaction volume. His patch runs from Calder Park to Derrimut, and 15 auctions are scheduled through November. More here

Harcourts Coast & Lifestyle opens fourth office in Grantville

Jason and Stephanie Dowler have taken Harcourts Coast & Lifestyle onto the Bass Coast with a new office in Grantville, their fourth alongside Frankston, Balnarring and Hastings. Jason says the region's capital growth and improving infrastructure made it an opportunity they couldn't pass up, and Stephanie says it extends their reach. Harcourts Victoria CEO Adam Fiteni calls the move a testament to the pair's vision and commitment to the brand. More here

Rowan Impey returns to Ray White after decade away

Rowan Impey is back with Ray White after a decade away, joining Ray White Sutherland Shire with his sales assistant, Georgia Land. Rowan has more than 24 years' experience across Engadine, Heathcote, Yarrawarrah and Woronora Heights, and says the chance to work alongside directors Matt Debreczeni and Gavin Ottaway is what really drew him back. They call attracting someone of his experience a significant endorsement of the business they're building. More here

Stewart Prior and the Kemp Team join Century 21 Josie Smith & Co

Josie Smith's Century 21 office in Ipswich has signed Stewart Prior, a well-known local agent who says it's “the first time in a long time I've felt truly at home in a workplace”. He isn't the only one. Jason and Kirsty Kemp, known locally as the Kemp Team, have joined too, and just over a month in, Jason says it already feels “like a second home”. Both moves grow Josie's sales team, so the office can look after more of Ipswich. More here

Brittany Cox named First National's property manager of the year

Pakenham property manager Brittany Cox of First National Neilson Partners is First National's 2026 Property Manager of the Year. Her award was a highlight of the opening day of the group's Property Management Conference at Sofitel Broadbeach, and it recognises a role that now calls for strong communication, sound judgement and the knack of balancing what rental providers and tenants need. Brittany won it at a conference where AI drew particularly strong interest. More here

Joseph Tilley wins REIV novice auctioneer title

Joseph Tilley has won Novice Auctioneer at the REIV Awards for Excellence, months after taking out Barry Plant's own novice competition. The Barry Plant Manningham agent made the final five and sealed it with a second auction. He says the difference Barry Plant's Novice Auctioneer School made was "night and day", and one of its most valuable lessons was light and shade – changing tone and pace so buyers don't switch off. More here

How a rent roll start shaped this agent's rise

Vince Licata started on reception at a real estate office at 18, then moved to boutique agency PPD as a leasing agent – the best start possible, he says. He joined Alexander Phillips' sales team at Ray White Phillips & Co in 2019, after nearly leaving for a competitor. The team recently sold an unrenovated North Bondi family home for $5.71 million after just 12 days, drawing three local buyers. More here

Beerwah agent builds own brand under Plum Partners model

Bailey Sims moved to Australia from the UK in 2017. Now 26, he runs Pine Property Partners in Beerwah, five minutes from Australia Zoo, under Daniel Lee's Plum Partners model. The agency sells semi-rural blocks, farms and acreage across the Glasshouse Country hinterland under the tagline "property done properly". Bailey says it has reached number one status in its market, and his focus has shifted to sustainable growth. More here

Ray White Cottesloe adds five property managers as rents surge

Ray White Cottesloe and Mosman Park has added five experienced property managers, taking its asset management team, led by Janelle Drew, to 14 people. They arrive as house rents in Mosman Park and Peppermint Grove have risen 16.7 per cent in a year to $1,400 a week, with vacancy at 0.39 per cent in September. Director Jody Fewster says the five bring deep local knowledge and established relationships. More here

The Agency marks 10 years with first national awards night

Zoe Laws, Steven Chen and Rash Dhanjal were among the winners as The Agency held its first national awards night at the Langham Gold Coast, marking 10 years since the brand was founded. Zoe was named Most Valuable Player – Culture and Values, Steven had the Highest GCI Metro with a team, and Rash the Highest Number of Sales Metro with a team. Co-founder Matt Lahood says some significant signings are on the way. More here

Harcourts auctions to back Orange Sky

From 25 January to 7 February 2027, Harcourts offices across Australia and New Zealand will run Your Day, a coordinated summer auction campaign. In Australia, $100 from every eligible sale goes through the Harcourts Foundation to Orange Sky, which offers free laundry and shower services to people experiencing homelessness and hardship. Meanwhile, Harcourts Property Hub's Jessica Melling turned her Mudgeeraba Halloween display into $1,150 for Make-A-Wish. More here

Allhomes raises $74,000 for Canberra domestic violence housing

Canberrans who bought $20 bags of Floriade bulbs have helped Allhomes raise $74,000 for YWCA Canberra through this year's Great Big Bulb Dig, with a Bunnings sausage sizzle adding $1,848 to the total. Every dollar goes to YHomes, safe, purpose-built housing for women and families affected by domestic and family violence. General Manager Francesca Gasteen says passing $160,000 for YHomes over two years is something Allhomes is immensely proud of. More here

And finally…