As Mother’s Day approaches this Sunday, 10 May, One Agency is celebrating the mothers across its network who are not only raising families, but helping lead, grow and shape successful family-run real estate businesses.

Across Australia, a large sum of real estate agencies are operated by mothers working alongside their sons and daughters. For many, the decision to work together in real estate has evolved naturally. Real estate is, at its heart, a relationship-based profession, and family-run businesses often bring a deeply personal understanding of trust, service and community.

At One Agency Coffs Harbour, Principal Joanne Vines works alongside her son Zak, who joined the business and now serves as Operations Manager. While Joanne leads the business, Zak manages day-to-day operations and provides sales support, creating a working relationship built on trust, respect and adaptability.

For Joanne, one of the greatest strengths of working with family is the ability to understand the demands of both business and home life.

“Zak was single when he started in the business. Now he has four beautiful children, so we need to be flexible and adaptable with sickness, school holidays, school activities, drop offs, pick-ups and after school commitments,” said Joanne.

That flexibility is a recurring theme across the One Agency network, particularly for family businesses navigating the demands of a fast-paced real estate environment. For Joanne, maintaining a close family connection outside of work is just as important as the work itself.

“We are a very close family and leave work at work most of the time. Family comes first, and therefore we do not allow work grievances to get in the way of our close family connection,” she said.

Her advice to other mothers considering working with their children in real estate is simple: “Educate, train, but give them space to be themselves. Enjoy them and allow them to flourish and become their own person within the business.”

At One Agency Hazlett & Poole, Robyn Poole said working with her son Guy has been one of the most rewarding aspects of her real estate career.

“Guy has always had a strong work ethic and a genuine care for people, so seeing him build a career in real estate and now working alongside him has been incredibly rewarding,” says Robyn.

For Robyn, working together has strengthened their relationship by allowing her to see Guy not only as her son, but as a professional, business owner and father.

“I have so much pride in the way he conducts himself, particularly his honesty, patience and care for people,” she said.

“It has strengthened our relationship because we understand each other on another level and have shared goals we are working towards together.”

Her advice to others is to respect each other’s roles, communicate openly and always remember that family relationships are more important than any single deal or difficult day.

For Ellen Kerr of One Agency Team Kerr, working with her daughter Bek has created a partnership that blends family, friendship and business. Ellen began her real estate career in 2003, with Bek joining her a few years later after working in retail and developing a passion for helping people. Since then, the pair have become known as the mother-daughter team behind Team Kerr.

Although they now live in different states, with Bek based on a farm in New South Wales and Ellen in Airlie Beach, the pair have built systems that allow them to remain closely connected both personally and professionally.

“As Bek works remotely, we have two Messenger chats — one for us and one for Team Kerr,” said Ellen.

“We start the day with a mother-daughter chat before moving over to the Team Kerr chat, which is all about business.”

Ellen works as the agent on the ground, while Bek manages marketing and back-of-house operations, ensuring the business continues to run smoothly. For Ellen, the relationship is more than just professional.

“Bek and I have always been very close. We are mother and daughter, best friends and business partners all rolled into one,” she said.

One Agency Founder and CEO Paul Davies said Mother’s Day is a fitting time to recognise the contribution mothers make not only to their families, but to the strength and longevity of local real estate businesses.

“Across the One Agency network, we are fortunate to have many exceptional women who are building businesses with their children and creating something that is both commercially strong and personally meaningful,” said Mr Davies.

“Family-run agencies play an important role in Australian real estate. They are often deeply connected to their communities, built on trust and driven by a long-term commitment to reputation and service.”

According to Mr Davies, One Agency’s model is particularly well suited to family-run businesses because it gives principals the freedom to operate independently while still benefiting from the support, systems and strength of a broader international network.

“Our model is designed to give business owners more flexibility, more autonomy and more control over the way they grow,” he said.

“For family businesses, that can be incredibly valuable. It allows them to preserve what makes their business personal and local, while also giving them the tools and support to remain competitive in a changing market.”

As One Agency continues to grow across Australia and internationally, its network of family-run businesses remains an important part of its identity.

This Mother’s Day, One Agency proudly acknowledges the mothers who are helping lead those businesses, support the next generation and demonstrate that in real estate, success is often built on the same foundations as family: trust, resilience, care and shared purpose.

It’s more important than ever for real estate agents to understand where people are paying attention. These days, buyers aren’t always spending hours searching on major portals for their next property, instead they’re scrolling through social media at various periods throughout their day. If you want to reach these buyers, you need to be visible where they already are. Using social media isn’t just a nice extra anymore, it has become a key part of successful property marketing strategy.

Mac Dawson of One Agency Scone recently demonstrated how well a social media strategy can work. When he listed a solid, low-maintenance home at 31 Satur Road, Scone, he thought about the type of potential purchaser who might buy it, from locals working in mining and farming, to community members in healthcare and trades.

The challenge was that these buyers aren’t typically spending much time searching the property portals. Instead, they are scrolling through social media during short breaks. Understanding this, Mac decided to promote his new listing on TikTok, one of the world’s most popular social media platforms that uses recommendation algorithms to connect content creators with new audiences.

“Our buyer pool up here isn’t just one industry. We’ve got mining, agriculture, healthcare, trades, all kinds of people looking to buy. And most of them aren’t sitting on REA for an hour. They’re on TikTok and social media for five minutes on a break. That’s where I needed to be,” said Mac.

Mac filmed a simple video tour with a caption that focused on the property’s solar panels and battery system. With power prices and costs of living going up, he knew this would matter to buyers and would grab their attention right away. The result was quick and impressive with the video achieving over 6,000 views in only a short period of time. That’s a huge reach for a regional area like Scone and shows that if your content is clear and helpful, it will find the right people fast.

According to Mac, “One bloke was on a break at the mines when his mate sent him my video. That bloke called me, asked for some photos, booked a viewing the same day, and put in an offer at the asking price before he’d even seen the place.”

This result shows why using social media platforms like TikTok can be so important for selling property today. While the major real estate portals are great for reaching people who are already looking to buy, social media lets you connect with a much wider audience of passive buyers. Connecting with locals through social media is a powerful way to build trust and boost sales, as Mac puts it, “Social media isn’t just an extra, it’s how we do business now.”

“REA and Domain are great but you’re only finding people already in search mode. TikTok and social media put this property in front of someone on a smoko break at a mine site. You just can’t get that kind of reach through the usual sites,” says Mac.

If you’re new to TikTok or making videos for social media, it can feel a bit daunting at first. Mac’s advice is don’t wait until everything is perfect and don’t worry about having fancy gear, just get your phone out, talk about what makes the property special, and keep it simple, like you’re chatting with a friend. Having expert help makes it even easier, and Mac credits Immy Callister at The Media Coach for providing the support and tips needed to get great results.

In today’s marketplace the speed of response can often determine success. In real estate this rings particularly true, which can be both a challenge and an opportunity for real estate professionals.

Mark Thornton of One Agency Mildura has seized this opportunity, engineering a sophisticated, three-pronged lead generation strategy that not only meets consumer expectations but systematically fuels his agency’s growth. By leveraging the One Agency x Cotality (CoreLogic) instant Digital Property Report tool, he has created a powerful ecosystem that is delivering an average of 20 high-quality leads per week.

Recognising that potential vendors want instant gratification in exchange for their data, Mark partnered with a local digital marketing agency to build a process that delivers. This collaboration has transformed a simple advertising strategy into a dynamic lead generation machine.

The strategy combines video content, paid social media advertising, and strategic retargeting ads. This approach ensures that One Agency Mildura remains top-of-mind for potential clients at various stages of their decision-making process. The initial hook is often a targeted video on social media which drives traffic to a dedicated webpage offering an instant property appraisal.

“We identified that the moment a homeowner considers selling, they want information immediately. Waiting for an agent to call back the next day is no longer acceptable,” Mark explains.

“Our system closes that gap. The Digital Property Report tool allows us to provide instant, tangible value, which is the crucial first step in building trust.”

Once a homeowner submits their details, the automated workflow begins. The system instantly generates and sends the comprehensive Cotality (CoreLogic) property report. An automated SMS is then simultaneously sent, thanking the individual for their enquiry and confirming the report is on its way.

This immediate, multi-channel acknowledgement provides the instant gratification consumers expect, and positions One Agency Mildura as a highly responsive and technologically advanced agency.

The process doesn’t end there. In the following hours, a member of the team places a personal call to the lead. This is not a cold call; it’s a warm introduction to an individual who has already engaged with the brand and received value.

“This structured follow-up is where we convert interest into opportunity,” says Mark. “By the time we speak with them, they already know who we are. The conversation is about their situation, their needs, and how we can assist further. It’s a service-oriented dialogue, not a hard sell.”

This entire ecosystem is managed with remarkable precision. With the help of a lead tracking service, Mark maintains complete oversight of every interaction. All leads sync seamlessly into the office CRM, providing clarity across the team. Every touchpoint is tracked, and calls are transcribed and uploaded to the contact’s file, giving agents a complete history of engagement before they even pick up the phone.

The results extend beyond just sales and property management growth. The steady, predictable flow of leads has become a powerful recruitment tool for One Agency Mildura with top agents in the area taking notice of the sustainable business model Mark has built.

“Attracting leading talent is always a challenge, but when you can demonstrate a consistent stream of weekly leads, the conversation changes,” Mark notes. “I’m speaking with a high-performing agent right now, and our ability to provide opportunities from day one is a significant drawcard. It proves we have the systems in place to support their success.”

Mark Thornton’s approach in Mildura demonstrates that by combining the right technology with a meticulously executed marketing strategy, it is possible to build a predictable, scalable pipeline that drives success across all facets of the business. It is a clear example of how to transform a simple tool into a comprehensive engine for growth.