3. Media and Marketing
First National stays in the headlines
👓 1 minute read
It has been another busy three weeks for First National in the media, generating an estimated $26,800 in advertising value equivalency. Coverage has highlighted the experience of our members, the leadership within our network, and our contribution to important industry conversations, helping build visibility as interest in our new brand continues to grow.
AU: Leadership that gives our brand substance
👓 2 minute read
At a time when First National’s new brand is attracting growing attention, an extensive Elite Agent editorial has placed one of our own leaders firmly in the industry spotlight.
‘The wisdom of Chris Hanley – 30 lessons from a man who’s never had a bad year in real estate’ draws on almost a decade of conversations between Elite Agent Managing Editor Samantha McLean and Chris Hanley OAM, Director and CEO of FN Byron Bay.
The article explores more than 40 years of experience and the thinking behind a business that has maintained approximately 30 to 40 per cent market share in the Byron Bay postcode for more than two decades. Importantly, Chris’s lessons are not based on one favourable market cycle. They cover leadership through the global financial crisis, changing market conditions and the daily work of building trust with clients, teams and communities.
His views are direct and practical. Leaders must remain calm when others are uncertain. Sellers deserve the truth early. Consistency matters more than occasional brilliance. Good people can be taught skills, but character cannot be manufactured. Above all, real estate remains a trust business.
This recognition matters for First National.
A new visual identity can attract attention, but the people within a network determine what the brand stands for. Chris’s contribution shows the depth of leadership, experience and independent thinking that sits behind the First National name. Thank you, Chris, on behalf of your colleagues.
As our rebrand becomes more visible, stories like this help position First National through evidence rather than claims. They show the industry that our network includes people who have built enduring businesses, contributed generously to the profession, and continued learning through every market cycle.
Chris will also join Samantha for a new podcast series exploring leadership with respected figures from across the industry.
Read ‘The wisdom of Chris Hanley – 30 lessons from a man who’s never had a bad year in real estate’.
AU: The reality of property flipping in a changing market
🎧 10 minute listen
With The Blockreturning to national TV, FN Druitt Saunders (Doubleview, WA) Principal Rob Druitt talked to Perth Radio 6PR about the realities of property flipping, versus how it is portrayed on The Block. Click the image to listen.
AU: Industry’s biggest players connect on the border
👓 2 minute watch
Both 7 Newsand Nine News covered news of First National’s Rural & Regional Musterin the primetime 6 o’clock news timeslot, plus later in the evening, describing the event as ‘bringing together some of the industry’s biggest players.’
AU: Real estate CEO’s reveal their challenges, opportunities and decisions
👓 1 minute read
Elite Agent profiled leading Australian real estate executives, including First National CEO David Edwards, as the sector responds to tighter regulation, economic uncertainty and practical AI adoption. The common view is that future success will depend on strong leadership, efficient systems and technology that supports – rather than replaces – trusted human advice. Read the article…
AU: Bec Turner joins First National Cleveland as BDM specialist
👓 1 minute read
Bec Turner has joined FN Cleveland (QLD) as a Business Development Manager specialist, bringing 23 years of property management experience and a track record of having secured more than 2,000 managements. Her appointment supports the agency’s growth strategy while adding proven mentoring capability and a relationship-led approach aligned with its culture. Welcome to First National, Bec. Read the article…
AU: Experts reveal biggest mistakes in unsettled property market
👓 1 minute read
A FN Daystar (Revesby, NSW) property forum led by Michael Sleiman has exposed widespread confusion among buyers, investors and homeowners about taxation changes and unsettled market conditions.
The central message was that agents should understand the limits of their expertise and connect clients with trusted finance, tax, legal and construction specialists, helping them make informed decisions rather than acting on fear or general advice. Read the article…
AU: Virender Kaindal launches First National Empire in St Albans
👓 1 minute read
Virender Kaindal has launched First National Empire in St Albans, extending the network’s presence across Melbourne’s growing western suburbs.
After entering real estate in 2019, Virender chose First National for its cooperative structure, which allows him to retain his independence while drawing on the experience and support of fellow business owners.
The agency will offer residential sales, property management, commercial, rural and lifestyle services, auctions and clearing sales. Read the Elite Agent article
AU: New brand hits the road
👓 1 minute read
FN Murray Bridge (SA) is taking the new brand well beyond office frontage, with three local buses now carrying the agency’s rebranded advertising.
The buses travel throughout Murray Bridge and along the South Eastern Freeway into Adelaide, 75 kilometres away. This gives Principal Sylvia Presepio and her team strong exposure across their local market while also introducing the First National brand to commuters and communities along one of South Australia’s major transport routes.
The campaign represents a substantial investment by Sylvia, ahead of her office rebrand, and provides another visible sign of the momentum building across the network.
Thank you to Sylvia for backing the new brand so confidently, and to the Marketing Team for completing the campaign ahead of the office transition. We look forward to seeing more rebranded signage appearing across metropolitan and regional Australia.
Meanwhile, down in Werribee, FN Westwood (VIC) has rebranded its office cars and a golf cart at Rob Westwood’s local golf course.
AU: Meanwhile, FN Cleveland stops traffic
👓 1 minute read
Just as FN Murray Bridge’s new buses began taking the brand along the South Eastern Freeway, Ryan McCann’s mobile billboard at First National Cleveland was attracting attention for a rather different reason.
The bus carrying Ryan’s advertising was involved in a collision with another bus at Victoria Point, closing both lanes of traffic. Ryan was quick to assure delayed commuters that he was not driving either vehicle, although he conceded that his advertisement may have been a little distracting.
Fortunately, the bus appeared to come off second best only in the transport sense – it was soon photographed riding away on the back of a truck, with Ryan’s advertisement still clearly visible.
Ryan then challenged Tamara Hall’s well-known pink bus to match that effort. Her response is pending.
Between Murray Bridge travelling to Adelaide and Cleveland bringing traffic to a halt, the First National brand is certainly getting around.
AU: William Bonnici rides again in Shitbox Rally
👓 2 minute watch
This year, FN Bonnici & Associates Principal William Bonnici takes to the dusty tracks of Central Australia once again to raise money for cancer research. 7 News shared his story...
AU/NZ: Google moves into property search
👓 1 minute read
Google has expanded Home Listing ads across all 50 US states, placing property details, images, prices and agent contacts directly within mobile search results. Estate agents pay Google for the direct consumer leads via local services ads, positioning Google earlier in the home-buying discovery funnel and challenging major portals – REA and Domain, are you listening?
The development challenges the assumption that buyers will always begin their search on a major property portal and signals a broader shift towards more fragmented property discovery.
There is no confirmed Australian rollout. However, the direction is important: agencies need accurate, well-structured listing data, strong websites and effective pre-market strategies so their properties can be discovered wherever buyers choose to search.
AU: August Cotality updates now available
👓 1 minute read
The First National-sponsored Cotality market updates for August are now on FN Central.
Members can use the latest reports to support conversations with sellers, buyers, investors, and landlords, with current data and commentary on property market conditions across Australia.
Download the August updates by clicking the image above.