We Are Selling with Lee Woodward
We Are Selling is a weekly podcast about real estate, business and tackling life's challenges. Hosted by renowned real estate industry coach, Lee Woodward, learn from experts in their field and maximise your life.
We Are Selling with Lee Woodward
The Power of a Leverage Agent with Maddison Woodward
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We break down the leverage agent model, showing how teams outperform solo agents through structure, systems, and shared success.
• operating within an EBU (Elite Business Unit) with listing agents, buyer agents, and admin support
• positioning leverage agents as extensions of the lead agent’s brand, not assistants
• presenting together from the first appointment to build trust and seamless client experience
• using structured training, exposure, and “sink or swim” moments to accelerate growth
• removing admin, campaign management, and project work from the lead agent so they focus purely on listings
• adding value through property presentation, styling, renovations, and sales-funded upgrades
• creating income security and scalability through pooled commissions and percentage-based splits
• enabling flexibility, maternity leave, and continuity of service without disruption
A practical guide to building high-performance real estate teams that deliver scale, sustainability, and superior client experience through leverage.
Hosted by Lee Woodward Training Systems
Brought to you by The Complete Salesperson Course & Super Coaching Program
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Hello and welcome to the podcast We Are Selling. My name's Lee Woodward, presenting on behalf of Realtair, the home of pitch, sign and sell. As our program progresses, the questions come in, and people definitely want to learn more about the leverage agent working in a real estate practice. And as many agents are now realising solo at first isn't always the way, and teaming up could be the future, today's programme will give you answers and clarity within that part of your business. One of our greatest agents in the real estate industry working in regional Australia is Chris Henry of River Realty. Chris last year had some amazing results with over 157 transactions. And in that team, there are some amazing leverage agents working alongside Chris. Today's program is to jump over Chris for a second, get straight to the leverage agents, find out what they do, how they do it, and how they are rewarded. And lucky for us, one of the incredible agents in that team is the amazing Madison Woodward, my daughter. Madison, welcome to the program.
Madison Woodward:Thank you so much for having me.
Lee Woodward:My pleasure. Mad last year, what were the results of the unit? And before we get the results, what is the structure of the unit?
Madison Woodward:Currently in our team, we are uh an EVU of five. So we have myself and Chris as the uh I guess the original foundations of the team. We've now added in Tom, we have Harriet, and we've also just recently added another team member, Rachel and Lisa. So we've got quite a big team running in there, which is fantastic. I guess the core of the team, we're technically running three listing agents now within our EBU, and we've got two buyers agents in there as well as an administrator. So virtually now six sitting in that EBU.
Lee Woodward:And what an amazing journey, Mad, just for our listener and our international listener, you came in as a cadet into real estate, and then into instead of going solo, you went into a unit first up. In that first part of your career as a leverage agent, what was that position description? What were you doing when you started when it was just you and Chris? Because getting to six is one thing, but it started off as the two of you. What did you do in that role?
Madison Woodward:Yeah, so I came across after spending twelve months in the industry, I joined Chris as a leverage agent, and basically we looked at it as a four-year trade. So with any industry, you're usually doing that qualification for four years. So in my first year with Chris, we looked at it as a four-year trade. So my first year was really getting a handle of how I can best support Chris, learning the dialogue, learning how he does business and also how he likes to handle his clients and move transactions through. Because one of the, I guess, most important things as being a leverage agent is you're an extension of that person. So you need to make sure that you are an extension of their brand, an extension of how they think, and represent them to the best that you can so that it is a very seamless working relationship.
Lee Woodward:How did you get over the issue that pops up where the consumer, our seller, our buyer feels I don't want to be palmed off to an assistant? How did you get around that?
Madison Woodward:That is one of the biggest, I guess, speed bumps that came up for us, especially in myself being 18 and supporting Chris. He was a very established still is a very established agent. So a lot of his business was quite high-end and still is quite high-end. So we're talking, you know, over that million towards that two million dollar mark you're dealing with a lot of elder old that want to ensure that they've got, I guess, really good service and they're being looked after. But being 18, I had to make sure that I was extremely mature and was able to represent Chris to the best that I could. And that really just came down to making sure that I knew my dialogue, I knew the process. And it came back to edification. So when Chris and I would go out to present, we presented as a pair. So we really needed to make sure that when Chris was speaking, when Chris was talking about me, talking about my role, that I was introduced, we were introducing ourselves as a team. So that really took away that, oh, this is my assistant. And they didn't feel like they were getting palmed off. I was there from the start. It's really important that as a lead agent, that if you go into an appraisal on your own and then you bring in a second person after you've listed it, it has a totally different feel to being there from the start. So turning up as a pair and presenting as a pair. Um, that was the most important part of our career, and and that made it a lot easier for the client to see me as less as an assistant and more as you know a lead agent alongside Chris.
Lee Woodward:What were the sync or swim key learnings, uh, the growth that came from those solo moments?
Madison Woodward:So the sync or swim is something that Chris used quite a bit. And I guess the biggest growth that I had came from when Chris was no no longer there, no longer around. And that could be just because he was on holidays, he was in meetings, it really just came down to me making sure that I could step up. Chris would never put me in a situation that he didn't think I could handle, so I think that's very important. You don't want to set someone up to fail. With the confidence and the training, you know, there was times where Chris would step back. And that could be, you know, at a buyer inspection, it could have been during a listing presentation, he would actually transfer over if he wasn't there because he was on leave or on holiday, but had to make sure that all of the vendors were communicated with and all of our systems and processes remained exactly the same as if he was in the room or all running, you know, alongside me at the time.
Lee Woodward:Matt, were you exposed to all conversations, inspections, appraisals, and negotiations or just when needed?
Madison Woodward:I was. I was there for everything, and I think that's really important and such a a big contribution to my learning because you can't shelter a leverage agent. If you want someone that's going to be an extension from you, they need to understand on how you respond, how you like things handled, especially with difficult conversations. I was never sheltered from anything, whether it was a vendor, a buyer, whether it was a high-up um employee conversation, whether we were dealing with a contractor, whether it was a something that wasn't right or something that was going really well, it was important to listen to how Chris actually spoke and how he did things to make sure that I knew how to handle them come the time when he's not there.
Lee Woodward:Learning the art of where to fit as a leverage agent and what to say and when to say it, what have you learned about that?
Madison Woodward:Yeah, so you definitely need to watch and listen for a long time to get a feel of to what to say and when to say it. And that really is referring to a listening presentation. That is the the one position that you need to make sure that when I'm there, I'm supporting Chris, uh, what I'm saying, my body language matches what he's putting out as well. You know, and that just came down to a lot of role play and a lot of training uh away from the client. So learning when to jump in in a listing presentation, Chris would always make sure that, you know, when we are presenting, that he it wasn't just him talking, he wasn't the only one presenting to the owner. Um there was an actual transfer of uh, I guess, presenting throughout our appraisals. So I would go in and present the marketing side of things, the strategy, and basically I would present that part because that was my part of my role. So when we do bring a property to the market, it was important that I presented what I was going to be looking after for that client.
Lee Woodward:Key point there for our listener: if Madison's presenting the marketing and strategy, then she's going to run the marketing and strategy. It's natural. If Chris presents it, why's she doing it? And I think that was a really good pickup in what you've just said. But what have been the results? Like in the last year, what were the final results of the grand final year?
Madison Woodward:Yeah, so our team in the last twelve months settled 154 sales, which was fantastic, and that equated to just over a three three million GCI.
Lee Woodward:Wow, absolutely phenomenal. And if we divided all those people up in isolation, we're not going to see that sort of result. And really, for most of that year, you were travelling with three of you. It's only now we're starting to train the next groups coming through, and just for our EBU leaders there, bring them in early. And as Madison pointed out, that four-year journey, if you're not there for 20 minutes or a year, it's not worth it. The four-year journey is key. Madison, take us into roles and responsibilities. What does Chris not do?
Madison Woodward:Chris is job Chris's job is to list property, that is his main role. So bringing in the business is something that he is that is his only focus. Once the property is listed, it's then over to us to build the campaign, start that communication up with the vendors, start booking their inspections, and just giving them absolute clarity on the journey ahead. Once the property is ready to hit the market and it's ready to start being shown, that's when Chris will jump back in. However, he's not just doing the inspections by himself. We are all doing the inspections. It's important that the vendor sees that we're all there and that we all know the property as well. So Chris is not bogged down in administration, he's not bogged down in booking appointments and project management. That's over to myself and also our administrator to help get all of that organized and pushed through. Chris is purely out on the field, he is client-facing, but also, as I said, I'm also an extension of him doing this, doing that as well.
Lee Woodward:And Madison, just for our listener, when you say project management, we're not just talking the rollout of the sale. You're actually styling these properties. Take us into your role there.
Madison Woodward:Presentation is an absolute must for our team, our brand, and our business. So our project management side to our team is very, very intense. It is very time consuming, but it is probably the most rewarding. Once we do list a property, uh we will put some advice together, we will organise quotes, whether it be painting, carpet, flooring, staging, and we'll actually help the vendor get a property ready for the market, whether they're living there or it's a vacant home. We will always give them the option to further improve and add that dollar value to their property before we bring it to the market. A project management for a property can be minor, it can be major, it can be anywhere from a week up to sort of three to six months, depending on what the property needs and how much time an owner has. But that project management side to our team is very, very popular and one reason why we're selected over and over again.
Lee Woodward:Now, Madison, you're in Maitland, New South Wales, a regional part of Australia. Properties ranging from 480 grand through to three million, and that's a big, massive helipad acreage at that level. Average sale price of 820. It would seem to me a lot of your neighborhood and community would want to present it well, but throwing five or ten thousand dollars at repairs and maintenance, how have you been able to overcome that, or what are you offering the people of the community to get that work done?
Madison Woodward:So one thing that we did uh jump on board with is the sales funded team. They will fund the renovations and hold that cost over until the property is ready to settle. So there's no upfront or out of, I guess, pocket expenses for an owner, which is great. We'll also put all of our marketing fees on there for the client as well. So if someone really, really wants to make sure that they can get the best value and every dollar out of their property, we will 100% put that forward as an option. Not everyone has five to ten thousand dollars spare. Um and especially if they're an elderly client, they do not want to be dipping into super or their savings, especially if you're in transition and you need those funds for a deposit. We will put those sale funder options forward where they'll cover the cost for you.
Lee Woodward:How's the impact of that been in the marketplace for you?
Madison Woodward:Amazing. It's been really good. Um it's not a product that you really know about until you speak to us and actually list the property for sale. It is such a relief moment when they hear that. Um we haven't had any hesitation going on to that product once it's explained to the clients, especially because there's no fees for a certain time frame. I think it's about 30 days at the moment. And the fees are very, very, very little. So if they were to put it on a credit card or, you know, have to withdraw it, there's a lot more cost involved versus just popping it on. And they don't have to worry about it. It's a very, very easy sign-up. So our administration team do it. We just send them a photo of their license and it all just gets wrapped up in the settlement funds. It's really good for a deceased estate as well, especially if families can't decide on who's paying for what, um, or if funds are tied up in an estate, then that is just one way that a family can equally divide it at the end and it's all all documented and all recorded.
Lee Woodward:Absolutely amazing. When we look back at this EBU, and Madison, you're a fourth year graduate, and let's ask that question. A lot of people listen to this program think, Mad, why wouldn't you go out and do it by yourself? Um, wouldn't you go be a solo agent? What was your thinking behind that?
Madison Woodward:I never had the thought after working in a team. I, you know, I was a cadet working under solo agents, and I I used to support them in my first year. I just feel a team for myself was better fitting in terms of the structure. We have a very, very good team as well, and I think that's really important on making sure that whoever you pick for your team is not a surface level relationship. You really need to have each other's backs, you need to have no friction or frustration. You need to make sure that you've got a genuine connection with who you're working with. That was something that Chris and I were really lucky. We clicked right from the start. I was an extension of him, he's also an extension of me, so I can confidently make decisions on his behalf, knowing that they're going to be the right one. When Tom joined, it was exactly the same. We've just been really lucky in finding good quality relationships and and people in our team, which has been fantastic. I you wouldn't go out on your own if you've got such a humming machine. And I guess that's part of the reason why we haven't split it up. We've ki we've stayed together and we've continued to train. So our EBU is the gateway to the business. So if you want to be in real estate, we you you will come into our team, you will learn your four-year trade, and then you can make a decision on whether you want to go out by yourself or if you want to remain in the team. So our team has a very, very, very strong foundation. You know, again, there is an opportunity to leave, but no one has yet.
Lee Woodward:So take us into advertising and marketing. What are you doing here?
Madison Woodward:Advertising and marketing is really important, especially if you're going into an EBU. So when a property is listed, it is in really important that our team is advertised on that advertising and marketing. If you're just doing a, you know, a two-person team, so a leverage agent and an agent. When Chris and I first started, it was really important that I was across all of that marketing as well. So it went from Chris being the brand to Chris and Maddie being the brand. So it was important that we built our brand as a pair, as a team, and then it just removed that assistant feel away. I feel there's a lot of frustration and a lot of undertrained assistants out there that are being palmed, and that is where I guess that stereotype is coming from. But we found quite early that making sure that the the brand was strong as a pair really removed any of that frustration from the vendor and the consumer.
Lee Woodward:Well, Madison, we've come to the big grand finale, the big question that everyone asks us on this show when it comes to the leverage agents, and there's no right or wrong, it's a harmony moment. But how does the pay structures work?
Madison Woodward:Absolutely. So we have a percentage that is paid. Usually it's a a five percent for a leverage agent coming into our team and then moving your way up from there. So obviously 50% is going to the business, and there is a pie that is divided up amongst the team members that are in there. But a young leverage agent coming in, if the team is doing really well, it is a very, very good income that a leverage agent can earn. And everyone is paid no matter who sells the property. So if there's 10 properties sold in a week and a leverage agent worked across three, it doesn't matter, you are still paid across the board because I guess everyone is touching the property at some point. The structure, if someone was to be unwell, step away, step out, it doesn't matter. You all are paid equally and fair according to that percentage that's agreed to.
Lee Woodward:So Matt, everyone gets a base salary. Yeah. Then there is a break-even point to cover everyone's base salary, inclusive of Chris, and then that pooled amount is split amongst the team members based upon their their experience and their skill set.
Madison Woodward:Correct. That's right.
Lee Woodward:So let's say someone new to the unit, they might be on a smaller percentage, yet someone like yourself who's on listing, negotiating, styling and marketing, you're on a different percentage to the other people.
Madison Woodward:Correct. So it is higher. So you might, you know, as an example, someone coming in might be sitting on the five percent cut out of what's being sold and the pooled commission coming in. You know, someone like Tom or someone sitting in a higher position might be sitting on, you know, ten to twelve to fifteen, depending on their experience what they're contribute to contributing as well. Because you've got to remember we've now we're the goal is to have multiple listing agents in the team. So those percentages do change according to their growth and and how quickly they're coming through the team as well.
Lee Woodward:How long is it taking before someone reaches the listing stage?
Madison Woodward:Tom, as a good example, and myself, we were about twelve to twenty-four months before we started contributing in a listing presentation. Definitely twelve months is the earliest to start presenting alongside someone. But coming up to year two, year three, then that's when you're really presenting on your own. Most of the time we're in a pair as well. So myself and Tom were presenting on our own after about twenty-four months to three years.
Lee Woodward:And Madison, you mentioned before about if someone's away, everyone's covering each other. Uh in your current situation at the moment, which our listener wouldn't know, is you're on maternity leave right now, so the team working away and then you returning back to the team, that wouldn't have been possible if you were a solo agent.
Madison Woodward:No, definitely. And you know, the clients are you know, my team is still running the social media accounts, you know, I'm still quite involved with what's going on, but no, I'm not actively working in the field, but all of our clients are still being serviced, nothing has changed, the structure is still the same, and the team is continuing on.
Lee Woodward:Absolutely amazing. Final, final, final question. What advice would you give anyone considering one becoming a leverage agent, and that could be new to the industry in or Maybe it hasn't gone as they thought as a solo agent and they're looking at being a leverage agent as a backward step. What advice would you give?
Madison Woodward:If you are considering becoming a leverage agent, definitely make sure that you have your qualifications. Being fully licensed is a must for a leverage agent. You need to have those qualifications behind you. If you are wanting to step back as a leverage agent or wanting looking to join a team, make sure that who you are picking or who you are joining has shares the same ideas, values, and is an extension of who you are. It's really important that you enjoy who you work with every single day. And I guess just make sure that you're enjoying what you're doing within that team as well. So, you know, as a leverage agent, we all have strengths, we all have weaknesses, and that's where an EBU is really, really good to consider. You might have someone that is really strong in the listing arena, you might have someone else who's really strong in prospecting, but you yourself really value buyer inspections and negotiations. So looking at a team that plays on their strengths, and it just really helps you enjoy the industry as well. In a I guess, you know, as you know, it can burn you out quite quickly being by yourself. But also if you're doing the wrong thing, you're with the wrong team, it can be quite unenjoyable. So making sure that you find a team that you value, that you trust, and that you enjoy will make it the most easiest transition that you could ask for.
Lee Woodward:Absolutely fantastic information. Madison Woodward, thank you for joining us.
Madison Woodward:Thank you. See ya.