The significance of trust in residential sales cannot be overstated. Vendors who operationalise trust through evidence-based price guidance, transparent campaign data, and incentive-aligned fee models are more likely to achieve quicker sales and protect their sale prices. For agencies, systematising trust can lead to increased market share, reduced regulatory risk, and enhanced repeat and referral business.

Navigating a high-stakes, low-trust market

Australia’s housing stock, valued at approximately A$10–11 trillion, sees hundreds of thousands of sales each year. Despite the strong commercial incentives created by commissions (ranging from 1.6–2.5% plus marketing) and vendor-paid advertising, trust remains fragile. The Roy Morgan Image of Professions survey consistently ranks real estate agents low on ethics and honesty, with only about three in ten Australians giving them a high rating. In response, regulators have tightened underquoting rules, requiring evidence-based price guides and Statements of Information in states like NSW and Victoria.

Globally, the trust debate is gaining momentum. The United States’ 2024 brokerage settlement is pushing the industry towards clearer value articulation and fee transparency. While Australia’s vendor-pays model differs, the trend towards more disclosure and clearer incentives is unmistakable. As Richard Edelman, a renowned expert on trust, states, “trust is the ultimate currency.” In the property sector, trust also plays a crucial role in pricing risk.

Aligning interests and reducing noise: A framework for trust

To turn trust into a systematic approach rather than a mere slogan, two key frameworks are essential:

1. Principal–agent alignment: Define success, measure it, and create payment structures that reward outperformance. Moving beyond flat commissions to stepped fees that increase only when the sale price exceeds pre-agreed thresholds can align interests more effectively. However, it is important to ensure that these structures comply with state laws and remain simple to avoid unintended consequences.
2. The trust equation: This involves a combination of credibility, reliability, intimacy, and low self-orientation. Practically, this means using credentials and comparable sales for credibility, providing on-time updates and documented buyer feedback for reliability, designing tailored campaigns for intimacy, and maintaining transparent motives through itemised budgets and caps.

Technical insights: From price guides to data integrity

Trust is established or broken in the finer details of real estate transactions. For instance, price substantiation requires agents’ price guides to be based on recent comparable sales, adjusted for specific conditions and micro-locations. In Victoria, the Statement of Information must align with the guide, while in NSW, vendors should demand the file of comparables underpinning the estimate. Marketing transparency is also crucial, with itemised, vendor-paid advertising plans that include clear channel objectives and weekly performance reporting.

Additionally, evidence loops involving third-party data, such as CoreLogic or PropTrack AVMs and suburb-level demand metrics, can help triangulate information. Agents who welcome independent data points demonstrate confidence rather than defensiveness. Transparent offer workflows, like digital negotiations or documented private treaty registers, can reduce disputes and underhanded tactics, creating an auditable trail for regulatory queries.

The business impact of trusted campaigns

Trust can have a significant commercial impact on three levels:

1. Price protection: Evidence-based guides attract the right buyers sooner, reducing the risk of unrealistic expectations and generating cleaner offers.
2. Cycle-time compression: Real-time reporting on enquiries, inspections, and buyer sentiment allows for agile adjustments, saving valuable time on the market, especially during softening cycles.
3. Regulatory risk mitigation: A compliance-first approach lowers legal exposure and safeguards brand equity by avoiding underquoting penalties, misleading marketing claims, and trust account breaches.

Agencies gaining a competitive edge through trust

Leading agencies are transforming trust into a repeatable product by implementing service-level agreements (SLAs), outcome-linked fees, verified social proof, and data transparency. These strategies lower acquisition costs through referrals, strengthen listing conversion rates, and enhance agent productivity. In a slowing market, these economic advantages are particularly crucial.

As the real estate sector continues to evolve, sellers and agencies that embrace trust as a measurable, inspectable, and embedded component of their operations will likely outperform the market in terms of both price and speed, while also enjoying greater peace of mind.