When Ben Smith entered real estate in April 2011, Brisbane was just months past the devastating floods.
He started on reception at Place Graceville, making coffees, handling diaries and doing admin.
Fifteen years later, he is a partner at Place Woolloongabba, where he now mentors younger agents and helps shape the next phase of the business.
Ben said the biggest lesson from 15 years in the industry was that strong careers are not built in easy markets alone.
“The toughest market I experienced was from 2013 to 2018,” he said.
“It wasn’t booming. It wasn’t falling. There was very little movement, minimal growth and properties were sitting for around 120 days. That’s a tough market, because when nothing’s happening, motivation disappears on both sides.”
Ben said those conditions sharpened the skills that still matter most today.
“What that period taught me is how critical the relationship with your seller is, because you’re not working with them for four weeks, you’re working with them for four months,” he said.
“That’s where my communication and education really sharpened.”
Over the years, he has also worked through the 2011 floods, the 2022 floods and Brisbane’s apartment oversupply period, when values in some parts of the market pulled back sharply.
“That was a really challenging space to be. You’d have one hard conversation with an owner and then must have it again a few weeks later.”
Ben said those periods reinforced that consistency, education and transparency matter most when conditions tighten.
“My advice would be to upskill. I’ve always been an advocate for a higher barrier of entry to real estate.”
Ben, who completed a Master of Business while working in the industry, said agents owed clients more than confidence and profile.
“If you’re going to give sellers advice, and if you’re going to position yourself as an expert negotiator or marketing agent, then you have to have something to back that up,” he said.
“If you’re consistent, if you’re consistently prospecting and consistently in your market, you will gain momentum.”
Ben’s tips for building a long-term real estate career through changing markets:
- Attach yourself to a strong team early
- Upskill and keep investing in your knowledge
- Build strong communication with sellers
- Stay consistent with prospecting
- Be visible in your market over time
- Prioritise transparency and trust
- Learn how to operate in challenging markets, not just strong ones
- Focus on long-term credibility, not short-term profile
Now a business partner at Place Woolloongabba alongside Directors James Curtain, Denis Najzar and Mitchell Smith, Ben said culture and mentorship had played a critical role in his longevity.
“The leadership James, Denis and Mitch display now is exactly what convinced me to join Woolloongabba,” he said.
He said that visibility, along with patience and high standards, had created an environment where younger agents could develop properly and build sustainable careers.
“Consistency, prospecting and being present in your market - there’s no shortcuts,” he said.
As he marks 15 years in the industry, Ben said the fundamentals have not changed.
“If you can demonstrate that you’re educated, that you’ll work harder than your competition, and that you’re transparent and easy to work with, then you’ll win business and you’ll lead teams,” he said.