MEET SALLY ZELMAN

Her entry into real estate was unexpected. But to those who know her, Sally’s success comes as no surprise.

So, how did she build such a priceless position in property?

We sat down with Sally to find out. As we discovered, there’s something to be said about embracing the wisdom of a good old-fashioned proverb.

Connecting with confidence from day one

Sally Zelman is an eternal optimist who finds people fascinating. It’s a trait she credits to her parents, who raised Sally and her siblings in the idyllic suburban setting of 1950s Kew.

“I’m an extremely positive person. If you ask me, ‘Is the cup half full or half empty?’ I say, ‘It’s frothing at the top – always!’”

Sally carried this happy-go-lucky attitude into her first venture – a childrenswear boutique in Melbourne’s CBD. She was in her twenties and had just married her husband… ten weeks after meeting him on a blind date.

“Yes, it was spontaneous – I’m that sort of a person,” Sally laughs.

The boutique was Sally’s first foray into the world of business. She adored mingling with people and listening to their stories. It was the perfect setting for growing her ability to connect with clients.

That skill would come to serve Sally well in her next career. A career that arrived after a series of unexpected events.

From vendor to agent

There’s a second proverb that Sally lives by, and it’s this: “You’ve got to grab life by the horns, and just go with it.”

After a set of personal challenges, that’s precisely what Sally did. She closed the boutique, put the house on the market, and set out to find a new home for her, her husband and her young son.

Then during a meeting with her real estate agent, Sally’s affability landed her an unexpected offer.

“The agent said to me, ‘You know, you’d be fantastic in real estate.’ So I went to his office on Monday and he immediately gave me the position as a sales agent!”

Over the next two years, Sally learned the ropes at different agencies. Her star was on the rise. She knew that she’d found her calling in real estate. Now, she just needed to find an environment where she could really flourish.

Finding her people

Like the storyline of a classic movie, Sally frequently crossed paths with Gary Peer and Philip Kingston on the weekly property circuit. They were no more than acquaintances – until Gary called Sally one day and invited her for a coffee.

Impressed with all she had achieved in just two short years, that coffee quickly turned into a job offer.

“I think he saw the sparkle in my eyes,” laughs Sally. The opportunity to learn from the best in the business was a no-brainer. So, without hesitation, she made the move and joined Gary Peer & Associates.

“You could feel that they crossed every T and dotted every I. They had their finger on the pulse. They just knew – or had developed – the skill of success.

“I came along with them on that journey. It’s been a wonderful thing.”

Equality comes of age

Of course, we can’t share the story of a veteran female real estate agent without asking about the shifting role of women in the industry. Real estate is a tough gig; but when Sally started out, simply being a woman had its challenges, too.

Sally recalls some of the startling interactions she observed between agents and vendors during the early days of her career.

“The wife would be in the room, but the agent would only direct the questions to the husband – even though it was clear the wife was the decision maker.”

Today, real estate is much more diverse.

“When I started, it was really male-dominated. But if you look around now, there are a lot of high-powered, successful women.”

So does that mean that the chauvinistic attitudes of the past are gone? For Sally, it’s a big yes.

“I think it’s come of age. Women who are in real estate today? They wouldn’t tolerate it for a second!”

Finding the fountain of youth

After 20 years, Sally says the value of excellence at Gary Peer & Associates hasn’t changed. But now it’s the influx of new faces that keeps her loving her workplace.

“I’ve gotten more youthful as I’ve gone along. I work with all these lovely, up-and-coming professionals and they keep me young, which is great.

“They actually call me the CEO,” Sally chuckles. “You know why? Chief Energy Officer!”

But it’s not just the people inside the office that keep Sally invigorated. It’s her clients, too.

“Many of my clients are seriously interesting people,” Sally says. “Not necessarily high profile, but just out of my world, out of my social environment.

“I’ve even formed friendships with many of them. I can pick up the phone and say, ‘Hey, want a coffee?’”

A house with no curtains has nothing to hide

In 2015, Sally was appointed a Director of the Gary Peer & Associates Caulfield office. A mentor to many, Sally is widely considered one of the agency’s most successful sales agents.

It’s not a position she takes lightly.

“Being a Director at Gary Peer – and the only female Director – is a privilege.”

So, what advice does she repeatedly give to newly minted estate agents?

“Be truthful. Be yourself. Be genuine. Don’t pretend to be someone you’re not.”

Sally’s advice is a reminder that furnishing the truth can quickly see a reputation – or a property deal – come unstuck. But being genuine will lead to triumph. Always. And there are many more triumphant times to come at Gary Peer. Because for Sally, every day is a new opportunity.

“I wake up in the morning and I say to my husband, ‘Oh! It’s another beautiful day!’ He says, ‘But it’s raining outside!’ I say, ‘Yes – but there’s still a chance the sun will come out!’ So this is exactly my thought pattern.

“I see life as an adventure. I love not knowing what’s going to happen.”

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