The Fraser Coast is in the midst of a property boom. Our population is surging by more than 2,500 people each year, land supply is under pressure, and demand for housing, jobs, and infrastructure is relentless. Money is like water — it finds the path of least resistance. If we make it too hard, it will simply flow north or south to regions that welcome it.
This is where emotional intelligence (EQ) becomes more than a “soft skill” — it’s the sharpest edge we have. We cannot afford egos, turf wars, or the luxury of clinging to personal preferences. Whether you’re in council, an agent, a developer, or a consultant, the future will belong to those who can listen, adapt, and collaborate.
The projects coming forward may not always match our individual tastes. They might challenge what we think is ideal. But if they align with our long-term vision — housing diversity, economic growth, sustainable communities — then the intelligent response is to engage, refine, and deliver. Rejecting proposals simply because they don’t tick every personal box is short-sighted.
Our competition isn’t just across the table in a negotiation — it’s up and down the coast. Other regions are fighting just as hard for investment, business, and people. If we cannot show we’re open to progress, they will.
The future of the Fraser Coast property market won’t be shaped by numbers alone. It will be shaped by how well we manage relationships, build trust, and put collective goals above personal bias. Emotional intelligence is not optional — it’s survival.
The question is: will we be known as the region that adapted and thrived, or the one that let opportunity slip through its fingers?
