Top agent claims rivals used her pregnancy to try and poach listings

Place real estate agent Jess Culling was back at work six weeks after bub number 3 A mum-of-three and top real estate agent was shocked to find rivals weaponising her expanding family in a ruthless bid to snare listings within weeks of her giving birth. Place Redcliffe Peninsula director Jess Culling was back on the job just six weeks after welcoming baby number three. In her first month back, the gun agent secured seven new listings, negotiated a $5.2m unconditional prestige sale in Newport, and sold a $2.5m block of land. But Ms Culling said her return to work was marred by the discovery other local agents were using her motherhood to win over vendors. Ms Culling says motherhood has only enhanced her professional skills “Sellers have told me they were hearing things like, ‘Jess is pregnant, she’ll be taking leave soon,’ or ‘she has kids, she won’t be able to focus on your campaign’,” she said. “It’s rude, it’s outdated and it’s simply not true. No one says that about male agents with children.” Ms Culling said she had never taken traditional maternity leave, instead crediting an equal partnership at home for allowing her to balance business with family. “[My husband] Troy is a ve...