#39 - Homes, Help, And Human Connection with Deb Worthington

A flood zone you didn’t check. An insurance premium you didn’t price. A lender policy you didn’t read until auction day. We sat down by Lake Macquarie with buyer’s advocate Deb Worthington to map a safer path through the property maze and to spark a bigger conversation about community, trust, and time.

Deb restarted her career at 58 after decades in hospitality and mortgage broking, guided by a simple lesson from her father: sales is caring out loud. That ethos defines her work today. She explains why the selling agent serves the vendor, why buyers need their own advocate, and how a risk-first approach prevents the silent disasters that derail purchases. From flood exposure and pest and building reports to strata health and lender rules, Deb shares practical steps that save money, stress, and weekends.

We dig into her “property cake” formula: there is always a method, but the ingredients change for first home buyers, investors, over-55 movers, units, and houses. Deb’s local knowledge of Lake Macquarie’s micro-markets turns vague searches into targeted tours, matching budgets with train access, schools, and commute times. She also lifts the lid on pricing realities and negotiation windows so buyers don’t overpay or walk away from the right home.

Beyond the transaction, Deb is reviving face-to-face networking in fast-growing Morisset. Social media is useful, she says, but a handshake builds memory and trust. By bringing conveyancers, brokers, trades, and small businesses into the same room, she gives clients a vetted network that accelerates every step of the journey. Her mission is clear: make buyer representation accessible with flat-fee programs, give people back their time, and strengthen community ties along the way.

If this conversation sparked ideas for your next move or your next meetup, tap follow, share it with a friend, and leave a quick review. Got a story or a question we should feature next? Reach out and let’s keep building smarter paths to home and community.

Chapters

• 0:00 Setting The Scene At Lake Macquarie
• 0:59 Meet Deb And A Life Restart At 58
• 3:37 Lessons From A Father Who Sold With Care
• 5:27 Why Buyers Need Their Own Advocate
• 7:10 The Property Cake Formula
• 9:20 Consequences Of Missed Due Diligence
• 11:28 From Broking To Buyer Representation
• 13:06 Reigniting Real-World Networking In Morisset
• 15:16 Programs For First Homes, Downsizers, Investors
• 17:08 Managing Risk With Local Knowledge
• 19:20 Time Poverty And Giving Time Back
• 21:06 Vision, Legacy, And National Access
• 22:32 How To Reach Deb And Final Reflections
• 24:54 Closing Thanks And Listener Callouts

Transcript

Leon Goltsman: 0:00

Hello and welcome back to Engaging Conversations. I'm your host, Leon Goltsman, and today's episode comes to you from the shores of Lake Macquarie, where community spirit meets the dream of home ownership. Some people build businesses, some people build networks. But every now and then you meet someone who builds people. Today, I sit down with Deb Worthington, a woman who boldly restarted her career at 58. After decades in hospitality and mortgage breaking, she traveled to 59 countries, carries the lessons of a father who taught her that sales is simply caring out loud, and she brings that same authenticity to every client she supports. Deb doesn't just help people buy homes, she helps them avoid the mistakes they don't even know exist. From flood zone surprises to complex lending traps, from first home buyers to retirees. She's the person you want in your corner when the stakes are high and the unknowns are many. But this episode goes well beyond property. It's about community in an age where connection is easy but loneliness is common. It's about the power of a handshake over a hashtag. And it's about how Deb reignited genuine networking in Morisett, bringing locals together to rebuild trust, relationships, and possibilities. Deb is proof that when you combine experience, heart and deep local knowledge, you don't just guide people toward a home. You give them back their time, their confidence, and sometimes their dream. This episode is proudly sponsored by Napean Advance Rehab and Allied Health Centre, empowering movement, restoring life, and helping Australians get back to what they love. With a special thank you to Niaz Cannoth for making conversations like this possible. And as always, the views expressed in this episode are for general interest only and should not be taken as financial, medical, or professional advice. So settle in. Whether you're buying your first home, building a business, or simply believing in the power of community, this conversation is for you.

Deb Worthington: 2:07

So a little bit about me. I'm Deb Worthington. My full name is Deborah Worthington. Unfortunately, though, my mother used to yell Deborah, and of course, now I think if anybody calls me Deborah, I'm in trouble. I am 59, started a brand new career at 58. I was a mortgage broker for 20 years, and before that I was in hospitality for 20 years. So I've had uh three careers now over a span of uh a long time. I have three children uh who are all adults and I have a beautiful granddaughter who's 23 months old. Um I love cooking, I love living on Lake Macquarie, I love travel, probably travel is my passion. I've done 59 countries and all seven continents, and next year for my 60th birthday, I'll be doing my 60th country.

Leon Goltsman: 2:52

Wow, a country for every birthday.

Deb Worthington: 2:54

Almost, sort of.

Leon Goltsman: 2:57

That's a good way. It's like how old are you? I let me count the countries.

Deb Worthington: 3:00

Yeah, that's it. Absolutely. I wanted to go away in December to Cook Islands, which would have been a new country, but I can't because that would make it 60, and so then I'll be 61 for my 60th birthday, so I'm just gonna go to Thailand instead.

Leon Goltsman: 3:11

Deb, what happens if you decide to go to an extra 20 countries? Does that mean you get older?

Deb Worthington: 3:15

Uh well in 88 I um decided I was gonna do 100 countries. So I've got, I think a span I've got another 15 years of travel to do 40 countries. So we'll wait and see how that works out.

Leon Goltsman: 3:26

Well, knowing you, you'll probably achieve that and more.

Deb Worthington: 3:29

Maybe. We'll see.

Leon Goltsman: 3:30

Before we go on, you're a very inspirational person. You've achieved and accomplished a lot of things in different areas. Thank you. We had a few conversations, but one of the things is that you've learned very early from role models. One of those is your father, who was a salesperson. Debbie, tell me a little bit about your father's influence and how the lessons you picked up from him uh has shaped your approach in business and life.

Deb Worthington: 3:53

I think with my dad, sales was very natural. There was nothing forced and nothing put on. Um, he he could talk to anybody and he could make anybody smile. But being natural about it just is the way he was and the way he i imparted that on me. So when I think about what dad did in his career, so he started in Woolworths as a I guess a traineeship, um, and he went on to sell bricks, but then he had a sub-news agency milk bar when I was in primary school, and then he sold hob knobs, like kitchen hobnobs, and then he was a electrolux man, a Mr. Jolly, and that suited him down to the ground. Everything was natural, there was nothing forced. He if he had a product, he believed in it, and uh he would learn the insides outs of it. And you know, people used to say he could sell, you know, snow to Eskimos, but if he was selling snow to Eskimos, it's because they needed it and because he believed in it. So for me, then that imparted on us that that well, myself and my sister, that being natural and having passion about things was really important.

Leon Goltsman: 5:05

But also caring about people.

Deb Worthington: 5:06

Oh, and caring about people, yeah. Dad absolutely cared about everybody he met, and um, you know, that that was a big factor in my life on how, you know, I care for people, whether it be family, friends, clients. Uh I recently had a client say she knew from when she met Beck and I that it was more like being our friend than it was being our client. Being a buyer's advocate for me is about um representing somebody when they're purchasing a property. So everybody deserves the right to have somebody in their corner in this transaction. So there's a number of people that a purchaser will work with, from their broker to their conveyancing team, and then the selling agent. But what they don't understand or they miss is the selling agent works for the vendor. Never does the selling agent think about the best interest of the purchaser. I'm sure naturally they do. However, they are there for the vendor. So for purchasers, you don't know what you don't know. When you think about buying a property, whether it be your first or your fifth, it is not something you do every day. And every time you go and purchase a property, there's going to be new things that come up, new things with your loan, things you need to think about for your due diligence. And as a buyer's agent or a buyer's advocate, we hold it all together for them. So we're the person in their corner representing them and making sure every step of the way, everything is ticked off and they're not missing anything. We always say the first thing we do as buyers' agents is manage their risk. The second thing we do is find them a property.

Leon Goltsman: 6:37

So it's not really a one-size-fits-all. You see, a lot of the time people have this formula or so-called formula, and it's almost like they just stick to it and that's it. It's very predictable. But in your line of work, it seems to be very flexible as well to some degree. Unpredictability and perhaps um unique.

Deb Worthington: 6:58

As a buyer's agent, definitely we need to be more adaptive with every situation. But how I describe buying a house, getting a loan, or even um building a house, it's like making a cake. There is always a formula. Always, always a formula. At the end of the day, the product that you want, you need to have the right formula to get there. But if you want a fruit cake, as opposed to a mud cake, the ingredients are different through the process. So you must understand the ingredients and how they go into the bowl and then into the oven to get to the cake that you want. And it's the same with buying a house. If you're an investor, it's a different formula to whether you're a first homeowner. And you must make sure that you've got all the right ingredients in all the right places. Otherwise, you're going to end up with, you know, saltanas in your mud package.

Leon Goltsman: 7:46

And don't put salt instead of the sugar.

Deb Worthington: 7:49

Exactly, exactly. So it's really important that formula is followed to get to the right cake at the end of the day, adding in the things that we need to. So if it's a unit, we need to add in strata reports. If it's a house, we do a pest and build. We'll always check for flood if it's near a lake. So there's a whole lot of different things that go into those ingredients, but that product comes out at the end and hopefully very stress-free for the client.

Leon Goltsman: 8:14

And what are some of the real significant consequences of not having the right person?

Deb Worthington: 8:20

The consequences of not having the right person on your team when buying a property can can be uh astronomical. You might not get a pest and build report and find you've got termites in the wall. You might not understand that if you're in a flood zone, your insurance is way higher. So if we're looking for somebody and we know the property is in a flood zone, we will do quotes on the insurance straight up. Now we've had quotes for insurance of some properties in flood zone, that's $8,000,000, $10,000. Wow. Then we have some that are in flood zone that are only normal, like $1,500, $1,600 for the year. It's about knowing that you have to check that first and you don't know what you don't know as a purchaser. So you need somebody on your team to make sure they tick all the boxes for you.

Leon Goltsman: 9:03

And you've done over what, $10,000 loans?

Deb Worthington: 9:06

Uh so the $10,000 loans with mortgage choice. Okay.

Leon Goltsman: 9:09

So it's but still, you still have to apply uh the same.

Deb Worthington: 9:13

All those rules. And when I was a mortgage broker, there really wasn't that many buyers' agents. So I don't actually remember a client ever using a buyer's agent when I was with um mortgage choice as a broker. I finished up there three years ago and I just started to notice more buyers' agents coming into the industry. So the buyer's agent of 20 years ago was the broker. So we were managing that right through the process.

Leon Goltsman: 9:35

You are a pioneer. Is that what I'm hearing?

Deb Worthington: 9:37

Well, you know, when I started mortgage broking, 24% of people went to brokers for loans. Now, 78% of people go for loans through brokers. There is no statistics on how many people use a buyer's agent, but I do hazard a guess it's under about 10% at the moment. I would like to see that everybody has representation in that square. In America, you have one buyer's agent for one selling agent, and no one buys a property without a buyer's agent. In Australia, we seem to play a little bit of catch-up. And as I said, it's very important to have somebody on your team because you don't know what you don't know.

Leon Goltsman: 10:09

Talking about having the right people in your team, it's really important to actually go out there and actively bring those people together. I mean, time gets in the way, doesn't it? And people tend to do their own things and before they realize it, they're on their own. But one thing that kind of what brought us together is that you're very similar to me, that we like to bring good people together. And just recently you've brought together uh dare I say, over 30 people to reconnect, uh create new relationships in Morisett. I mean, this place desperately needs it because it's such a fast-growing area, and yet there's no chamber of commerce that that's specifically looking at at bringing the people together. And you've done that, Deb. This is something that I've been doing from a different perspective, but then to see you do that in a way that you've done it is a breath of fresh air. Looking at the event, which was hosted in Morris Ed, what inspired you to host the inaugural event? What did you take away from the experience?

Deb Worthington: 11:11

So the inspiration to hold a networking event comes from a deep-seated understanding that business is like a triangle. You've got to have three points that connect to make it a triangle. And in business, you've got to have all three points community, business, and family, to make a business a success. We have such an amazing community here in the Morisett or South Lakes area. We have some phenomenal businesses. And because of the fast growth, we have no concept of what businesses we have here. Plus, we have some amazing families, both old and young. We've got uh a massive growth in the over 55 sector, and we also have massive growth in the family sector. So in the Morisett area, we just don't know what's actually out there for us as far as businesses go. Many years ago we did have a style of a chamber of commerce. Unfortunately, it folded, and then we had COVID, and then we had all this massive growth during COVID. So we've got businesses that are relatively unknown and unused because we just don't know what's there. So I'd like to bring the business community together so that we can support each other, we can support our community, and then we support our families at the same time.

Leon Goltsman: 12:23

And that's exactly where um great minds think alike.

Deb Worthington: 12:26

Absolutely.

Leon Goltsman: 12:27

So, Deb, you've talked about building businesses across multiple programs. I mean, we've got the first home buyers, over 55 investors, waterfront lifestyle, and we are sitting at a beautiful place. Your place, overlooking the lake. I mean, really, waking up to this every morning must be unbelievable.

Deb Worthington: 12:46

Waking up in Lake Macquarie and looking at this view every day is amazing. I I set the goal a long time ago of having a property on the water, and we were very lucky that we found it pre-COVID. So we we didn't have to do the price hike, but we did renovate during COVID and we renovated uh the landscape during a 90-day straight of rain. So it was an interesting experience. But one that also brought home to me that people do need help during these processes, whether it be buying their first home, building a house, buying land, um, retiring, we want to be able to help each one of them. So we've developed a program that is different for each one. Again, different ingredients, and with a flat fee rather than a commission that actually suits their budget. We really are strong believers in being able to help people whilst making sure that it's affordable.

Leon Goltsman: 13:34

So, with all these broad range of programs, how do you stay true to your core purpose while running these multiple programs and reaching diverse audiences?

Deb Worthington: 13:43

We stay true to the purpose because Beck and I both have a very wide uh range of experiences in the property industry. So I was a broker for 20 years and then uh got into the real estate industry about two and a half years ago. Beck's been a real estate agent for about seven years, and then we have a full-time staff member, Naomi, who's also been in real estate for about three years. We absolutely know exactly how to get to the person from point A to point Z of owning their property without stress and without too much worry on what their losses are going to be. We absolutely manage their risk right through the process. We make sure that their goals align with what they want and how we find them the property, and then we manage each step of the way. So we know what can come up, what can happen. We know that we have to work with their broker or their bank and we have to make sure that the the policies of the actual lender they're user they're using is met. We make sure that the pest and build is done or the strata. So every one of those due diligence steps are done and it all aligns with the person's goal using their experiences that we've had from the last combined 30 years.

Leon Goltsman: 14:52

It also helps to have a local understanding of the area.

Deb Worthington: 14:57

Yeah, well, our local knowledge of Lake Macquarie is extensive. So I've been here for 31 years. Beck grew up here, so she's been here 38 years. Naomi has lived here all her life too, so that's you know, more than 45 years. We know the ins and outs of Lake Macquarie, we know the growth areas, we know the different schools, we understand when people tell us they want to be near the M1, which locations we can put them in. We have a lot of Sydney people who come up and we do day tours for them. So we show them all the different areas of Lake Macquarie. Apparently, there are 97 villages in Lake Macquarie. I split it up in my head into four sectors, you know, north, south, east, and west, and we look at what the person is looking for and then take them to that specific area to show them what we've got. So we've got everything from beaches to mountains, bushwalking, the lake, you name it, Lake Macquarie's got it. Having local knowledge and then knowledge of the industry itself is absolutely vital these days. If you make a mistake when it comes to either your property purchase or your lending or your conveyancing, and I do remember having clients who used to do their own conveyancing, which used to blow my mind because, you know, there's experts for that. If you make a mistake, the outcome can be catastrophic. Like the loss of a 10% deposit on a property that's a million dollars is just you know, it's life-changing stuff. And it's stuff that causes people to do things that we we don't want to think of. You know, it is absolutely life-changing if you make a mistake and have a loss through making that mistake when buying a property.

Leon Goltsman: 16:27

And people have made those mistakes.

Deb Worthington: 16:29

Absolutely, like going to auction prior to having their loan pre-approved. Local knowledge really matters. I remember helping a young family who were buying their first property and they had a really um small purchase price that they could go to. So we worked really closely with the broker and we worked really closely with the family to work out what area they wanted to be in. And they explained to us they wanted to have a spot where their son could walk to a train station and get to the school he needed to go to. They also wanted to be a certain distance from work for both of them. So we were able to find a spot where it was two minutes to the train station. We met their property price, and they absolutely loved their little unit that we were able to find them.

Leon Goltsman: 17:08

And being close to work and the proximity of where you want to be isn't just about money, but also imagine all the time saved from commuting and extra travel. And a lot of people sometimes forget to factor that in.

Deb Worthington: 17:22

Uh absolutely, and and because they were both shift workers and working different hours, they didn't have the time to be looking and they didn't really understand the process of the research and then the due diligence that goes into buying a unit and making sure that everything stacks up for them to be able to get into a property at that price point.

Leon Goltsman: 17:39

Is it fair to say that if it wasn't for you, they probably would never have ended up in the property of their dreams?

Deb Worthington: 17:44

Absolutely, yes. They would never have got that the property of their dreams. I don't think they even would have looked at it because we knew it was priced a little bit too high and we knew we would get it for a little bit lower. So knowing the market and knowing that, you know, at the moment properties are usually price low, so you know, researching at the right level to get them to where they need to be, or if a property is priced high, what it may actually go for for them to be able to achieve it.

Leon Goltsman: 18:08

All this is about having the right people. Everything we do, to have the right people, you need a good network. And unfortunately, with so many people being time poor, they don't have that or that availability to them. What do you believe are the key qualities of someone who builds strong and lasting networks?

Deb Worthington: 18:27

Somebody who has key qualities to build long and strong and lasting networks needs to understand that it's about consistency. It needs to be natural and you need to be consistent. So if you want to grow a business in an area like Morisett that is fast growing, new people coming into the area, a lot of long-term people in the area, then you need to be able to build relationships through networking and other forms. So there's natural networking as well as designated networking, I guess. So natural networking, you know, what sports do you play? What do your friends do? You know, do you play netball, soccer? Do you go to the gym? It's it's building relationships in those areas that comes naturally, and that's natural networking. Then there's also designated networking, so going to networking events. I think a lot of the the generation of social media has lost the ability to naturally network or to go to designated networking events. I did have a few of the younger guys say to me, Well, what do you mean we want to get together for a coffee? I don't understand. It's like, well, you get to you know promote your business and meet people and and network. And they were like, Well, what's networking? I'll just put a post on social media. And I relate to social media back to the newspaper 20 years ago. So absolutely necessary, social media now and newspapers back then, to get your brand out there. But there's nothing like shaking someone's hand. If you shake someone's hand and you've met them, then if you're a mortgage broker or a conveyancer or a buyer's agent or a selling agent or a hairdresser, it doesn't matter what your industry, if you shake someone's hand and they've met you, they're more likely to choose you every time over somebody they've seen on social media or the newspaper out of the 20 years ago.

Leon Goltsman: 20:20

I've been in marketing and relationship building for a very, very long time. And uh and I've seen a huge shift. But the shift isn't always better. It makes the world a smaller place. It gives us more accessibility to each other. But it also has become the most loneliest place because people have never in the history of humankind have felt so alone. So my observation, just even speaking with you, is that we need to be able to adapt. What can others learn from your experiences?

Deb Worthington: 20:52

So one of the biggest changes we've seen, uh, and specifically over the last 25 years for me, is that people are just time poor. Even though we've got technology and work from home and you know, more that we can do remotely, it just means people just have left less time. Left time less time on the weekends to look at properties, less time to be researching online, less time to spend with their families. So, as buyers' agents, we want to give people back their time to spend with their families, regardless of what their budget is or whether they're investors or first-time owners or just next home owners. We want to make sure that everybody has the right to representation. We want to grow a brand that is national. We want to make a brand that is for everybody, not just people who are investors who can afford very high fees with high-end buyers' agents. We're here for everybody, and that's a massive change in the industry. There's never been a better time for somebody to use our services. Knowing that there's such time poor, they might be on shift work or they've got kids' sports, they can't look at the properties. Most houses are only open on the weekends now, you can't book a private inspection, you've got to go to the open house. So using a service like ours means that we give you back your time, we give you the information that helps you make the right choice, and then we do all the research and everything for you. So you're spending time with your family. We're finding the property of your dreams.

Leon Goltsman: 22:19

So, Deb, looking ahead, what's your vision for the future and the legacy you hope to leave through your business and community work?

Deb Worthington: 22:26

The legacy I'd like to leave will be twofold. I want to make sure that our community has got the best opportunity to grow. I want to make sure I've got the ability to mentor people and help them mentor others. And I want to have a broader vision of helping people nationally buy property and knowing that they've got representation in their side. And if we can do that under the vice of helping community first, family, and then businesses, then we can help anybody achieve their dreams of property ownership.

Leon Goltsman: 22:58

And that certainly is a legacy, and nothing is more rewarding when you see Australians owning a piece of Australia. For me, that is an ultimate win when Australians are living in Australia, owning their own property. That was the Australian dream, was it not?

Deb Worthington: 23:15

Absolutely. Everybody wanted the white picket fence. So we want to give people the opportunity to know that they've got somebody on their side guiding them the right way to make sure they achieve that dream of home ownership.

Leon Goltsman: 23:27

And the thing with you is as well as that when people come and see you, they've also got access to all the networking professionals that come with you as well.

Deb Worthington: 23:35

Absolutely. We make sure that they've got the right conveyancing team, the right broker, the right bank, the right area that they want to live in. We put it all together and make sure that it reaches the vision that they have.

Leon Goltsman: 23:47

If someone wanted to get in contact with you, what is the best way for them to reach out?

Deb Worthington: 23:52

Happy for them to call me anytime. My number is on the website, which is Lake Macquarie BuyersAgency.com.au. Or they can call me on 0484-923-381 anytime. We literally do have our phones on seven days a week because that's when you're available. If somebody's thinking about buying a property and they really don't know which way to head, it doesn't matter what stage you're up to, whether you're still saving or whether you've got a broker or not, just call us. We're happy to have a chat anytime. It doesn't cost you anything to call us. And even if we just give you some advice on what to do next, then we feel like we've had a win.

Leon Goltsman: 24:25

Fantastic. Thank you so much, Deb, for coming on the program. I'm always learning from amazing people like yourself, but it's also something that we're able to take away and share with the audience, which we're doing today. I'm very grateful to have amazing people introduce us for our paths crossing and just doing great things for our local area.

Deb Worthington: 24:46

We love working with our local community and we're so happy to be here today. Thank you for having me.

Leon Goltsman: 24:51

Pleasure. How good was that? Thank you to everyone for joining us on this episode of Engaging Conversations. And a heartfelt thank you to Deb Worthington for an inspiring conversation, reminding us that buying a home, building a business, or finding your place in a community is so much easier when the right people are in your corner. Her passion for helping others and her commitment to reconnecting the Morisset and Lake Macquarie communities is exactly the kind of leadership we love to spotlight on this program. And if today's episode resonated with you, or if you're navigating your own journey in property, business, or community building, I encourage you to reach out, ask questions, and connect with the people who can help you take the next step. This episode was proudly sponsored by Napean Advanced Rehab, an Allied Health Center, empowering movement, restoring life, and helping Australians get back to what they love. And a special thank you once again to Niaz Cannoth for his ongoing support. If you enjoyed this conversation, please follow the show and share this episode. Or leave a review. It helps us bring more powerful stories to listeners across Australia. Or if you or someone you know has a great story to share, a lesson worth passing on, or a community impact worth highlighting, I'd love to hear from you. Reach out anytime on 1300-423-027. That's 1300-423-027. Or email me at leon.goldsman at ecohq.com.au. I'm Leon Goltsman, thank you for listening. Until next time, stay connected, stay curious, and let's keep building, growing, and doing great things together.