Meet Daphne Sauvage, the former model turned Sydney prestige real estate agent

It was love at first sight when Daphne Sauvage landed in Sydney on a round-the-world adventure. The former model made a new home and more than one new career in the harbour city, including her latest role as associate director at Sydney Sotheby’s International Realty.

Where did you spend your early life?

I was born in Zimbabwe and left there when I was very young. I grew up in Wales. My father is Welsh. The valleys got a bit boring for him, so he’d headed over to what was at the time Rhodesia and joined the police force. My mum was originally from Mauritius. She was a very beautiful woman. She worked for an airline. My father didn’t speak French and my mother didn’t speak English but they met and married within a few months. They’re still together and they’re still besotted with each other. 

Did you travel much when you were younger?

We would alternate between spending Christmas in Wales and Mauritius. We stayed in a beautiful home on the beach. I have such strong memories of spending time in that tropical environment, surrounded by a huge family.

Have you always worked in real estate?

I left school early. I was always a natural salesperson and I did a lot of modelling work in Wales. I’m not the tallest, so I did photographic assignments and fashion parades. I won a competition to be the face of a department store. I was also a finalist in the Miss Wales competition. Soon after, I decided it was time to travel. 

And that’s how you ended up in Australia?

I left on an overseas trip with my sister. When I got off the plane in Sydney, I went straight into the city to see the Opera House and Harbour Bridge. I just loved it all. I found Sydney to be such an aesthetically beautiful place and Aussies are so down to earth. 

What made you decide to make a life in Sydney?

I have a belief that our souls connect geographically. As soon as I arrived in Sydney, everything fell into place. I ended up setting up a PR business. My first client was Mercedes Benz. I would head up a team of models to do special events. I flew all over Australia to attend events and launches.

Then you moved to selling prestige homes.

While I was running that business, I met really lovely people who had some beautiful properties. At one event, I met a real estate agent who ran a business in Double Bay. I was ready for a change. 

And how did that go?

My PR business was about relationship-building and connecting with people in a really gentle way. I was given Darling Point as my area of business. I would make appointments with people in apartments there, then I would introduce myself and have a chat to anyone who came in and out. When the Sotheby’s office opened in Sydney, I couldn’t be happier to work for them. It was the perfect fit.

All that time hanging about in apartment foyers paid off, then?

Absolutely. That’s how I was starting to get listings. I got a great result for one listing. That led to another, and another. My career has continued in that vein but with even more expensive properties. People come back to me as they move up the property ladder. 

What do you love about Darling Point?

It’s a beautiful community of people. The water views are exquisite. You have Rushcutters Bay Park on the doorstep. People love the proximity to the city. It’s safe. McKell Park is fabulous and there’s a ferry to the city. 

Selling prestige property sounds like an all-consuming job. How do you relax?

I had a health issue a few years ago and I started doing Bikram yoga as part of my recovery. I did a 30-day challenge and felt a wellness I’d never experienced in my life before. I felt it was my calling to become a teacher. I did a teacher training course in LA and was teaching regularly in a studio in Bondi Junction before COVID hit. I’m now involved with Bikram Yoga Darlinghurst. Real estate is a lifestyle, not a job, and health is an absolute priority, so it’s a case of being very well organised and allocating time to important things.