In an industry where business growth is often measured strictly by office count, portfolio size, and market share, Lifestyle Group takes a different path. Founder and CEO David Gray and Head of Property Management Nat Fel believe sustainable expansion relies on something far more fundamental: people.
Over the past nine years, Lifestyle Group has evolved from a single regional acquisition into one of Australia’s largest regional real estate networks. Spanning 28 offices from Forster to Brunswick Heads, the group now manages a portfolio of more than 10,000 properties across regional New South Wales.
This people-first philosophy and commitment to operational innovation was recently validated on an international stage: Lifestyle Group was named Innovator of the Year at the 2026 MRI Ascend APAC conference. The award highlights the network’s ability to blend high-touch leadership with leading-edge property technology across a rapidly expanding footprint.
From Acquired Property Manager to Leading 28 Offices
For Nat Fel, the journey is deeply personal. Long before she was leading network-wide acquisitions, she was sitting on the other side of the desk. When David Gray acquired the Port Macquarie business where Nat worked as a Property Manager, she experienced firsthand the uncertainty and opportunity that accompany organisational change.
“Like many people in an acquired business, I was excited about the possibilities but also curious about what it meant for my future,” says Nat. “That experience has stayed with me throughout every acquisition since. I know what it feels like to be the person wondering what comes next, and I know what it feels like to be the leader helping others navigate that same uncertainty. That’s why people have always remained at the centre of every step we take.”
Nat progressed from Property Manager to Team Leader and ultimately to Head of Property Management, helping guide teams through the exact transitions she once navigated herself.
Why Growth is Fundamentally a People Strategy
While mergers and acquisitions are usually viewed through a commercial lens, David and Nat emphasise that long-term success requires human-centric leadership alongside smart systems.
Tech empowers, but people deliver: Advanced management platforms streamline trust accounting and property operations, but team members dictate client experience.
Addressing uncertainty directly: Teams don’t fear change – they fear uncertainty. Transparent leadership keeps teams, landlords, and tenants connected.
Focusing on cultural alignment: Rather than forcing rigid uniformity across 28 distinct offices, Lifestyle Group focuses on alignment around a core mission: helping people build a better life.
By keeping communication clear and putting relationships first, Lifestyle Group continues to set the benchmark for regional property management and real estate innovation across regional NSW.
