News Room

If you have any news for the Real Estate industry - whether you are a professional or a supplier to the industry, please email us: newsroom@eliteagent.com
  • Real Estate NewsREIV Leah Calnan lockdown

    Real estate goes online in Covid-19 hotspots

    The Victorian Government on Tuesday announced that in light of rising cases of Coronavirus, ten postcodes with the highest amount of incidents would return to Stage 3 restrictions. REIV President Leah Calnan said real estate business will adapt their processes by reverting to inspections by appointment and online auctions in Melbourne’s ten COVID-19 hotspots. “Any return of restrictions is frustrating…

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  • Real Estate News

    Planning Development Unit a huge win for good growth in NSW

    The Property Council of Australia has today welcomed the announcement from the NSW Government on the new Planning Delivery Unit (PDU) which will work with government agencies to unblock planning projects stuck in the system and streamline planning processes. “Today’s announcement is a significant win for the property and construction industry, and a positive step towards fixing the planning system…

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  • Real Estate News

    Boffo is Adelaide’s newest name in real estate

    On Wednesday July 1, one of Adelaide’s most successful real estate offices will relaunch as Boffo Real Estate. The agency’s Managing Director, Jarrad Boffo, is excited for the chance to bring his real estate vision to life. “After 17 years being part of a real estate franchise we felt the time was right to launch as an independent agency,” he…

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  • Real Estate News

    Super and first home buyer schemes restart tomorrow but are they a good idea?

    Two major government schemes restart tomorrow as the new financial year begins but comparison site RateCity.com.au is warning Australians to think before they jump in. From July 1, eligible Australians financially affected by COVID-19 will be able to access up to $10,000 extra from their superannuation. Round two of the First Home Loan Deposit Scheme…

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  • Real Estate News

    Independent real estate group BresicWhitney appoints Thomas McGlynn as part of the firm’s growth strategy

    Renowned sales leader and auctioneer Thomas McGlynn has joined independent Sydney real estate group, BresicWhitney.  The move comes as BresicWhitney continues to deliver on a staged growth strategy. “Coming out of the property market downturn of 2017 – 2019, we made a decision to reshape our operating model to better enable our business to respond to economic shifts,” BresicWhitney co-founder…

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  • Real Estate News

    Agents urged to remain vigilant on social distancing requirements

    After a return to stricter controls in Victoria, the REINSW is urging agents to remain vigilant when it comes to social distancing. Noting the current situation in Victoria is a timely reminder for all that COVID-19 has not been put to rest, they’re calling on agents to exercise caution, especially at a time when the property market is proving buoyant. …

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  • Real Estate News

    Home loan rates hit new record low of 1.99%

    Fixed home loan rates continue to tumble, with Bank of Us the first lender to offer the average Australian a fixed home loan rate under 2 per cent. Bank of Us has announced the record-breaking rate of 1.99 per cent, fixed for 1 to 3 years, for owner-occupiers paying principal and interest repayments with a…

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  • Real Estate News

    ATO offers tax time tips for rentals

    With the end of the financial year imminent, the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has sought to assist landlords with clear guidelines on what to do this tax time including what you can and cannot claim. Noting the ATO was aware residential rental property owners might be concerned about how COVID-19, floods, or bushfires had reduced…

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  • Real Estate News

    Positive signs for spending when restrictions ease

    Australians who had reduced spending on items including eating out and recreational activities due to COVID-19 are expecting this to increase when restrictions ease, according to latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). However, the sixth Household Impacts of COVID-19 Survey found that people who had spent less on items including household furnishings, clothing and…

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  • Real Estate News

    Sotheby’s International Realty ready to offer their services to Byron Bay

    Experienced agent Dominique Vasers Williams has joined Queensland Sotheby’s International Realty as the brand looks set to service the Byron Bay and Northern Rivers region. A consummate professional who notes real estate is in her blood, Ms Williams said the name Sotheby’s International Realty is associated with luxury, quality properties and service. When asked how long she has been in…

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  • Real Estate News

    Homely has joined Harcourts Coastal to co-sponsor the Gold Coast Titans

    Real estate portal homely.com.au has teamed up with Harcourts Coastal to become the front-of-shorts sponsor for the Gold Coast Titans NRL team.  Homely will appear as the front-of-shorts sponsor on the Titans’ away playing kit while Harcourts Coastal will feature on the home playing kit during the 2020 NRL Telstra Premiership season.  Homely Co-Founder, Jason Spencer said he was extremely…

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  • Real Estate News

    Noosa scores Qld’s priciest properties and Mackay market soars

    Queensland’s residential property market continues to show strong and relatively stable results, with regional markets leading the charge. According to the Real Estate Institute of Queensland (REIQ), the first three-monthly quarter (1 January 2020 – 31 March 2020) indicates the Sunshine State remains resilient. The state’s capital, which achieved the highest number of annual sales, saw modest price increases in…

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  • Real Estate NewsREIV Leah Calnan lockdown

    Real estate sector focused on selling and renting safely

    Real Estate Institute of Victoria (REIV) President Leah Calnan has vowed the real estate sector will continue to do everything it can to help fight Covid-19 as further restrictions were announced across Victoria. In response to an increase in cases of Coronavirus, the Victorian Government announced a return to tighter restrictions which means that crowds at auctions and open house…

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  • Real Estate News

    Homebuilder and infrastructure help stimulate buyer activity

    The recently announced HomeBuilder grant and major infrastructure projects are attracting committed buyers to entry-level markets in Australia’s capital cities, according to Raine & Horne. HomeBuilder provides eligible owner-occupiers, including first home buyers, with a grant of $25,000 to build a new home or substantially renovate an existing home. To be eligible for the grant, a couple must earn less than $200,000…

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  • Real Estate News

    Prop-tech startup Yabonza makes first acquisition with Easyshare

    Australian-founded prop-tech startup Yabonza has acquired sharehouse payments startup Easyshare in a bid to simplify rental payments on its property management platform. The cash and equity deal is the first acquisition for Yabonza and is a move that aligns closely with the platform’s tech, growth and leadership objectives. Easyshare was founded in 2015, with the goal of making payments for…

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  • Real Estate News

    Raine & Horne opens new office in Armidale

    Raine & Horne has expanded its New England footprint, opening a new office in Armidale, led by experienced agent Nellie Hayes. Raine & Horne Armidale is an extension of the firm’s office in Glen Innes, which Ms Hayes opened in November 2018. “There was a brilliant opportunity to extend into new territory with the Raine & Horne brand, and I am…

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  • Real Estate News

    Australia’s variable rate hits new record low

    An online lender has become the new leader in the mortgage rate wars as variable home loan rates continue to drop, hitting a new record low. Freedom Lend is now offering a variable rate of 2.17 per cent, for new customers with a deposit of 30 per cent of more. RateCity.com.au Research Director Sally Tindall said home loan rates have…

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  • Real Estate News

    Never say never: Bond villa up for sale

    Sir Sean Connery was the quintessential James Bond. The screen’s original 007: smart, handsome, refined, debonair and the most popular of the nine actors who took on the classic-spy role created by British-naval-intelligence-officer Ian Fleming in 1953. Instantly recognized by most people through the James Bond film franchise of the 1960s to ‘80s including Goldfinger, Diamonds are Forever, Dr.…

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  • Real Estate News

    Border reopening expected to drive demand for Darwin property

    Darwin homeowners and landlords are preparing for a significant surge in activity when the Northern Territory’s borders reopen on 17 July 2020, declared a local real estate expert.  Raine & Horne Darwin General Manager Glenn Grantham said even before the border announcement this week, he had received six rapid-fire bookings for a holiday rental apartment in the Darwin CBD. “Typically,…

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  • Real Estate News

    Automated connection services to benefit Qld agencies and tenants

    The Real Estate Institute of Queensland is set to launch a new automated utilities connection service which will save agencies time and money, and deliver a better experience for tenants. Part of REIQ‘s Realworks platform powered by Hutly, the new feature uses One Touch Execution and enables real estate agencies to nominate their default utilities connection provider so that all…

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  • Real Estate NewsREIV Leah Calnan lockdown

    REIV welcomes new minister

    Real Estate Institute of Victoria President Leah Calnan has welcomed the appointment of the Hon Melissa Horne as Minister for Consumer Affairs, Liquor and Gaming Regulation. The Victorian Government yesterday unveiled its new ministry with Minister Horne appointed to the portfolio that oversees the real estate profession. The REIV has written to the Minister, congratulating her on the appointment. Ms…

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  • Real Estate News

    Perth weekly sales transactions hit seven-year high

    Data from reiwa.com has revealed over 1000 sales transactions occurred in greater Perth for the week ending 21 June 2020 – almost double the 52-week average of 539 sales per week and the highest level of activity seen since June 2013. REIWA President Damian Collins said the Perth metro market has certainly started to pick back up and is not…

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  • Real Estate News

    Australian expats looking to buy ‘back home’ in the luxury market

    Australian expats are increasingly looking to purchase property ‘back home’ as the impact of Covid-19 unfolds, and many of those are looking to buy at the higher end of the residential market, according to a Knight Frank survey. The survey, carried out amongst Knight Frank’s global network of prime agents, found 64 per cent said the lockdown had influenced expats’…

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  • Real Estate News

    Homely hits 400 partners across the country

    A milestone 400 launch partners – including many industry heavyweights – have signed on to Homely’s Agent Participation Program nationally, helping the company on its way to its goal of providing an affordable digital real estate marketplace in Australia. The program, which provides agents with a financial interest in a major national real estate portal, aims to create a new…

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  • Real Estate News

    Pandemic doesn’t stop real estate professionals changing lives across the water

    When the not-for-profit program Digital Live was conceived in 2017, Steve Carroll was determined to make a difference to the lives of children in need across the water. And he knew exactly who to call on to help make this vision a reality: the passionate Australian real estate industry.   Fast forward to 2020 and the achievements are astounding.  In just…

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  • Real Estate News

    REIWA Awards recognise best in the west

    REIWA has recognised Western Australia’s top real estate achievers for 2020, with this year’s event streamed to hundreds of people. REIWA CEO Neville Pozzi said during a difficult and evolutionary year within the industry, the awards were more important than ever to showcase the fantastic work that has been achieved. “The Awards for Excellence are the highest accolade that can…

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  • Real Estate News

    ‘Use grants wisely’: property investment consultancy advises first-home buyers

    New building stimulus measures introduced by the Federal and WA State Governments are driving a significant rise in first-home buyer inquiry, according to reports from Perth-based property investment consultancy, Momentum Wealth. Combined with the existing First Home Owner Grant and duty concessions, the Federal HomeBuilder Scheme and State Building Bonus Package could see eligible first-home buyers in WA receive between…

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  • Real Estate News

    Call for ‘mega’ project fast-track to be applied to across the board

    Australia’s leading property advocate has called for the fast-tracking of approvals for nation-building infrastructure projects to be adopted across the board by all levels of government involved in planning and construction approvals. The Property Council of Australia welcomed the Prime Minister’s commitment of additional funding to get new local infrastructure projects out of the ground and accelerate approvals for ‘mega’…

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  • Real Estate News

    Off-market listings app changing how WA buys and sells property

    With an increasing number of sellers enquiring about off-market listings, an app has been modified to provide West Australians with a new and discreet way to buy and sell property which may not otherwise come to market. REIWA CEO Neville Pozzi said due to the current economic conditions many people were looking for cost-effective and productive ways to buy and…

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  • Real Estate News

    Real estate agents identify key areas of support

    The extension of stimulus packages and scrapping stamp duty were among nine key areas of support identified by real estate agents across the country as the industry grapples with the challenges that have arisen during the pandemic. The suggestions were the result of a survey of Real Estate Institute of Australia members about measures that will assist the sector to…

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  • Real Estate News

    Variable home loan rates tumble to record low

    The home loan rate war continued to heat up this week as the lowest variable rate in Australia dropped to 2.19 per cent – and experts predict the competition will only intensify. The special from Reduce Home Loans is for owner-occupier variable customers with loans up to $850,000. Analysis from RateCity.com.au shows that at the end of March just 19…

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  • Elite Agent

    Aussies welcome return of small gatherings but big events still a concern

    A little more than 60 per cent of Australians were looking forward to larger gatherings of family and friends and dining in at restaurants or cafés, but more than 70 per cent said they were uncomfortable about attending large public events, according to new data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The ABS’s fifth Household…

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  • Real Estate News

    The Agency expands to NSW’s stunning Central West

    The Agency has announced its expansion into the NSW Central West, with highly regarded local agent Monica Henley and business development manager Justine Campbell at the helm of the new operation. The Central West, with a focus on Dubbo, Orange, Bathurst and Mudgee, is home to many of Australia’s best-known growers and producers, along with a thriving mining industry. Investment…

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  • Elite Agent

    Nine steps for keeping your office safe in COVID-19

    From implementing extra cleaning of frequently touched surfaces to including your shared company cars in regular cleans, there are a lot of extra safety standards you need to consider as your team settles back in at the office. National anti-viral sanitisation company Cleancorp has been inundated with inquiries since the beginning of the pandemic, and company Director Lisa Macqueen said…

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  • Real Estate News

    New home lending takes a dive in pandemic

    Home lending has plunged in the wake of COVID-19, with the value of home loans falling dramatically in April – and the worst could be yet to come. The Australian Bureau of Statistics lending indicator data released this week shows new lending dropped by $935.5 million (or 4.80 per cent) compared to March 2020, according to the seasonally adjusted data.…

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