Other videos in this series
Victoria’s underquoting crackdown raises questions on shifting reserve prices
Victorian real estate agents are seeking clarity on new property laws taking effect October 1, which will require vendors’ reserve prices to be published at least seven days before an auction. While the reforms aim to stamp out underquoting, the Real Estate Institute of Victoria has flagged practical concerns around changing reserves and how the rules interact with existing pricing obligations.
Spring stock is rising fast – so is the risk of properties passing in
Australian auction volumes are climbing as spring selling season begins, with 1,485 homes scheduled across capital cities this week, up 1.6 per cent on last week but 30 per cent below year-ago levels. A national clearance rate of 49.5 per cent signals a widening gap between vendor expectations and buyer demand, with pass-ins accounting for 30.6 per cent of all auctions held.
A rival’s ‘dirty trick’ fired up this top agent’s record year
When competitors spread rumours that pregnant agent Symone Gatt was leaving real estate, she responded by growing her sales volume 27 per cent and completing 56 transactions while pregnant or caring for a newborn. By hiring an assistant, leaning into motherhood as a point of connection with clients, and adapting her schedule, she ranked ninth across the entire OBrien Real Estate network.
When the pie gets smaller, you need a bigger slice
You wouldn’t go broke writing a hit piece on Australian real estate agents. It’s clickbait that works every day of the week, and it works
What 2,930 removalist jobs say about where NSW is losing residents
Analysis of 2,930 completed removalist jobs across Greater Sydney reveals a sharp geographic divide in residential movement. Kellyville and Box Hill lead inbound migration while Sydney CBD and Leichhardt record the highest departures. Queensland and Victoria absorb most interstate movers leaving NSW, and January emerges as the busiest moving month, with Fridays and Saturdays dominating weekly activity.
Beau Miller takes over as principal of Whitsundays agency Taylors
Rob Taylor has sold Taylors Property Specialists to Beau Miller, capping a planned succession that keeps the Whitsundays agency’s brand, team and founder intact as
Harcourts Property Specialists expands with two new WA offices
Harcourts Property Specialists is expanding its Western Australian presence with new offices in Subiaco and Hopetoun, bringing its total locations to four. The growth comes just 16 months after joining the Harcourts network and follows three rent roll acquisitions and the addition of seven salespeople, building on more than 30 years of property management experience across the Perth metropolitan area.
Valentina Parra named Ray White Victoria and Tasmania COO
Ray White Victoria & Tasmania has appointed Valentina Parra to the newly created role of Chief Operating Officer, recognising almost two decades of work across
Harcourts Batemans Bay owners open second office in Narooma
Harcourts Batemans Bay owners Omania Terry and Dene Lewthwaite have opened a second office in Narooma, expanding their team’s reach across the Eurobodalla region under a “two locations, one team” approach. The new office offers residential sales, property management and holiday rentals, with local team members Jenna Turnbull and Melissa Dell helping establish the Narooma presence.
Listing portal data clashes with sales reality as NZ property market shifts
New Zealand’s housing market is caught in a data dispute, with realestate.co.nz reporting national asking prices largely unchanged over three years at around $849,000, while Wellington consultant William Yip argues completed sales tell a starkly different story. Yip contends prices have fallen nearly 20 percent nationally from 2021 peaks, with Wellington down over 25 percent, driven by public sector job cuts and rising ownership costs.
Regional Australia expands its affordability frontier
Australia’s regional property market is entering a structural fourth phase, with affordable inland and resource-driven areas overtaking traditional coastal lifestyle hotspots. Ray White Group economist Atom Go Tian says five years of lifestyle migration pushed coastal prices beyond reach, redirecting buyer demand toward Western Australian, South Australian, and Queensland interior markets where cheap housing meets working local economies.
Strategic expansion propels regional Ray White rural group to top national ranking
Ray White Rural Pittsworth, Warwick, Dalby, Chinchilla and Stanthorpe has been named the number one business in the Ray White Rural network, achieving a goal set 12 months ago. Led by four principals across five offices and 35 staff, the group expanded from three locations over the past year, with Warwick also ranking ninth nationally within the network.
Barry Plant reports growth amid softer Victorian market
The group recorded 10,196 sales transactions for the financial year, up 12.25 per cent from 9,083 a year earlier, while new listings increased 16.1 per
FOUNDIT strengthens Sydney Eastern Suburbs presence with appointment of George Goldsworthy
FOUNDIT has appointed George Goldsworthy as a Partner, strengthening the platform’s presence across Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs as buyers face increasing competition for a limited pool
Your social audience is an extension of your CRM
Real estate networks are sitting on an underutilised opportunity: using AI and automation to scale content across hundreds of offices and thousands of agent social accounts, building familiarity and trust far beyond existing databases. Richard Lindley explores how networks can combine head-office efficiency with local agent authenticity to grow audiences, maintain a human voice, and turn organic social media into a powerful, cost-effective long-term strategy.
The next housing headache may be supply, not demand
Australian building approvals fell 3.6 per cent in July, with detached houses and multi-unit dwellings both declining. Despite approvals remaining above year-ago levels, weaker investor lending, rising costs, and new taxes on housing investors are threatening the construction pipeline. For real estate agents, tightening supply combined with shifting migration policy and falling dwelling prices signals a more complex market ahead.
Todd Alexander appointed CMO of Century 21, BHG
Real estate networks Century 21 and Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate, Australia have appointed former Ray White Head of Marketing Todd Alexander as Chief
Single-bidder auction turned into a 40-minute negotiation for Patumahoe vendors
Neil Sharpe and Sophie Boardman have sold a five-bedroom lifestyle block at 111 Pearson Road, Patumahoe for NZ$1.85 million at auction, navigating a 40-minute negotiation
Jack Gilchrist – building a real estate empire in South Gippsland
The Area Specialist principal had his heart set on becoming a lawyer, even securing exceptional marks and university acceptance to study law after finishing year
Jellis Craig Port Phillip adds prestige experience with Hamish Palmer-Hill appointment
Jellis Craig Port Phillip has appointed Hamish Palmer-Hill as Sales Consultant, bringing over eight years of prestige real estate experience to the inner-south Melbourne office. Palmer-Hill joins from Abercromby’s Real Estate, where he specialised in the inner-south prestige sector. The appointment reflects the firm’s ongoing investment in top-tier talent as it expands its footprint across Melbourne’s premium residential market.
The need to reframe existing conversations
In a market where hesitation and inaction are rampant, pushing harder on reluctant sellers rarely works. This piece explores how real estate agents can reframe everyday conversations by shifting from data-dumping to exploring consequences, helping owners understand that every decision carries risk. Small adjustments in approach, including smarter prospecting questions, can generate meaningful momentum even in tough conditions.
REMAX Australia’s RMX26 conference draws close to 200 members
REMAX Australia’s annual RMX26 conference brought close to 200 members together at the Sunshine Coast Convention Centre for two days of connection, learning and inspiration. Highlights included keynotes from real estate leaders Mat Steinwede and D’Leanne Lewis, property market insights from Cotality’s Tim Lawless, and a closing keynote from 11-time world cycling champion and four-time Olympian Anna Meares OAM.
Harcourts targets Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs for growth
Harcourts is targeting Sydney’s eastern suburbs, including Maroubra, Randwick and Coogee, as part of its national expansion strategy. Chief Growth Officer Tina Ashton says the network aims to support experienced local operators with international-scale resources, technology and systems without displacing their community connections. Tools like its REACH platform have shown measurable gains in sale rates and price achievement across the Australian network.
Buyers are asking AI before they ask you
Research shows 38% of Gen Z and 34% of Millennials now use AI platforms as a starting point for financial and property decisions, with 64% of Gen Z trusting AI over social media influencers. Yet despite this tech adoption, 69% of Australians still value human advice from brokers and advisers more, and only 10% would rely on AI as their primary final decision-maker.