covid-featured
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Elite Agent
Safety, certainty and incontestable value: The new listing presentation with Claudio Encina
Real estate agents need to ditch flashy sales pitches and go back to basics and create ‘incontestable value’ to win listings in the current COVID-19 climate, according to top real estate coach Claudio Encina. …
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Elite Agent
Are you eligible for a $3000 Small Business Recovery Grant?
As we all know all too well, the real estate industry has been hit hard by COVID-19. Luckily, things are improving, but many businesses still need a cash boost in order to make the transition back to normal.If you are a small business owner, you may be eligible for a grant of up to $3000 from the NSW Government.The Small Business Recovery Grant is now open for applications, …
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NEWS
Thodey report recommends land tax, not stamp duty
NSW stamp duty should be replaced by land tax, according to a recommendation of the Thodey Report, which was released today. Instigated in 2019 by NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet and chaired by former Telstra Boss David Thodey, one of the draft report’s key recommendations is that broad-based land tax is more efficient and equitable than… …
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NEWS
Auctions go back online for some suburbs in Victoria
Public auctions and open for inspections have been taken off the agenda in Melbourne's current coronavirus hotspots. While Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has ordered the establishment of into the operation of the hotel quarantine program thought to be the cause of the community transmissions, it's a case of back to the future for the real… …
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Elite Agent
How COVID-19 changed business practices
The pandemic literally changed the world. It certainly changed the way we conduct business of all kind. The real estate industry has learnt a lot of lessons from March through to the end of June, and continues to learn. These lessons learned from how we have been forced to adapt have a great many positives. My observation of the main things we’ve had to do differently – …
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Elite Agent
How to prepare your business for the economic recovery phase
The Covid-induced recession is causing strife for thousands of businesses across the country. At the same time, it is giving businesses downtime to examine their operations and their spending, and highlight where they can make improvements. Adjusting your focus and looking ahead to the economic recovery phase may, in fact, put your business in an advantageous position for recovery. Here are five small changes you can make to your business to help you yield major rewards once the world returns to normal. …
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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 many employees were anxious about heading back to the office, …
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Elite Agent
If it were Day 1 in real estate again… what would you do differently?
Coming out of the COVID-19 crisis is the perfect time to adopt a “learner mentality” and treat things as though it’s your first day in real estate, a top sales director says. Speaking as part of a Transform 2020 Leadership Lesson, The Agency’s Thomas McGlynn says too often agents think they know it all and have done it all. “How can you learn anything new when you think you know it all,” he says. …
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NEWS
Property industry can help kickstart economic recovery
Australia’s leaders have taken decisive action in response to coronavirus which has protected Australians from the terrible health outcomes seen in other countries. But this has also taken a toll on our economy, the effects of which are still largely unknown. In response, The Property Council says the industry should play an important role in Australia’s economy recovery and ongoing prosperity and has presented a seven-point plan to the National Cabinet to help stimulate economic recovery and secure long term prosperity. …
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Elite Agent
What to post on social media during COVID-19
As the current social climate and the property industry continues to change due to COVID-19, it proves to be a confusing phase for real estate agents. When it comes to digital marketing, there are several approaches one can take in response to the new lifestyle changes whilst continuing to be active online. What to avoidOffering personal opinions on the COVID-19 situation is a big NO, …
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Elite Agent
A two-step strategy for sheltering everyone
This article was co-authored by Bevan Warner, CEO of Launch Housing and Ron Wakefield, Professor of Construction, Deputy Pro-Vice Chancellor, International, and Dean, School of Property, Construction and Project Management, RMIT University, and was originally contributed to The Conversation. The original title was The need to house everyone has never been clearer. Here’s a 2-step strategy to get it done. The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us our health is intimately connected to the health of the person next to us, …
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Elite Agent
The ultimate guide for remote working and managing remote teams
COVID-19 has meant that we all need to get used to working from home, even if we’ve never done it before. Here are some tips to make working from home more comfortable. 10 Tips for working remotely Dedicate a workspace Designate a specific area in your house for work. This will make it easier to stay focused and separate your work life from your home life. …
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NEWS
New app reconnects property managers with tenants from a distance
The strict social distancing measures imposed nationally by the Government in response to COVID-19 have created a major dilemma for property managers. Their inability to conduct routine inspections, review reported or completed maintenance issues, and interview new tenants leaves them unable to fulfill their obligations to landlords and ensure the safety of tenants. In response to this dilemma, an Australian software solutions company has fast-tracked the release of a purpose-built digital live streaming App called KONECT. …
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Elite Agent
REEF applies for industry award variation for commission-only salespeople
With COVID-19 likely to heavily impact commission-only agents, the Real Estate Employer’s Federation (REEF) has applied for a variation to the Industry Award in a bid to postpone next year’s annual Minimum Income Threshold Amount (MITA) reviews. REEF CEO Bryan Wilcox said the application to the Fair Work Commission was filed by REEF and the Real Estate Employer’s Federation of SA/NT, …
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OPINION
McGrath CEO Geoff Lucas gives some insights of working from home as he leads a team of 1,800
While the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic impacts all of us greatly, and for many working remotely is a great challenge, my co-workers at McGrath were well prepared. We had already trialled our teams working from home to ensure our tools and systems were in place, so we were fortunate to be ahead of the curve in that respect. Real estate is a mobile industry so in many ways it was easier for us as we benefitted from a significant investment in technology and infrastructure in the preceding 12 months. …
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Elite Agent
9 things I’d do as a Property Manager during COVID-19
COVID-19: There is no point of reference for Businesses, Property Managers, Owners and Tenants to refer to, because we’ve never been through this before. This is not “Business As Usual”, and it could be quite a while before a normal operating rhythm returns. To negotiate this period, here’s 9 things I’d be focussed on. Scripts and PracticeThis is one from my days as a BDM, …
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Elite Agent
The options so far for rent relief in Australia
What if I can't pay my rent? These are the options for rent relief in Australia Mark Giancaspro, University of Adelaide and David Brown, University of Adelaide You’ve lost income because of the coronavirus crisis and finding it hard to pay the bills. What if you can’t pay your rent? The short answer, if you… …
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NEWS
Gower Buchanan of Ray White NZ – Never more relevant than now
In New Zealand, the response to Coronavirus ramped up quickly, with the country given just 48 hours to prepare for full lockdown. Wherever people stayed the night of March 25, they were told to remain. All but essential services shut down. All businesses except supermarkets, pharmacies, clinics and lifeline utilities closed their doors. Ray White Ponsonby director Gower Buchanan notes nothing quite prepares a business leader for a shift of that magnitude. …
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NEWS
How to manage your finances through the pandemic
Concerning new research reveals 4.2 million working Australians were living hand to mouth well before the coronavirus crisis. Now, with potentially millions of people without savings facing unemployment in the wake of the shutdowns, experts are asking if the Government’s cash handouts can get struggling Aussies through the crisis? The findings come from an independent survey of a nationally representative panel of 1006 Australian adults, …
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NEWS
House price growth begins to slow
Despite the unprecedented social distancing measures put in place to stop the spread of the coronavirus, home values across the country pushed higher in March. According to the latest data from CoreLogic, prices rose by 1.1 per cent in Sydney, 0.4 per cent in Melbourne, 0.6 per cent in Brisbane and Canberra, 0.5 per cent in Perth and 2 per cent in Darwin, …
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NEWS
JobKeeper payment announced to help business retain employees
The Federal Government has injected a further $130 billion into the economy through the establishment of a JobKeeper payment in a bid to keep businesses operating and their employees in work. Announced on Monday, the latest tranche of support funding is specifically targeted at keeping people employed and is designed to support an estimated 6 million Australians through a new business payment known as JobKeeper. …
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Elite Agent
Property Manager tips – working from home
Property Manager tips – working from home transcript Hi, I’m Michelle Rigg. I’m the general manager at Rentwest Solutions. We’re a property management company in Perth WA. I want to talk with property managers about just getting ready and preparing properly for working from home, as most of you are now. It is a little bit different in these times than the usual remote working. …
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NEWS
Rent relief remains a work in progress: Scott Morrison
Formal action on rent relief remains a work in progress, with Prime Minister Scott Morrison today explaining it will form part of Australia’s “innovative” tranche three stimulus package which is designed to support business and individuals. Earlier today the PM met with premiers and chief ministers via a virtual national cabinet meeting, discussing the “contentious” issue of commercial and residential rent, …
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NEWS
Real Estate Industry waits for a COVID-19 rent relief decision
The real estate industry is just hours away from learning how the nation will handle rent distress for residential and commercial tenants. Due to be discussed in a national cabinet meeting this morning, the focus is expected to centre around rent relief including a possible national stimulus package to underwrite commercial rents, rates, and taxes, and could include a moratorium on all residential evictions. …
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NEWS
Kylie Walsh of DiJONES – A stronger industry, embracing change
DiJONES’ general manager Kylie Walsh is no stranger to innovation, but in recent weeks she reflects the whole industry has been forced to innovate at speed. “As an industry, real estate has been very slow to change,” she notes. “But this event will force us to… …
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NEWS
How a pandemic will shape communities
COVID-19 is challenging many conventions within urban development across the globe. While the pandemic is seeing Australians adopt unprecedented social distancing measures, potential lockdowns require residents to live, work, learn, and shop for daily needs and undertake passive recreational activities within their own neighbourhoods. One of Australia’s leading urban planners and designers believes that the… …
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NEWS
Property valuers call for equity release during COVID-19 crisis
Australia’s largest independent property valuation and advisory firm has called for easier access to existing equity in homes and investment properties would to ease financial pressure for Aussies during the COVID-19 crisis. Herron Todd White CEO Gary Brinkworth said both the government and regulators must urgently work with financiers to unlock this source of stored wealth and help struggling individuals and businesses through this unprecedented time. …
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NEWS
realestate.com.au launches digital inspections
realestate.com.au has announced the launch of a new digital feature to support real estate agents. The move is in response to the government's stricter social distancing measures and allows agents to connect with more consumers in a way that reflects today’s environment with limited social interactions. In light of new government restrictions on group open-for-inspections,… …
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Elite Agent
Matt Lahood – The Agency: There’s no COVID-19 manual but there is common sense
“It’s not like you can reach for a Coronavirus manual that’s sitting on the office shelf. The reality is we have to step up as leaders and an industry, and it’s a lot about common sense.” Over the past few weeks, Matt Lahood has been implementing a raft of changes in The Agency that are designed to protect the welfare of his people and clients. …
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NEWS
Conduct of open homes and public auctions by real estate agents
On Sunday night, the Prime Minister made it very clear that all Australians should immediately cease unnecessary travel and cease all unnecessary social interaction in order to limit the spread of the Coronavirus. With this in mind, the Real Estate Institute of Australia is now calling on all real estate agents across Australia to make significant changes to the way they conduct their business, …
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Elite Agent
Federal Government comes out swinging in round 2 of COVID-19 stimulus plan
Following on from last week’s initial stimulus package, the Federal Government yesterday came out swinging with a second round of initiatives designed to support business through the challenge of COVID-19. Last week the Government announced support for business which included 50 per cent cashback on Pay As You Go Withholding (PAYGW), along with incentives to keep apprentices and trainees employed. This week they went a whole lot further, …
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NEWS
A new way of doing business is crucial: Ouwens Casserly
Ouwens Casserly Real Estate is looking to be among the industry leaders in response to coronavirus, with staff already trialling remote working arrangements to service a strong South Australian property market. From last Thursday, Ouwens Casserly Real Estate began trialling remote working arrangements for its 100+ staff, who are usually based at six sites across metropolitan Adelaide. Mr Casserly said the agency had already seen a shift in consumer behaviour as potential buyers practise social distancing. …
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NEWS
VR real estate group offers support to industry facing changes during pandemic
A real estate company that operates virtually contact-free is offering to share its secrets with others in the industry as it stares down the barrel of uncertainty due to the coronavirus outbreak. Although they never predicted a pandemic, Kindred Property Group had already developed virtual property tours on more than 90 per cent of its listings and boasts Australia’s only real estate virtual reality lounges in shopping centres. …
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NEWS
How real estate agents can market property in the age of COVID-19
With an estimated 115,000 listings on the market (according to CoreLogic), agencies are looking for solutions that allow them to continue to transact property – particularly if consumers are subject to further isolation and quarantine measures which can make the familiar arrangements a challenge. Strategies to contain the spread of the virus, such as enforced isolation and public gathering restrictions, have left many agents seeking solutions that will allow them to work with as little disruption as possible. …
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