National
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New standard to transform Australian homes
An ambitious new standard for Australian homes will help drive the transformation of the housing market to ensure new homes are built to a higher standard which is focused on health, resilience and net zero energy. As part of a webinar on future homes, the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) has released the report Green Star for Homes: A strategy for…
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RBA keeps interest rates at record-low 0.25 per cent
With the Australian economy still feeling the full impact of social distancing measures, the RBA has made the decision to leave interest at a record-low 0.25 per cent. The RBA made two rate cuts in March, including an emergency cut that saw the official cash rate fall to its lowest level on record. It was widely expected that the RBA…
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Construction sector devastated by impact of COVID-19
Up to 43,000 new homes will not be built in the next 12 months as a result of COVID-19, according to new economic modelling released today. Denita Wawn, CEO of Master Builders Australia said new modelling conducted by Master Builders Australia showed the devastating impact that lockdown was having on the building industry, the economy and the community. “In the…
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The Real Estate Institutes respond to COVID-19 impact on Australian property
As the far-reaching impacts of COVID-19 continue to be felt, the heads of the nation’s Real Estate Institutes have had their say on how they expect it will impact the Australian property industry. Responding to Ripehouse Advisory’s Whitepaper COVID-19 vs Australian Property, most industry heads are on the same page, remaining cautiously optimistic. Across the board, the consensus has been…
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Five reasons now might be the perfect time to go out on your own
This recent COVID-19 crisis has imparted a level of disruption that our generation of real estate professionals has not seen before, requiring us to be adaptive and respond to change very quickly. It sees us in the midst of a paradigm shift, as the impact and status of the current COVID-19 pandemic evolves daily. Our industry has fast-tracked technologies and…
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Finder survey says…cash rate hold and international borders to remain closed
The cash rate is anticipated to remain on hold and Australia is projected to lose $25 billion in foreign spending, according to a recent survey by Finder. In this month’s Finder RBA Cash Rate Survey – the largest of its kind in Australia – 42 experts and economists weighed in on future cash rate moves and other issues related to the state…
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Time for change: Body language experts’ prediction for new global greeting
The traditional handshake – we do it because our parents taught us and their parents taught them to do it. Its origins are in Roman Military greetings 2000 years ago, and Westerners and Europeans accept it as ‘normal’. But in places like Asia and Japan it’s still a relatively new concept that many people in those countries have only seen…
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Rental Heroes introduces AI-chatbot ‘Alex’
Rental Heroes has introduced an AI-chatbot named “Alex” who is designed to help property managers by communicating directly with tenants to handle everyday requests and issues, including maintenance. The Melbourne-based proptech co rolled Alex out recently and explains the technology allows every property manager to have their very own property assistant. Rental Heroes has a focus on helping property managers…
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House prices remain steady as transactions slow
Despite the nation-wide shutdown that has made life tough-going for most real estate agents, house prices have remained stable throughout April. According to the latest data from CoreLogic, house prices nationwide ticked higher, up 0.3 per cent. House prices in Sydney increased by 0.4 per cent, however, values did ease in Melbourne, with prices down -0.3 per cent over the…
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Auction volumes to remain low for foreseeable future
Auction volumes are likely to continue at a lower rate for the foreseeable future, according to CoreLogic, with just 590 properties scheduled for auction across the capitals this weekend resulting in a clearance rate of 59.6 per cent. Volumes were up slightly on the week prior when 413 homes were scheduled for auction and a final clearance rate of 41.1…
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Which rental markets are most impacted by COVID-19?
COVID-19 is having varied impacts on residential property, but arguably the biggest impact could be in the rental space. According to CoreLogic, prior to COVID-19, the Australian rental market was already weak and with new challenges like Australian borders remaining closed to tourists and government policies restricting short-term rental arrangements, some Airbnb rentals are converting to long-term rental supply. CoreLogic…
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Console Cloud announces integration with Maintenance Manager
An integration between cloud-based property management software platform Console Cloud and Maintenance Manager is set to give agencies a faster turnaround on maintenance tasks and save double-handling of data. Managing maintenance has typically required property managers to coordinate activities between tenants, landlords and tradies, causing headaches and games of phone tag for all involved. In an effort to streamline the…
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Six changes Australia could implement to improve liveability during lockdown
There is no doubt Australians’ mental health and quality of life are suffering during the nationwide shutdown as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. If Australia’s existing ‘shutdown’ turned into a ‘lockdown’ in localities where a spike in the growth of COVID-19 infections occurs, our ability to cope could be seriously diminished. Italy, Spain, France, Germany, Poland, the United Kingdom,…
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Property searches on the up: REA
Online property searches are proving a popular pandemic pastime according to realestate.com.au, with their latest data revealing both buy and rent searches have increased significantly on this time a year ago. According to their latest figures, search activity for properties to buy is up 5.3 per cent in the past week and is now 37 per cent higher than it…
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New records for Rent.com.au
Rent.com.au has released its quarterly results for the period ending March 31, noting new records have been set for visits to its website and apps. CEO Greg Bader said the March quarter was typically when Rent.com.au sees the greatest number of renters moving home, and the March quarter proved no different, with increased visits to the website and apps, as…
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Auction activity slows for Anzac Day
A combination of Anzac Day commemorations and ongoing on-site auction restrictions saw just 431 properties go to auction across the capitals this week, with results only available for 223 of the properties as of Monday. CoreLogic results indicate volume was down on the 1,922 properties auctioned the previous week as the nation stopped to remember the Anzacs on Saturday and…
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Property values holding on amid COVID-19 crisis – for now
While the COVID-19 downturn has had a dramatic impact on agent activity and listings volumes in residential real estate, reports indicate that so far the value of dwellings has been relatively resilient. It’s still likely that property values will fall amid the downturn, but according to CoreLogic the decline in momentum across property values has been mild relative to what…
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Auctions nosedive on back of pandemic and public holiday
The number of homes scheduled for auction this week took a dive, with only 314 properties scheduled for auction across the combined capital cities. According to CoreLogic, the lower volumes are partly due to coronavirus reducing the number of vendors serious about taking their property to auction in more challenging conditions, and also because Anzac Day falls on Saturday –…
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MRI Software appoints key executives to support global growth
Real estate software solutions company MRI Software has strengthened its leadership team with two key executive appointments. Roman Telerman has been promoted to Chief Financial Officer from Vice President of Finance, and experienced software executive David Bowie has joined the team as Senior Vice President and Managing Director, Asia Pacific. MRI Software’s Chief Executive Officer Patrick Ghilani said Mr Telerman…
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RBA offers sobering outlook for Australian economy
Reserve Bank of Australia Governor Philip Lowe has pulled few punches when it comes to the immediate future of the Australian economy, noting “over the first half of 2020 we are likely to experience the biggest contraction in national output and income that we have witnessed since the 1930s”. In a tough-love speech responding to a tough-love Covid-19 national lockdown,…
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Property experts share COVID-19 market predictions
A group of property experts have shared their views on how COVID-19 will impact Australia’s property market, with most indicating the greatest effect will be felt within three to 12 months but many still believe by this time next year prices could be higher than they are at present. As part of a survey by Ripehouse Advisory, 146 property professionals…
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Higher auction volumes again weighed down by withdrawals
Scheduled auction volumes increased this week, almost trebling in numbers after the Easter weekend, but as seen in previous weeks the results were weighed down by withdrawals, with the clearance rate coming in at 39.1 per cent. Across the capitals 1848 properties were listed for auction compared to 634 the week prior, according to CoreLogic’s figures. Of the 356 properties…
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Propic makes AI technology available for free during pandemic
Real estate software service provider Propic will make its AI technology available for free to all real estate businesses, irrespective of size, to support the industry through the COVID-19 pandemic. In response to the changing needs of businesses and customers, the AI technology has been trained to answer a variety of different coronavirus-related questions. Valued at thousands of dollars, Propic’s…
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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…
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Record realestate.com.au audience shows Australia’s property passion remains
Leading real estate website realestate.com.au has achieved a new record audience for March, with 10.7 million people visiting the site. The milestone comes as the real estate industry is being forced to operate under new guidelines in order to minimise the spread of COVID-19. Realestate.com.au has remained laser-focused on helping the property industry adapt to new operating requirements with limited face-to-face interactions.…
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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…
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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…
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Subdued Easter auction market
The Easter long weekend delivered subdued auction results, with just 636 homes slated for auction across the combined capitals, returning a preliminary clearance rate of 29.3 per cent. CoreLogic noted the clearance rate was again dragged down by withdrawn properties, with 57 per cent of listings pulled “as the auction market continues to face challenges around social distancing measures banning…
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The RBA Leaves the Cash Rate on Hold at 0.25 per cent
At its monthly meeting today, the RBA has decided to leave the cash rate on hold at 0.25 per cent. The move that was widely tipped by analysts will see the cash rate remain at historic lows for the foreseeable future. In mid-March, the RBA held its first emergency meeting since 1997 to slash the cash rate to current levels…
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ATO introduces claim shortcut for working from home
The ATO has announced people working from home as a result of COVID-19 can claim a rate of 80 cents per hour for all their running expenses, rather than calculating specific costs.
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REA’s new COVID-19 features and support recapped
REA Group has announced a raft of new features to assist agents as they navigate the COVID-19 landscape and this week they moved to clarify what is currently available along with ongoing support measures. Noting the situation continues to evolve, REA CEO Owen Wilson last week said the focus is clear: to provide customers with ongoing flexible support measuresto launch…
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Why property price growth always leads a crisis recovery
Just as it did with past crises, the adverse economic impact from this coronavirus health crisis will begin its rebound with a real estate surge before anything else. Safe as houses! Residential real estate is the one thing which is common to 25.5 million Australians. After all, shelter is an essential commodity. While we all take one for the team…
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Call for essential services clarity in strata management
Australia’s peak body for strata title properties has called on the Federal Health Department to clearly define the role of essential services in strata as its close-knit communities deal with the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.Strata Community Association (SCA) is the industry body for Body Corporate and Community Title Management (also referred to as Strata Management, Strata Title or Owners Corporation Management)…
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Clearance rate weighed down by withdrawn auctions
Over 3000 properties were slated to go under the hammer this weekend. But according to CoreLogic 45 per cent were withdrawn from sale and a further 84 per cent of auctions sold prior to the event, resulting in a preliminary clearance rate of 48 per cent.
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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…
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