OPINION
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The Truth about Clearance Rates: David Holmes
With price growth slowing in Australia’s biggest housing markets, many sellers have been pondering what is the best strategy for a strong sales result. Prospective sellers keenly eye the auction clearance rate as a leading market barometer, and with a bumper volume of properties to go under the hammer this weekend, property pundits will have their opinions on what figure…
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First Homebuyers Making the Right Moves: Michael Davoren
The REIA recently reported that first home buyers, as a proportion of total owner-occupiers, are at the highest level since July 2013 and the number of first home buyer home finance commitments is the highest since December 2009. New stamp duty exemptions and concessions in NSW and Victoria began on the 1st of July this year, which were designed to…
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Adelaide takes investor attention off Melbourne and Sydney
Anna Porter, a property market author, commentator and former valuer who works with first time and experienced investors on building high-performance portfolios, says she is directing clients towards the forgotten state of South Australia. “For the past three years all eyes have been on Sydney and Melbourne as the markets that have been outperforming the national averages. Many suburbs across…
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Catching the right wave: Michael Davoren
On the Queensland coast the humpback whales are slowly heading back south to Antarctica with their calves after their June to August migration to tropical North Queensland waters where they mate and breed. This month we are hearing about another migration. A 130,000-strong people-wave is tipped to move from southern states, and more specifically Sydney, in coming years for Queensland’s…
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Spotlight on Rent Bidding: Sarah Bell
Rental bidding apps have been on our radar for a little while now: think Rentberry, Liveoffer and Rentwolf. In theory, I love what this tech is attempting: A free and open system, rewarding those who compete and are bold. Many welcome the move to a freer economy between landlords and tenants, and while I’m just as big of a fan…
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Rising buyer activity points to a stronger Darwin property market.
“Compared to 12 months ago we have double and even triple the number of groups at each open home on a Saturday,” said Glenn Grantham, General Manager, Raine & Horne Darwin. “Around 75% of buyers are savvy locals, who have been at our open homes regularly over the last six months. “They recognise that a median house price of $445,000…
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Rentvestment hotspots in Australia for under $600,000
Rentvesting now accounts for one third of all Australian property investments, accounting for $202 billion on loan. With Australian property prices rising by 618% over the past 30 years and national incomes failing to keep up, the rentvestment trend is gaining traction according to Mozo property expert Steve Jovcevski. “The Australian housing market has undergone a period of dramatic change.…
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How to Beat the Interceptors: Lisa B
An interceptor can be defined as a company or individual who is better at search engine optimisation or search engine marketing than you are. As Lisa B explains, their objective is to dominate page one of the search engines, where their presence entices your potential clients to call them and not look for you. Interceptors are everywhere. On the real…
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Why real estate agents need video
Here’s why: 1. Online video now accounts for 74% of all online traffic (KPCB) Social media and Google are all favouring video content in their algorithms ensuring video posts last longer and get seen by more people. Google – which owns YouTube – even has a video tab for searching video. If you want to be seen…
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Short-term letting only suitable for some
Di Jones Head of Investment Management Bridgette Barker said with increases in the cost of living any owner of a property can tap into these services to help with rising expenses. “While people are taking up the opportunity, less than 1 per cent of our rental roll has decided to put their homes onto the short-term market in the past…
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A second bathroom adds six-figures to a sale price: REIV
In the year to June 30, two bathrooms added the greatest value to the sale price of two-bedroom apartments in Stonnington, achieving a median of $920,000 – $312,000 more than homes with only one bathroom. Two-bedroom units with a second bathroom also fetched considerably more in Hobsons Bay with a median price of $650,000. This was $184,000 higher than the…
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John McGrath says no chance of a 40% correction in Sydney market
“The Sydney market is most of the way through its sales cycle and very near the top of its cycle. My view is there is no bubble and no chance of a 40% correction.” said Mr McGrath “The market continues to have strong drivers including deep demand, populations growth, overseas investment and low interest rates. There is a possibility of a small…
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Mortgage Stress: While it’s not pretty, it’s not new
Financial stress is not something you would wish upon anybody, whether it’s due to loss of a job, business failure or unmanageable debt. Mortgage stress falls within its own special category given that the family home is often the single largest asset held by many Australians and embodies so many of the values we cherish most – family, shelter and…
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Common misconceptions debunked about the overseas investor: Ivan Tandyo
It’s hard to deny that house prices in Melbourne and Sydney are through the roof. And it’s not uncommon to hear people blame the government’s ‘relaxed’ rules for foreign investment in Australia. And more often than not, overseas investors are misunderstood and seen as purely negative. People are quick to make assumptions and get angry about foreigners’ local property purchasers…
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Seeing red over bank blacklists: Andrew Cocks
Planning for population growth in our capital cities is no easy task. There will always be entrenched opposition to change particularly when the benefits to many have to be balanced against the costs to a few. As Australia’s population has grown, and the shift to the cities become more pronounced, we’ve had to adjust what it means to achieve the…
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Scare mongering the enemy of first home buyers: Andrew Cocks
The many measures adopted to encourage more first home buyers into the property market have so far failed to produce the upswing that everybody had hoped for, leaving many to wonder if there is a solution to the declining rates of home ownership. But put yourself in the shoes of those contemplating the big step into a lifetime mortgage and…
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Off-Market is the New ‘On’ Market: Liane Fletcher
Australia has long had a love affair with property and the predominant East Coast method of sale has been by public auction, a quick and clean process that has brought excellent results over recent years in a rising market. While there is little doubt auctions will remain popular, the recent cooling of the property market has led to fewer auctions…
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Do cold calls and letterbox drops really work?
In the dark old days of real estate, agents had to rely on white pages and made hundreds of cold calls for new listings. They spent hours completing letter box drops of property pamphlets and other promotional material. Today, very few consumers are tolerant of these methods. Pamphlets and brochures end up largely in the bin unacknowledged. Cold calls are…
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Fortune favours the brave, when it comes to auctions: Haesley Cush
Fortune favours the brave. It’s an expression I’ve used a few times over the years. But I have referred to this a bit recently as I’ve found a few buyers of late seem to have a limited understanding of auction and subsequently are turning up yet planning on not participating. However by not bidding and letting the property pass in…
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On the road to salvation: Andrew Cocks
If you’ve travelled Sydney’s M4 in the past few weeks you’ll have noticed what a difference an extra lane can make; faster on and off ramps and a freer flow of traffic all equating to less time on the road and more time at work and home. The official opening of the revamped M4 on the weekend attracted predictable opposition…
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3 Steps to take if you have a ‘Tomic’ Employee – by Pam Macdonald
There have been many stories about Bernard Tomic and that interview at Wimbledon, along with the fine he has now received for faking an injury. People have expressed shock, dismay and judgement at how such a talented young man could make the comments he has. How many business owners and leaders have looked around their teams and seen talent that…
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Time for swift action on building products and safety: Andrew Cocks
There’s an important lesson to be learned from the agreement reached between the South Australian Government and Tesla to build the world’s largest lithium-ion battery, and it’s got nothing to do with climate change, sustainability or energy security. It’s about the speed at which it has progressed from an idea on Twitter to an actual signed agreement with completion date.…
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How agents can get traction on Facebook: Josh Pyatt
For a modern real estate agent, Facebook marketing is highly important. It attracts plenty of business if utilised correctly. But are you maximising and using Facebook to the best of its ability? Real estate coach Josh Pyatt has seen many agents’ Facebook pages with an audience and followers who aren’t relevant to them and their market and examines the pro’s and…
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Spot the Disrupter: Mark McLeod
It’s only when we understand and acknowledge where the pain points really are for our customers that will we have any opportunity to meet disrupters head on, says Mark McLeod. There is an image I saw recently of Fifth Avenue, New York, in 1900. The photo shows a busy street, full of horses and carts. The caption reads, “Spot the…
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Stamp duty concessions are reverse engineering supply and demand: Douglas Driscoll
Starr Partners CEO Douglas Driscoll is calling for more justification around the NSW Government’s solution for housing affordability after it revealed no concessions would be afforded to buyers making property purchases over $800,000. The measures, taken to cabinet last week, proposed stamp duty would be abolished on all homes up to $650,000 and relief to buyers of homes up to…
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Stamp Duty changes to affect buyer demand: Tim Lawless
The decision last week by the News South Wales Government Premier Gladys Berejiklian to provide first home buyers with a stamp duty exemption for properties with a price tag under $650,000 is likely to boost demand for this under-represented segment of the market, according to Tim Lawless. Based on recent Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data, first home buyers comprised…
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Tilting not juggling: Why its better to be deliberately out of balance
Work-life balance, it’s kind of unicorn-ish isn’t it? Forget the latest designer handbag, for many women (and men) the concept of work-life balance is the “new black” in terms of status symbols, worn a bit like a medal. But is being able to perfectly balance your work and personal life really real? ‘Having it all’ seems to have become ‘doing…
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The Market – Generous one day, brutal the next: Haesley Cush
Last week, I was again reminded that the ‘affordability crisis’ is not a nationwide issue when I spent time with agents in Perth. Our Western Australian friends have faced a massive downturn in the market and there is no talk of frivolous breakfasts laden with avo and lattes with our comrades in the West. In speaking with the agents over…
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Savvy 20-year-old property investor makes smart decision to renovate after watching Channel 9’s TV series ‘The Block’
A smart young Queensland property investor I know holds multiple properties in ‘The Groves – Lawnton’. After watching the highly popular TV series, ‘The Block’, and meeting with both myself and RE/MAX Northern Realty Business Development Manager Cristel Stenhouse, she made the tricky decision to renovate. We advised that a small update to her property would assist her to capitalise…
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6 Things Every Young Commercial Real Estate Professional Should Know
Since he started in real estate in 2008, Hudson Dale from Raine & Horne Commercial in Brisbane has picked up multiple awards, sealed deals on amazing properties – and learned a lot. These are the six biggest lessons he says he has learned to date: 1. Turn up and work hard. I’ve always believed that if you’re a hard worker you never have…
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Don’t Gamble With Your Business: Michael Davoren
SPECIALISATION IS ON the rise in the real estate industry, and it is a future born of necessity. RE/MAX Australia and New Zealand Managing Director Michael Davoren explains. A scientific research study conducted by Innermetrix Incorporated last year concluded that agent performance and success had more to do with the degree of specialisation than any other single variable considered. After…
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Don’t push first homebuyers to the wrong places: Haesley Cush
With the Federal Budget handed down last week, Brisbane Agent and Auctioneer Haesley Cush reflects on the state of the market for first home-buyers I had dinner with an agent this week. She is a young lady in her 20s and she is selling units in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. We were discussing the cost of 1 bedrooms apartments…
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Property investors to lose in budget changes, says Bradley Beer
The 2017 Federal Budget, handed down by Treasurer Scott Morrison this week includes proposed changes which will affect residential property investors Australia-wide. The Australian Tax Office (ATO) allows owners of income producing property to claim depreciation deductions for the wear and tear that occurs to a building’s structure and the plant and equipment assets within. The proposed changes relate to…
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The Eight Best Budget Moments from #Budget17: Sarah Bell
The 2017 Federal budget has been mostly received well judging from commentary by property pundits so far. A goldilocks attempt to temper the forces of supply and demand; of foreign investment and affordable housing without causing economic shockwaves. But, Federal Treasurer Scott Morrison or #ScoMo as he is trending was going to have a difficult time pleasing everyone. “The government is…
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Budget housing measures fair and responsible with some welcome innovation says R&W chief
Scott Morrison’s 2017/18 Budget passes the test for fairness and responsibility whilst offering some innovative opportunities that will support and encourage affordable housing for those most in need, according to Andrew Cocks, Managing Director of Richardson & Wrench, Australia’s oldest real estate group. Mr Cocks said the Treasurer had outlined a number of measures that would directly assist first home…
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