INDUSTRY NEWS
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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…
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REIA Awards for Excellence cancelled
The recently postponed REIA National Awards for Excellence have now been cancelled completely for 2020. President Adrian Kelly said, considering all the unknown factors of the coronavirus pandemic, it was the wisest course of action to take. “Postponing the awards until October is still too risky when we don’t know what the future holds, particularly in terms of public gatherings…
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Property reforms commence in NSW today
The real estate and property reforms start today – Monday, 23 March 2020.If you have a certificate of registration or a licence to work in the property services industry in NSW the following changes have occurred. If you are currently a nominated LIC or a sole trader and have notified Fair Trading you are now transitioned to a Class 1…
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Tenants may get rent relief but landlords need protection too
The Australian Government, in conjunction with the State Governments is considering new measures to protect tenants who are unable to pay their rent due to COVID-19.
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Auctions busy, but clearance rate slows
This week proved the second busiest for auction activity in 2020, however the preliminary clearance rate took a hit as a result of continued uncertainty around COVID-19. According to the latest figures from CoreLogic, this weekend saw 2,539 homes taken to auction across the combined capital cities, returning a preliminary auction clearance rate of 61.3…
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Government announces further measures for business to save jobs during coronavirus crisis
The Federal Government has released the second stage of its economic plan to cushion the economic impact of the coronavirus and help build a bridge to recovery. A total of $189 billion is being injected into the economy by all arms of government in order to keep Australians in work and businesses in business. This includes $17.6 billion for the…
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UK Government provides protection for renters affected by coronavirus
The Ministry of Housing in the UK has announced a radical package of measures to protect renters and landlords affected by coronavirus. As a result, no renter in either social or private accommodation will be forced out of their home during this difficult time. The government department, in a press release, said that emergency legislation will be taken forward as…
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Vendor Paid Advertising works – don’t kill it
The emerging trend of ‘off-market’ sales is putting some vendors at risk of underselling their properties, one real estate CEO has warned the industry. Starr Partners CEO Douglas Driscoll said it’s not inconceivable that some people could be underselling their homes by as much as five per cent, which, on a $1 million property – the median price of a…
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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,…
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Coronavirus fallout prompts RBA to slash rates
The RBA has officially cut interest rates to their lowest level on record in the fight against the economic fallout from the coronavirus. In an emergency meeting yesterday, the RBA reduced the official cash rate to 0.25 per cent down from 0.5 per cent. The RBA has only recently cut the cash rate from 0.75 per cent at its monthly…
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REIV works with Government to assist landlords and tenants
With real estate agents, landlords and tenants all facing uncertainty due to the spread of coronavirus, the Real Estate Institute of Victoria is investigating concerns from conducting inspections safely through to dealing with rental arrears. REIV is seeking clarification from Consumer Affairs Victoria regarding some current practical matters to provide some clarity to all stakeholders. Some of the matters raised…
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REIWA calls for safeguards in wake of coronavirus
REIWA is urging the state government to consider additional rent assistance for residential tenants who lose their jobs and safeguards for landlords if the tenant can no longer afford to pay rent as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. It comes as welfare and arts bodies call for a ban on housing evictions over the next few months to support…
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AREC deferred due to virus
Total Real Estate Training (TRET) has today advised that due to the risks associated with the Coronavirus pandemic, The Australasian Real Estate Conference (AREC 2020) that was to have been held on the Gold Coast on Sunday 31st May and Monday, June 1, will be deferred. Nichola Byrne, General Manager of TRET, the organiser of AREC said, “We believe this…
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Whatever it takes – RBA looks to expansionary monetary policy
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Reserve Bank of Australia has announced it is re-starting quantitative easing measures to support Australia’s financial system. A statement today from Governer Philip Lowe says the RBA is working closely with the Australian Government to ensure that Australia’s financial markets continue to operate effectively and that credit is available to households and…
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realtor.com to show three value estimates for sale and off-market homes
In the US, realtor.com has announced it will now display estimated property values from three widely respected sources on for-sale and off-market properties. To provide more insight into a home’s value, realtor.com is partnering with the same trusted data providers used by lenders and insurance companies to estimate a property’s value. While not an appraisal, this data will empower consumers to make…
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Auctions continue to defy doom and gloom
Auction markets remain strong despite coronavirus concerns, with 2220 properties taken to auction across the capitals this week, returning a preliminary clearance rate of 70.6 per cent. CoreLogic notes this figure is well above last week’s national volume when 1,494 auctions returned a final clearance rate of 68.6 per cent. “After the remaining results are collected it is likely that…
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Stimulus supports property industry – but will it be enough?
“HIA welcomes the Australian Government stimulus package, particularly the support provided for apprentices,” said HIA Chief Economist, Tim Reardon. “The residential building industry has contracted by around 20 per cent from its peak during the May 2018 quarter and most indicators showed an improvement in conditions in the second half of 2019. “Australia is emerging…
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Hannah Gill named an ACT Telstra Business Woman of the Year
The Managing Director of a Canberra property management business has been named as one of five Telstra Business Women of the Year in the Australian Capital Territory. Independent Property Management’s Hannah Gill won the medium and large business award this week and will go on to the National Awards in Sydney in May. Ms Gill is a highly regarded professional…
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14 Aussie wine regions set to outperform Sydney’s market
New research by national advisory firm Propertyology has revealed there are 14 wine-producing regions where property price growth looks set to keep outperforming the Sydney market. Head of research at Propertyology, Simon Pressley, said investors who’d already removed their regional biases and actually studied the data had been well rewarded. “I’ve run the numbers and these regions smashed Sydney on…
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Realtor.com’s introduces noise indicator
There are many things you can determine from a property listing – a home’s size, location, aesthetics, school districts and much more. However, there are some things you simply can’t see – such as how noisy or quiet a property may be. That’s why US real estate listings website, realtor.com has introduced a new noise indicator feature that provides reliable…
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Why your profit has disappeared
Why self-interest and an over simplification of how real estate agency's make money has caused profit to dry up in today's real estate industry. There are three good indicators you are making a record profit. You have recorded settlements beyond your own expectations, and not increased your cost base, you have larger cash reserves than…
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Expats set to lose their CGT exemption
Australian residents living overseas will now lose the capital gains tax (CGT) exemption on their family home after new laws were passed by Parliament. The new changes mean that foreign residents who don’t file income taxes will now be forced to pay capital gains tax when they choose to sell the family home. Previously the family home wouldn’t have attracted…
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Melbourne and Sydney dominate luxury price growth
Luxury residential price growth in Australia is highest in Sydney and Melbourne, according to the results of the Prime International Residential Index (PIRI 100) in Knight Frank’s The Wealth Report 2020, released today. The PIRI 100, which tracks the movement of luxury residential prices in 100 cities and second home markets globally between December 2018…
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Adrian’s calling it for the kids
Whipping up a crowd is second nature for legendary Melbourne auctioneer Adrian Butera of Compton Green. With 4500 auctions under his belt, he knows a thing or two about the game and he’s addicted to the thrill of the bidding. Like any seasoned performer, however, he says there are shows and then there are shows. Right now, he’s warming his…
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WA GEM Awards winners announced
First National Real Estate’s Western Australia estate agents were presented with their General Excellence and Marketing Awards at Crown Perth on Friday night. The awards celebrated the outcomes achieved by the state’s agents throughout 2019, with top 10 individuals and offices now vying for National GEM Awards, which are announced in May. Agents reaching the national top 10 will be…
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Interstate landlords left in the lurch: REIV
REIV President Leah Calnan says a recent decision by the Court of Appeal, stating VCAT cannot rule on cases where the landlord resides outside of Victoria will create more questions than answers. VCAT has been the common arena for rental disputes within Victoria since its inception, regardless of where the landlord resides. The Victorian Court of Appeal recently changed that,…
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Farewell to Jock Kreitals, CEO REIA
REIA CEO Jock Kreitals is set to bid farewell after five years at the helm of the organisation and 12 years in total at the Real Estate Institute of Australia. President, Adrian Kelly said he has been very appreciative of Mr Kreitals’ contribution over the past decade and thankful for the excellent shape that he is leaving the REIA in.…
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Rent.com.au & Novatti partner to develop RentPay
Rent.com.au has partnered with global software group Novatti to deliver RentPay. According to an ASX announcement, the agreements comprise a Subscription Agreement and a Software as a Service agreement. The partnership is slated to deliver: a 36-month SaaS Agreement with Novatti to build and operate payments backend. Novatti’s payments scale and potential banking capability allow for compelling customer offer. Key…
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Rental values on the up
A quarterly review of national rents by CoreLogic showed that rents surged 0.5% higher over the month to January 2020 to record a current median rental value of $440/week. According to Eliza Owen who heads up the company’s residential research division, this was the highest monthly growth rate in the national rental index since January…
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Console Cloud launches in New Zealand
Console Cloud has officially launched in New Zealand, with the company noting the software is set to revolutionise the way agencies operate. The new software will replace Console Gateway and comes after supporting New Zealand agencies with the server-based software for over 20 years. “This industry-leading property management and trust accounting solution is set to revolutionise the way New Zealand…
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Long weekend sees lower auction volumes yet solid clearance
With a number of states and territories enjoying a long weekend, auction volumes were significantly lower than last week, but the preliminary clearance rate remained a healthy 74.8 per cent. That’s largely attributed to lowered interest rates yet flies in the face of bleak headlines about coronavirus and the global economy. About the grounds, a total of 1,456 auctions were…
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Airbnb promotes party prevention
Short-term rental platform Airbnb is encouraging its hosts to use third-party surveillance devices in a bid to cut down on disruptive behaviour. Airbnb came under fire last year for incidents in the US where guests have damaged properties and thrown wild parties – and now the company is taking a stance. Starting today, we are banning “party houses” and we…
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Agent wipes the floor with $1610 bid for toilet paper
Ray White Pomona Hinterland agent Sam Hargrave purchased a precious roll of toilet paper for $1610 yesterday. But she wasn’t down in the dumps over the expensive purchase – it was part of a competitive charity auction battle at the Howard Smith Wharves, with proceeds going to Beyond the Bricks. As part of Ray White’s national…
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Perth rents increase and sales set to follow
Perth has recorded its first increase in rental prices the Western Australian property market has seen since January 2017, and sales are predicted to follow suit with the market showing a strong gradual improvement over the last four months. According to the Real Estate Institute of Western Australia, Perth’s median rent increased to $360 per week in February. REIWA President…
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Economy up 0.5 per cent in December quarter
The Australian economy grew 0.5 per cent in seasonally adjusted chain volume terms in the December quarter 2019 and 2.2 per cent through the year, according to figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). ABS Chief Economist Bruce Hockman said domestic demand remained subdued with 0.1 per cent growth in the December quarter, while a pick up in…
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