INTERNATIONAL
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Jon Bon Jovi flips $20m mansion, buys $43m estate a few blocks away
After a four-decade career, 130 million album sales, and tours to over 34 million people worldwide, it’s safe to say that Jon Bon Jovi isn’t living on a prayer anymore. He is also quite the house flipper. In one single day last week, he sold a Palm Beach pad he and his wife had renovated only a few months ago…
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Commercial real estate investment down 32% in Asia Pacific
JLL have delivered some not-so-surprising news: Commercial real estate investment across Asia Pacific fell by 32 per cent in the first half of 2020. Investments were down 26 per cent during the first quarter, rising to 39 per cent in the second quarter, as travel bans, economic hardship, and lockdowns impacted the real estate market. Singapore was the hardest hit…
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Key-free locks are the new real estate must-have
Earlier this month, we wrote about the first office block in Australia to incorporate completely hands-free entry. While the developers on that high-rise had the somewhat prescient technology in the pipeline well before COVID-19 caused us all to think differently about public space, a start-up in Los Angeles is finding their hands-free offering is suddenly a hot commodity. Openpath just…
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Why COVID-19 might not change our cities as much as we expect
The coronavirus pandemic has thrust us into a moment of rapid change. Like all change, it is difficult to predict. But lessons from history provide us with two important insights. First, temporary change sometimes has remarkably little lasting effect. Second, what looks like a lasting effect is often the acceleration of existing trends, rather than new, crisis-caused trends. COVID-19 impacts…
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LeBron James treats himself to a $56m Beverly Hills mansion
Since signing a four-year, A$221m deal with the L.A. Lakers in mid-2018, NBA superstar LeBron James has splashed out on three mansions in the city. His latest purchase is his most lavish yet, – a $56 million Beverly Hills pile, formerly owned by Lee Phillip Bell, creator of The Young and the Restless, and The Bold and the Beautiful, among…
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US billionaire eyes investment in LJ Hooker
US billionaire Michael Fuchs has his sights on the Australian market, with plans to inject $35 million equity into LJ Hooker. In 1991, New York-based Mr Fuchs and a childhood friend foundered RFR Holdings, a real estate portfolio now worth north of $20 billion. Their assets include the Seagram Building, the Chrysler Building, and Hotel Paramount in Manhattan, Dexter Station…
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Never say never: Bond villa up for sale
Sir Sean Connery was the quintessential James Bond. The screen’s original 007: smart, handsome, refined, debonair and the most popular of the nine actors who took on the classic-spy role created by British-naval-intelligence-officer Ian Fleming in 1953. Instantly recognized by most people through the James Bond film franchise of the 1960s to ‘80s including Goldfinger, Diamonds are Forever, Dr.…
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Realtor.com names Rachel Morley as Chief Product Officer
Real estate technology platform Realtor.com has promoted Rachel Morley to Chief Product Officer, where she will lead product strategy for the company. For more than two decades, Ms Morley has helped companies conceive, create and evolve products and technology practices that help organisations and their customers succeed. David Doctorow, CEO of Move, Inc, operator of realtor.com, said Ms Morley is passionate about…
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Sylvester Stallone’s stunning California mansion
Sylvester Stallone has recently put his stunning Californian mansion on the market for US$3.35 million. According to TopTenRealEstateDeals.com, Stallone will retain bi-coastal residences in Los Angeles and Coconut Grove in Miami, but recently listed his golf club home in La Quinta, California. La Quinta, in suburban Los Angeles, is famous for its abundance of golf courses and is also where Frank…
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Would you buy a home without stepping foot inside?
US-based website realtor.com has released the results of a new consumer survey highlighting COVID-19’s impact on home buying, selling and moving in the age of social distancing. The survey found that American consumers, especially younger demographics, want virtual tours and are warming to the idea of buying a home without visiting it in person. Realtor.com and Toluna Insights surveyed 1,300 consumers during 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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RE/MAX recognise leaders at R4, Las Vegas
Twenty-eight Australian and New Zealand RE/MAX members last month travelled to Las Vegas for the 47th annual R4 Convention. Offering the opportunity to rub shoulders with thousands of the network’s agents, owners and affiliates the agents, the convention also saw numerous Australian and New Zealand teams recognised with awards. RE/MAX Australia’s Daniel Burrett from Toowoomba was named as the 2019 RE/MAX…
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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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The novel coronavirus outbreak and Chinese cross-border real estate buying
Chinese Consumers at Home To understand the impact of the epidemic on Chinese cross-border real estate buying in overseas markets, it helps to first understand the situation for these buyers at home, in China. In much of the country, people are working at home or taking an enforced holiday until they can return to their…
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Berlin’s radical rent freeze to tackle housing affordability
NSW might have new rental reforms, but nowhere is the gaping chasm between landlord and tenant interests more obvious than in Germany’s Berlin. In the city once divided by the wall, the government is set to deliver new legislation that is fiercely polarising tenants and landlords. From this month, Berlin’s property market will be subject…
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Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices introduces QuickBuy
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Starck Real Estate has introduced QuickBuy – an alternative home sale option made available through a partnership with Moving Station, LLC. The relationship allows Starck Real Estate to present Midwest home sellers with a reliable “instant” offer for their home as an alternative to a traditional home sale. Consumers who request a QuickBuy offer from Starck will…
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RESAAS teams up with BoxBrownie.com
RESAAS Services Inc, a technology platform for the real estate industry, is pleased to announce a partnership with BoxBrownie.com. BoxBrownie.com is an award-winning real estate image enhancement company. It provides ondemand professional photo editing services to real estate agents worldwide. Under the terms of the agreement, signed on January 16, 2020, RESAAS will sell photo…
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“Aussie” Harcourts Auctions to launch in San Francisco
Harcourts International has announced the launch of Harcourts Auctions in the San Francisco Bay area. Previously only available to Harcourts, this move will mean the Harcourts Auctions platform will now be a service model available to all brokerages and brands within the Northern California region. Known for changing mindsets when it comes to the concept of sale by auction of…
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Ray White’s 2019 Elite Conference looks to the future
This year more than 130 Ray White Chairman’s Elite and Elites jetted to Bali for their annual retreat, but this year, the agenda was developed by the group’s high performing members. Ray White Head of Performance Management Adam Downes surveyed the elite sales people before the conference to determine which topics of discussions were prioritised.…
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Real Estate of Origin drives almost 7500 new appraisals
In less than four hours, Ray White agents this week drummed up 7401 extra appraisals across Australia and New Zealand, actively demonstrating how the leading group knows how to both harness its scale and have some fun along the way. Ray White’s inhouse tech team created a purpose built media room in the NSW Corporate…
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New tech set to simplify photo listings
Realtor.com®, today announced the release of its Photo First℠ feature, to help home buyers find their must-have rooms and finishes without the headache of scrolling through dozens of listing photos. They claim that this first-of-its-kind feature is designed to deliver the best browsing experience by making photos more personal and relevant than ever before. The…
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Matterport announces AI capabilities that will turn smartphones into 3D capture devices
Spatial data company, Matterport, has announced its latest breakthrough, Matterport 3D Capture for Smartphones, which will turn consumer smartphones into 3D capture devices. The capability, which was demonstrated for the first time recently at an invite-only event at San Francisco’s most exclusive property – Residence 950 – will support iPhone and Android devices. The first iPhone version is expected to be available…
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Guesty partners with Lugless for friction-free holiday baggage handling
Guesty, the property management platform that simplifies the complex operational needs accompanying short-term rental management, today announced it has raised $35M in Series C funding, led by Viola Growth with participation from Vertex Ventures, Journey Ventures, Kingfisher Investment Advisors, La Maison Compagnie d'Investissement and existing investors, TLV Partners and Magma Ventures. The round more than doubles the company's…
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Which cities worldwide are at greatest bubble risk?
A global study of real estate bubbles has revealed a bubble risk or a significant overvaluation of housing markets in half of all evaluated cities. Bubble risk appears greatest in Munich, followed by Toronto, Hong Kong and Amsterdam, according to the UBS Global Real Estate Bubble Index 2019, a yearly study by UBS Global Wealth Management’s Chief Investment Office. Frankfurt,…
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Harcourts International strengthens leadership with new CEO appointment
Global real estate franchise group, Harcourts International, today announced the appointment of Steve Caradoc-Davies as Chief Executive Officer to lead the 132-year-old company into the next era. Mr Caradoc-Davies will take over leadership of the 900-office network and approximately 10,000 team members in nine countries, from Mike Green, who takes on a new focus within the business. Both…
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Belle Property joins invite-only global property platform
Belle Property has gained exclusive membership to the invite-only global sales network, Leading Real Estate Companies of the World (LeadingRE) and Luxury Portfolio (LPI). LeadingRE is an international real estate community of more than 500 real estate companies awarded membership based on rigorous standards for service and performance. With 4,300 offices and 130,000 sales associates in more than 70 countries,…
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PropertyGuru planning Australian IPO
Southeast Asian online realtor PropertyGuru Group is said to be planning to list on the ASX in the coming months. PropertyGuru operates real estate classifieds sites in Asia as well as a number of other property related businesses. The company is one of Southeast Asia’s leading online property groups and operates in Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. One of…
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New Delhi conference proves huge business platform for RE/MAX
An Australian-New Zealand contingent has recently returned from the fifth annual Asia Pacific Convention for the global real estate giant, RE/MAX, which took place in New Delhi, India from August 19 to 21. RE/MAX Australia and New Zealand managing director, Michael Davoren, said the event represented a continued building of relationships. “After a succession of conferences, people are now talking…
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The Harcourts Foundation reaches $6 million milestone
The Harcourts Foundation, the charitable arm of Harcourts, has reached the milestone of $6 million raised since its launch in 2008. That translates to 732 charities supported, 356 communities impacted, and over 970 grants made through Harcourts offices in New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, and the USA. Key community issues such as homelessness, domestic violence, hospice care, education, healthcare, and early childhood education, amongst…
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realestate.com.au launches first-to-market content in app
realestate.com.au today launched content in app, a first-to-market experience allowing users to access property news, data and insights within the realestate.com.au app. The experience is now live on the realestate.com.au iOS app, with Android users receiving the update from next week (Monday 19 August). With over 29 million launches of the app every month, a…
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Rockend acquired by global software provider
MRI Software (“MRI”), a global provider of real estate software solutions has acquired Australian market leader Rockend. For MRI the acquisition expands their offering in the Australia and New Zealand markets, bringing with it more than 6,000 clients and 750,000 strata lots in the residential property management rental and strata sector. “Acquiring Rockend represents a…
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Chinese real estate heavyweights set to merge
Leading Chinese real estate companies Juwai.com and IQI Global are set to combine their forces to create Asia’s largest real estate group. The company will focus on advertising and marketing new development properties from across the globe, and is the first type of collaboration of its kind. Juwai.com is the No. 1 Chinese international property marketplace and reaches 3.3 million…
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Co-living operator secures $55 million Series B funding to accelerate growth across APAC
Singapore headquartered co-living operator Hmlet has raised $55 million in a Series B round, which will allow the company to accelerate expansion across Asia-Pacific and continue bridging gaps in demand for affordable, flexible and secure housing across the region. The round was led by Burda Principal Investments, with participation from existing investor Sequoia India and new investors Mitsubishi Estate Co,…
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Alexa, find me a realtor (and help me move in)
Amazon.com made a move into the real estate business announcing a partnership called Turnkey with US Real Estate Group Realogy (NYSE: RLGY). The collaboration is intended to seamlessly connect consumers wishing to buy a home with making it home. The program hand matches a real estate agent from one of the Realogy Brands to buy…
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One Agency appoints three offices in Fiji
Rapidly expanding Australasian network One Agency has announced the appointment of Bayshore Real Estate Fiji’s three offices to their network – the brand’s first members in the Pacific Islands. The association was confirmed at Bayshore’s annual awards dinner in Lautoka, attended by and the brand will be rolled out in Nadi, Lautoka and Suva over the next few weeks. One…
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