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Elite Agent
Capturing clients through video and image with Joe Carter
With a background in film and television, Joe Carter believes video and imagery have the potential to provide real opportunity to real estate agents who use them well. The challenge lies in creating content that offers quality and a point of difference. Mr Carter will be on hand to offer his professional insight into creating quality content when he joins…
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EPM: Profile
Karmen Costigan: Acting On Experience
Pursing a Hollywood dream isn’t always as glamorous as it seems. Karmen Costigan explains how, after success as an actor in Melbourne, she and her partner took the opportunity to pursue the Hollywood dream. Roles as an extra in films like Being John Malkovich followed, along with a stint playing Mary Poppins for Disney. But in the late 1990s they…
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FEATURE INTERVIEWS
Mastering the digital interview with Chris Helder
In an online world, the ‘digital interview’ has the potential to make or break an agent’s connection with their customer. And it’s this arena that international speaker and body language expert Chris Helder will be focusing on when he joins the expert line-up at Digital Live 2018. Looking specifically at the medium of video, Mr Helder will offer agents all…
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Elite Agent
Megan Jaffe: The Human Connection
Megan Jaffe learnt an invaluable lesson early in her working life: Be true to yourself. It was a message that came to her time and again in the final words of the patients she nursed as a young health professional, and it’s a philosophy she continues as she leads Australasia’s most successful real estate agency, Ray White Remuera. The industries may…
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INDUSTRY NEWS
Disruptors amongst top US brokerage firms
Real estate disruptors are gaining traction in the US, with innovative players like Redfin and Compass both named in the top 10 brokerage firms in terms of sales. According to the recently released inaugural Swanepoel Mega 1000 list, which ranks US brokerages, Redfin came in at fourth position with $22.5 billion in sales last year, while Compass took out ninth position…
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FEATURE INTERVIEWS
Standing out in the age of influence: Julie Masters
In the age of influence, how do you stand out from the crowd? According to Julie Masters, CEO of Influence Nation, it’s about becoming the trusted authority in your space. Ms Masters will share her expertise on how to become that trusted authority as part of Digital Live 2018, bringing a career of decoding influence to the 100 real estate…
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Real Estate News
Invigorated strategy sees rise in EAC members
A focus on the future and providing agents with tools to address a rapidly changing landscape have seen Estate Agents Co-operative (EAC) increase its membership by 24 per cent since the beginning of the current financial year. CEO David Crombie explained that the co-operative had a renewed strategy to best serve their members’ needs, and the momentum was clearly reaping…
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INDUSTRY NEWS
European model reducing the cost of Australian housing
Baugruppen is a housing model first established in Germany that sees like-minded home buyers come together to design and build multi-residential housing. Rather than buying off the plan, they buy land as a group and then commission designers and builders to construct projects to their specifications. The Conversation explains the name roughly translates to “building group” and “stands for a long tradition…
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INDUSTRY NEWS
Rental guarantor legislation sparks concern in the ACT
After months of negotiation, the ACT Government has this week enacted legislation that allows licensed commercial bond guarantors to operate within the Territory. The move enables renters to pay a fee to a commercial guarantor rather than forking out the cash required for a bond. While the initiative has been welcomed by commercial guarantors such as Snug, it’s being eyed…
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FEATURE INTERVIEWS
Listing presentations critical to a first-class digital profile: Dick Karlsson
If the mission is to sell real estate, then the currency is the listing presentation, explains Dick Karlsson of DIAKRIT. And it’s an arena where Australian agents often fail to impress. Mr Karlsson will be covering this topic and more as he offers his specialist insight at Digital Live 2018. Vice President of an international company renowned as an authority…
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Real Estate News
EAC embraces online property auctions
The Estate Agents Co-operative (EAC) has paired with Sale Ezy to offer online property auction capability to their members. Described as “Australia’s first and most cutting-edge, end-to-end online sales and auction platform”, Sale Ezy will allow agents to host online property auctions while ensuring all compliance issues like vendor ID checks are taken care of. It will also allow the…
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EPM: Profile
An Ethos of Compassion and Transparency: Peggy Willcox
When Peggy Willcox and her partner Sean decided to go it alone and open Mooney Real Estate, they knew they wanted to take a different approach. Eighteen months later, EPM finds out how well their ethos of accessibility, transparency and compassion is working. When they launched their new business, the focus would be the Penrith rental market and Peggy’s mission…
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TECH + SOCIAL
2018: the year of the Smart Home
It’s been billed as the year we’ll all get connected and smart products will simplify our lives. In some ways that prediction is proving correct, and the internet infrastructure that drives smart tech is becoming a requirement, not just a desire. But what does the smart home mean for real estate? Is there appeal and value in savvy tech and the hyper-connected home? And is the smart…
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FEATURE INTERVIEWS
Field of Dreams: James Hand
It takes incredible vision to sell the dream of stately homes and high-spec apartments while standing in a field amidst grazing cows, but for James Hand of Latitude Real Estate in Victoria it’s a success story based on knowledge, innovation and, above all, respect for clientele. Here James explains to Elite Agent how his innovative development firm includes both the…
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Real Estate News
A shared database of buyer’s criteria to launch
An Australian real estate agent is fostering greater collaboration in the industry with a new app that acts as a shared database of buyers’ key criteria. Set to launch on April 12, the REXY app enables agents to input a buyer’s preferences at events like open homes. A push notification is then sent to other agents with suitable properties, while…
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SUPPLIER NEWS
AI chatbot to take on common real estate interactions
A new chatbot service is set to improve the real estate customer experience by acting as a concierge when it comes to buying, selling, renting, providing suburb information and managing properties. Known as ‘Ding’, the AI chatbot was recently launched by Local Knowledge Property Group and has the ability to cater to a range of tasks in real estate. Co-founder…
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Elite Agent
Emma Guthrie: Love.Where.You.Live
Even while Perth agent Emma Guthrie was completing her real estate qualifications she knew social media, and particularly Instagram, would play a major role in her marketing strategy. Story by Cassandra Charlesworth. As a former PR and marketing professional Emma Guthrie felt Instagram’s instantaneous, picture-driven platform would help her build a contact base to get a foot in the competitive real estate door.…
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Elite Agent
Message received – texting gaining popularity
Texting is becoming a more common and acceptable communication avenue between real estate agents and buyers, with a US survey indicating the right text at the right time could speed up the selling process. In a study of more than 500 consumers and 350 real estate sales professionals, cloud-based mortgage finance platform Ellie May found over three-quarters of consumers believed text…
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Real Estate News
Using the power of Facebook and chatbots to drive interest in sales
It’s little secret chatbots are a keen interest item of 2018, rolling out across a variety of sectors, and according to Mike Hillsdon of the Australian-based Chatbot Agency they’re already proving a great addition to real estate sales. Mr Hillsdon’s company creates chatbot apps in Facebook Messenger, using the advertising power of the social media platform and the tailor-made services…
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EPM: News
Homie, a personal house-hunting service for renters
A UK start-up is taking the time and legwork out of finding rental accommodation by offering a personal service which matches prospective tenants with properties, then schedules viewings and takes them on a tour of what’s available. Known as Homie, the service is making serious inroads into the London market, catering to busy professionals, expats and students who are short…
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Real Estate News
Chatbots are coming to an apartment near you
As anyone who has ever worked in strata management can appreciate, often inquiries and complaints relate to similar things – Can I book a facility? What day is bin day? And that good old strata living gem, how do I make a noise complaint? A new service called Strata.chat sees chatbots taking on some of this repetitive grunt work, allowing…
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SUPPLIER NEWS
Spinify bringing engagement and fun to the big game of sales
The days of the whiteboard and sales “pump-up” may soon be a thing of the past, courtesy of a tech tool that brings gaming and engagement to team motivation. Spinify is leaderboard software that integrates with CRMs to combine tasks, targets and achievement with a game-based ethos. Its aim is to bring fun, engagement and motivation to the heady world…
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SUPPLIER NEWS
Algorithm predicts risk or reward of property purchase
Imagine a simple algorithm that could help determine the risk or reward of a property purchase… Well, that’s exactly the new research tool available to property purchasers. Using data and financial modelling, an algorithm from Riskwise Property Review allows buyers a glimpse into the long-term risk or possible reward of a purchase, and the analysis is instant. Riskwise founder and…
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Real Estate News
Germany v Australia – same tax breaks, different markets
In a recent report on the private rental sector, AHURI compared the landscape of 10 countries across Europe, North America and Australasia. Their findings have revealed some major similarities between Germany and Australia’s capital gains and negative gearing policies, but stark differences in the actual property market. The report’s lead author and UNSW City Futures Research Centre research fellow Dr…
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INDUSTRY NEWS
New weapon in the sub-letting battle
Landlords and agents now have a new weapon at their disposal in the battle against illegal sub-letting, with the launch of an Australia-first monitoring service called BnbGuard. Live as of late last year, but publicly launched last week, BnbGuard was created by an Australian start-up and monitors properties for unauthorised use on popular short-stay accommodation sites such as Airbnb. Co-founders…
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National
Chinese New Year a cause for real estate celebration
This week’s Chinese New Year could be cause for celebration for Australia’s real estate industry, with Chinese international real estate website Juwai.com tipping many will use their week off to investigate purchasing in Australia. Juwai recently conducted a survey of 256 Chinese consumers about their travel and property investment plans over Chinese New Year and the rest of 2018, and…
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Real Estate News
Rent.com.au improves position
Rental property website rent.com.au say they are improving their position, notching up their tenth straight quarter of revenue growth on the back of increased product demand and reduced costs. Offering rental property searches and products like renter resume creation, bond payment plans and tenancy record checks, the company reported revenue of $557,000 for the second quarter of 2018, up 43…
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SUPPLIER NEWS
‘One-stop’ CRM software designed for real estate
The ctcProperty platform is offering agents a one-stop solution that includes mobility built into the full life cycle of a busy agent. It covers the selling process, incorporating among other things lead generation, property appraisal, marketing of listings, an inspection app, vendor reporting and sales trust, in a single user-friendly space. ctcProperty is a software platform designed specifically for the…
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INDUSTRY NEWS
Window lock deadline looms as NSW strata buildings embrace new legislation
A new year and new legislation has come into effect for strata buildings in NSW, with mandatory window locks, and a building bond and inspection scheme among the changes currently impacting the sector. In legislation that will affect multi-storey strata buildings throughout the state, Fair Trading NSW has set a March 13 deadline for the installation of window safety devices…
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INDUSTRY NEWS
Zed Nasheet on stage for Million Dollar Evening with the Altman Brothers
In a little over a decade, Australian real estate agent Zed Nasheet has risen from hot dog salesman to rising local real estate star, notching up some achievements along the way. Aged only 27, he’s been in the game around eight years and recently opened his own agency, listing $45 million worth of property in the first two months. Last…
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INDUSTRY NEWS
Real Women in Real Estate gaining traction
An Australian initiative that celebrates the success and achievements of women in real estate is gaining local and international traction, with a series of events scheduled to take place in 2018. Real Women in Real Estate is a networking group founded by Real Estate Institute of NSW President and Laing+Simmons Managing Director Leanne Pilkington, and since its inception has attracted…
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Real Estate News
Debate pending for NSW real estate industry reforms
Long-awaited NSW real estate industry reforms are set to be debated in parliament in the coming days following the release of proposed amendments to the Property, Stock and Business Agents Act in November 2017. The bill includes changes to real estate and property laws affecting training, educational and licensing requirements in a bid to raise professional and training standards for…
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Real Estate News
Revive whitepaper flags potential to thrive not just survive
A seminal project investigating the wellness and wellbeing of professionals working in real estate has documented what has long been suspected – many in the industry are stressed, time poor and lacking a work/life balance. However, the findings also reveal seven key areas to facilitate change. Initiated by real estate industry sales and mindset coach Jet Xavier, the recently released…
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Real Estate News
New site showcasing properties without the commitment to selling
Property owners looking to test the market or showcase their home without the commitment of selling have yet another new tool at their disposal, with the recent launch of off-market property website youWish. Launched in late December, the site is gaining traction for owners considering but not yet committed to selling their home. youWish enables homeowners to casually showcase their…
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FRANCHISE NEWS
The Sahyoun family joins Belle Property
One of Western Sydney’s most prominent real estate families is set to enter a new era, joining the Belle Property group as of today. After 20 years operating as LJ Hooker Parramatta, the Sahyoun family officially opened their doors under the Belle Parramatta banner as of this morning. As a family-owned and -led business, George, Chris and Nathan Sahyoun bring…
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