OPINION
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Ultraviolet light can make indoor spaces safer during the pandemic – if it’s used the right way
Ultraviolet light has a long history as a disinfectant and the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19, is readily rendered harmless by UV light. The question is how best to harness UV light to fight the spread of the virus and protect human health as people work, study, and shop indoors. The virus spreads in several ways. The main route of transmission is through person-to-person…
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After COVID, we’ll need a rethink to repair Australia’s housing system and the economy
A new report from the New South Wales Productivity Commission (NSWPC) announces that “[higher] housing costs […] impose broader economic costs”. That chimes with our own newly published research. The implication is that Australia’s heavily capitalised housing market will weigh down economic recovery from the shocks of the coronavirus pandemic. A niche group of economists and epidemiologists had warned the world for decades that a…
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What would you do with an extra six-and-a-half hours each week?
You could make about 65 more cold calls. Or hold 13 more open homes. Or you could take a power-nap every day of the week. Unfortunately, there are only 24 hours in a day – you can blame the Egyptians for that one. So, if you can’t make more time, what can you do? You can save it.Enter CRM. A…
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Knowledge is power
Spring is one of the peak selling periods agents look forward to each year. Listings are often more abundant as many owners choose to sell when their property looks its best. If you could find a way to increase your clearance rates and reduce your days on market, would that make your spring selling period even better? One thing I…
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Turning lockdown lessons into productivity hacks
Ever since COVID-19 came along and changed the way we all work, every trainer, coach and franchise organisation has begun engaging in a wide variety of online training materials. From motivational content to real estate-specific skills, business development, personal resilience, team building and customer service alternatives, there’s been a host of information absorbed. We’ve been sponges because we know that…
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Automation made easy
‘The clock is ticking’ is a phrase well known to real estate agents. There always seems to be so much to do in so little time. Trevor Bragg takes a look at how agents can use automation to save them time and create more hours to spend with clients. Time – we all wish we had more of it. If…
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Common questions answered about Victoria’s new roadmap
The Victorian government’s roadmap out of pandemic lockdowns includes new provisions for single people living alone and single parents: the “single social bubble” system, which comes into effect on September 14. Under the new system, if you’re a single person living alone or a single parent with children under 18, you can nominate one other person to be part of your bubble. The…
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Have we just stumbled on the biggest productivity increase of the century?
One of the most striking responses to the COVID-19 pandemic has been the sudden shift of around half the workforce to working at home. In many cases, this was combined with an equally sudden shift to home schooling. Contrary to what might have been expected, working from home was one part of the pandemic response that went remarkably smoothly. Most…
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The personal touch – at scale
Email autoresponders cut through the obstacles which get in the way of responding to the many property email inquiries an agent receives all day. Bill Shields examines how they can help you boost your client experience. Many of us are thinking about how we will do things differently post-COVID-19 and, perhaps, what things will stay the same. While the market…
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Powers of persuasion
The power of persuasion is a valuable skill for real estate agents to have in their toolbox. Michelle Bowden explains precisely how to build your persuasive skills and make others take notice. When was the last time you had to persuade someone? Was it this morning when your children forgot to make their beds or needed to do their homework?…
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Trouble at the mall as landlords and tenants ponder mutually assured destruction
“This is not a bluff,” Scott Evans, the chief executive of Mosaic Brands, has said of his threat to permanently close 300 to 500 stores in Australia unless landlords reduce rents. Mosiac’s network of about 1300 apparel stores includes Katies, Noni B, Rivers, Rockmans, Millers and Crossroads. With stores shuttered temporarily due to COVID-19 restrictions, it posted a A$170.5 million loss in the…
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Take it or leave it: How to negotiate with irrational buyers
It’s safe to say we are living in interesting times and bearing witness to adversity and its related irrational behaviour. I’ve never seen anyone fight over toilet paper before. It can be hard to negotiate deals in such a climate. We need to question if this behaviour is really irrational? Many would answer a resounding “yes”, but I propose that…
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Why more companies are going dog friendly
Bringing pet dogs into the workplace is becoming increasingly common. Large companies like Google, Ticketmaster and challenger bank Monzo are just a few that have joined companies in the pet sector (like Pets at Home) that allow employees to bring their dogs to work. Dogs are even being labelled as a new “must-have accessory” in smart offices. But research shows that 64 per cent of workplaces do not…
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‘Meanwhile’ building use: another way to manage properties left vacant by the COVID-19 crisis
The COVID-19 pandemic has temporarily shut down cities across the globe, resulting in abandoned buildings and deserted streets. How might we better use our own vacant buildings during the crisis and beyond? We can learn from the benefits and challenges of the UK’s “meanwhile” building use sector. Sometimes referred to as meanwhile housing or property guardianship in its residential forms, it’s a recognised property tenure solution for vacant…
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When houses earn more than jobs: How we lost control of Australian house prices and how to get it back
Real home prices across Australia have climbed 150 per cent since 2000, while real wages have climbed by less than a third. Sydney and Melbourne rank among the most expensive cities in the world. Australia-wide, home ownership levels have fallen from 70 per cent to 65 per cent in the last 20 years and home equity levels have fallen from 80 per cent to…
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Starting a rent roll the right way
So, you’re an amazing property manager. Your landlords love you. And now you’re ready to take the leap and start a rent roll of your own. There’s no doubt, owning a rent roll is one of the most rewarding things you can do in your property management career. But it comes with risks, potholes, and so many stresses that are…
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Shorter meetings but longer days – how COVID-19 has changed the way we work
One of the many things COVID-19 has had a dramatic impact on is the way many of us work. Those fortunate enough to be able to work from home have been able to adapt to this new reality – and it certainly has been “new”. Perhaps the biggest question for both employers and employees is whether working from home has…
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Five ways to shift your mindset when times are tough: Chris
Life is complicated. In fact, it’s more complicated than ever with everything that society is going through with COVID-19, due to the lack of uncertainty of what life will look like coming out the other side. It is now more important than ever to think usefully. Here are five tips to help you do exactly that. 1. Positive thinking doesn’t…
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Consistent communication: Tara Bradbury
Customer service across property management has come a long way in terms of available technology, but people still want service from humans. Here are a few of my recommendations to help boost or reboot your service approach in 2020. Social media. If you build the profile they will connect – and at the times when…
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How a pandemic could improve the traditional workplace
Having had to rapidly adjust to working from home due to COVID-19, many people are now having to readjust to life back in the office. Many will have enjoyed aspects of what is sometimes called “distributed work”, but some may be dreading the return. So is there a middle ground? Could hybrid work arrangements, known for boosting well-being and productivity,…
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PR isn’t what it used to be
In the last five years, digital and social media have fundamentally changed the way PR works. Once upon a time, media outlets had the power to decide which ideas, products and services the public wanted to hear about. Now, audiences hold the power. With search and social at their fingertips, consumers know what they’re looking for and have the tools…
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How to prepare your business for the economic recovery phase
The Covid-induced recession is causing strife for thousands of businesses across the country. At the same time, it is giving businesses downtime to examine their operations and their spending, and highlight where they can make improvements. Adjusting your focus and looking ahead to the economic recovery phase may, in fact, put your business in an advantageous position for recovery. Here…
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Australia is under sustained cyber attack, warns the government. What’s going on, and what should businesses do?
By Mahmoud Elkhodr Lecturer in Information and Communication Technologies, CQUniversity Australia Prime Minister Scott Morrison had some alarming news for Australians this morning: we are under cyber attack. He informed the nation the attacks “hadn’t just started”, and that Australian businesses and governments are being widely targeted. It is unclear why the government chose today to make the announcement, or…
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HomeBuilder misses a chance to make our homes perform better for us and the planet
The Federal Government’s new A$688 million HomeBuilder package might protect residential construction jobs but according to academics, it’s a missed opportunity to deliver sustainability benefits that would save owners money in the long run. In an article in The Conversation, senior lecturers Trivess Moore of RMIT and Tony Matthews of Griffith University argue the A$25,000 grant for new homes and renovations could have…
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Stamp duty plan required to boost confidence
In the race to reach the post-Covid recovery stage as quickly as possible, the necessity is to bring confidence back. However, at a time when everyone is hanging on announcements, commitments and timelines from politicians and regulatory officials, it’s important that the communication is clear, transparent and detailed in order to boost confidence. Recent discussions surrounding changes to stamp duty…
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Break free from your agency and build a better business
The days of Australia’s high-performing real estate agents working for box-brand franchises are over. Why give away half of your hard-earned commission to somebody who does none of the work and offers precious little support? At UrbanX, we know the most significant factor in a successful sale is you – the agent. Sellers do not care about shopfronts. They want…
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My staff don’t want to return to work – coming back after COVID-19
As Australia commences its return to normality, the internet is already abuzz with questions about the return of employees to their workplaces. When will it happen? How will it happen? And, increasingly, can I refuse to return when my boss tells me it’s time? On Friday, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced Australia’s ‘3 Step Framework for a COVIDSafe Australia’. As…
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The Reserve Bank thinks the recovery will look V-shaped. There are reasons to doubt it
Shutterstock/RBA By Peter Martin, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University The Reserve Bank’s long-awaited two-year forecasts for jobs, wages and growth are frightening, but I fear they are not frightening enough. The bank looks two years ahead every three months. The last set of forecasts, released at the start of February, mentioned coronavirus mainly as a source of…
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Housing policies need change as COVID-19 widens renter-owner divide
The renter-owner gap will widen Despite concerns about house prices plummeting, the spread of COVID-19 is exposing a widening gap in housing markets between those who own zero housing wealth (renters) and those with substantial housing wealth (owners). Australians with little to no housing wealth were already experiencing at least three key types of vulnerabilities before the pandemic in the…
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All roads lead to real estate
Following times of crisis, real estate is traditionally the first to bounce back. COVID-19 bears striking similarities to the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1919, when despite the media creating fear and hysteria through alarmist headlines, capital city housing prices didn’t fall at all. They boomed in 1919 and then continued to rise by more than 10 per cent each year…
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A two-step strategy for sheltering everyone
This article was co-authored by Bevan Warner, CEO of Launch Housing and Ron Wakefield, Professor of Construction, Deputy Pro-Vice Chancellor, International, and Dean, School of Property, Construction and Project Management, RMIT University, and was originally contributed to The Conversation. The original title was The need to house everyone has never been clearer. Here’s a 2-step strategy to get it done.…
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Five steps to help agents thrive during a crisis
There’s no denying the Coronavirus crisis has been devastating to many. The health and economic implications run deep and, depending on the strategy adopted, they could also run long. The human toll on people’s lives and livelihood is immense, and like everyone else, I’m eager for us to move back toward a more certain future. That said, this current event…
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How to put together the perfect deal?
You have just sold a house in a prestigious suburb, at what you think is a good price. The vendor had negotiated a lower fee with you already. After the event, you feel that you had put in more than the fee warranted, but the vendor said they could have got a higher price for their property. Does this sound…
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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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