Elite Agent

  • The buck stops with the boss

    Every day I receive an email from Seth Godin and I highly recommend you subscribe to him too. One particular piece that he wrote recently resonated with me. The piece was titled Systems, Design and The Front Line. In this blog, Seth talked about how when things are not going well, the buck stops with the boss. “If you experience…

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  • Landlords the forgotten people: REIV

    The Real Estate Institute of Victoria has expressed concern commercial and residential landlords are being left behind and all but forgotten as the government makes decisions on financial support for people impacted by the economic downturn. Citing the recent decision to extend the rental moratorium to 31 December 2020 as one example, they note tenants have been provided with substantial…

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  • Clearance rate continues to climb in conjunction with higher volume

    The national preliminary clearance rate has risen to 67.7 per cent after a higher volume of auctions across the capitals this weekend. Sydney led the charge with a preliminary clearance rate of 74 per cent, while Melbourne returned a success rate of 49.6 per cent on the back of high withdrawal numbers. CoreLogic reports 1163 homes were taken to auction…

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  • Canberra’s property prices quadrupled since 2000

    Housing prices have quadrupled in just two decades, unit prices have tripled, and values could reach an average of over $3.8 million and $1.3 million respectively – These are some of the key insights from Allhomes’ research on Canberra’ property market over the past 20 years. The report also noted that, since 2000, houses sold at auction have risen from…

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  • REIA makes five key recommendations to Government

    The Real Estate Institute of Australia (REIA) has provided five key recommendations to the Australian Government ahead of the October 6 Federal Budget. At the forefront of REIA’s considerations are policies to aid first home buyers, thereby boosting the economy. “Agents, renters, investors and those looking to enter the market for the first time are all facing difficulties,” REIA president,…

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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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  • Ouwens Casserly appoint new COO

    Ouwens Casserly Real Estate has expanded its senior leadership team with the appointment of John Thompson.  Mr Thompson joins OC in the newly created role of Chief Operating Officer (COO), offering strategic support and leadership across all divisions of the business.  “John has been managing a hugely successful recruitment business that has more than tripled in revenue over his seven-year…

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  • Australian housing at its most affordable since 1999

    HIA’s Housing Affordability Index for the June Quarter 2020 indicates national property prices are at their most affordable since 1999. HIA’s Affordability Index is calculated for each of the eight capital cities and regional areas on a quarterly basis and takes into account the latest dwelling prices, mortgage interest rates, and wage developments. Housing affordability improved in the June quarter…

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  • Harvard economist: Australia has most overvalued property prices in world

    Leading Harvard economist Harry Dent has warned he believes Australian property prices are set for a huge fall. Dent is a Harvard MBA graduate, a Fortune 100 consultant, a New York Times bestseller, and claims to have correctly predicted “nearly every major economic event in the past three decades including the 90s recession, the decade-long bull market which followed it,…

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  • New online tool helps estimate reno costs

    If you’ve been watching The Block recently, you may have noticed that Suncorp and CoreLogic are both among the sponsors.  The pair have teamed up to launch a new renovation calculator, aimed at helping those inspired by The Block work out the cost of home renovations, according to the room, renovation type, and particular suburb you are renovating in. The…

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  • Domain launches new spring campaign

    Domain have launched their latest lighthearted campaign, ‘see the possibilities’, which plays on those ‘it’s time’ moments, when people know they need to make a property change that’s a better fit for their current lifestyle. The campaign is “centered on the human truths underpinned by changing search behaviour” from needing a proper home office to wanting more natural light. The…

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  • Diving into Claudio Encina’s Winter Challenge

    As we navigate through 2020, real estate coach and mentor Claudio Encina has rounded up real estate agents and leaders within Sydney and the ACT to dive in and take part in the 2020 Winter Challenge. With a flair for the socials and a bravery of the winter chill, Claudio is on a mission for himself and those in the…

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  • Andrew Kyriacou: Deliver what you promise

    Years in the industry?I have been in the industry for 15 years. What’s a special place in your local area?The special place in my area is the local café, this is the place where I proposed to my wife on the balcony and she was caught by surprise, of course. Did you choose real estate or did real estate choose…

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  • REIV: Lack of info from Daniel Andrews ‘extremely frustrating’

    Real Estate Institute of Victoria (REIV) president Leah Calnan has spoken out against the lack of consultation between the government and the industry. “There’s been a real lack of communication with our industry — it’s extremely frustrating,” Ms Calnan said. “We need to know what’s going on so agents can start planning, so they can prepare contracts, engage solicitors, organise…

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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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  • realestate.com.au springs into fresh campaign

    realestate.com.au has surged to an all-time audience high, reaching 12 million Australians in July, as the brand announced the launch of its new campaign. The campaign extends upon the successful ‘Millions More Buyers’ messages and continues to leverage the platform’s market leadership position of having the largest and most engaged audience of property seekers. REA Group Executive Manager, Consumer Marketing,…

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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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  • RE/MAX appoints Business Growth Manager

    After the successful transition of WA offices into its national network, RE/MAX Australia this month announced the appointment of experienced real estate professional Donna Goddard to the corporate team. Ms Goddard is Perth-based in the role of Business Growth Manager, WA. She has longevity in the Australian real estate landscape with around 12 years as an advertising director with News…

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  • ANZ: Melbourne house prices to fall by 15%, Sydney not much better

    Melbourne house prices will fall by 15 per cent, according to new predictions by ANZ’s economists. The bank also forecasts tough times for Sydney owners, with housing set to drop by an estimated 13 per cent. It predicts the bottoming out of prices will likely occur in the second half of 2021. The bank predicts a national price drop of…

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  • REIV Leah Calnan lockdown

    REIV announces new board of directors

    Members of the REIV have chosen four new directors to serve on the board, with Jacob Caine, current president Leah Calnan, Adam Docking and Andrew Meehan all set to take up their positions from October 1, 2020. Current president Leah Calnan and senior vice president Adam Docking were re-elected for their third and second three-year terms respectively. Jacob Caine and…

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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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  • The ultimate guide to real estate prospecting resources

    We have trawled the Elite Agent archive, as well as the entire living history of the internet, to present both golden oldies and new thinking to help you gain inspiration in your real estate prospecting.

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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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  • Crown Group CEO calls for ‘wellness’ to be integrated into building standards

    Crown Group Chairman and CEO Iwan Sunito is calling for tenants’ physical and mental wellbeing to be considered and incorporated into building design standards in the post-COVID world. “Many people are spending more time working from home, studying from home, home-schooling their children and exercising and recreating,” Mr Sunito said. “People who live in well-designed homes that offer plenty of…

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  • REA launches new tools for self-managed landlords

    REA Group has announced a new experience for self-managed landlords to either connect with an agency on realestate.com.au, or list their rental property directly on the site. Set to go live later this month, the move comes in response to research highlighting that over one third of investors now self-manage their rental properties, presenting an untapped segment for realestate.com.au consumers and customers to…

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  • Leading retail group to close up to 500 Australian stores

    Mosaic Brands, the retail group that owns fashion brands such as Millers, Noni B, Rivers, Katies, Rockmans and more, has delivered a disastrous FY20 loss along with news it plans to shut as many as 500 stores over the next two years. The group owns 1332 Australian stores, employing 6800 people across the country. Today they announced an underlying loss…

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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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  • Campaigntrack and Realhub announce merger

    Two big players in the real estate software solutions space have teamed up. Campaigntrack and Realhub have announced a merger “to lead the way on their vision for the future of real estate”. Their combined offering looks to work the strengths of both brands to benefit the entire real estate sector, from small boutiques to major national brands. More than…

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  • Hammer falls on another steady auction week

    While Melbourne continues to fluctuate, Sydney’s preliminary clearance rate is on the rise, this week coming in at 71.9 per cent, while the national success rate held steady at 64.7 per cent. CoreLogic reports 1082…

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  • Commercial rental collection kept rising in July

    CREDIA, a new online resource of commercial property leasing indicators from Re-Leased, has published Australian rental collection data for July which shows payment rates continue to improve. Throughout the month of July, 74 per cent of commercial rent was received by landlords within 30 days, compared to 71 per cent in June. The pre-COVID monthly average was 89 per cent.  …

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  • Make the right CRM switch

    When I started building Box+Dice in the late ’90s, 90 per cent of our customers were coming from carbon paper inspection sheets and institute diaries. If they had any tech at all, it was a basic desktop CRM or Microsoft Excel. We were selling technology as a concept. At trade shows, people would stand 10-deep to see our groundbreaking tech.…

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  • Luke Stevenson: Local knowledge

    Years in the industry?The end of August will be two years in real estate in Tamworth for me. Before that I was working in flight operations for Jetstar in Melbourne. I loved the city life, but being born and raised in the country, I was always going to come home.     What’s a special place in your local area?Well I…

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  • Lenders shy away from commercial sector

    A new report by CBRE has found a number of factors are making lenders more reticent in their lending practices for commercial properties. The report explains how increasing economic uncertainty brought about by the onset of COVID-19 has resulted in retailers struggling to stay open and pay the rent. Commercial rent in most Australian office markets has declined, and vacancy…

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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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