INTERNATIONAL
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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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Ten NZ property market predictions for the rest of 2019
New Zealand’s residential property sales activity looks set to tick along at the same controlled pace in the second half of the year as it has in the first, with average values growing in a restrained fashion. Other key factors to watch over the rest of 2019 include policy decisions from the Reserve Bank (e.g LVR and bank capital rules),…
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Brisbane agent ranked 9th commercial agent globally
An impressive 30 entries from Australia and New Zealand have made real estate giant RE/MAX’s Global Top 100 lists for the 2019 first quarter, with one Aussie agent ranking in the top 10. Brisbane-based commercial real estate specialist, Deepen Khagram came in at ninth spot in the Global Top 100 Commercial Agents list. Mr Khagram specialises in services stations and retail developments,…
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RE/MAX announces its top global performers
Global real estate giant, RE/MAX, has just announced its top performers for the 2019 first quarter, with a staggering 30 entries from Australia and New Zealand in the Global Top 100 lists. “Here the designation ‘Global’ represents all agents outside of the United States and Canada,” explained Michael Davoren, Managing Director of RE/MAX Australia and RE/MAX New Zealand, “which is…
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Juwai.com partners with Archistar to launch Property Feng Shui Reports
Juwai.com has launched a new service in partnership with Archistar offering Chinese real estate buyers the option of analysing the floor-plans of potential acquisitions for Feng Shui. Archistar is an Australian Proptech startup, responsible for creating and operating a Feng Shui analysis feature that assesses floor-plans and provides insights and design recommendations. To celebrate the launch, Archistar conducted a Feng Shui…
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Hello Alfred, can you find me a cleaner?
Everyday we hear about a new platform which is leading the charge in making property management easier. Earlier this week, Hello Alfred announced an in-app assistant program which sets up building managers to a range of services for easier up keep. The Hello Alfred app provides apartment residents with on-request services from cleaning, grocery delivery, prescription refills and tech support,…
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What US$1 million buys you around the world: Knight Frank
The Wealth Report 2019, released this week by Knight Frank, reveals how much US$1 million can buy in prime cities around the world. The aim of the report is to approximate values for luxury properties globally, the study compares how many square metres of luxury internal floor space can be purchased with US$1 million as at 31 December 2018. Monaco…
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OBrien Real Estate celebrates cultural diversity in the industry
Melbourne-based OBrien Real Estate, a boutique agency with a 27-office network of over 300 people, is strong on multiculturalism. On 21 March 2019, the group celebrated its diversity with a meeting recognising an important part of the group’s uniqueness. It was a special time to come together to appreciate one another’s values and differences. “The gathering of our people was…
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Realogy named in world’s most ethical companies
Realogy Holdings Corp. (NYSE: RLGY) has been recognised by the Ethisphere Institute a global leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices, as one of the 2019 World’s Most Ethical Companies®. This is the eighth consecutive year in which Realogy has been recognised among 128 companies to be honored by Ethisphere spanning 21 countries and 50 industries.…
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Reinventing residential rentals: Tina Grey
Every now and then in your career, you may be fortunate enough to work on a project that is truly special. A body of work that not only stimulates you but has the potential to change the very face of the industry you are so passionate about. I am living one of those moments right now. For the past couple…
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Harcourts and Glen Coutinho to open flagship office in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles
Harcourts International has announced the expansion of the growing Harcourts USA network. Global real estate pioneer Glen Coutinho has joined the Harcourts USA team as Director of Growth & Training, for the Pacific Region, and will become owner of a new office in Beverly Hills. “We are very pleased to welcome Glen to the Harcourts group,” said Harcourts International Managing Director…
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Chinese investment in Australian property to stay strong in 2019 as buyers look to ‘grab a bargain’
Juwai.com has released the Australia 2019 Outlook for Chinese Residential Real Estate Buying, which shows that 2019 will continue the strong outlook for Chinese investment as buyers are attracted by dropping prices in key markets. According to the report, Chinese buyers will be bolstered by strong Chinese wealth growth and the desire to get a bargain while the market is…
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Purplebricks changes tactics in US, takes on traditional fee structure
Fixed-fee agency Purplebricks has announced a change to its US business model, switching to a varied listing fee structure which will only be charged when a home is sold. The new approach for the network will launch this week and aligns the business with a more traditional agency model. “These changes have been informed by customer and agent feedback and…
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Australia named second least-affordable housing market in the world
The 15th Annual Demographia International Housing Affordability Survey shows Australia as the second most unaffordable market for housing, with New Zealand coming in third. The survey uses a measurement of ‘median multiple’ to rank affordability, which is found by dividing median house price by gross annual median household income. This method is the same favoured by the United Nations and…
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Crown Residences at Barangaroo, Ironfish, ArchiStar and BC Securities Win Chinese Global Choice Awards from Juwai.com
Australian companies Crown Residences at Barangaroo, Ironfish, ArchiStar and BC Securities were four of the most notable among the 20 of the world’s very best China-focused real estate marketers who were named as winners of the Global Chinese Choice Award by Juwai.com at a gala black-tie dinner event in Shanghai on Wednesday, 5 December. The awards presentation followed four months…
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Airbnb set to start designing houses in 2019
Airbnb has announced they will begin building their own prototype homes in 2019 through a new project called Backyard. The short-term letting platform, which arguably kicked off the self-managed short-term letting craze, already has a global network of more than five million properties and is estimated to be worth approximately $38 billion. According to a press release, Backyard will be…
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Greg Paramor AO Joins Board of Directors at Juwai.com
Greg Paramor AO will join the Board of Directors of Juwai.com as a non-executive director from 1 December 2018. Mr Paramor has been involved in the real estate and funds management industry for more than 40 years. He is former CEO of Mirvac Group, past president of both the Property Council of Australia and the Investment Funds Association, a board member of…
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Rob Forde appointed as Harcourts Chief Operating Officer International
Harcourts International has named Rob Forde as Chief Operating Officer International. Mr Forde will be responsible for leading operations and driving growth in six Harcourts territories – USA, China, Hong Kong, Canada, South Africa and Indonesia – as well as taking responsibility for Harcourts’ financial services business, Mortgage Express. Mr Forde takes on this new role and joins the international leadership…
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realestate.com.au goes international with the launch of Travel
realestate.com.au has launched Travel, a new vertical as part of its popular Lifestyle content experience. Travel joins the five existing Lifestyle categories – Renovating, Indoor Style, Outdoor Living, Organising & Cleaning and Dream Homes – to provide Australians with a truly ‘one stop shop’ for all their inspiration and insights needs on realestate.com.au. To celebrate the launch of Travel, realestate.com.au has…
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Not so golden after all
This week is Golden Week – a holiday week for the Chinese where it used to be all about travel, and in Australia, property. But not for the last couple of years according to Juwai.com CEO Carrie Law. Ms Law says that the balloon has definitely deflated over the past three Golden Weeks, and while they still see some transactions, it’s not…
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Bubble Index 2018 suggests risk appears greatest in Hong Kong
UBS Global Wealth Management’s Chief Investment Office have released The UBS Global Real Estate Bubble Index 2018, indicating ‘Bubble risk’ or a significant overvaluation of housing markets in most major developed market financial centres. According to the report, ‘Bubble risk’ appears greatest in Hong Kong, followed by Munich, Toronto, Vancouver, London and Amsterdam. The study has also found imbalances in Stockholm,…
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Coldwell Banker announces iBuyer product to level the playing field
Realogy Holdings Corp (NYSE: RLGY) announced a partnership with Home Partners of America’s subsidiary, cataLIST, to offer a ‘quick-sale’ program via NRT’s Coldwell Banker brand in selected markets in the USA. This would allow their agents access to a similar model to compete with iBuyer or ‘quick sale’ programs already in the market. Through the cataLIST Program, an owner of a…
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