Real Estate News Current Real Estate news

Warning as “rogue agent” busted
Unlike so many modern agents, Brent Peters doesn’t look like a “rogue estate agent”. He hasn’t got a slick shifty look to him.

Booming lies
The one thing always booming in real estate is the lies the industry tells the public. Aside from the daily false quotes given to sellers and buyers about the prices of properties, the most common lies are the auction clearance rates.

‘Auction clearance’ lies
Auction clearance rates are lies. Pumped-up statistics. It doesn’t matter who’s sprouting them, auction clearance rates are deliberately false. They are so far from true as to be laughable.

Home sellers – do not drop your price!
When home sellers get anxious about selling, the first thing they usually do – or, more correctly, the first thing agents suggest they do – is “drop the price”.

Sellers lose heavily at weekend auctions
Home sellers lost millions of dollars in last weekend’s auctions. Most never realised it. On the contrary, many sellers thought they got a great result because their homes sold above their lowest price – known as the “reserve”.

This man is an agent… but we can’t show you his face
Years ago, when I worked in my real estate office, another agent came to see me. He seemed nervous. I took him into my office and closed the door. Almost in a whisper, he said: “I need to sell my house.”

How to “Nab” a Bargain at Auctions
Contrary to mythology, auctions are never the best way for homeowners to sell. But they are often the best way for homebuyers to, well, I’ll say it again, “nab a bargain”.

The Purple Bricks Fiasco
There was one major flaw with English real estate company Purple Bricks and their entry into the Australian real estate market: They were dodgy.

Media Article
A national real estate agency has entered into two enforceable undertakings with the Office of Fair Trading (OFT), for alleged breaches of the Australian Consumer Law and the Property Occupations Act 2014.
How Real Estate Thiefs Get Away with More Than Bank Robbers
A bank robber who robbed a bank of almost a quarter of a million dollars has been banned from entering any bank premises for five years.
Cold August Night
On a cold August night, back in 2005, I made a big mistake. I made a promise to a journalist by the name of Paul Barry that a woman by the name of Maria Di Benedetto would not lose her home.
The Gough Response
There are few sights more ridiculous in the business world than businessmen attempting to defend the indefensible.
Homesellers – Don’t Pay Anything Until Your Home is Happily Sold!
Here’s a three word message for sellers – Don’t Pay Anything! At least not until your property is sold and you are satisfied. And don’t pay money for advertising.
Guilty of Fraud
Almost ten years after he began his reign of financial terror, Kovelan Bangaru, 43, was this week found guilty in the Sydney District Court on 13 charges of fraud under the NSW Crimes Act.
Flood Victims Need ‘Value’ Compensation
For many years, Queensland solicitor Tim O’Dwyer has warned would-be property buyers about the likelihood of floods in his normally Sunshine State.

Warning as “rogue agent” busted
Unlike so many modern agents, Brent Peters doesn’t look like a “rogue estate agent”. He hasn’t got a slick shifty look to him.

Booming lies
The one thing always booming in real estate is the lies the industry tells the public. Aside from the daily false quotes given to sellers and buyers about the prices of properties, the most common lies are the auction clearance rates.

‘Auction clearance’ lies
Auction clearance rates are lies. Pumped-up statistics. It doesn’t matter who’s sprouting them, auction clearance rates are deliberately false. They are so far from true as to be laughable.

Home sellers – do not drop your price!
When home sellers get anxious about selling, the first thing they usually do – or, more correctly, the first thing agents suggest they do – is “drop the price”.

Sellers lose heavily at weekend auctions
Home sellers lost millions of dollars in last weekend’s auctions. Most never realised it. On the contrary, many sellers thought they got a great result because their homes sold above their lowest price – known as the “reserve”.

This man is an agent… but we can’t show you his face
Years ago, when I worked in my real estate office, another agent came to see me. He seemed nervous. I took him into my office and closed the door. Almost in a whisper, he said: “I need to sell my house.”

How to “Nab” a Bargain at Auctions
Contrary to mythology, auctions are never the best way for homeowners to sell. But they are often the best way for homebuyers to, well, I’ll say it again, “nab a bargain”.

The Purple Bricks Fiasco
There was one major flaw with English real estate company Purple Bricks and their entry into the Australian real estate market: They were dodgy.

Media Article
A national real estate agency has entered into two enforceable undertakings with the Office of Fair Trading (OFT), for alleged breaches of the Australian Consumer Law and the Property Occupations Act 2014.
How Real Estate Thiefs Get Away with More Than Bank Robbers
A bank robber who robbed a bank of almost a quarter of a million dollars has been banned from entering any bank premises for five years.
Cold August Night
On a cold August night, back in 2005, I made a big mistake. I made a promise to a journalist by the name of Paul Barry that a woman by the name of Maria Di Benedetto would not lose her home.
The Gough Response
There are few sights more ridiculous in the business world than businessmen attempting to defend the indefensible.
Homesellers – Don’t Pay Anything Until Your Home is Happily Sold!
Here’s a three word message for sellers – Don’t Pay Anything! At least not until your property is sold and you are satisfied. And don’t pay money for advertising.
Guilty of Fraud
Almost ten years after he began his reign of financial terror, Kovelan Bangaru, 43, was this week found guilty in the Sydney District Court on 13 charges of fraud under the NSW Crimes Act.
Flood Victims Need ‘Value’ Compensation
For many years, Queensland solicitor Tim O’Dwyer has warned would-be property buyers about the likelihood of floods in his normally Sunshine State.