Blog & Insights
Real Estate Inspections – Open for Business
In really great news and a victory for common-sense, property inspections are now permitted again in Melbourne. One on one inspections can now be booked and new listings can be listed and photographed. In another sensible variation to the rules, another member from...
Have You Put Your Selling Plans on Hold?
Most of us in Melbourne have had our lives on hold not just for the current lockdown, but for most of this year. The uncertainty has made it almost impossible to plan. It has been frustrating, with anger, sadness, depression and hopelessness being common feelings...
A Snapshot of the Latest Property Rules
Significant protections are currently still in place for tenants who have reason to be worried about inspections of their property during Covid-19. The virus has not gone away and neither have genuine concerns. In Victoria, tenants can decline to permit access to...
Will Property Prices REALLY Drop By 30%?
When credible players in business start talking about extraordinary falls in value for Australian property, we should all pay attention, right? Well yes. But we need to really pay attention, not just read the headlines. Commonwealth Bank did not predict drops of 32%...
Property Inspections – What’s Legal, What’s Safe?
Restrictions for property inspections under Victoria's Benevolent Leader are to be relaxed from Wednesday 13th May. Open inspections are now permitted again, with a limit of 10 people at any one time (plus agents). Also, the same number can participate in an...
Property Prices: Where Next?
Generally speaking, property prices don’t move quickly; more like a large ship turning. But they are nearly always moving up or down. Once it is clear which direction, the strange thing is that buyers and sellers tend to think the direction will continue to get...
Victoria Bans Property Inspections (Really!)
Update 2.30 Mon 13/4/20 Consumer Affairs Victoria have reversed their position and one on one inspections for occupied properties are now permitted again. The rules relating to inspections have been spelt out and basically reflect the position taken by agents prior to...
CV-19: What Can We & Can’t We Do In Victoria
Everyone is trying to get the balance right; and everyone has an opinion about where that balance is. We have different rules in Victoria to every other state in Australia. Here, we can’t visit direct family members unless for health reasons. In fact, we have quite...
Covid-19 & Property Part II – (Time For Calm, Chicken Little)
Either the sky is falling or this event is overblown. These have been the two extreme views of this unfolding crisis (if we overlook the ever present conspiracy theorists). Which one is it? Fortunately, over the last two weeks, the overblown camp have reversed their...
Will COVID-19 Affect Property Prices?
In short, yes. Of course it will. It is going to affect every part of our economy and lives over coming months. The silliness of the Great Toilet Paper Shortage goes to show that people are scared and not necessarily behaving rationally. And doesn’t the news media...
Coronavirus: The Local Impact of a Global Crisis
As the death toll climbs inexorably toward 1000, clearly the loss of life from this frightening virus is of most impact. Fear is now rippling around the world. This fear will be of ongoing impact even after the disease has been controlled. It was something of a shock...
New Rental Laws – A Whole New Ballgame
A disaster coming or “finally, things will be fairer”? Whatever your opinion, new laws (flagged before the last election) are about to be activated in Victoria. Fairly strong opinions are held on this topic. Some changes aren’t too contentious. Others definitely are....