Message from the president
As we approach the end of year, it is important to reflect on what it is we have achieved. This year, we have seen a new President for REBAA and an increase members on this time last year. Without doubt the last six months has been a tough time for the property industry in general and ongoing global economic uncertainty. Increasingly we are seeing buyer’s agents needing to expand their services in order to compete in this fierce market. Our challenge has been to work with REEBA to keep the momentum going, raise awareness of buyer’s agents in the media and increase membership.
As an executive, we are looking at ways to revamp the association and will be reporting back to you early in the New Year with our two-year strategy offering more value-adding benefits to members.
Members need to understand that unlike many other property industry associations, REBAA relies on the work of its executive committee who are not paid a wage and who volunteer their time for the association. All of us on the executive have our own businesses to run and the usual commitments outside of work. As a result, we ask our members to be patient and understand that our milestones are achieved at a slower rate but that we are have not lost focus. We continue to meet bi-monthly to discuss and evaluate new member enquiries, media opportunities and ways to maximise member benefits and issues affecting our industry.
We look forward to your ongoing support in 2012 and will be back in touch in March with some more news. No matter how you celebrate this time of year, I wish you all the very best for the season and on behalf of the Executive, we wish you happiness in the New Year.
Warwick Brookes
REBAA President
The Insider’s Guide to Renovating for Profit
 REBAA member and real estate author Patrick Bright has this month released his latest book – The Insider’s Guide to Renovating for Profit. After starting his career as a carpenter, Patrick became a real estate selling agent and began investing in property. In 1999 he established one of Australia's first property buyers' agencies – EPS Property Search in Neutral Bay.
In the fourth instalment of his popular series of real estate Insider's Guides, Patrick reveals his proven tips and tactics for finding, buying and renovating residential investment properties for impressive profits.
The Insider's Guide to Renovating for Profit shows you a step-by-step system to add the maximum value, using the least amount of money, in the shortest possible time. Patrick's easy-to-understand and practical advice is based on over 20 years' personal experience as a real estate and building industry insider and property investor.
This comprehensive guide to renovating for profit explains:
- How you can use judicious cosmetic renovations to "manufacture" capital growth
- Why renovating is the quickest way to maximise your property portfolio
- The renovation profit formula and why it's critical to your success
- How to select the correct property type to renovate for maximum return
- The importance of extensive research
- Real case studies of successful property renovations
- Over 50 ways to increase the value of a property without spending much money
- How to avoid the 7 biggest mistakes made by renovators
The Insider’s Guide to Renovating for Profit can be purchased with free postage from www.epspropertysearch.com.au and is available now from all good bookstores.
REBAA Webinar
 In November, REBAA Queensland State Representative and Hot Property Specialists Director, Liz Wilcox arranged with 4BC Real Estate Talk presenter, Kevin Turner, to do a REBAA national market round-up. Participating REBAA members included: Patrick Bright from EPS Property Search (NSW), Warwick Brookes from Domain Property Advocates (VIC), Rob Zubin from My Property Hunter (TAS), Damian Collins from Momentum wealth (WA) and Liz Wilcox from Hot Property Specialists Buyers Agency (QLD).
The segment was aired last month on the Saturday morning program (8am - 9am) and was also was placed at the front of the Webinar which was held in November. Due to popular demand Kevin will be replaying the interview on 7 December, 2011.
To view the webinar please click on the link below:
http://www.realestatetalk.com.au/stx.php?stp=/shows/Show%2020/Seg1.mp3
REBAA in the news
One of the core objectives of the association is to raise the profile of buyer’s agents generally and increase community awareness of the scope of services we offer. To this end, the association regularly distributes media releases on issues affecting the property industry and buyers. In November, REBAA President Warwick Brookes was interviewed in the 6pm Channel Nine news bulletin (Melbourne) regarding a REBAA press release on the Christmas buying season. Over the past three months the association has distributed the following press releases:
23 August 2011
Buyers Agents take the Emotion out of The Block 2011
23 August 2011
REBAA Property Predictions: Spring 2011
13 October 2011
REBAA: Why Now is a Good Time to Buy Property
10 November 2011
REBAA: Blind auctions leaving buyers disadvantaged
28 November 2011
REBAA: Buyer Alert: Now is the Time to Snare a Christmas Bargain
To view our recent coverage since our previous newsletter in August 2011, please click on the following links below:
RECENT PRESS
The Season to be Jolly
Sydney Morning Herald, 3 December 2011
Only half of all houses up for auction in the past month drew purchases
Herald Sun, 26 November 2011
Sales by secret offers on the increase
Courier Mail, 20 November 2011
Buyers' Agents Warn of Blind Auctions
Hotspotting, 10 November 2011
Market's Silver Lining
The Daily Telegraph, 22 October 2011
Just one home in your lifetime?
Domain, 22 October 2011
Helping to get it right
The Leader, 10 October 2011
Four tips for getting an accurate property valuation
Property Observer, 19 September 2011
We're sitting tight and not upgrading
The Weekend Australian, 3-4 September 2011
Buyers’ agents took emotion out of ‘The Block‘ auction
Property Observer, Friday, 26 August 2011
Buyers Body Picks Brookes
The Weekend Australian Financial Review, 20-21 August, 2011
House Search Australia takes out REINSW award
 REBAA congratulates Jacque Parker (pictured), Director of House Search Australia, who took out the title of New South Wales Buyer’s Agents of the Year at the 2011 REINSW Awards for Excellence. This award recognises continuing high levels of service standards and innovation.
House Search Australia was established six years ago and specialises in the Sydney metro area, with a particular focus on the Upper and Lower North Shore, Northern, North West, Hills districts and Western suburbs.
In other award news, Western Australian based Buyers’ Agent, Emma Everett from Momentum Wealth, has again been awarded Buyers’ Agent of the Year at the 2011 Real Estate Institute of WA’s Awards for Excellence for the second year running. This comes on top of Emma winning last year’s National Award in March 2011.
Momentum Wealth Managing Director Damian Collins said he was delighted with the result which was a testament to Mrs Everett’s hard work, dedication and going the extra mile for her clients. “Emma should be very proud of her achievements and the results she has obtained for our clients,” he said.
Mrs Everett said she was delighted to again win the award, and paid tribute to the team around her at Momentum Wealth. “Being a full service property group means the support of others in the team is vital to my success and achieving a great result for our clients. We have a dedicated team at Momentum Wealth and I look forward to continuing to working with them to help our clients make wise property investment decisions and build their wealth through property investment.”
Buyer’s agent profile – Rob Zubin
Principal Agent, My Property Hunter, Tasmania
Q. How long have you been a buyer's agent?
A. For just over five years. This follows 15 years in Tourism, Marketing and Event Destination Branding.
Q. Why did you become a buyer's agent?
A. I felt the urge and the need to help buyers. I had been, and still am, an avid property investor and the role of a buyer’s agent was an extension of my interest in buying property, but now I see my role is to help others to achieve the best buying possible.
Q. How has your previous experience helped you as a buyer's
agent?
A. Management, service, communication, research, budgets, detail and delivery have all been very important components for many of the major roles I was responsible for in South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania. Twenty years as a property investor in four states dealing with dozens of properties has also provided me with valuable experience. I see the role of a buyers agent as being essentially about service delivery. Listening to clients needs; educating them on what is possible; researching and reporting; and finally delivering a successful property purchase outcome.
Q. How do you see the Tassie property market shaping up over the next year?
A. I am optimistic that the Tasmanian property market will provide good opportunities in the coming years. It will still require wise property selection for buyers to be able to achieve healthy outcomes. Tasmania is in a flat spell at the moment and from a flat spell I see potential for growth. Tasmania still offers the most affordable housing in the country, vacancy rates are relatively low at around 2% in the major population centres, and unemployment at just over 5%.
There has been small population growth in recent years, and more would be better. However the position is better than in the late 90’s when more people were actually leaving the state entering.
One of the biggest challenges I see is with the state government who are facing enormous financial challenges. Their ability to lead and manage the state’s economic affairs also needs significant improvement.
Q. What have been some of the more challenging moments in your career as a buyer's agent?
A. Local, state and national recognition and lack of understanding of a buyers agent. This is both from a consumer view and also within the industry.
Q. What is the state of the buyer's agent industry in Tasmania? How has it evolved over the last 10 years?
A. In its infancy at best. We are the only full service buyers agency. Consumer Affairs have been very supportive in helping us become established, however the industry grapples with the whole Buyer’s Agent concept.
The Real Estate Institute of Tasmania are a little naive and the industry as a whole just does not understand the role. Even the Property Agents Boards do not understand the function of a Buyer’s Agent. This is no more evident than recently, when a local Hobart Real Estate Agency offered a free ‘Buyers Agent’ service. Essentially it is a role where a sales agents is given the task of dealing with buyers to sell them a property. So in fact a selling agency is using the title of ‘Buyer’s Agent’ to sell buyers property.
Q. How do you think the general public perceive buyer's agents?
A. Once educated as to their role and the benefits provided to buyers, the general public are quite receptive to the use of a Buyer’s Agent.
Q. What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
A. I like the outdoors. I play golf and tennis. Enjoy scrabble. I love sitting on my deck looking out across the Derwent River.
At least once a week we eat at restaurants with my favourite being Thai.
Over the years, I have established a diverse movie collection – probably 500 plus movies - and really enjoy movies written by John Grisham (The Firm, Rainmaker, The Client).
Q. What do you think are the characteristics that make a successful buyer's agent?
A. Careful attention to detail. Listening to buyer requirements. Ensure that what is outlined and agreed is achievable, then deliver.
Constant communication, empathy, understanding and good people skills are essential.
Q. Where would you like to see the industry in five years time?
A. Stronger national recognition of a ‘Buyers Agent’, who they act for and make sure there is no dispute about who is working for who in any property transaction.
For ‘Buyers Agent’ to be a genuine alternative for consumers when they are looking to buy property. |
