Contributed By: Claire Ryan - REIQ on

The Real Estate Institute of Queensland (REIQ) says calls from tenants’ advocates for rent control in Queensland is a short-sighted solution to a complex problem. REIQ CEO Antonia Mercorella said rent control would not be a panacea for the rental crisis and would likely have the opposite effect and exacerbate challenging rental conditions. “We are acutely aware of the devastating impacts of the rental crisis and against that backdrop, it’s understandable that some tenants’ advocates are proposing rent control as a solution – but rent control is not the panacea that many argue it to be,” she said. “It’s clear Queensland does not have sufficientRead More →

Contributed By: Mike Phipps Finance on

We have talked in the past about our view that we are moving into a tighter credit environment in which bank lending guidelines will become stricter. We also talked about challenges existing borrowers are having with annual business loan reviews and extended interest only periods. I am less than delighted to announce that for once our predications have come to fruition. Daily feedback from borrowers suggests that times are indeed becoming challenging both for new borrowers and for existing operators. To be frank some of the concerns raised with us are of the borrower’s own making and reflect a lack of understanding of the termsRead More →

Contributed By: Frank Matus - Resort Brokers on

Our Brisbane broker Frank Matus says opportunity exists for buyers and sellers in a buoyant market — but you have to be nimble. When I started with ResortBrokers a year ago, the industry was still emerging from COVID. Uncertainty was in the air and multipliers were soaring. Real estate prices were skyrocketing thanks to the great migration from the southern states – over 50,000 new residents flocked to our state in the year to June 2022.  While management rights operators felt the capital growth in their real estate, many of these new residents moved into their investment units creating downward pressure on letting pools. SomeRead More →

Contributed By: Aon Insurance on

There’s more to managing risk than insurance 6 pillars of managing risk in a service based business There’s not much in life that comes without risk – whether it’s starting a business, or even just crossing a road. When it comes to running your business, the biggest risk in your mind is probably not making a profit. However, events such as a client tripping over and injuring themselves while at your premises, or having legal action taken against you due to advice you provided are also incidents that can have a substantial impact on your business. While you might hold insurance to help cover youRead More →

I’d like to remind ARAMA members again that the industry survey conducted by international accountancy group Deloitte demonstrated better returns for owners from properties managed under the Management & Letting Rights model. Overall, the survey responses indicated that a resident manager acting in the role of an on-site letting agent delivers a better weekly rental return than an outside agent. The Resident Manager also performs the caretaking functions in a more cost-effective manner when compared to other professional outside alternatives. The Deloitte Survey is available as a four page fact sheet to members from the ARAMA website library. One of the most striking outcomes fromRead More →

TheOnsiteManager.com.au have just signed a new deal with LittleHinges to unlock MASSIVE savings on photography packages. We can now offer a Virtual Tour, Floor Plan and 8 Still images for *JUST* $220+GST. A huge reduction from the $320+GST that was previously available. Book your virtual tour, floorplan and photoshoot here: https://theonsitemanager.typeform.com/to/fZGAdJ6b I am frequently getting calls from managers telling me they ran a 15 minute open on a 2 bedroom unit and 47 people showed up to inspect it. Cut through the time wasters, and cut down on the number of people showing up at your open homes – with a virtual tour prospects can take theirRead More →

Contributed By: Mike Phipps Finance on

I guess I should start this month’s massive with a welcome to 2023. Doesn’t seem that long ago that we were stressing about the Y2K bug and now here we are, 23 years later. For those of you too young to remember, the bug was essentially a “the sky is falling” event predicated on an expectation that computers worldwide would be unable to cope with the year 2000 due to recognition software that only identified the last 2 numbers in a year. The fear was that 2000 and 1900 would be indistinguishable to computer systems and all hell would break loose. The global spend toRead More →

Contributed By: Claire Ryan - REIQ on

While market pressures have pinned Queensland vacancy rates down during 2022, REIQ data released today shows the year has ended with a slight uplift across the state. Of the 50 local government areas and sub regions covered in the REIQ’s Residential Vacancy Rate Report for the December 2022 Quarter, 43 experienced a vacancy rate rise compared to the previous quarter, while the remaining seven were static. The state-wide vacancy rate rose from 0.6 per cent in the September quarter to 0.8 per cent to close the year, at an improved yet still critically low rate. REIQ CEO Antonia Mercorella welcomed the momentary relief but saidRead More →

Contributed By: Aon Insurance on

How bushfires may shape Australian housing design The devastation caused by bushfires have become a regular, unfortunate part of the Australian climate. Communities impacted watch (somewhat helplessly) as their properties, wildlife and vegetation are engulfed by flames. It’s unlikely bushfires are going to stop anytime soon, but with the intensity of them increasing, coupled with the effects of drought and extreme temperatures, it’s clear there are further challenges ahead in terms of adapting and ensuring communities are equipped to better withstand the impacts. While steps have been taken in Australian housing architecture to better enable resilience and cope with bushfires, there is still a wayRead More →

The greatest validation for long term agreements in the business of Management and Letting Rights (MLR) is that the vast majority of resident managers are granted top-ups – that is extensions on the term of their MLR agreements. Why? Because those resident managers make continual improvements to a scheme in a way that off-site managers could never achieve. Owners are happy to give resident managers these top-ups as a reward for their performance. There are great economic benefits to a scheme that has an on-site manager with a long-term agreement, and there are also benefits you cannot put a price on – the services thatRead More →

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