28 | LETTERS
00 BUSINESS Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
YOUR SHOUT
www.opp-connect.com | MAY 2013
www.opp.org.uk | XXXX 2012 What do you think?
Tell us what you think about the latest news and what you would like discussed by joining our LinkedIn group, tweeting us @oppnews, emailing
john.howell@opp-connect.com or writing us a good old- fashioned letter...
Don’t underestimate the Australian property market Dear Editor,
As an investor in Australian property, I appreciated reading the Country Report on Australia in OPP Magazine, April. I know you said that Australian market fi gures have been ‘generally positive’ of late, but I reckon things are even better than that and you have underplayed the potential and performance of the market a little.
Although there were mixed results from some property indexes at the end of last
year, the sales data for the fi rst few months of 2013 could not have been better. My Australian wife and I own a small portfolio of property in and around
Perth, Western Australia where values have been rising for some months and have overtaken the 2008 peak to reach an all-time high. This has been backed up by various surveys. (Don’t ask me what their names are – there are so many of the blasted things! – I just remember seeing the headlines). Property values seem to be increasing in most areas of Australia, although I’m none too convinced about Tasmania and possibly New South Wales, which are lagging a little behind. I’ve seen the reports that values in some suburbs and towns across South
Australia will double in 10 years – which I think is ridiculous – and I’ve heard claims from colleagues that prices could rise another third over the next three years, which I think is also far too optimistic. The latest comments from the Reserve Bank - that price rises over the coming years will be more modest than in the past 30 years - are nearer the mark. But, let’s face it, a rise is a rise! Australian buy-to-let property offers some great opportunities at the moment,
as mortgage rates have edged down and rising rental yields have pushed up margins to a more acceptable level. As prices do increase I know there are concerns about affordability, and there certainly seems to be a lot of distressed homes on the market, but that hasn’t stopped potential developers from getting involved in new projects and there certainly seems to be much more interest from Asian companies who are
Best of the Blogs Too good to be true?
By Jennifer Chan,
Zillow.com
Branding is important for any business because it attracts attention and recognition, increases authority and diff erentiates you from the competition. How do you draw attention to your real estate agency? Chances are, you’re doing all the basics right: You have a website, are active on social media and advertise in all the right places. Going that extra mile to really stick out from the crowd, however, can be challenging. Here are a few examples of creative strategies real estate agents are using to build their brand.
Give up the car A group of real estate agents caught the public eye in their eff orts to be more environmentally friendly. Agents hosted a “house hunting by bike” event, drawing up a map of 70 homes for sale in their community. The three-hour, four-home tour was a success, drawing more than a dozen attendees — and the attention of motorists who stopped to request a copy of the map.
keen to get involved in various projects. Where I agree wholeheartedly with your country report is that Australia is a wonderful country and an excellent place for property ownership.
Yours sincerely, Ted Sheppard, Nantes, France
Agree? Disagree? Have an opinion on something else entirely that you’d like to share with other property professionals? Get in touch at
editor@opp-connect.com
Perth | Do Australia’s cities off er huge investment potential?
Host Meetup groups Don’t limit your marketing strategy to the Internet. Meetup programs are hubs where people with similar interests can plan meetings and outings to make new friends. One great way to get involved is to become a host of a group in your community, such as a “new in town” group. Make friends, plan get-togethers, expand your network of contacts and help new members of your neighborhood get acclimated — or maybe even fi nd a new home in their new city.
Create a music video Search “Real estate agent Call Me Maybe” on YouTube, and you’ll see countless brokerages and agents rocking to the popular hit. Producing these one-off music videos might help you come up in more searches, but they also tell buyers and sellers that your crew knows how to have fun. Don’t forget to upload video tours on your account, too! Creative branding helps your company stick in people’s heads. Delivering high-
quality work is a direct refl ection of your brand. Be clear about who you are, strive to be consistent in your work and make sure you follow through on promises. Ultimately, remember that you build your brand through your actions.
Does your company market in original or entertaining ways? Contact OPP at
editor@opp-connect.com – we’d love to hear about them.
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