Conveyancing Bribes - A New Growth Industry

OPINION by Peter Mericka B.A., LL.B Real Estate Lawyer Qualified Practising Conveyancer Victoria Director Lawyers Real Estate Pty Ltd Since Scott Goodman of Goodman Group Conveyancing started his "Goodman Group Conveyancing Referral Service" bribery and corruption in the conveyancing and real estate industries of Victoria has shifted to over-drive. The price for a conveyancing referral (or bribe) has now reached $150 per referral, and it seems that no estate agent wants to miss out. Scott Goodman,...(read more)

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[Source: Australian Real Estate Blog]

Solicitors Can Make Conveyancing Mistakes

OPINION by Tim O'Dwyer M.A., LL.B Solicitor Consumer Advocate watchdog@argonautlegal.com.au An Appeal Court has ruled that a father and his daughter validly escaped a developer�s option to buy their property because of a solicitor�s slackness over the Christmas-New Year holiday period. When Maitland Murray and daughter Jacqueline bought a bungalow in Birmingham, England, from pension fund trustees one of the sale terms gave the trustees, who owned adjoining playing fields, an option to re-purchase...(read more)

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[Source: Australian Real Estate Blog]

Auctions - Going, Going, Gone?

OPINION by David Morrell Real Estate Buyers' Advocate Director Morrell & Koren Right now the real estate auction system is on the ropes because the market has tanked; but its problems run deeper than that. The elephant in the room is whether the auction system itself is working in vendors� best interests. The agents make the argument that auctions work because they bring buyers and sellers together at a known time and place and that they have the clearance rates to prove it. This while people,...(read more)

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[Source: Australian Real Estate Blog]

REIV Caught Cheating - Again

Opinion by Neil Jenman Consumer Advocate For many years, the Real Estate Institute of Victoria (REIV) has misled and deceived real estate consumers. Whether it be trying to justify (or deny) dodgy practices such as false price quoting or whether it's brushing-aside common claims of widespread dishonesty, as far as real estate bodies go, they don't come much dodgier than Victoria's Real Estate Institute (REIV) . The institute is headed-up by Enzo Raimondo (who once told the Victorian public that he...(read more)

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[Source: Australian Real Estate Blog]

The Value of a Valuation

OPINION by Patrick Brady AAPI, MRICS, Dip. Ed Certified Practising Valuer No. 1277 Director WBP Property Group Many people know the basics of what can impact the value of their property - overhead power lines and busy roads versus sea/tree views and a short stroll to the local coffee shop. To gain a better idea of how to improve the value of your property, it is worthwhile taking a look at what a professional valuer looks for when inspecting a property and how they arrive at the valuation figure....(read more)

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[Source: Australian Real Estate Blog]

Conveyancing Corruption - Lawyers Too!

OPINION by Tim O'Dwyer M.A., LL.B Solicitor Consumer Advocate watchdog@argonautlegal.com.au (Following on from " Licensed Conveyancer Corruption Must Be Stopped ", Tim O'Dwyer reports on a lawyer conveyancer's attempt to attract referrals from real estate agents. Readers are also referred to Tim's posting Catch 32 On Solicitors' Independence regarding estate agent referrals to lawyers.) After the principal of a small suburban law firm sent an email touting his services to several real estate agents,...(read more)

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[Source: Australian Real Estate Blog]