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Property managers around the country will be using National Property Manager’s Day on 24 July to mark one of their most challenging years yet.

The coronavirus pandemic has put immense pressure on the rental market and property managers have pivoted quickly to handle legislative changes to tenancy acts, rent negotiations between tenants and landlords and larger portfolios than they may have previously had – all of this while working completely mobile and paperless.

By going above and beyond their job descriptions, these real estate professionals have helped keep many Australian tenants in a home and ensured landlords are able to continue paying off their mortgages.

Leah Calnan, president of Real Estate Institute of Victoria, said property managers deserve to be celebrated because “they are the conduit in every tenancy.”

“They manage the difficult conversations, they deal with the issues, they provide support to both parties at different times and they need to have an understanding of legislation, maintenance, finances and social work,” Ms Calnan said. 

The future for property managers continues to look like it has over the past few months, however, most have found themselves adapting to a new norm.

They have supported emotional clients

There is no denying that most Australians are going through a highly emotional time, in fact, Lifeline Australia experienced a 25% increase in calls for help in March 2020 compared to the same time last year, with the majority of callers wanting to talk about COVID-19.

The home is a very important part of our lives so when something threatens that, it impacts emotions.

With many individuals being stood down from jobs due to lockdown laws, there has been a surplus of tenants and landlords who have found themselves in financial hardship.

For tenants, this means they struggle to pay the rent and bills, and for many landlords, mortgage repayments have become a struggle.

Property managers have found themselves dealing with highly emotional tenants and landlords. Picture: realestate.com.au/rent

Amy Sanderson, network head of property investment management for LJ Hooker, said herself and her team have dealt with many distressed tenants and landlords during the health crisis, and have become more resilient as a result.

“Everyone has been emotional and when people are emotional they don’t necessarily respond to things, they react to things,” she said. “When people react, it’s not always in the best light and property managers have done a great job in dealing with that.”

Ms Sanderson explained that at the beginning of COVID-19, it was difficult to keep on top of all the changes to legislation across all states and territories. She said her team would receive calls from tenants and landlords asking questions that they didn’t yet know the answer to.

“Tenants were abusing us and we couldn’t give answers, we were too nervous to give answers, because if we gave answers and new legislation came out, we would be locked in to something that wasn’t right, we needed the certainty and clarity to know what we were talking about.

“And that’s where the property managers have had to be really strong, because they get blamed for a lot on social media, and it’s not necessarily within their control, they’ve had to have broad shoulders,” Ms Sanderson said.

They have become highly skilled negotiators

Not only did new COVID-19 tenancy legislation mean property managers had to wrap their heads around what now applied to the rental industry, but many saw an increase in listings added to their portfolios.

This was especially true for property managers working in inner-city markets.

Georgia Soldatos, team leader and accountability manager at Belle Property Management, manages properties in North Melbourne and Carlton.

With less demand from international students due to border closures and an increase in short-term listings converting to residential listings, Ms Soldatos and her team have been managing more properties that they are used to.

Negotiating with tenants has become the new norm in inner city areas. Picture: realestate.com.au/rent

“Some of my team members have got 10 vacates coming up,” she said.

With this increase in listings and without nearly as much demand, Ms Saldatos said they have found themselves heavily negotiating to try to keep tenants in a property.

“Tenants are seeing that and know they can get properties for $50-$100 cheaper, so we’re trying to convince owners that they’ve got really good tenants who are maintaining the property and we don’t want to see them go,” Ms Soldatos said.

“It’s about convincing the owners that even if they take a $50 a week rent reduction, they’ll still be in a better position than having a property sitting vacant, trying to lease it out, paying advertising, letting fees.

“We’re trying to find a happy medium between tenants and landlords, because many properties are out there at the moment that are cheaper and tenants think it’s an easy way out. It’s about negotiating, a lot of negotiating with owners to drop rents so they don’t lose tenants.”

They are becoming mobile agents

COVID-19 has had a devastating impact on many industries, many of which have had to shut down. But the real estate sector has had to push past the hurdles brought on by the pandemic as it is classed as an essential service.

Many real estate agencies have closed shop with employees forced to work from home instead, and property managers are no exception.

Inspections are still going ahead but they are now being done via private appointments or virtually, particularly in Victoria, creating a new challenge for property managers.

Terri Keskinen, head of property management at Code Property Group, said COVID-19 has really pushed herself and her team to becoming completely mobile and paperless, which she says is an exciting prospect for the future.

“We had to change our systems and our processes, because property management is traditionally a paper nightmare,” she said.

“We have always prided ourselves on being a paperless office, but COVID gave us the kick to realise we still actually do use paper. We are now 100% paperless in our office… that was our biggest change in that we converted everything to online.”

Ms Keskinen’s team also embraced digital inspections to showcase rentals and saw top results.

“Our leasing girls adapted so much quicker than we ever thought, they jumped on with 360 degree cameras, video walk throughs, Facetiming – they just flew out the door, we were renting an average of 10 properties a week,” she said.

“I think for everyone in my office, they’ve just absolutely embraced change, they’ve adapted, they’ve grown, because it was a matter of sink or swim.”

What does the future have in store for property managers?

While in some states, restrictions are easing, in others including Victoria, strict lockdown laws are back in place.

Despite the latest federal government stimulus announcement that JobKeeper and JobSeeker wage supplements will be extended at a reduced level until March 2021, the prospects for the rental market will look much the same as it has over the last few months.

Property managers know that they must continue to push through this difficult time to support the rental market, using their new skills to ensure tenants and landlords remain happy.

Property managers will continue to deal with a difficult rental climate amid COVID-19. Picture: Getty

“This isn’t a short-term issue, it’s going to be a long-term issue and in order to stand out, the property managers and the companies, the real estate agencies, will have to be really proactive in negotiating, providing some rent relief and maintaining the tenants they have,” said Ms Soldatos.

“Not just being reactive but proactive, [that is] contacting owners now more than ever. I’ve really pushed the team to start calling the owners and find out how they’re going so they don’t think we’re just a person behind a screen. We need to give them the heads up about what’s happening and what we have to do.”

Note: The headline of this story has been updated since publication to better reflect the tone of the article.

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While it’s still too soon to tell what impact COVID-19 is having on Australia’s new housing industry, data from the first quarter of 2020 suggests the sector was off to a good start pre-pandemic. 

The latest building activity data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) shows dwelling commencements and the number of dwellings under construction lifted over the March quarter compared to the end of 2019, and reflected no shudders when COVID-19 lockdowns began in mid-March.

Meanwhile, the number of dwelling completions dropped compared to the previous quarter, with the fall likely driven by the enormous number of new homes under construction across the country.

These figures mark a positive start to the year for the housing industry, and while only time will tell how the sector has fared amid the health crisis, it’s expected the new HomeBuilder scheme, announced in June, will help turn the sod on more new housing in the second half of 2020.

New construction increased while completions fell

Over the March 2020 quarter, there were 44,434 dwelling commencements nationally, which was 3.8% higher than the previous quarter. However, these figures reflect a -1.6% drop in new construction compared to the same time last year and a -27.7% slump from the peak in March 2016.

The number of new housing commencements increased by 3.8% in Q1 2020 compared to Q4 2019. Picture: Getty.

Nevertheless, house commencements held up stronger than units falling -15.2% from the peak in March 2018, while unit commencements dropped -42.2% from the peak in March 2016.

While new housing commencements rose over the first quarter of 2020 compared to the previous quarter, the number of properties completed dropped across the board. There were 47,573 completions over the March quarter, -5.2% fewer than the previous quarter, -10.4% down on the same time last year and -18.9% lower than the peak in December 2016.

Similar to commencements, new housing completions fell by -14.4%, but houses fared better than units over the quarter, which experienced a -28.8% drop in completions.

Number of homes under construction bigger than the 20-year average

At the end of March 2020, there were 189,247 dwellings under construction across Australia. If that sounds like a large number, it is. The 20-year average for the number of dwellings under construction is 145,817.

There were 189,247 dwellings under construction at the end of the March quarter, surpassing the 20-year average of 145,817. Picture: Getty.

The heightened volume of units under construction across the country is a major driver of this construction boom, with 57,149 new houses, 130,687 new units and 1,411 non-new dwellings under construction at the end of the March 2020 quarter.

Of the new units under construction, 39.3% were in New South Wales and 35.4% were in Victoria.

What’s the outlook for new housing post-COVID-19?

The longer-term outlook for new housing commencements is positive following the introduction of the federal government’s HomeBuilder scheme.

While new housing commencements could fall next quarter due to lower consumer confidence after lockdown 2.0 in Victoria, the stimulus package will likely cause a rebound over the final two quarters of 2020. This would mostly be driven by new houses rather than new units, which may be challenged by some of the eligibility rules around HomeBuilder.

Completions, on the other hand, can be a bit lumpy, especially given that such a high volume of units remain under construction. However, new housing completions will likely remain relatively high over the coming quarters given this large volume of stock under construction.

Unit developments come in a variety of shapes and sizes so they can take 12 months to be completed or they can take many years. Given this, the volume of dwellings under construction is likely to moderate over the coming quarters but is expected to remain elevated, particularly in New South Wales and Victoria.

The post Strong Q1 results for new housing as industry holds out hope for HomeBuilder appeared first on realestate.com.au.

No. 51/74 Reservoir St, Surry Hills, sold for $3,025,000 ahead of the first open home.

The founder of luxury lingerie and sex toy company Honey Birdette, Eloise Monaghan, and her wife Natalie have snapped up a “penthouse oasis” before the first open home.

The couple, who only recently got married, are understood to have fallen in love with the three-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment at 51/74 Reservoir St, Surry Hills.

They paid $3,025,0000.

Oxford Real Estate’s Matt Marano had been guiding $2.6m.

“I just listed it and they said ‘we’ll buy it,” Marano told the Wentworth Courier exclusively.

“They were about to buy something else.”

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The huge terrace has city skyline views.

Imagine the parties you could have here!

It’s not hard to see why they were so keen on the penthouse, which has the bonus of a four-car garage.

It’s beautifully finished, very private, faces north so it’s full of sun and it has large living and outdoor entertainment areas.

There’s calacutta marble in both bathrooms and the kitchen.

The apartment has been beautifully renovated. And it’s been tightly held — the vendors have owned it since 2003 when they paid $925,000.

The marble kitchen …

… and marble bathrooms are super sexy.

With 150sq m of living space, there are city skyline views from the large 80sq m entertainment terrace.

It has a well-thought-out open-plan design, with high end finishes.

That deck will be party central, with its built-in barbecue and bar fridge.

The galley kitchen has Gaggenau appliances and custom-built joinery.

The bedrooms have built-in wardrobes and the master has terrace access and an ensuite.

Other features are airconditioning and a separate internal laundry.

The post Honey Birdette founder Eloise Monaghan and wife Natalie Monaghan snap up penthouse appeared first on realestate.com.au.

No. 51 Gouger St in Torrens is up for sale.

Behind an unassuming facade, this mid-century Torrens home is set on a deceptively large 1202sqm garden block, which includes gate access to a nature reserve.

Designed by renowned 1960s architect, Neil Renfree, 51 Gouger Street in Torrens maintains its original retro charm, with northerly garden views available from most rooms.

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The design features multiple courtyards and a large pool area to enjoy the lush outdoors, which includes walls of Chinese star jasmine, magnolia, gardenia, Japanese maple trees and a grove of silver birches.

Bright interiors.

Modern spaces.

There’s also a range of fruit trees including figs, pomegranate, crab apple, olive, kaffir lime, lemon, apple and cumquat. Gate access onto Greenbelt leads to Mount Taylor Nature reserve and walking trails.

Geraldine Collison of Luton Properties Manuka said the “eclectic” property offers something unique for a family wanting a spacious home close to nature.

“The home was designed by an acclaimed architect and then an extension was sympathetically done, so it comes together very well,” she said.

A large block.

Outdoor entertaining.

“It’s on a beautiful block and has got style in spades.”

Inside, the four-bedroom home has two bathrooms, a separate lounge, an office with its own entrance and a modern kitchen with Smeg oven and gas cooktop and Miele dishwasher.

The master bedroom is in a separate wing and features a walk-in-robe, ensuite and its own atrium-style courtyard.

Other features include a double carport, off-street parking for two cars, and a workshop.

The property will go to auction at 1pm on Saturday 25 July.

The post Hidden garden gem in Torrens with 1960s architectural pedigree up for sale appeared first on realestate.com.au.

2 Mercury Street, Caulfield South offers delightful Art Deco charm at the front.

Much like the famed mullet haircut that’s surprisingly regained momentum, this Caulfield South house has two distinct styles.

There’s Art Deco delight at the front and modern marvel at the back.

Or as some would say: business up front and party at the back.

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Out the back is an edgy modern extension.

The owners of 14 years have a $1.58-$1.65m asking price.

The standout home at 2 Mercury Street has a $1.58-$1.65m price guide for its online auction, scheduled for August 1.

The period beauty’s renovation was completed by Three C Architects to retain original details — including ornate ceiling roses, high ceilings and open fireplaces — while also adding a modern rear extension.

The latter is defined by vaulted ceilings, vast expanses of glass and a contemporary cooking zone.

The kitchen anchors the open-plan living hub and features Bosch appliances, a matt stone island bench and a sleek wall of 2-pac cabinetry.

Large stacker doors effortlessly connect the main living zone with the lush backyard and a deck.

Three large bedrooms are zoned to the front of the floorplan, including the main with a walk-in wardrobe and an ensuite.

The kitchen serves up contemporary style.

The home’s update was completed eight years ago.

Hocking Stuart’s Sophorn En said the owners had lived at the property for 14 years and added the statement extension eight years ago.

“As the family grew, they engaged an architect to design what I think is one of the best extensions, combining the authenticity of a period home with modern elements families are looking for,” he said.

Mr En said the backyard was a highlight.

“When the trees — from the sliver birches to the mop tops and magnolias — bloom, it’s a private oasis,” he said.

Period charm in the main bedroom.

There’s even a handy study nook.

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The landmark home Four Oaks at 52-54 Solander Rd in Seven Hills is for sale.

A c1860s mid-Victorian farmhouse built on Seven Hills’s largest residential block in on the market for the first time in two decades.

The 2270sqm landholding on Solander Rd has five bedrooms, dual street frontage and is being offered with a major redevelopment upside

Listed for with a $2 million guide, a sale at this price point would see 52-54 Solander Rd clinch a possible suburb record for Seven Hills, according to CoreLogic.

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The property has dual frontage.

McGrath — Blacktown’s Joel Hollings said the potential buyer has the potential to develop the site into child care centre or subdivide the block into three.

“The facade of the house has to stay, but apart from that, the land and interiors are a blank canvas,” he said.

While there is a huge development upside to the home, majority of interest so far has come from owner occupiers attracted to the large block in suburban Sydney.

“The land size is certainly attractive as it allows for someone to have an acreage lifestyle without needing to leave the city,” he said.

Inside has a mix of modern and character interiors.

The attic upstairs has a rumpus room.

Named Four Oaks, the property was constructed in the 1800s for the Howard Family, who were an early orcharding family in the district.

It was originally a single storey home on 40ha built from Parramatta sandstock bricks and featured a pitched gabled roof and two dormer windows.

The house still retains much of its character charm such as high ceilings, a converted attic, handmade glass windows and three fireplaces. It also has a modern kitchen and living area that flows out to a covered outdoor space, a six-car garage and manicured lawns.

“Everything is rock solid and still in great condition, which isn’t always the case for a house this old,” Mr Hollings said.

The property could be subdivided or converted into a child care centre.

Mr Hollings said the property offers excellent value for something on the doorstep of Parramatta and Blacktown.

“If you break the guide down to per sqm, you are not going to find anything else in the area for that price,” he said.

“Property in Seven Hills remains undervalued, but area has so potential with the emergence of Parramatta as the next CBD and the redevelopment underway in Blacktown.

Four Oaks is for sale via private treaty.

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There are more rental listings in Adelaide’s central and hills region than there were three months ago, a new report reveals.

An influx of rental properties on the market in Adelaide’s central and hills region is offering prospective tenants more options and the chance to negotiate reduced rental rates.

The ANZ and CoreLogic Housing Affordability Report for the June 2020 quarter reveals the number of rental listings in the region increased 5.3 per cent from 1060 in the 28 days to March 15 to 1116 in the 28 days to June 28.

It was the only South Australian region to record an increase in rental listings.

Adelaide’s west, north and south, as well as the state’s South East and Outback regions, recorded between 20.8 per cent and 35.3 per cent decreases during the same period.

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Harris property management director John Carey said winter was generally a quieter time of year for rentals, but fewer international students and Airbnb properties flooding the long-term rental market because of COVID-19 were contributing to the increase in listings in the city.

“The demand is slowing and that normally means you have an increase in stock,” he said.

“In the city there was already a high level of supply because of the number of developments and that goes back pre-COVID.”

Mr Carey said while the rest of the rental market was holding strong in comparison to other states, the increase in listings offered prospective tenants an opportunity to negotiate lower rates on city rentals.

“The rents in the city are very attractive and it’s a great time to move there,” he said.

“Landlords are having to adjust rents to meet the market.”

The report shows rents in Adelaide have dropped 2.2 per cent to $450 a week based on 404 listings in June.

It was a slight drop compared to Melbourne and Sydney, where rents declined as much as 7 per cent in some areas.

More listings on the market gives tenants the chance to negotiate reduced rental rates.

Ouwens Casserly property management director Adam Blight said it was harder to find rentals anywhere else in Adelaide.

“The rest of Adelaide at the moment is really tight,” he said.

“With our own rent roll, the amount of listings that we’ve got on the different portals is actually a bit down on what we’re used to and that’s because we’re leasing quicker.

“I think that a lot of people are just renewing their lease because rents can’t go up at the moment, we’re seeing a lot of people staying put now.”

Adelaide’s central and hills region’s increase in rental listings paled in comparison to the eastern states.

The inner Melbourne region recorded 52.7 per cent more rental listings in June compared to March, while Sydney’s city and inner south region recorded a 53.1 per cent jump.

The report cites job losses, particularly in the accommodation and food services industries, and the lack of overseas migration and visitation because of COVID-19 for the decreased in demand for rentals.

The post Where prospective tenants can find more rental options and negotiate lower rents appeared first on realestate.com.au.

An offer came in $200,000 above expectations for the property and was rejected.

A Box Hill vendor has put their faith in the auction process drumming up competition and been rewarded to the tune of an extra $200,000.

An offer of $2.2m came in for 513 Station Street in the lead up to the property going under the hammer.

Despite the owner having price expectations of $1.8-$1.98m for the site, leased out as a physiotherapy facility, the offer was rejected.

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The property sold for $2.401m.

The site is being leased out as a health clinic.

“Just a few days before the auction we received an offer way above what we were asking,” Buxton Box Hill director Jim Chen said.

“But we still decided to take it to auction because (we thought) there may be some surprise on the day.”

And the decision to hold firm netted the buyer an extra $201,000, as four groups pushed the property to a sale price of $2.401 million.

A whopping 17 groups placed offers ahead of the auction, Mr Chen said.

Some beds.

The site has a lease for the next four years.

The huge level of interest forced the agency to actively turn buyers away from the virtual auction.

“We tried to get people to put in their best offer and we picked the top buyers to join the auction,” he said.

“We were just targeting anything over $2m, but we found the interest was over that (level).”

All bidding was done by investors at the site, which has a lease for the next four years earning annual returns of $67,000.

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Housing prices and industries will benefit from extended JobKeeper payments.

The extension to Australia’s JobKeeper program will do more to protect housing prices and industries than the federal government’s HomeBuilder scheme, experts have claimed.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced Tuesday that the employment support program would be expanded into 2021, though payments will reduce from $1500 a fortnight at present to $1200 this year and $1000 next year.

At a digital event hosted by the Urban Development Institute of Australia’s Victorian chapter, ANZ economist Daniel Gradwell said the government support would stop the property market “falling off a cliff”.

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“That nine-month certainty will go a long way,” Mr Gradwell said.

“It’s a lot more broad based.”

ANZ figures to date show falls have been around 1-1.5 per cent a month.

“That’s a long way from the massive collapse that some of the doomsday peppers are expecting,” he said.

Real Estate Institute of Australia president Adrian Kelly said Wednesday that the extension was a “much needed lifeline” for the industry, with many real estate professionals now relying on it to keep their job.

“(And) many of these employees have been engaged in providing the essential service of keeping tenants housed during the pandemic,” Mr Kelly said.

RPM Real Estate data shows land sales across Victoria topped 2000 last month, a level not seen since the 2017 boom.

HomeBuilder has provided a short-term boost for the housing industry.

Firm director Luke Kelly said he expected a similar figure in July, but that the numbers would taper in August when most of the titled land eligible for the $25,000 HomeBuilder grants would have been sold.

The grants are available for those building or renovating a home for more than $150,000 and less than $750,000 that commences construction between June 4 and December 31. It is also subject to income restrictions.

However Mr Gradwell said it appeared to have mostly brought forward plans of existing buyers potentially leaving a gap next year and leaving him with “real concerns about what might happen” to that part of the market if the scheme was not extended past December.

Concerns remain about how the construction industry will fare next year.

UDIA Victorian chief executive Danni Hunter agreed the JobKeeper extension had the capacity to benefit the wider property market, including off-the-plan townhouses and apartments, which had seen little benefit from HomeBuilder.

It would also build confidence among prospective buyers who would now be more certain they would still be employed in nine months time, Ms Hunter said.

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“You might get the $25,000 at the front to make you more open to buying something, but if you don’t have the employment then you are not going to be able to,” she said.

“And hopefully it gets us to the point where our international borders are opened.”

International migration is expected to be one of the final pieces in repairing the construction industry after COVID-19.

However, Mr Gradwell warned banks would still foreclose on some homeowners.

“I think we will (still) see prices falling by the end of the year, just because uncertainty is going to be very high and no amount of support is going to see government absorbing mortgages for people indefinitely,” he said.

“We are going to see some forced sales.”

Those on JobKeeper payments but doing zero hours of work might find themselves struggling to get a mortgage approved, he added.

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98 Victoria Rd, Bellevue Hill sold for “well over $21m, sources confirmed to the Wentworth Courier, which has returned to the streets of Sydney’s eastern suburbs today.

The COVID-19 pandemic is shaping up as one of the greatest challenges the world has ever faced.

But some well-heeled residents of Sydney’s east are emerging as winners, at least when it comes to their property dealings.

Among those to have sold amid the acute shortage of grand mansions for sale in Sydney’s east is the businessman and one time owner of the bedding chain Sleeping Giant, Fred Bart.

He sold his six-bedroom Art Deco mansion — with pool and tennis court — in V
ictoria Rd, Bellevue Hill, for “well over” $21 million last week, sources said.

And other sources this morning have confirmed to the Wentworth Courier that the buyer was property developer Willi Phillips.

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It comes with a huge resort-style pool.

The Victoria Rd mansion is on a massive 2415 block.

When contacted this morning, the listing agent, LJ Hooker Double Bay supremo Bill Malouf, gave a firm “no comment“ in regards to either the sale or the purchaser.

In an earlier conversation — for the relaunch issue of the Wentworth Courier which hits the streets of Sydney’s eastern suburbs today — Malouf said: “Both ends of the market seem to be working very well, with some good sales in the $1m, $2m and $3m range and even at the top level.

“I still believe the market will hold because there’s no stock out there and not much coming.”

Malouf is already back in big listings mode, launching the Point Piper penthouse-style home of former lord mayor Nelson Meers and his wife, Carole, with a guide in the “high teen” [millions].

The North Bondi home of White City Tennis Courts manager and coach Steve Loeffler, pictured with his wife Lucy and daughter Olivia, goes to auction on Saturday. Picture: John Appleyard.

The Loeffler home at 20 Gould St, North Bondi, has a guide of more than $2.3m.

Meanwhile, Pillinger principal Brad Pillinger, who achieved the highest deal of the pandemic when he sold a $30m property in June, said: “The top end of the market is extremely strong.”

More affordable standout homes are also doing extremely well, as shown by an original gem in Bondi Junction attracting 20 registered bidders and selling for $3,125,000 — $625,000 above reserve — at a hotly contested auction last Wednesday.

The four-bedroom, two-bathroom circa 1910 Federation Queen Anne-style home on a 405 sqm block at 2 Birrell St had been the home of the late Mavis and Les Coutinho for 50 years.

“It went through the roof,” said Raine and Horne Bondi Beach’s Hannan Bouskila.

The improving market is great news for White City Tennis Courts manager and coach Steve Loeffler and his wife, Lucy, who with their second child on the way, have their three-bedroom semi at 20 Gould Street North Bondi for auction with a $2.3m guide this Saturday with Ray White Unlimited’s Ron Bauer.

Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O.

Jackie O bought a beautiful home in Woollahra for $11m after selling her Vaucluse property for a big price.

“Our daughter, Olivia, is one and a half and tearing around so we need more space,” Loeffler said.

There have been many other winners, too. Superstar radio host, Jackie O, sold her beautiful Cambridge Ave Vaucluse home for an impressive $6,675,000 on March 27 — well above the $6.5m Ray White TRG principal Gavin Rubinstein had been quoting.

And she bought an incredible Nick Tobias-designed home in Edward Street, Woollahra, for $11 million on June 22. The Agency’s Ben Collier had it on the market for just three days.

Last Friday, Jackie O appeared in a promo video for Ray White TRG, confirming Rubinstein acted as her buyer’s agent and that he helped her find “the house” adding “we got it done like that!”.

Alexander and Leah Bischoff are other property winners.

They sold their grand home at 41 The Crescent, Vaucluse, for about $8m and buying a renovator’s delight with harbour views for about $6m — all on the same day.

Other top agents have been achieving some big sales weeks in recent times.

Ray White TRG duo Oliver Lavers and Rubinstein have had close to $20m worth of sales during the past week.

The Agency’s Collier, too, had some big wins — including smashing the Surry Hills price record when Atlassian’s Nick Menere and his partner, Carli Dixon, paid $11.5m in Albion St in May.

Ray White Double Bay’s Warren Ginsberg and his team have also been smashing it, selling $21.3m worth of property in Vaucluse alone over the past two weeks, including Westpac’s global funding chief Alexander Bischoff and his wife, Leah, selling their ‘contemporary masterpiece’ for about $8 million and buying a ‘renovator’s delight’ with harbour views for about $6m nearby — all on the same day.

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