Posted: 5 Mar 2010

If you are serious about building long term wealth in a real estate business that will become an asset you can sell in the future then the decision is not whether you need a rent roll but which is the most effective way to increase your properties under management.

Posted: 16 Feb 2010

New Zealand property investors may have heaved a sigh of relief last week when the Government released its plan to reform the countries tax system

Posted: 4 Jan 2010

A great percentage of business buyers are first-time business owners and for most it is a major investment decision. Only a small percentage purchase more than one agency or rent roll in a lifetime.

Posted: 10 Dec 2009

Some of the biggest brands in Australia have been revealed as poor users of social media such as Facebook, and Twitter -- often creating a presence there, only to then leave them dormant.
Research by public relations agency Burson Marsteller on Australia's top 20 brands indicates that many are bungling their approach to the emergent media channel of social networking.

Posted: 18 Nov 2009

It is standard in any transaction for the sale of a rent roll or business for the business owner to provide a restraint of trade to not compete with the buyer for a certain period within a certain radius of the business premises.

Posted: 12 Oct 2009

The Fair Work Ombudsman, the watchdog to the new Fair Work Act 2009 that commenced operation on 1 July 2009, is taking no prisoners in its fight to uphold workers' rights and to recover underpayments of wages and other employee benefits against employers across Australia.

Posted: 3 Sep 2009

We all know that one of the tricks to a smooth and profitable business is to systemize it. Gerber wrote his famous book “The e-myth” about it which started a wave of popularity and a new understanding of the benefits of systemizing a business. Today we have seen the franchise systemization icons such as McDonalds and the myriad of other franchise operations utilizing this principle and turning the principle itself into a business.

Posted: 10 Aug 2009

New Zealand house prices rose for the third month in July, signaling the property market is recovering and may help the economy emerge from a recession.

Posted: 2 Jul 2009

It is not unusual for a business purchaser to find themselves substantially down the path of an acquisition and then realise there are key issues which were not contemplated either:
• During the early stages of their decision to acquire the business or
• Around the time the business is transferred.
The implications of these ‘surprises’ can range from being a temporary nuisance, through to having a disastrous impact on the goodwill and value of the business.

Posted: 2 Jun 2009

Managing your own super is a big responsibility. Super is meant for your retirement, so there are special rules about how it’s managed and when you can get it.

Posted: 6 May 2009

The Government has issued a new $4.7bn economic package to stimulate business investment and encourage capital expenditure.
As part of this the Government has introduced the following ‘capital investment allowances’ in relation to ‘depreciable assets’ (plant, equipment and motor vehicles) acquired between 13 December 2008 and 30 June 2009.

Posted: 7 Apr 2009

Whether you own a small office or a franchise with multiple offices real estate agents have much in common with other small business owners during difficult economic conditions.

Posted: 17 Mar 2009

The turnover in the real estate industry is as high today as it was half a century ago.

Each year, more than half of all real estate salespeople continue to leave their companies, either to go with other real estate firms or to leave the industry entirely. This incredibly high turnover rate continues to exist, primarily because of what we have termed the warm body approach to recruitment and selection.

Posted: 3 Feb 2009

Valuing real estate offices presents some unique problems. As with most professional practices they are different from other small businesses:

Posted: 5 Jan 2009

The New Zealand Parliament’s passing of the new Real Estate Agents Act heralds the arrival of a new era in the industry as self regulation disappears. An independent Real Estate Agents Authority is to be established to oversee licensing, complaints, disciplinary and enforcement processes, and provide information to consumers.

Posted: 5 Dec 2008

HOW fast you reply to an email could reveal whether you are stressed, driven or relaxed.

Posted: 13 Nov 2008

Buyers of businesses are naturally concerned that any representations made to them have been true and correct.

Posted: 1 Oct 2008

A noticeable shift in public attitude towards climate change is behind a move by Australian and New Zealand governments to consider schemes that will make it easier for home buyers and tenants to compare the environmental sustainability of homes.

Posted: 1 Sep 2008

“As the number of property sales within the real estate industry reduces due to higher interest rates and slowing market conditions, we will see an increase in the number of agencies that will either look to close their doors completely or look to merge with other larger agencies”, says Chris Goodway a business consultant from BDH Solutions.

Posted: 5 Aug 2008

New Zealand’s recently introduced superannuation scheme, KiwiSaver, has just celebrated its first birthday with an announcement that 770,000 people have opted in over the year. This is a stunning answer to the doomsayers who made earlier predictions about a lack of interest and low uptake from “savings resistant” New Zealanders.

Posted: 7 Jul 2008

If you’re not marketing your listings using video, you’re missing a huge opportunity to differentiate yourself from your competition, and provide a higher level of service to your clients and reach the generation X and Y.

Posted: 19 Jun 2008

Some Real Estate employers face significant changes in relation to their superannuation obligations as from 1 July 2008 and should consider immediately preparing their accounts staff and salespersons for the changes.

Posted: 11 May 2008

Many successful agency owners are currently considering purchasing a rent roll as a way of improving both the cash flow and capital value of their business. In most parts of Australia and New Zealand, the market value of a rent roll is derived by applying a multiplier to the net property management commission.

Posted: 5 Apr 2008

The volume and complexity of business transactions can lead owners to neglect the proper maintenance and storage of records.

Posted: 3 Mar 2008

You may have heard the question, “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time!” You ability to plan well in advance of beginning the task is a measure of your overall competence. The better the plan you have the better your ability to overcome logjams, periods of inactivity, procrastination, and to keep going.

Posted: 11 Feb 2008

There are all too many ‘horror’ stories of when backups have failed in business costing them hundreds, if not thousands of dollars.

Posted: 18 Jan 2008

The Tax Office has announced that they are stepping up audit activity and the main areas to be targeted are listed below:-

Posted: 17 Dec 2007

The first reading of the Real Estate Agents Bill in Parliament on 12 December heralds the end of an era for self regulation of the real estate industry in New Zealand. The Bill proposes the removal of regulatory functions from the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand, and membership of the Institute will no longer be mandatory for agents.

Posted: 17 Dec 2007

With the recent reductions in tax rates and the low income tax offsets, now is the time to review your current business structure.

Posted: 7 Dec 2007

We are seeing a growing number of business owners who for a variety are choosing to sell their rent roll. With targeted marketing of a rent roll we are experiencing good competition from buyers wishing to purchase and integrate a new rent roll into their existing one. This generates income into the business immediately.

Posted: 23 Oct 2007

In my more than 25 years in the industry one question has always puzzled me: Why is it that despite being one of the most widely discussed topics at any real estate conference throughout the world, prospecting is the single biggest thing the sales agents don’t seem to be able to master?

Posted: 19 Oct 2007

The August/September edition of Scentific Amercian Mind presented some recent research which points to secrets of effective leadership that radically challenges convential wisdom.

Posted: 10 Oct 2007

Having consulted with a number of Agencies throughout Australia and New Zealand, we have found the one the common difficulties businesses are having is finding staff.
If you want some simple ideas on how to keep ahead of your competitors when recruiting we have compiled ways to beat the skills shortage

Posted: 14 Sep 2007

If you want to maximise the price of your business leave it to a specialist Broker and focus on what you do best-running the business.

Posted: 12 Sep 2007

With the big wave of baby boomers making decisions about succession plans there is likely to be a significant increase in the number of businesses on the market.

Posted: 11 Sep 2007

In 2006 the first of Australasia’s baby boomers beginning to retire and from 2008 more people will leave the workforce than enter it. This is one of them most significant challenges for employers, as they grapple with how to attract, manage and retain a new generation of employees.