RE/MAX NZ appoints new CEO, Vacancy rates ease, Navigate changes with landlords smoothly, + news and more

Good Morning from Elite Agent

Don Ha has stepped aside as head of RE/MAX in New Zealand, with Mala Maharaj named the new chief executive officer for the franchise in that country and Fiji. Don will step into the role of chairperson of the Board for RE/MAX New Zealand and RE/MAX Fiji, as well as focusing on Don Ha Project Marketing. Mala says in the next 12 months she’s looking to grow the RE/MAX brand in both countries, as well as helping broker-owners and agents achieve their goals. More here.

Today, we are also covering:

• Vacancy rates ease for a third month

• Navigate changes with landlords smoothly

• The Lithium-ion battery fire risk

• FLK it over transforms workflows

• And much more!

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On our radar

Vacancy rates ease again

PropTrack dropped its latest Market Insight Report this morning, showing rental conditions have eased slightly for the third consecutive month. The national vacancy rate climbed 0.08 per cent in May to 1.3 per cent, which is the highest level since mid-2023. This is also the first time three successive monthly increases has occurred since late 2020. Find out how your area is fairing here.

Navigate changes with landlords smoothly

There’s been a lot of legislative changes in the Victorian rental sector lately, and more requirements were proposed earlier this week. It’s prompted Melbourne Real Estate Head of Property Services, Tilly Gillan, to call on PMs to proactively communicate the proposed changes to their landlords to ensure smooth compliance, if and when they come into effect. You’ll find Tilly’s tips on how to do that here.

Today’s Feature

Lithium-ion battery fires: A rising risk in Australian households

Lithium-ion batteries might be increasingly powering our world, but they come with a hidden danger: fire. With more than 1000 incidents reported in Australia last year alone, the risk is escalating, and insurance claims are soaring. In today’s feature, EBM RentCover’s Sharon Fox-Slater examines why landlords and insurers must urgently address and mitigate the fire hazards they pose. More here.

Today’s Quiz

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Brekky Browse

Meanwhile in Singapore 🇸🇬

Bidadari flies high with gold

A unique bird-watching sky terrace has helped a Singapore housing estate secure the 2024 World Gold award at the FIABCI World Prix d’Excellence Awards. This marks the first time a Singapore developer has won in the Master Plan category, celebrating the Housing Board Bidadari estate’s innovative architecture, community-centric benefits, and transformative urban contributions. Envisioned as a "Community in a Garden," the estate features communal areas, a lake, a 1.6km greenway, and extensive cycling and pedestrian networks. More here.

Anything else?

National fish and chip day

Aussies and Kiwis might argue over the origins of pavlova but there’s one thing universally agreed upon - our love of fish and chips! Today is national fish and chips day, where we, along with folks in the UK and even the US, celebrate the crispy, greasy, salty goodness of our favourite takeaway. So the only things left to decide is do you eat your fish and chips from a plate or the paper they come in? And do you prefer a side of vinegar or tomato sauce for dipping?

Dates for your diary

Find Elite Agent Editor Samantha McLean speaking about real estate and AI at these upcoming events:

July 12 AI Powered Agents Subscriber Masterclass (Virtual)
July 19 Leah Calnan National PM Day, Melbourne, Vic
July 30-Aug 1 Proptech Summit + Workshop, Sydney
August 11-14 Elite Retreat, Hayman Island, Qld
August 25 PPM Conference, Gold Coast, Qld