Rental pressure eases, Valeria Davis on uniting buyers and sellers, Do falling online sales spell trouble for industrial investment?, +news and more

Good Morning from Elite Agent

Here's an auction where money can’t buy you love, but it can buy you a piece of Beatles history! A pair of John Lennon's round, blue-tinted glasses will be auctioned in Surrey at the end of the month. Lennon gifted the glasses to a visitor at Abbey Road Studios in 1968, and they’re expected to fetch about $5800. While it may seem like the Fab Four and real estate don't mix, one Aussie agent proved otherwise by hosting a film night of The Beatles – Eight Days a Week – The Touring Years as a thank you to clients and the community. As for the glasses, buyers may need to ‘let it be’ if the price gets too high.

Today we are covering:

• One-minute data: Rental pressure eases

• Valeria Davis: For the love of a good deal

• Falling online sales spell trouble for industrial

• Palm Beach sheds its sleepy seaside image

• And much more!

Let's get to work 🚀

Instant Inspo 💡

EFFECTIVE INTERVIEWING

Conduct job interviews in informal settings like coffee shops to gauge a candidate's personality and team fit. Focus on their potential rather than just their resume to uncover true potential and cultural alignment.

Go Deeper with Kylie Walsh here.

On our radar

Take the pressure down

It looks like the winds of change may be setting in for the national rental market, with the latest PropTrack rental report revealing national rents remained unchanged over the June quarter at $600 per week. This comes after we reported at the end of June that capital city rents were falling. Catch up on the latest figures in our new one-minute data wrap

Today’s Feature

Valeria Davis: For the love of a good deal

From selling agent to mortgage broker and buyer’s agent, Valeria Davis has almost worn every hat in the real estate profession and succeeded at them all. But it’s working with buyers that truly fills her cup, and why she started House Hunters. In today’s feature, Valeria reveals why she loves a good deal, why buyer’s agents are on the rise and how they can work with selling agents to ensure every party wins in a property transaction.

Can you tell which office loft is the real workspace, or is AI just lofting around?

Brekky Browse

Meanwhile, in Norway 🇳🇴

Cracking down on the Kremlin

Authorities in Norway and Finland have observed a trend of buyers linked to the Kremlin purchasing property near sensitive military sites. As a result, Norway is considering measures to curb real estate sales to Russian nationals, inspired by Finland’s recent policy requiring non-EU and non-EEA foreigners to secure a permit to buy property. Norway’s Minister of Justice and Public Security, Emilie Enger Mehl, emphasised the government's commitment to strengthening regulations and enhancing national security.

Anything else?

Lost Inca city revealed

On 24 July 1911, American explorer Hiram Bingham re-discovered the ancient Incan city of Machu Picchu, high in the Andes mountains of Peru. Bingham, accompanied by a local farmer and an interpreter, climbed through rain and dense vegetation to uncover the site’s stunning stone terraces and finely crafted ruins, revealing them to the world. Though initially believing he had found the lost city of Vilcabamba, Bingham's discovery of Machu Picchu, now a UNESCO World Heritage site, made him famous and has since attracted millions of visitors, necessitating limits to protect the historic site from damage.

Dates for your diary

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

July 30-Aug 1 Proptech Summit + Workshop, Sydney
August 11-14 Elite Retreat, Hayman Island, Qld
August 25 PPM Conference, Gold Coast, Qld