The 23-year hold period and the $2m tradie strategy

GOOD MORNING FROM ELITE AGENT 👋

TRUE OR FALSE?

A property can be heritage-listed without the owner’s permission, even if the home is already being marketed for sale with approved architect plans and a clear knockdown rebuild strategy.
(Scroll to the bottom for the answer!)

In today’s edition of The Brief

• Tax settings are changing who buys commercial property

• Hold periods blow past a decade as owners stay put

• Perth’s million-dollar market defies every rule in the book

Today’s read time: 5 minutes, 10 seconds

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COMMERCIAL

Why smart money is rethinking commercial property

The commercial property market is benefiting from a regulatory edge over residential, with negative gearing still available and drawing high-income investors back into the sector.

Mario Butera, Director and Auctioneer at Woodards Northcote, says, “Commercial hasn't really changed at all,” adding that unlike residential, “you can still negatively gear commercial properties,” making assets like retail shops more attractive to wealthier buyers.

However, he warns this advantage is being offset by weak demand and rising holding costs, particularly land tax pressures that cannot be passed on to tenants, which can significantly reduce net returns.

At the same time, the market is shifting away from passive investors toward owner-occupiers, reshaping how commercial assets are valued and sold.

“The appetite from owner-occupiers is still there,” but stresses leasing conditions now determine pricing, and he’s advising his clients to “ride out the wave until the lease expires, and then put it on the market to sell to an owner-occupier.”

He also highlights that tenant retention has become critical in a competitive environment.

“Landlords have to focus heavily on tenant retention right now because of the sheer amount of competition out there,” adding, “You can't beat the market. The market is always stronger than all of us.”

What you'll learn in the full article:

• The yield crunch formula: How a $35,000 land tax bill can reduce a $3.5 million property's effective value to $2.4 million

• The owner-occupier pivot: Why timing your sale around lease expiry can dramatically change your buyer pool

• The SMSF angle: A structural advantage commercial holds that residential simply can't match

• Interstate opportunity: Why Sydney and Brisbane buyers are calling Melbourne agents right now – and what they're willing to accept

Mario's insights offer a practical framework for any agent advising commercial clients – or residential agents fielding questions about where investors are heading next.

Read the full article

ICYMI, yesterday: Why process matter more than performance.

TOGETHER WITH ELITE AGENT

Find more buyers, win more listings

In some areas, it's a strange old market.

Buyers are thin on the ground, every appraisal counts double, and somewhere under the AML paperwork is the real job – landing the listing.

When there's less to go around, you can't afford to be the agent they say they'll "keep in mind" (and we both know what that means). So before you go in, Ailsa hands you the vendor read – what matters to them, what's worrying them, how they want to be spoken to – and the listing copy to match. You walk in sounding less like a pitch and more like someone who actually listened.

Already got a listing that's gone quiet? Ailsa finds the buyer cohorts you're missing and rewrites the copy to reach them. One agent did exactly that on a building nobody wanted – two unconditional sales, and three new appraisals from the neighbours asking how.

Land one listing, and the cost of Insiders is a rounding error. It's tax-deductible this year, and this is genuinely the last time it's $297, not $397. No coupon, no countdown timer – the price just goes up.

Offer ends 1 July. Yes, that’s tomorrow!

PROPERTY TRENDS

Hold periods stretch past a decade … or two

New data from realestate.com.au shows Australians are holding onto properties for longer than ever, with average ownership hitting 11.7 years for houses and 10.3 years for units, and several suburbs, led by Clarinda in Victoria at 23 years, recording tenure well above two decades.

WA MARKET

Perth property breaks the rules again

Perth's million-dollar housing market is becoming even more extraordinary, with prices accelerating at the fastest pace in the nation while sales activity sinks to a 15-year low. New data shows the city is defying traditional property market logic, posting record growth even as transaction volumes fall below pandemic-era levels.

HOW IT SOLD

From $1.83m to $2m in 11 days

Carl Payne of Barry Plant Lilydale marketed a Wandin North lifestyle property across three buyer segments – families, tradespeople, and business owners – rather than treating it as a standard residential listing. The approach drew 35 visitors, seven formal offers, and pushed the successful buyer's bid from $1.828 million to $2.008 million unconditionally.

Stories like this build your online reputation long after the sold sticker comes down. Want yours told? getailsa.com

CELEBRITY HOMES

Calvin Klein's old Hamptons estate could break the region's all-time sales record

A fashion icon’s former Hamptons playground just hit the market for a jaw-dropping US$165M, aiming to smash all records.

AGENTS ON SOCIAL

Sometimes the best thing an agent can do is pop on the rose-coloured glasses - optimism is part of the uniform. 🌹😎

Seen an Agent On Social we should include? Let us know here (email link)

TRUE OR FALSE:

A property can be heritage-listed without the owner’s permission, even if the home is already being marketed for sale with approved architect plans and a clear knockdown rebuild strategy.

And the answer is …

TRUE. In Australia, heritage listing is determined by the relevant heritage authority, not the property owner. Owners are generally notified and can make submissions during the assessment process, but their consent isn't required for a listing to proceed. That's why it's important for agents to check whether a property is already heritage-listed, or under consideration, before discussing renovation or redevelopment potential with buyers.

Wishing you a productive day!

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