Better than expected Company profit reporting, continuing growth (although up and down) in the ASX and some record profit taking over the last week may be very positive indicators for the investor side of the residential and commercial property markets.

Profit taking results in funds available to reinvest in other areas such as property and given the volatility of the share market property looks very attractive for the medium to long term.

Savvy investors have already re-entered the market. Even though there has been some artificiality in the market caused by first home buyers there are still bargains out there.

Neil Fisher, chief executive of the Real Estate Institute of Australia, in an article in the Australian, said that investors re-entering the market should be aware that interest rates were likely to rise.

“Anecdotally, evidence suggests investors are starting to come back,” Mr Fisher said.

“That’s generally a result of low interest rates.

“A cautionary note though, we’ve seen the Reserve Bank governor say interest rates are at all-time lows and say there will be increases in interest rates, probably at the start of next year. The astute investor will take that into account.”

In the same article, Dan Molloy, managing director of the Real Estate Institute of Queensland, said that while early 2009 was dominated by the activity of first-home buyers, the past couple of months had seen a resurgence in investor involvement. “We are seeing investors looking at the marketplace again,” Mr Molloy said.

The challenge for the Real Estate professional is to use this knowledge to profile and identify investor attractive stock and to relentlessly prospect and then to prospect some more.  It can be easier to attain the listing if you can demontrate that you can market effectively to investors. It is important to develop good investor databases however remember that many households include investors.  The RBA identified that over 17% of general households include a property investor. Changed regulations on borrowing by self-managed Superannuation funds could also widen the market for investment buyers. Paul Newall, Raine & Horne Financial Services has developed some solid experience and expertise in this area.

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It is in times of hardship that the real value of a brand shines through.  Raine & Horne is a well respected and very special brand to be privileged to be a part of. As Angus Raine keeps saying “we are now 126 proud years of age”.

Raine & Horne has seen good times and not so good times, has weathered each storm, learnt from the experience, and is still here providing real estate services of a very high quality. It also says a lot where the family still own the business with Max and Angus Raine still running the company.

With an international network and offices in every state and Territory in Australia the Raine & Horne brands, Residential, Commercial, Rural, Valuations and Financial Services provide a full range of property services.

When we look around the world at Corporate Icons falling from grace it is a good feeling to be a part of a group that is so proud of its heritage.  Raine & Horne and all who form a part of the delivery of its services must jealously protect and guard the brand by providing ethically driven services with a high level of customer service.

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Simon Baker`s blog Propertyportalwatch.com has announced the rumoured departure of Australian CEO, Jamie Pride, from Realestate.com.au. Jamie commenced in April of 2008 and was appointed as Australian General Manager by the previous CEO, Simon Baker.  Simon Baker was replaced by Greg Ellis, as CEO, in August 2008. At some point the title Australian CEO was introduced to replace the GM tag. The departure of Pride comes after the REA Group notification on February 18th that Daniel Oertli has been appointed as its new Chief Information Officer.

The departure of Pride may herald some major structural changes in the way REA operates in Australia.  Maybe the current increase in traffic to Domain.com.au may be cauing some angst in the REA Group.

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Last month the ex CEO of Realestate.com.au, Simon Baker, wrote some interesting predictions for 2009 in his blog which will be of interest to everyone involved in the real estate marketing space..10 predictions.

• Newspapers will continue to see a decline in real estate classifeds revenues
• realestate.com.au will increase its prices again
• domain.com.au will close the readership gap with realestate.com.au
• domain.com.au will get more aggressive with its local advertising
• realestate.com.au will launch a much needed change to its look and feel
• RP Data will launch a new property portal site in the Australian market
• realestate.com.au will enter the property data business
• There will be consolidation in the Australian market
• A new player will enter the Australian market most likely with a pay for performance model
• News Corp will increase its equity stake in the REA Group (realestate.com.au)

Simon does not mention Google Base who may yet become a serious player in trhe Australian market.Let`s see which ones come true http://www1.propertyportalwatch.com/2009/01/predictions-2009-australia/

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