PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images The real estate industry has changed a lot over the last decade, and new technologies are having a surprising amount of an impact on the way that real estate agents do their jobs. At the same time, comparison sites and other newcomers to the industry are giving consumers more choice when it comes to buying and selling property. All of this means that the industry as a whole is coming to terms with what maturity looks like, while iterative development and brand new technologies are changing the way that real estate agents work on almost a daily basis. And now that we're getting stuck into another new year, it seems as good a time as any to take a look at what's in store. With that in mind, here are just a few of the trends that are set to disrupt the real estate industry in 2018 and beyond. Blockchain is the underlying technology behind cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, but it's not just the new payment methods that are set to change the way we do real estate. … [Read more...] about Entrepreneurs in Southeast Asia, Don’t Miss These 5 Real Estate Tech Trends in 2018
Real estate
McGrath’s CEO is out as the real estate agency heads for a loss
McGrath Limited founder John McGrath is taking a more hands on role as sales fail to hit target and the first reale estate agency to list on the ASX heads for a loss in the first half of 2018. CEO Cameron Judson and Head of Corporate Services and Company Secretary, Morgan Sloper, are leaving the company. McGrath announced he would take the role of interim Executive Chairman when the current board of directors steps down. Judson, a human resources expert, joined the company in 2016. At the close, McGrath shares were down 12.2% to $0.50. Chairman Cass O’Connor said: “Cameron and Morgan were engaged when we anticipated a higher volume of corporate activity. Their skill-sets are broader than the company currently needs.” O’Connor and current Non-Executive Directors Elizabeth Crouch and Cath Rogers also announced their intention to resign following an “orderly transition” period, sometime after the release of the company’s Interim Results in … [Read more...] about McGrath’s CEO is out as the real estate agency heads for a loss
The richest real estate developer in the US wrote a desperate letter to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos offering to pay for the insanely sought-after HQ2
The fight for Amazon’s HQ2 has reached a fever pitch. Proposals are due on Thursday from cities across the US and Canada interested in becoming the future site of Amazon’s second headquarters, and one Southern California city is taking desperate measures to clinch Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos’ attention. Donald Bren, the multi-billionaire owner of the Irvine Company, wrote a letter to Bezos on behalf of his company and in companion with the city of Irvine. In it, he offers to finance the entirety of HQ2 — which Amazon projects will cost about $US5 billion — if the e-commerce giant chooses Irvine. The offer is billed by Bren as “a one-click shopping opportunity” for Amazon. Bren writes: “With the Irvine Company proposal, Amazon will not be required to invest capital for land acquisition, buildings, or entitlements to build your new business campus. Our company has the long-term real estate assets, capital resources, and flexibility to deliver all … [Read more...] about The richest real estate developer in the US wrote a desperate letter to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos offering to pay for the insanely sought-after HQ2
Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos rejected an offer from the richest real estate developer in the US to pay for HQ2
Amazon has narrowed the list of cities vying to become the future site of Amazon HQ2 from 238 down to 20. Donald Bren, the richest real estate developer in the US, wrote a letter in October to Jeff Bezos, offering to finance the entire $5 billion project. Bren hoped to convince Bezos to make Irvine, California the home of HQ2, but it was notably absent from the list of 20 cities still in the running. The fight for Amazon’s HQ2 has turned a corner. On Thursday, Amazon announced the 20 cities still in the running to become for HQ2 – narrowed down from 238 cities that submitted proposals last year. Atlanta, Miami, Nashville, and Toronto are among the places that made the cut. Los Angeles is the only city in California on the short list. Notably absent from the list is Irvine, California, home of the richest real estate developer in the US: Donald Bren. Back in October, the Southern California city … [Read more...] about Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos rejected an offer from the richest real estate developer in the US to pay for HQ2
Real estate stays hot in East Europe with pre-crisis growth
[PRAGUE] Commercial and industrial real-estate in eastern Europe remains attractive to developers, as the economic outlook overcomes the region's volatile politics, according to industry executives at a conference in Vienna."Full speed ahead," was how Remon Vos of Czech industrial park developer CTP Invest describes the market's potential in 2018, after two years when investments reached pre-crisis levels. Prices across the region have surged as money pours into real estate at a rate unseen since 2007, before the global financial crisis led to recessions across the continent. Real-estate investment last year was probably close to the 2016 level of 12.2 billion euros (S$19.8 billion), according to property consultancy Colliers International. With gross domestic product expected to rise as much as 5.5 per cent this year according to forecasts by the International Monetary Fund, a downturn in the market is unlikely even with political strife in many countries, executives said.While the … [Read more...] about Real estate stays hot in East Europe with pre-crisis growth