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If Governments Trust Estate Agents, Why Shouldn't Consumers?
19 May 11 09:48 AM | Peter Mericka | 23 Comments   
OPINION by Tim O'Dwyer M.A., LL.B Solicitor Consumer Advocate watchdog@argonautlegal.com.au To my mind agents particularly should be prohibited from giving buyers so much as a bus timetable, and from recommending even the local Chinese restaurant. Needless Read More...
REIV Pricing Ploy Relies On Lies
25 October 09 09:02 PM | Peter Mericka | 24 Comments   
by Peter Mericka B.A., LL.B Real Estate Lawyer Qualified Practising Conveyancer Victoria Director Lawyers Real Estate Pty Ltd We now have the REIV inventing, and forcing its own legislation on real estate consumers. When will journalists, regulators, Read More...
The "Oh", "Really?" and "I Wish I Had Known That!" of Making an Offer and Organising Finance
24 January 08 09:55 AM | Shannyn Hunter | 7 Comments   
by Shannyn Hunter Conveyancer shannyn@lawyersconveyancing.com.au Lawyers Conveyancing On Monday morning purchasers can experience a real estate hangover. After a weekend of elation at finding their dream house and pressure from the agent to make an offer, Read More...
Estate Agents Revolt Against Toothless Tiger
30 November 07 08:40 AM | Peter Mericka | 2 Comments   
by Peter Mericka B.A., LL.B Real Estate Lawyer Qualified Practising Conveyancer Victoria Director Lawyers Real Estate Pty Ltd It's not often that I have to agree with the Real Estate Institute of Victoria (REIV), but they have a point when they question Read More...
A Reward For Your Good Word
15 November 07 11:32 AM | Peter Mericka | 1 Comments   
by Tim O'Dwyer M.A., LL.B Solicitor Consumer Advocate watchdog@argonautlegal.com.au The letter below recently came to me in the mail from a nearby estate agency. This agency happens to be part of a national real estate franchise which proudly boasts “offices Read More...
Pricing Propaganda From REIV
29 September 07 08:55 AM | Peter Mericka | 2 Comments   
by Peter Mericka B.A., LL.B Real Estate Lawyer Qualified Practising Conveyancer Victoria Director Lawyers Real Estate Pty Ltd In his weekly propaganda piece in The Age newspaper (The Age "Domain" 29 September, 2007 p.3) CEO of the Real Estate Institute Read More...
Daniel Do-Nothing Victoria's Minister for Consumer Affairs
14 May 07 09:02 AM | Peter Mericka | (Comments Off)   
Opinion by Neil Jenman If you're trying to buy a home today, get one thing straight: When it comes to false quotes and bait pricing, no one is coming to your aid. Especially in Victoria. Despite widespread evidence of massive fraud, the regulatory authorities Read More...
Beware Who Warns You Of DIY Dangers
10 May 07 11:30 AM | Peter Mericka | 0 Comments   
by Tim O'Dwyer M.A., LL.B Queensland Solicitor & Consumer Advocate watchdog@argonautlegal.com.au My blood pressure went through the roof again a while back. Needless to say, I had spotted another disturbing article in The Courier Mail’s weekend real Read More...
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Buyers Waiting - So Aren't You The Buyer's Agent?
04 May 07 02:49 PM | Peter Mericka | 0 Comments   
So often in the local paper we see advertisements where estate agents proclaim that they have "buyers waiting". One Ringwood real estate agency even makes these claims sound genuine by giving a detailed description of the young couple and what they want. Read More...
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How The Regulator Went Through Ray White Like A Dose Of Salts
04 May 07 02:40 PM | Peter Mericka | (Comments Off)   
by Tim O’Dwyer Solicitor* A year after I lodged a bait-advertising complaint with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, the ACCC completed its investigations. And, blow me down, the occasionally-maligned regulator produced an extraordinary Read More...
…And Take Away The Number You Started With
04 May 07 12:08 PM | Peter Mericka | 0 Comments   
In an article titled "Determined auction goers defy grand final fever" Kate Nancarrow (The Age, Monday 26 September, 2005 p.4) quotes real estate agent Rodney Morley of TBM Real Estate as saying: We've got the perennial problem of what we call 'agents Read More...
When Estate Agents Offer "Discounts" On Clients' Properties
04 May 07 11:33 AM | Peter Mericka | 0 Comments   
An interesting item went to air on "A Current Affair" a short time ago (Channel 9, 6.30 pm Monday 3 October, 2005), in which estate agents told of price reductions in real estate. Examples of these price "reductions" are a property listed at $520,000 Read More...
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Trusting Nurse Betty
04 May 07 10:18 AM | Peter Mericka | 0 Comments   
by Tim O’Dwyer Queensland Solicitor & Consumer Advocate watchdog@argonautlegal.com.au Three years ago a very trusting, mature-aged nurse (let’s call her "Nurse Betty") moved to Queensland from interstate, and approached a suburban Brisbane real estate Read More...
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Avoid Referred Solicitors & Conveyancers
04 May 07 10:15 AM | Peter Mericka | 0 Comments   
We have had two examples within the past week of solicitors acting in the interests of the estate agent, and contrary to the interests of their own client. Continue reading "Avoid Referred Solicitors & Conveyancers" Read More...
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$20,000 Commission - Money For Nothing
04 May 07 09:23 AM | Peter Mericka | 0 Comments   
Let's call the real estate agency "Arrow-Maker Realty" (AMR), and their conveyancing company "Arrow-Maker Conveyancing" (AMC). Both operate under the "Arrow-Maker" banner, and clients of one are encouraged to utilise the services of the other. It sounds Read More...
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