Home%)
RE Connect%)
How it works%)
Benefits
Blog%)
About Us%)
EnquiryNews
WIN a Ticket to AREC '09 worth $1190!!
09/04/09 10:23
Hi Everyone,
We at Corum Real Estate Services have just returned from two absolutely fantastic events in March.
The first event we attended was the Leading Property Managers of Australia conference at Twin Waters, the second, the Annual LJ Hooker Property Management Conference in Canberra. We very much enjoyed meeting new people, seeing old friends and continuing to learn more and more about Property Management.
I’m sure that everyone who attended both conferences have come back enthused and ready to implement some of the fantastic things that they have learnt.
Now we are gearing up for AREC/ARPM 09 which is one of the major events of the year on our calendar.
Both Corum Real Estate Services and Corum Training have a free ticket each to give away, so to generate some excitement amongst you all we thought we might run a couple of competitions and give them away!!
For Corum Real Estate Services, we are asking you to tell us in 50 words or less, “what you like most about using our rent card services”. To enter, please click here. The best answer will be chosen and the winner announced on the 8th May, 2009.
For Corum Training, you will need to “Spread the Word”, and refer a friend for license, CPD or certificate training courses. In addition to being entered into the draw for a the ticket to AREC, you will also receive a promo code to get 10% off your next training course if booked online. To enter the Corum Training Contest, click here. The winner will be drawn randomly and also announced on the 8th of May, 2009.
One more piece of news - for the first time, our call centre will be open on Easter Monday if you need assistance we will be here!
To all of our clients, a very happy and safe Easter - good luck in entering the competitions, and hope to see you at AREC ’09!
We at Corum Real Estate Services have just returned from two absolutely fantastic events in March.
The first event we attended was the Leading Property Managers of Australia conference at Twin Waters, the second, the Annual LJ Hooker Property Management Conference in Canberra. We very much enjoyed meeting new people, seeing old friends and continuing to learn more and more about Property Management.
I’m sure that everyone who attended both conferences have come back enthused and ready to implement some of the fantastic things that they have learnt.
Now we are gearing up for AREC/ARPM 09 which is one of the major events of the year on our calendar.
Both Corum Real Estate Services and Corum Training have a free ticket each to give away, so to generate some excitement amongst you all we thought we might run a couple of competitions and give them away!!
For Corum Real Estate Services, we are asking you to tell us in 50 words or less, “what you like most about using our rent card services”. To enter, please click here. The best answer will be chosen and the winner announced on the 8th May, 2009.
For Corum Training, you will need to “Spread the Word”, and refer a friend for license, CPD or certificate training courses. In addition to being entered into the draw for a the ticket to AREC, you will also receive a promo code to get 10% off your next training course if booked online. To enter the Corum Training Contest, click here. The winner will be drawn randomly and also announced on the 8th of May, 2009.
One more piece of news - for the first time, our call centre will be open on Easter Monday if you need assistance we will be here!
To all of our clients, a very happy and safe Easter - good luck in entering the competitions, and hope to see you at AREC ’09!
|
Confusion over RE Connect Pricing
16/03/09 13:45
I recently heard reports of some confusion regarding the fees charged by RE Connect oneCard. The story was that one tenant – who may not have fully understood his options - thought he had no choice other than to pay around $288 per annum to pay his rent through RE Connect oneCard.
So this week I thought I would use this post to clear up some confusion about RE Connect oneCard, it’s uses, and the fees charged.
RE Connect one Card is and always has been an optional way of paying rent. Tenants must not be forced to use this service and must be given alternatives. The fact that this tenant felt like he didn’t have alternatives is not something which is approved or condoned by Corum.
As to the costs of using the service there are several different options which can be used by tenants to pay their rent:
a) Direct Debit from Bank Account $3.20 per month
b) Pay by BPay $3.20 per month, plus $0.75 per payment
c) Pay at Australia Post $3.20 per month, plus $1.90 per payment
d) Pay by MasterCard/Visa Card 1.32% per payment
So, if a tenant wishes to pay rent using Direct Debit, they can make unlimited payments from their bank account per month for their $3.20. This is actually cheaper than a lot of other payment methods used today (see my last post on the cost of cash!). If a tenant were to pay their rent fortnightly, then taking cash out of ATM’s could cost $4.00 per month in fees, followed by the time and effort it would take to walk it down to the Real Estate Agents office.
Credit cards, are of course, the most expensive method of paying rent due to the surcharge involved. For the record, most of this surcharge is paid to the banks, the card schemes and the government (GST). Part of the profit the banks and card schemes make on this goes towards funding their reward schemes, like frequent flyers etc. So if a tenant were to go down the route of paying rent by credit card to earn frequent flyer points or other rewards points, hopefully they have done some sort of a personal cost/benefit analysis to make sure that its worth it in the long run.
Recently, most people are aware, we added Ambassador Card rewards to RE Connect oneCard to make the card more attractive to tenants. Ambassador Card can actually help tenants save money on basic items like fuel and groceries and other little “luxuries” like dining and accommodation. (See one of my earlier posts on how Ambassador Card beats the tips from Money Magazine!)
With RE Connect oneCard and Ambassador Card together, paying rent can actually end up in the tenants favour! Take this example:
What it all comes down to is that it’s a matter of choice for the tenant. Under RE Connect oneCard there are three options that are cheaper than using credit card to pay rent.
As an agent you need to make sure that you are offering genuine payment choices to your tenants and that these choices, including any fees, are understood by the tenant prior to them entering any agreements with regard to their rent payment methodology. That way everyone benefits.
So this week I thought I would use this post to clear up some confusion about RE Connect oneCard, it’s uses, and the fees charged.
RE Connect one Card is and always has been an optional way of paying rent. Tenants must not be forced to use this service and must be given alternatives. The fact that this tenant felt like he didn’t have alternatives is not something which is approved or condoned by Corum.
As to the costs of using the service there are several different options which can be used by tenants to pay their rent:
a) Direct Debit from Bank Account $3.20 per month
b) Pay by BPay $3.20 per month, plus $0.75 per payment
c) Pay at Australia Post $3.20 per month, plus $1.90 per payment
d) Pay by MasterCard/Visa Card 1.32% per payment
So, if a tenant wishes to pay rent using Direct Debit, they can make unlimited payments from their bank account per month for their $3.20. This is actually cheaper than a lot of other payment methods used today (see my last post on the cost of cash!). If a tenant were to pay their rent fortnightly, then taking cash out of ATM’s could cost $4.00 per month in fees, followed by the time and effort it would take to walk it down to the Real Estate Agents office.
Credit cards, are of course, the most expensive method of paying rent due to the surcharge involved. For the record, most of this surcharge is paid to the banks, the card schemes and the government (GST). Part of the profit the banks and card schemes make on this goes towards funding their reward schemes, like frequent flyers etc. So if a tenant were to go down the route of paying rent by credit card to earn frequent flyer points or other rewards points, hopefully they have done some sort of a personal cost/benefit analysis to make sure that its worth it in the long run.
Recently, most people are aware, we added Ambassador Card rewards to RE Connect oneCard to make the card more attractive to tenants. Ambassador Card can actually help tenants save money on basic items like fuel and groceries and other little “luxuries” like dining and accommodation. (See one of my earlier posts on how Ambassador Card beats the tips from Money Magazine!)
With RE Connect oneCard and Ambassador Card together, paying rent can actually end up in the tenants favour! Take this example:
What it all comes down to is that it’s a matter of choice for the tenant. Under RE Connect oneCard there are three options that are cheaper than using credit card to pay rent.
As an agent you need to make sure that you are offering genuine payment choices to your tenants and that these choices, including any fees, are understood by the tenant prior to them entering any agreements with regard to their rent payment methodology. That way everyone benefits.
Using Cash to pay rent... now even more expensive!
05/03/09 11:54
There has always been some debate that using cash to pay rent is free of “fees”. I have always said “not necessarily so”, fees can be incurred along the way - account keeping fees, transaction fees, ATM fees, and fees if you fall below a certain account balance. As of Monday 2 March, reforms to the banking code of conduct mean that ATM fees now need to be disclosed by the operators of the ATM before cash is dispensed. Consumers can then have the choice of whether to proceed with the transaction or not.
If consumers use an ATM which belongs to another financial institution or company and is not in a networked arrangement with their bank, then the customer WILL pay a fee charged directly by the ATM operator. This fee can be around $2 or more per transaction.
David Bell, Chief Executive of the ABA said on Monday “It is very important under this new regime that bank customers know how to locate an ATM that won’t charge them directly for transactions.” “If you do use an ATM which does not belong to your bank or is not in a networked arrangement, then the ATM operator must disclose on the screen the amount it will cost the customer to use the machine. If the customer decides it is too high, the customer can cancel the transaction at no cost.”
The ABA have also released the following tips for consumers to minimise fees under new ATM direct charging rules:
Keep an eye out for my next post, some exciting changes to the agent/tenant websites are coming!
Have a great week!
Sam
If consumers use an ATM which belongs to another financial institution or company and is not in a networked arrangement with their bank, then the customer WILL pay a fee charged directly by the ATM operator. This fee can be around $2 or more per transaction.
David Bell, Chief Executive of the ABA said on Monday “It is very important under this new regime that bank customers know how to locate an ATM that won’t charge them directly for transactions.” “If you do use an ATM which does not belong to your bank or is not in a networked arrangement, then the ATM operator must disclose on the screen the amount it will cost the customer to use the machine. If the customer decides it is too high, the customer can cancel the transaction at no cost.”
The ABA have also released the following tips for consumers to minimise fees under new ATM direct charging rules:
- Consumers should use their own banks’ ATMs or a fee-free networked ATM;
- Where possible, make your payments online or over the phone to help limit your cash withdrawals. At the same time, you can check your account balance
- If consumers want to avoid/minimise ATM operator fees, consider using EFTPOS and getting cash out with a purchase. Additional cash from supermarket purchases are popular
Keep an eye out for my next post, some exciting changes to the agent/tenant websites are coming!
Have a great week!
Sam
Corum Training announces online CPD!!
23/02/09 21:04
Many of you may not be aware that Corum Real Estate Services has a “sibling” that is a specialist provider of Training to the Real Estate Industry. Corum Training has been providing high quality license, registration and CPD training now for about 2 years.
We are excited to announce that our CPD training is available on-line! As an opening special we are offering 12 CPD points for $155 with our online CPD modules.
As you all know, the NSW Office of Fair Trading (OFT) requires a minimum level of CPD (Continuing Professional Development) for all personal Licence and Certificate of Registration holders each year. As a Licence or Certificate of Registration holder you must complete 12 CPD points in the 12 months following the granting or renewal of your Licence or Certificate.
There are currently 5 topics for you to choose from at the moment (more on the way). You only need to complete one (1) to gain your 12 points:
• Ethical Behaviour
• Effective Communication
• Accurate Appraisals
• Auction Practices
• Negotiations skills
Complete your CPD with the convenience of never needing to leave your desk!
To find out more about our courses click here. To book a course online click here,
For further information call Tony Rowe on 1300 793 723.
Have a great week!
We are excited to announce that our CPD training is available on-line! As an opening special we are offering 12 CPD points for $155 with our online CPD modules.
As you all know, the NSW Office of Fair Trading (OFT) requires a minimum level of CPD (Continuing Professional Development) for all personal Licence and Certificate of Registration holders each year. As a Licence or Certificate of Registration holder you must complete 12 CPD points in the 12 months following the granting or renewal of your Licence or Certificate.
There are currently 5 topics for you to choose from at the moment (more on the way). You only need to complete one (1) to gain your 12 points:
• Ethical Behaviour
• Effective Communication
• Accurate Appraisals
• Auction Practices
• Negotiations skills
Complete your CPD with the convenience of never needing to leave your desk!
To find out more about our courses click here. To book a course online click here,
For further information call Tony Rowe on 1300 793 723.
Have a great week!
Corum Real Estate Services registers its 100,000th tenant!
09/12/08 11:22
Hi Everyone,
This week Corum Real Estate Services hit a very significant milestone in that we registered our 100,000th tenant. It’s a fantastic Christmas present for all of us and a really great achievement for our dedicated Sales and Customer Care Teams.
Corum Real Estate Services now processes rental payments worth about $1Billion per annum. In the 10 or so years that we have been providing these services to the major franchise groups we have probably processed around $8Billion in rent payments (which is quite a lot of rent!). I think I can quietly say that this means that we are definitely the most experienced of the various rent payment service providers out there.
So whilst we are still working hard to bring you more new and exciting enhancements for next year (I will reveal more in the coming weeks), this week we are definitely celebrating!
Thank you so much to all of our many and valued clients who continue to support our service.
All the best,
Samantha
This week Corum Real Estate Services hit a very significant milestone in that we registered our 100,000th tenant. It’s a fantastic Christmas present for all of us and a really great achievement for our dedicated Sales and Customer Care Teams.
Corum Real Estate Services now processes rental payments worth about $1Billion per annum. In the 10 or so years that we have been providing these services to the major franchise groups we have probably processed around $8Billion in rent payments (which is quite a lot of rent!). I think I can quietly say that this means that we are definitely the most experienced of the various rent payment service providers out there.
So whilst we are still working hard to bring you more new and exciting enhancements for next year (I will reveal more in the coming weeks), this week we are definitely celebrating!
Thank you so much to all of our many and valued clients who continue to support our service.
All the best,
Samantha
Ambassador Card Update and the end of "Movember"
02/12/08 20:20
Hi Everyone,
The Ambassador Card Rewards program continues to gain popularity among both Agents and Tenants, and we are delighted to report that Ambassador Card have released some specials, just in time for Christmas!
There are some great new discounts from:
For full details see the Ambassador Card Newsletter!
As always, for detailed instructions on how to use the Ambassador Card rewards program, please review the “Rewards” tab of your Agents only website. (Tenants can view the same information from the Tenants only website).
It’s really simple to get some great discounts using Ambassador Card, but it’s important for users to view the instructions for using Ambassador Card at the particular benefit providers. Just a reminder - WISH and Coles gift cards at 5% discount need to be purchased from Ambassador Card by calling 1300 724 477. Ambassador Card will send you your gift card which can then be used at particpating group outlets. Some tenants have been confused and have been taking their cards into Coles or Woolworths and expecting a 5% discount, but unfortunately thats not how it works! So when you are talking to them about Ambassador Card make sure they are clear on where to go to get the instructions for using the card!
Another Movember has now come and gone, and our “Branded Mo’s team” happily raised $919 which goes towards some important men’s health issues. I did promise an “after” photo and here it is:
Raghu in IT support (on the far left) was judged the winner of the ‘mo contest (he did it without any performance enhancers!). Happily our men are all clean shaven again - and I hear their wives are much happier for it!
All the best,
Sam
The Ambassador Card Rewards program continues to gain popularity among both Agents and Tenants, and we are delighted to report that Ambassador Card have released some specials, just in time for Christmas!
There are some great new discounts from:
- Amante Jewelley (save 25% off gold and silver jewelry)
- Wine Lovers Club (exclusive mixed dozen at only $99 per dozen
- South Australian Whale Centre (one complimentary admission with the payment of an equal or greater value)
- The Vines Golf Club of Reynella (25% off Green Fees)
- Baby Buds (specials on a great range of Christmas baby gifts)
- New Member discounts on Dreamworld and White Water World in beautiful sunny Queensland (Dreamworld has the new “Mummy” inspired attraction!)
For full details see the Ambassador Card Newsletter!
As always, for detailed instructions on how to use the Ambassador Card rewards program, please review the “Rewards” tab of your Agents only website. (Tenants can view the same information from the Tenants only website).
It’s really simple to get some great discounts using Ambassador Card, but it’s important for users to view the instructions for using Ambassador Card at the particular benefit providers. Just a reminder - WISH and Coles gift cards at 5% discount need to be purchased from Ambassador Card by calling 1300 724 477. Ambassador Card will send you your gift card which can then be used at particpating group outlets. Some tenants have been confused and have been taking their cards into Coles or Woolworths and expecting a 5% discount, but unfortunately thats not how it works! So when you are talking to them about Ambassador Card make sure they are clear on where to go to get the instructions for using the card!
Another Movember has now come and gone, and our “Branded Mo’s team” happily raised $919 which goes towards some important men’s health issues. I did promise an “after” photo and here it is:
Raghu in IT support (on the far left) was judged the winner of the ‘mo contest (he did it without any performance enhancers!). Happily our men are all clean shaven again - and I hear their wives are much happier for it!
All the best,
Sam
In Sydney, is renting a home cheaper than buying?
04/11/08 09:45
Hi Everyone!
At Corum Real Estate Services I am constantly telling anyone and everyone (who will listen, of course!) that we are passionate about property management. While everyone’s sales departments seem to get all the attention (and the glory), we are continually pointing out how important and valuable property management is. After all, most property managers are responsible for managing multiple millions of dollars in property assets - and are responsible for the health and well being of the most tangible asset in the real estate office - the rent roll.
But is property management about to take a a real “front seat” due to the fact that in some areas (eg Sydney), renting a home for most of us is cheaper than buying one? There was a short article this week in the Sunday Telegraph on October 26 by John Edwards - who is also CEO of Residex. Its clear that the “great Australian dream” of owing and living in your own home may have changed. Part of his article reads:
“......There is no doubt that renting is cheaper - a typical Sydney home will cost around $385 per week less to rent than to pay off with a 20% deposit and an 8% mortgage rate. Most people eligible for first home buyer’s grants could not afford the typical Sydney property as it would take about 48% of their income to service the loan. The best families could probably hope for is a home purchase of $350,000. On the other hand, the best rental property they could afford would be the typical Sydney home. It is clear in the sort term the decision is about quality of life. The longer term perspective is about the future. Rents are actually at historically low rates, less than half what they have been in the past, and rents rose by around 10% in the last year.....”
I’d be interested in your comments which you enter underneath this post on the website!
I think this also highlights another important point for property managers - your tenants could also become future clients or maybe even one of your best referral sources for growing your rent roll. These days a lot of tenants are landlords/ landlords are tenants under the assumption that people are buying investment properties where they can afford to and then renting somewhere they actually want to live. So the message is - provide your tenants with better customer service than your competitors. You never know when one of them, or one of their associates might be shopping for someone to manage their investment property!
This bunch of handsome fella’s in the photo above are the marvelous men of Corum, who are all supporting “Movember”. We have entered a team called “Branded ‘Mo’s” to raise money in support of this charity.
For those of you that aren’t aware, “Movember” is now an annual event held in support of Men’s Health issues. It’s primary beneficiaries are the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia and Beyond Blue.
Meanwhile, the ladies in the office will have the very difficult task of judging the best ‘mo at the end of the month.
Our guys would love your support -- for a very worthwhile cause. All donations are of course tax deductible and accepted directly by Movember by clicking button below:
Some our guys are so keen to do a good job of ‘mo growing for charity (not talking about you of course, Joey) - that there has been some talk about using “performance enhancing” substances to grow a ‘mo in a shorter space of time. Apparently if you put “Rogaine” on your top lip, it can have a similar effect to where you should normally put it. I’m not too sure about this as a strategy, but it is all in the name of charity I guess!
And yes... I will be publishing an “after” shot, with the result of our total fundraising efforts in about 4 weeks time. By then all our blokes will probably look like various versions of John Newcombe in the ‘70’s. A frightening thought when you count that there are 14 of them in total participating! This month is certainly going to be hairier than usual.....
Have a great week!
Sam
At Corum Real Estate Services I am constantly telling anyone and everyone (who will listen, of course!) that we are passionate about property management. While everyone’s sales departments seem to get all the attention (and the glory), we are continually pointing out how important and valuable property management is. After all, most property managers are responsible for managing multiple millions of dollars in property assets - and are responsible for the health and well being of the most tangible asset in the real estate office - the rent roll.
But is property management about to take a a real “front seat” due to the fact that in some areas (eg Sydney), renting a home for most of us is cheaper than buying one? There was a short article this week in the Sunday Telegraph on October 26 by John Edwards - who is also CEO of Residex. Its clear that the “great Australian dream” of owing and living in your own home may have changed. Part of his article reads:
“......There is no doubt that renting is cheaper - a typical Sydney home will cost around $385 per week less to rent than to pay off with a 20% deposit and an 8% mortgage rate. Most people eligible for first home buyer’s grants could not afford the typical Sydney property as it would take about 48% of their income to service the loan. The best families could probably hope for is a home purchase of $350,000. On the other hand, the best rental property they could afford would be the typical Sydney home. It is clear in the sort term the decision is about quality of life. The longer term perspective is about the future. Rents are actually at historically low rates, less than half what they have been in the past, and rents rose by around 10% in the last year.....”
I’d be interested in your comments which you enter underneath this post on the website!
I think this also highlights another important point for property managers - your tenants could also become future clients or maybe even one of your best referral sources for growing your rent roll. These days a lot of tenants are landlords/ landlords are tenants under the assumption that people are buying investment properties where they can afford to and then renting somewhere they actually want to live. So the message is - provide your tenants with better customer service than your competitors. You never know when one of them, or one of their associates might be shopping for someone to manage their investment property!
This bunch of handsome fella’s in the photo above are the marvelous men of Corum, who are all supporting “Movember”. We have entered a team called “Branded ‘Mo’s” to raise money in support of this charity.
For those of you that aren’t aware, “Movember” is now an annual event held in support of Men’s Health issues. It’s primary beneficiaries are the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia and Beyond Blue.
Meanwhile, the ladies in the office will have the very difficult task of judging the best ‘mo at the end of the month.
Our guys would love your support -- for a very worthwhile cause. All donations are of course tax deductible and accepted directly by Movember by clicking button below:
Some our guys are so keen to do a good job of ‘mo growing for charity (not talking about you of course, Joey) - that there has been some talk about using “performance enhancing” substances to grow a ‘mo in a shorter space of time. Apparently if you put “Rogaine” on your top lip, it can have a similar effect to where you should normally put it. I’m not too sure about this as a strategy, but it is all in the name of charity I guess!
And yes... I will be publishing an “after” shot, with the result of our total fundraising efforts in about 4 weeks time. By then all our blokes will probably look like various versions of John Newcombe in the ‘70’s. A frightening thought when you count that there are 14 of them in total participating! This month is certainly going to be hairier than usual.....
Have a great week!
Sam