Australian consumers can stop unwanted real estate agent contact via spam laws and privacy regulations. Agents need consent for marketing, and sharing personal details without it violates privacy laws. Consumers can unsubscribe, complain to ACMA, and report privacy breaches to the OAIC.
The Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016, mandates that real estate agents dealing with registered property projects must register with the respective state RERA authority. This aims to enhance transparency and accountability in property transactions by regulating intermediaries.
South Australia's consumer watchdog warns real estate agents could face liability if they knowingly mislead buyers about serious property defects. The warning follows a case where a family bought a new home with significant issues, while the builder was fined for operating without a license.
South Australia's housing market is cooling due to rising interest rates and federal budget tax changes, leading to fewer open inspection attendees and a potential slowdown in price growth to inflation levels.
The UK housing market is experiencing a slowdown due to concerns over rising inflation and mortgage rates linked to the Middle East conflict, with reduced buyer inquiries, slower sales, and price sensitivity, according to the RICS survey.
UK house prices rose at the fastest annual pace in 11 months in April, jumping 3% year-on-year to £278,880, according to Nationwide. The 0.4% monthly increase marked the fourth consecutive month of growth, surprising economists who had expected a 0.3% fall. Despite weakening consumer confidence and rising uncertainty from Middle East tensions, the housing market showed resilience with the three-month growth rate reaching 1.2%.
Australia's privacy commissioner Carly Kind has ordered 2Apply, operated by InspectRealEstate, to cease collecting excessive personal information from rental applicants, finding the data collection unfair and exploitative amid the housing crisis. The determination identified 10 categories of unnecessary data including gender, dependents, bankruptcy status, citizenship and visa expiry. The platform processed over 8.5 million applications as of March 2025 and used 'confirmshaming' tactics to pressure tenants into providing excessive information.
