Covid-19 Gold Coast: Impact on real estate, childcare centres

Leading real estate agents have revealed how they are adapting their businesses as a wave of Covid cases sweeps through the Gold Coast.

GOLD COAST real estate agents are using virtual tours and conducting auctions by zoom to ensure sales can continue as normal as a surge of Covid-19 cases rips through the city.

Although the need for so many people to isolate had disrupted viewings and impacted staff, agencies remain busier than ever thanks to their embrace of new technology.

Harcourts Coastal Director Dane Atherton said it was “business as usual” at his firm, which had seen a fresh jump in inquiries in the first two weeks of the year.

“We’re 100 per cent fully able to pivot to digital,” Mr Atherton said.

“Last week we had an onsite auction, we did it on zoom. There were fifteen registered bidders and the property sold.

“We take the temperature of what’s going on and if we have lockdowns or restrictions, or even if we just have a bit of public uncertainty where people might feel a little reluctant to go to a big public auction with too many people, we’ll just go to an online auction.”

Harcourts Coastal Director Dane Atherton.

Mr Atheron said demand remained strong and predicted prices would continue to rise this year, albeit at a more steady pace than seen in 2021.

“If you take the first 13 days of January, I think inquiries are up at least 100 per cent, based on the same time last year. It’s a really good sign,” he said.

“I think we’re going to have strong growth. I don’t think it’s going to be as dramatic as last year, but I still think it’s going to be a very very solid year.”

Amir Prestige Property Agents Principal Amir Mian said his firm was also introducing online auctions as a direct result of the Omicron wave.

“We are affected,” Mr Mian said. “It’s disrupting the inspections, especially the rental properties. If the property’s rented then the tenant’s not comfortable if the buyer’s coming through.

“Also, some of the sellers genuinely are down with Covid or have a family member down with Covid, so we can’t do inspections. That’s definitely disruptive but we are working through it.

“We’ve got online auctions available. That’s happening on the 22nd. We’re setting up an online system for people to bid.”

Amir Prestige Property Agents Principal Amir Mian. Picture: Glenn Hampson.

BL Property Co. Director Braden Lamb said his firm had invested heavily in technology, including a specialised 3D camera to help create virtual walk-throughs.

“All in all it’s business as usual for us,” Mr Lamb said.

“We’ve jumped on doing virtual walk-throughs. We’ve invested in getting a 3D camera. More for the rentals than the sales it’s been really valuable. We have a lot of interstate applications coming in for rentals so that’s been really handy.

“For sales, we’re still seeing a lot of people wanting to send through family and what not. There’s some hesitation about buying without having someone walk through the property. But the combination of having a good video campaign and then also conducting video walk-throughs and video calls where needed, we’ve found that people are buying without walking through the property.

“It’s a combination of elements, not just having one way of viewing the property. If there’s multiple options for them to see it and to feel it and get more of an idea of a lifestyle the property offers then they’re more confident to buy.”

Mr Lamb said his agency was also seeing a high level of inquiries despite the arrival of Covid.

“We’re charging along,” he said. “If anything we’re busier.

“We’re still finding the same level of inquiry, we’re getting high numbers through everything, multiple offers, eveything’s selling.”

BL Property Co. Director Braden Lamb. Picture: Regina King.

Mr Lamb said he also expected price rises to moderate this year from their previous explosive growth, with more stock becoming available.

“I think we are probably going to see more of a healthy balanced growth this year,” he said.

“The prices will continue to go up but at a healthier, more sustainable level. It’s not going to be quite as insanely competitive.

“A lot of people can see there’s a lot of additional equity in their homes. Now that people have realised the value of their property I think a lot more people are keen to sell.

“... I think there’ll be a lot more stock, it’ll balance out, and prices will continue to tick up, but just a little bit slower than last year.”

Property experts have predicted further double-digit rises in Gold Coast house values this year, though not to the extent of the last 12 months, where prices in some suburbs rose by more than 30 per cent.

MULTIPLE CHILDCARE CENTRES SHUT AS COVID WREAKS HAVOC

A NUMBER of Gold Coast and Tweed childcare centres have been forced to close temporarily – creating havoc for parents – as mounting Covid cases take a toll on the industry.

The Bulletin understands five centres were forced to close their doors last week because they no longer had enough staff to maintain services.

One mum said she had been forced to postpone taking up a new job after her centre was forced to shut.

The centres were among more than 500 closed nationwide last week as Omicron took hold.

The closures, believed to have cost the centres involved thousands of dollars, came as the Chamber of Commerce & Industry Queensland (CCIQ) said 85 per cent of Queensland businesses had been unable to maintain normal services.

CCIQ policy and advocacy general manager Amanda Rohan said a lack of access to Rapid Antigen Testing was “hindering businesses’ ability to reopen and recover”.

Goodstart Early Learning head of advocacy John Cherry said the childcare provider had written to all state premiers three months ago urging them to supply free tests for childcare staff.

Despite the challenges the childcare giant, which operates 22 centres on the Gold Coast, said it had managed to maintain services with minimal disruption.

Goodstart Early Learning state manager SEQ South Nikki Reeves said: “We have managed to remain open across the Gold Coast area with only two room closures, each lasting one day, over the last fortnight.

“In the previous two weeks, before the State Government introduced the new close contact rules, we managed to operate with only one full centre closure for a period of one week.

“Being a national organisation, we have had the opportunity to learn from the experience of centres in Victoria and New South Wales where transmission has been much more common.

“We have used their experience to ensure that we are reducing the risk of the virus entering our centres as much as possible, as well as reducing the risk of transmission within.”

Other major providers said they had managed to remain fully operational.

Amaze Education owner Lucy Cook said her company’s 11 centres – including three on the Gold Coast – had not reduced their services despite the challenges of the last few weeks.

“Thankfully we have a strong base of support staff and are being strategic with our resources so we can best support all families and children,” she said.

National cabinet last Thursday agreed to ease isolation rules for childcare workers in a bid to lessen the staffing problems facing the industry.

The new rules, which were also eased for teachers and food supply chain staff, mean people in those industries who are close contacts of positive cases can return to work if they get a negative rapid antigen test.

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