REIA to focus on people and sustainability in 2022

Real Estate Institute of Australia (REIA) President, Hayden Groves, has outlined his 2022 vision for Australian real estate agents and agencies. He said that engaging consumers in the role of real estate agents in building better communities, sustainable living and housing affordability were key focuses for this year. 

Groves commented, “people - our businesses, customers and the communities around us - must be at the heart of our strategy as agencies and as Institutes.”

Groves said he expected demand for sustainable living to increase throughout 2022. “Demand for sustainable homes or homes with sustainable features will increase, as will client expectations that we as real estate agencies are running sustainable businesses. This could be anything from preferences for complexes with electric car charge points right through to homes built with green materials or powered by renewable energy.”

“Governments need to come to the table to offer homeowners and investors make their home and investments more sustainable through proper incentives as are in place in Canada and the US such as Greener Home Grants and tax offsets.”

“REIA, through our Institutes, has a strong commitment to Sustainable Real Estate through our policy priorities outlined in Getting Real with the focus being on incentivising sustainable adaption rather than regulating housing stock,” said Groves. 

“With 2030 and 2050 targets committed to by the Morrison Government in COP26 this will become an area of increasing importance to Australians when it comes to homes and their property investments.” Groves also said that major economic factors like home loans and rent to income ratios, interest rates, employment and the Great Resignation, inflation and immigration will all impact what lies ahead. 

“The Australian residential property market is now worth a whopping $9 trillion according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Our major focus from an advocacy point of view will be the fundamentals of Australian housing supply and affordability.”

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