Monthly Archives: January 2009

Estate Agents As "Legal Advisers"?

Posted on January 27, 2009 by | 6 Comments
OPINIONby Tim O’Dwyer M.A., LL.BSolicitorConsumer Advocate watchdog@argonautlegal.com.au   Harcourts real estate agent, Lester Drew, in a recent letter to the editor of Queensland’s Courier Mail criticised an earlier column in that newspaper about selling real estate. Drew pointed out in his letter (as published) that columnist Scott Pape was a financial advisor, was not a “registered member” of the Real Estate Institute of Queensland and was “not professionally qualified as deemed by the State Government...

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REIV – Bad Investment Advice On Buyers’ Advocates

Posted on January 22, 2009 by | 7 Comments
OPINIONby Peter Mericka B.A., LL.BReal Estate LawyerQualified Practising Conveyancer VictoriaDirector Lawyers Real Estate Pty Ltd   As an investment adviser Enzo Raimondo, CEO of the Real Estate Institute of Victoria is the last person a property purchaser should listen to. In his most recent article “Buyer’s agent a sound investment” in the Domain section of The Age newspaper Saturday 17 January, 2009, Raimondo is quite dishonest with readers as he misstates the law on purchaser...

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Licensed Conveyancers – PI Insurance Problems

Posted on January 8, 2009 by | 0 Comments
OPINIONby Peter Mericka B.A., LL.BReal Estate LawyerQualified Practising Conveyancer VictoriaDirector Lawyers Real Estate Pty Ltd   Professional indemnity insurance for licensed conveyancers is a high-risk problem. The licensing of conveyancers under the Victorian Conveyancers Act 2006 was expected to safeguard consumers by requiring all licensed conveyancers to have professional indemnity insurance cover. However, the requirement for professional indemnity insurance has had the reverse effect in that more consumers are now exposed to greater risk than...

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