Hi, my name is Greg Vincent and welcome to this week’s Acreage Market Wrap where I share an insight into How’s The Acreage Market?

I normally would've recorded this update yesterday but being Anzac Day I wanted to be respectful to our diggers by postponing this video until today.

Firstly, I’d like to take this moment to remember and salute those brave and selfless Australians who sacrificed so much so that we can enjoy this wonderful country. And at the same time I’d like to pay special tribute to our current front line heroes who have been displaying a similar Anzac Spirit towards fighting off this disease and putting their own lives at risk.

Yesterday, was a very different Anzac Day but on reflection it was one of the most moving and life-changing that I’ve experienced in my life and I’ll be sharing some reflections and insights about Anzac Day here on my website over the next day or two.

Also, I wanted to do a huge shout out of Congratulations to everyone in team Australia (and if you’re here in Australia, that includes you) who’ve been doing an amazing job to help stop the spread of COVID-19.

According to The Guardian App, the number of new cases has dropped significantly over the past month with the latest stats showing that there were 21 cases nationally on Friday and in NSW we saw a reduction from the 21 new cases last Saturday dropping down to single digits for consecutive days for the rest of the week, even dropping down to only 2 new cases on Tuesday, however on Friday it jumped back up to double digits with 12 new cases in NSW which was over half of the new cases Nationally

Update: the stats have since been updated to show that new cases in NSW has dropped back down to 8 yesterday on Anzac Day.

When compared to the peak of 212 cases that we had in NSW back on the 27th March, these reduced numbers are excellent news, however, we certainly can’t relax the restrictions just yet, especially here in NSW, because our death rate is double that of any other state and our current hospitalisation rate is almost 10 times that of any other state.

Compared to what’s happening elsewhere globally we are doing exceptionally well and the Federal Government, State Government and the National Cabinet should be commended for how they have handled this crisis, especially Prime Minister Scott Morrison for his leadership throughout this pandemic, regardless of whatever your political preferences are, and whilst it’s still far from over, it’s been a great team effort and it’s been good to see how they’ve all worked together to steer our country through this global pandemic so far.

Confident, Calm & Considered Leadership Is Critical During Any Crisis

Talking about leadership, I’d also like to give a big shout out to John McGrath for his leadership throughout this pandemic, because every morning from Monday to Friday throughout the past month I’ve had a Zoom meeting with John McGrath and other real estate mentors along with some of the greatest real estate agents in the country.

I must say that the caliber of the people who I have been able to meet up with over these past 4-5 weeks has been extraordinary and it’s helped me to skill-up to a point that I have now been able to take my service level and professionalism to a whole new level in preparation for the Post-COVID 19 period.

It’s been an incredible period of personal growth for me and it goes to show that we should never stop growing, innovating, improving and that it’s important to remain humble, never take anything for granted and always be open to learning new and better ways of serving others.

I am extremely proud of our team at McGrath and their efforts during this time.

One thing that’s very reassuring is that each day during our Zoom meetings I get an update from our team about the large volume of transactions that are still happening across Sydney and throughout Australia despite the Coronavirus restrictions.

These updates are really positive indicators for what I feel may unfold for the acreage market in the coming weeks and months.

I’m looking forward to the future for the acreage market during the upcoming Post-COVID 19 period and helping my clients by providing the best new innovation tools along with the right advice to help them achieve their property goals.

PERSONALLY I THINK THEY GOT THIS ONE WRONG

Whilst I like to try to focus on the positives of the market during this time, there’s something that I must say left me feeling a bit shocked this week.

You see when I was scrolling through the property websites recording the weekly acreage stats, I saw a photograph taken of a couple of other agents (definitely not part of our network) standing in front of a sold sign with face masks and gloves on spruiking that they’d sold a property during Covid-19 and yet the sold sign in the background has a big headline across it saying ‘Deceased Estate’.

With so many people dying of Coronavirus globally and so many people impacted by this crisis it just felt like it was a bit of poor form and was in bad taste.

At the moment I really believe that all agents across our industry need to raise their standards of professionalism and should be adopting a role model mindset throughout the Covid-19 period because families really need us more than ever now to be an example, lead the way forward, step up and be more understanding and empathetic to others during this pandemic.

Maybe I’ve got this one wrong and maybe it was all just done as a bit of fun, or perhaps it’s just a timing thing and the ‘Deceased Estate’ heading on the sign part struck a nerve with me, but, it just didn’t feel right to me.

Especially after recently losing a close family friend very suddenly as well as having one of my other mates Dad having passed away and sadly neither of these amazing men got to have the proper send off that they both so richly deserved at their funeral services this week.

You see, there would normally have been hundreds of people attending these funerals to pay their respects and it’s such an empty feeling when you can’t say farewell to someone you care about and simply being able to give the families a hug to comfort them at the moment.

It’s always a tough time for anyone who has lost a loved one at the best of times, but during the current lock-down I appreciate that it makes it even harder on the families & friends who want to support each other through the grief. Anyway, I’ve had my rant about this matter, let’s move on.

So, getting back to John McGrath, it was great to see his article earlier this week about what he and I both foresee happening Post-COVID 19, once people start getting back to more of a normal life, beyond this lock-down period.

John said,

“As we all spend more time at home due to social distancing and working remotely, there is the opportunity to ponder what is truly important to us and the type of lives we want to lead. Our homes are a reflection of this, so I see a wave of seachanging and treechanging in our near future.”

He also went onto to say…

“I anticipate a surge in demand for rural and regional luxury homes within two hours of the big cities, like they did post 9/11 as many people reassessed their priorities and lifestyle became top of mind.”

If you’re interested to read more on this insight from John McGrath, here’s a link to the article.

Also, this week I shared a helpful article which features…

5 Ways To Jump Ahead Of The Pack During The Post-Covid-19 Recovery

that you may also like to check out ... here’s a link to that as well...

How’s The Acreage Market?

Currently there are 444 acreage properties For Sale across the entire region. This overall total includes 240 acreage properties For Sale throughout all of The Hawkesbury, 139 in The Hills and another 65 acreages For Sale within Sydney’s North-West acreage areas of Penrith and Blacktown.
This week, another 11 new acreage listings came onto the market and 6 acreages were Sold this week which is a lot more positive that just the single property being sold last week. Also, there’s currently 13 acreage properties ‘Under Contract’ across the region.

Out in the field, this week, there’s been an increase in online enquiry for acreage and I’ve spoken with a lot of buyers who are now ready to buy if they find the right place. I’ve definitely sensed a more positive and optimistic feeling amongst all of the buyers I’ve spoken with in the market this week.

I have a feeling that the insights I shared about ‘The Future For Acreage This Decade' as well the Two Biggest Factors Set To Impact Acreage over the next 10 years that I featured in The Acreage Report 2020 (Autumn edition) are still well and truely on track.

You can get a FREE copy of The Acreage Report 2020 (Autumn edition) at…
www.TheAcreageReport.com.au

The Acreage Report features statistics about what's happening in the Hawkesbury, Hills & Sydney’s North West acreage market. Plus, you also get instant access to a copy of The McGrath Report 2020 which features exclusive insights from one of Australia’s leading property experts, John McGrath.

Also, this week it looks like we’ll be launching some new ‘Off-Market Acres’ listings, so if you want to get early-bird access to these upcoming acreage properties simply register now at… www.offmarketacres.com.au

When registering for 'Off-Market Acres’ you’ll also receive a bonus copy of The Acreage Report 2020 (Autumn edition) and the McGrath Report 2020.

So, with a lot to look forward to in the weeks and months ahead, that’s it for this week’s Acreage Market Wrap.

If you’ve got any questions about anything I’ve shared this week or would like to discuss any of your acreage plans with me, don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Thanks for watching, stay safe, keep up the great work and bye for now.

.Regards

Greg Vincent