The conversations we're having…

✨ What happens next with First National’s rebrand?

🎙️ 14 Headlines, 3 radio spots and a bold new look - A great month of media

📷 Grab our professional photos from Vietnam

☎️ The $200K wake-up call no real estate agency can ignore

‼️ If it isn’t real, it doesn’t belong in the listing

🔥 The cyber scams we’re watching snowball

🔨 Auction reserve disclosure about to land in Victoria

🛁 Anti Money Laundering deadlines are upon us

AU/NZ: Convention photos now available

👓 1 minute read

Relive the highlights from our National Convention and Awards in Da Nang.

Our professional photographers captured the conference sessions, networking events, gala celebrations and plenty of candid moments along the way. Whether you're looking for a team photo, a memorable moment with colleagues, or simply want to revisit a fantastic few days in Vietnam, the full gallery is now available to view and download.

Feel free to browse, save your favourites and share them with your team or on social media.

AU: Rebrand rollout – what happens next?

👓 1 minute read

AU: The brand reveal is live

👓 45 minute watch

AU/NZ: The $200,000 wake-up call no real estate office can ignore

👓 2 minute read

In the past week, one First National Real Estate office has learned just how serious the cybersecurity threat environment has become. A catastrophic cyber-attack crippled the business and, a week later, it is only just beginning to recover.

The first quote from a cybersecurity response team to remediate the office's computer systems came in at more than $200,000. For most independent real estate businesses, a bill of that size is not a setback. It is potentially terminal.

Here is the figure that should give every principal pause.

Last year, an office this size would have paid $1,300 for cybersecurity cover. The gap between those two numbers - $1,300 then, $200,000 and counting now - tells you everything about the choice facing every agency today.

The threat has changed

This is not the cyber landscape of five years ago.

Artificial intelligence has handed bad actors very clever tools, and they are using them. Attackers can now move quickly and quietly through an agency's systems - reaching bank accounts, mobile phone numbers and the personal information of clients and staff before anyone notices something is wrong.

Real estate offices are attractive targets. We hold sensitive financial details, identity documents and trust account information. We transact large sums. And many of us are small businesses without dedicated IT teams watching the perimeter.

Wollongong agency, MMJ, was a second estate agency hacked last week, with the personal data of 17,300 customers exposed on the dark web

It does not take a sophisticated breach to bring an office to a standstill. One compromised inbox, one cleverly faked invoice, one staff member clicking the wrong link; that is all it takes. Once attackers are inside, the cost of getting them out, remediating systems and meeting your legal obligations can run into six figures very quickly.

What every office should do now

Cyber insurance is no longer optional. It is as fundamental to running a real estate business as professional indemnity cover. The right policy does more than pay the bill – it gives you immediate access to incident response specialists, legal support and the expertise needed to get your doors open again.

First National Real Estate recommends that all members contact our alliance partner, Marsh, to arrange cyber insurance today. Not next quarter. Not when the renewal comes around. Today.

The member at the centre of this attack provides a sobering reminder that this can happen to any of us, at any time. A week of lost trading, a six-figure recovery bill and a business fighting for survival - measured against the cost of cover, the decision should not be a difficult one.

Aussie members: Talk to Marsh. Ask the questions. Get covered. Call (03) 9603 2222.

Kiwi members: Talk to GSI Insurance. Ask the questions. Get covered. Call 0800 555 474 or email matt@gsi.nz.

New Zealand members, download your brochure with this button ⬇️

AU/NZ: The cyber scams we’re watching snowball

👓 2 minute read

You’ve read the story of a First National office brought to a standstill by a cyber-attack. Now, we want to talk about how these attacks begin - because in recent weeks, First National offices have reported a sharp rise in two scams in particular. Both arrive looking like ordinary, everyday business.

☢️ The fake CV

A prospective employee emails your office. Attached is a PDF that appears to be their CV. It looks normal. The covering note reads well. But the file contains malware – and the moment you open it, that malware downloads to your computer.

From there, attackers can work their way through your systems, your email and potentially your accounts. By the time you notice, the damage is done.

The rule is simple: never open an attachment from somebody you don't know. Full stop. If you are genuinely recruiting, ask applicants to apply through your advertised channel, and treat any unsolicited CV with suspicion.

☢️ The fake buyer

The second scam arrives as a buyer enquiry – often from a website you haven't heard of. The 'buyer' shows interest in one of your listings and either attaches a PDF or asks to organise a Zoom meeting with you. The attachment carries malware. So, in some cases, does the meeting link.

Do not respond. All legitimate buyers will contact you through legitimate channels – your office phone, your website, the portals your listings actually appear on. Anybody trying to reach you another way, with an unexpected attachment or an unusual meeting request, is quite probably a scammer. You do not want to get involved with them.

Why these scams work

Both scams succeed because they imitate the normal rhythm of our work. We receive CVs. We receive buyer enquiries. We open attachments and book meetings every day. The scammers know this, and they are counting on habit doing their work for them.

That is what makes the current wave so dangerous. These are not clumsy emails riddled with spelling errors. They are well written, plausible and aimed squarely at busy people doing their jobs.

What to do in your office

Talk about these scams at your next team meeting. Make sure everyone – salespeople, property managers, administrators – knows what they look like. Agree a simple office rule: unexpected attachment or unfamiliar sender, do not open it. When in doubt, pick up the phone and verify, or simply delete.

And if you have not yet spoken to our alliance partner, Marsh, about cyber insurance, our above story is the reason to do it now. Prevention starts with awareness. Protection starts with cover.

AU: Reserve disclosure is coming – here's where the REIV stands

👓 1 minute read

From 1 October, Victorian agents must publish a property's reserve price at least seven days before auction or fixed-date sale. No disclosed reserve, no auction.

The REIV opposes the model, not the goal. Chief executive Toby Balazs says the institute was weeks away from releasing its own transparency blueprint, developed through a working group that included government representatives, when the legislation was announced.

The REIV's alternative would see vendors confirm three days out that the reserve sits within the advertised range. If it moves outside, the advertised range changes too. Balazs argues this fixes the real problem of properties quoted at one range but called on the market well above it, without forcing an exact figure into the public domain a week early.

What principals should note:

REIV research found 94% of Victorians surveyed would rethink their method of sale under the new rules, so expect more vendor conversations about Private Treaty and Expressions of Interest
Vendors may set higher reserves earlier in campaigns to avoid underquoting accusations, which could affect clearance rates
The government is holding firm, framing the reform as an Australian-first move against underquoting

The legislation is before Parliament and the start date is set. Whatever the industry's view, campaign planning, vendor management and auction strategy will need to adjust before 1 October.

AU: AML deadlines are here. Is your office ready?

👓 2 minute read

The countdown is no longer hypothetical. AUSTRAC's enrolment portal for Tranche 2 entities, including real estate agents, opened on 31 March 2026, and the key dates are now very close:

From 1 July 2026, full AML/CTF obligations commence - every office must have a compliant AML/CTF programme in place before providing designated services from that date
Enrolment (not registration) on the AUSTRAC Reporting Entity Roll closes on 29 July 2026

In practical terms, that means enrolling with AUSTRAC is only the start. Before 1 July, each office needs a documented risk assessment, a written AML/CTF programme, a reliable customer due diligence and screening process, and staff trained appropriately for their roles.

The consequences of waiting are real. Operating without enrolment, a programme and a CDD process after 1 July is a contravention of the Act, and AUSTRAC holds both civil penalty and criminal enforcement powers. Beyond penalties, there is the reputational cost of being unprepared in front of clients who expect their agent to handle their transaction properly.

You don't have to work it out alone

This is exactly why the network partnered with FirstAML. As our alliance partner, FirstAML specialises in helping businesses meet their AML/CTF obligations without drowning in paperwork - from building your risk assessment and programme through to streamlined customer due diligence and identity verification that fits the way an agency actually operates.

A majority of First National offices have already engaged FirstAML and are well down the path. If yours hasn't, now is the time. A conversation this week costs nothing. Scrambling in late June will cost a great deal more.

What to do now

Enrol with AUSTRAC if you haven't already – the portal is open and the 29 July deadline is firm
Contact First AML to review your readiness and close any gaps in your programme, due diligence processes and staff training
Aim to be fully operational well before 1 July, not on it

Compliance done early is just good business. Compliance done late is a risk no office needs to carry.

AU/NZ: Grow Your rural connections

👓 1 minute read

The 2026 Regional and Rural Muster in Albury/Wodonga - August 5th, 6th and 7th - Where the Murray flows and connections grow!

It’s going to be a great few days, with guest speakers, field trips, amazing food and our famous ‘Cowboys and Bushrangers’ dinner and auction evening.

AU: Could ‘Silver City’ be the property management change you need?

👓 1 minute read

FN Broken Hill is looking for a property manager to join its capable team. Principal, Zeta Bennett is seeking a seasoned real estate professional capable of managing end-to-end property operations, statutory compliance, and complex tenancy matters with high-level judgement and confidence.

Full time – 38 hours per week and a 10 day fortnight (negotiable)
$75K - $85K p.a. (gross) plus super

Download the full position description or read the ad on SEEK.

AU: Victoria’s rental system under scrutiny

👓 1 minute read

A new report highlights growing pressure within Victoria's rental sector, with 38,573 landlord applications lodged through VCAT and Rental Dispute Resolution Victoria over the past 12 months. This includes more than 20,000 applications to enforce notices to vacate and a further 13,256 dispute resolution cases, primarily relating to bonds and compensation.

The figures have prompted calls from the Property Investors Council of Australia for a formal review of Victoria's rental framework, arguing that more than 150 tenancy reforms introduced since 2020 may be creating unintended consequences for housing providers.

Property managers tell stories of significant challenges recovering rental arrears and compensation, even when tribunal orders are obtained. They point to complex enforcement processes, collection costs and the practical difficulty of recovering money from tenants with limited financial capacity.

Industry representatives also argued that compliance requirements and dispute resolution delays are increasing costs and uncertainty for both landlords and property managers. Some warn that continued pressure on investors could further reduce rental housing supply.

NZ: Agency collapses, regulator activity & New Zealand market conditions

👓 1 minute read

The biggest cautionary tale of recent weeks: three Auckland agencies trading under Ray White - City Realty, City Realty Sandringham and City Realty Wynyard Quarter – were placed into liquidation on 1 April, owing more than $5 million to creditors including Inland Revenue. It's a reminder that even high-profile franchise offices can fail when cash flow and tax obligations get away from them, and the coverage has been extensive.

The Real Estate Authority (REA) has been busy. It recently published a batch of disciplinary outcomes covering everything from an agent handing house keys to a friend, to an agent failing to disclose she was the vendor's mother, to a Bayleys business that didn't enter deposits into its trust account promptly and released a deposit early - uncovered through an audit and resulting in a fine. Trust account discipline remains a recurring theme in tribunal decisions, and supervision failures keep catching agencies out: one branch was found to have failed to supervise two agents who didn't disclose a builder's report. The lesson for Kiwi principals is that the regulator holds the agency, not just the individual, accountable.

The Reserve Bank has held the OCR at 2.25% in its third review of 2026, and national asking prices have now been essentially flat for around eighteen months, with stock levels elevated. The outlook is cautiously positive: Cotality's chief property economist expects values to start rising again in 2026, perhaps by around 5%. On the rental side, new rental listings were down 3.2% on March 2025, with total stock also easing – relevant if your office runs a property management book.

AU/NZ: New report tells us what all agency owners need to know

👓 3 minute read

A new study of women working in real estate sales deserves our attention. The 2026 Women in Real Estate Insights Report surveyed women at every career stage - most with more than ten years in the industry, many running businesses of their own - and its central message is refreshingly direct. This was never a question of capability. Women are already succeeding. The real question is whether the conditions around them - structure, support, safety and pathways – allow that success to last.

Children are not the barrier we assume

The most striking finding challenges a quiet assumption. Women who entered the industry while raising children went on to outperform those who did not - 44 % are now high performers, compared with 37% (without children). The lesson for anyone who hires is simple: life stage tells you nothing about potential. As the report puts it, you are not losing performance by who you hire - you may be losing performance by how the role is structured.

Relationships drive results, but they take time

65% of business comes from referrals and repeat clients, and 77% of agents describe their prospecting as relationship-led. Relationships take time to build, which is why the first 12 to 24 months are consistently the hardest, and why more than a third of women considered leaving during that period. We often judge new agents before their pipeline has had time to exist. Are your KPIs measuring what drives results, or simply what's easiest to track?

Confidence is built, not hired

Only 13% felt very confident when they started. Today, 93% feel confident overall, yet 72% still experience imposter syndrome. Confidence is not a starting point. It is built by doing hard things repeatedly, with enough support to keep going through the gap between effort and results. Most people who leave do so in that gap.

Safety and culture still need work

The harder reading sits here. More than half of respondents have experienced gender bias, and over a third have experienced sexual harassment. Two-thirds of incidents were never reported – not because people didn't know how, but because they didn't believe anything would happen. Only 34% feel 'always safe' conducting inspections. If 'mostly safe' is the benchmark, what does that say about the standard we've accepted? As business owners, we set that standard.

Ambition isn't the problem – access is

Among women not yet in ownership, 63% want leadership and more than a third want ownership. The barriers are practical, not personal: capital and financial risk first, then lack of opportunity. If we want more women in ownership, the pathway needs to be designed and visible – not something people are expected to push their way into.

Where to from here?

The future of the industry won't be defined by who enters it, but by who finds it sustainable enough to stay. The women in this study didn't ask for a special environment, just an effective one. Building that environment is well within our control, and the businesses that do it first will keep their best people.

AU: Sales position vacancy, Carlingford NSW

FN Co Bridge Group is seeking a sales agent to play a key role in driving the success of its residential sales team. This full-time position is based in Carlingford, NSW and offers an exciting opportunity to thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.

We offer a competitive salary, generous commission structure, and a range of professional development opportunities to help you reach your full potential. You'll also enjoy access to our employee wellbeing programs, including health insurance discounts and flexible work arrangements.

Salary: AUD$ 45K - $67K

Application Deadline: 31 July 2026

Contact: Charles Fu - charles@cobridge.com.au

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