Builders are set to unlock the value in a complex of historic Newtown residences sold after the property took a $1m haircut having been on the market for more than two years.

Roslyn is a converted 1850s Italianate mansion and an adjoining Art Deco block of apartments built in the 1920s occupying a prime 1885sq m corner site at 272 Latrobe Tce, Newtown.

The property, which was initially listed for sale with $3.4m to $3.7m price hopes in March, 2023, sold last week in a $2.55m deal with a Surf Coast party.

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Maxwell Collins Geelong agent Duncan Skene said improving conditions for builders and developers combined with a lower asking price to raise the profile of the inner city landmark with potential buyers.

Mr Skene said he received three offers on the property opposite Matthew Flinders Girls Secondary College once the price guide was reset at $2.5m to $2.75m.

It’s the second landmark property to sell on the strip between Roebuck and Aberdeen streets, after a historic villa house converted to an office at 256 Latrobe Tce was snapped up for $1.62m in April.

“There’s a little bit more positivity out there and people are starting to look for projects again,” Mr Skene said.

“It’s just been since Covid that everyone has put things on hold and were getting slammed.

“They got all their work done and now they’re looking for some projects again and this will meet their needs.”

Mr Skene said he expects the buyers to reposition the property, which is presently divided into nine units, including seven with one bedroom, one two-bedder and the main four-bedroom residence.

“My understanding is they’re going to renovate, just with all the heritage guidelines and everything, and bring it back to its former glory,” Mr Skene said.

“They’ll probably subdivide it off, rather than just have the one house. I’m pretty positive they’re not going to make it into a residence again.”

Mr Skene said the three offers came from local players, underlining the local knowledge in the potential for the area.

The two residential buildings are set at the front of the property, leaving a substantial portion for garaging and driveway.

The original Italianate mansion was built in 1855 for John Guthrie, who was a sub-division magistrate and immigration agent at Geelong.

Subsequent owners included Geelong merchant George Hitchcock, of Bright and Hitchcocks, before it was home to the Presbyterian Girls College from 1919 to 1930, which went on to become Morongo at Bell Post Hill, the present site of Kardinia International College.

The post Buyers to unlock value in historic Newtown property appeared first on realestate.com.au.

Details regarding Compass‘s soon-to-be-released artificial intelligence (AI) platform were shared by CEO Robert Reffkin during a company retreat this week.

“We continue to invest over $100 million in technology every year, building more and more tools that can help you stand out and run a better business,” Reffkin told the audience. “And in this amazing era of AI, the things we are going to be able to build for all of you are going to be unlike anything our industry has ever seen.”

During his remarks, Reffkin painted a picture of what Compass agents can expect from the AI-powered platform — a toolset that aims to revolutionize the agent experience through automation, smart recommendations and real-time support, he said.

“Imagine you just finished meeting a new prospective buyer. You are in between appointments in your car and can’t wait until you are back in your office,” he said. “What about if you could just tell the Compass AI what you need it to do and it does it for you?”

AI platform release

Reffkin’s keynote speech featured a video demonstration of the platform’s capabilities. These include instantly generating client tours and managing calendars, drafting disclosures, creating comparative market analyses (CMAs) and even preparing complete marketing packages — all through voice or text commands.

“Create a tour for my buyer with every property we are going to see, let the listing agent know what time we want to come and add it all to my calendar,” Reffkin offered as an example. “Fill out all of the forms and disclosures and send it to them so it’s in their inbox.”

The platform’s promise goes further than task automation. Reffkin described a future where Compass AI proactively supports agents by identifying clients who have become active again, preparing outreach emails and surfacing opportunities based on market trends.

“Imagine waking up in the morning and having Compass AI tell you that one of your clients who you haven’t worked with in two years has started looking at listings and that it went ahead and drafted an email for you to send them,” he said.

A beta version of the new platform is slated to roll out to select agents next month, with a broader companywide release later this year.

Reffkin highlighted ongoing investments in expanding the company’s referral network, coaching services and personal branding support — all of which are designed to help agents grow their businesses.

“We are going to help you stand out, be different, be special and be the superstars that you are,” he said. “And we are going to make sure the consumer knows that the industry and this entire business is powered by you, and that every search should not begin on a portal but with an agent.”

Speaking up for agents

Reffkin reiterated the company’s commitment to advocacy on behalf of agents by pledging to push industry organizations and portals to provide better support.

“I will continue to try and rally our competitors and every firm to stand up for your rights,” he said. “I will be tireless in my push that (the National Association of Realtors) and MLSs stop taking the billions of dollars of dues and fines you pay every year and use those funds to restrict and limit you, but rather support you.

“I am going to continue to push portals to put your names back on your listings, to be partners to all of you and support you as equitable participants in this business — and not companies that use your data and listings to further their financial goals.”

Coldwell Banker Premier has expanded into Florida through a merger with Coldwell Banker Envision Real Estate, marking the firm’s first office in the state.

The company will now offer its full suite of services — including listing programs, marketing tools, and property and association management — to agents and clients.

“We have been impressed with Coldwell Banker Envision’s ability to navigate challenging markets,” said Steve DuBrueler, founder and CEO of Coldwell Banker Premier. “This strategic partnership will help us expand our services while also supporting the agents in that market.

“The New Smyrna Beach market and greater Orlando area offer a large pool of talented real estate agents to recruit, allowing us to leverage our diverse services to attract agents from all sectors of the industry.”

The merger adds New Smyrna Beach agents to a broader network of more than 350 Coldwell Banker Premier sales associates across the Mid-Atlantic region.

Leadership integration

Evania Nichols — owner of Coldwell Banker Envision — will join Coldwell Banker Premier’s leadership team. She will co-lead a new business development division with chief operating officer Stephen Meadows that’s focused on creating new opportunities for agents within the expanded organization.

“Evania Nichols has been a forward-thinking and innovative member of the Coldwell Banker Network,” DuBrueler said. “Her tenacity and ability to problem-solve and think of novel ways to generate business impressed us.

“She has built a company based on very strong values that align with Coldwell Banker Premier, and her addition, along with her agents, will vastly improve our service delivery.”

Support infrastructure

The merger opens new avenues for Coldwell Banker Premier’s existing agents through reciprocal licensing agreements in Florida — allowing them to broaden their service areas and tap into an expanded referral network.

Additionally, Success Mortgage — a partner of Coldwell Banker Premier — will also increase its presence in Florida, offering a broader portfolio of loan products.

To facilitate the transition, Coldwell Banker Premier will deploy trained staff and established systems in the Florida market. The company’s onboarding team is tasked with integrating agents and providing quick access to proprietary tools and technology.

The Florida expansion supports Coldwell Banker Premier’s long-term objectives, which include surpassing 500 agents, achieving more than $1 billion in sales volume and managing over 5,000 properties.

Prudent AI — a California-based financial technology company — has released what it calls the first upfront automated underwriting system (AUS) designed specifically for non-qualified mortgages (non-QMs).

Unlike traditional AUS tools — which assess loan eligibility later in the mortgage process — Prudent AI’s system reviews key borrower data such as income, credit and assets at the point of submission.

The tool also applies investor-specific guidelines during initial evaluations, offering lenders and brokers an earlier look at a loan’s viability.

“The future of underwriting starts upfront,” said Steve Abreu, CEO of Newfi Lending, one of Prudent AI’s early partners. “At Newfi, we believe that giving brokers clarity at the point of submission is the key to unlocking scale in Non-QM. We’re excited to partner with Prudent AI to build the tech platform that makes this future possible.”

Non-QM loans serve borrowers who do not meet traditional lending requirements, such as self-employed individuals or those with nontraditional income streams.

Lenders in this market often face added complexity and regulatory scrutiny, and Prudent AI said its system is designed to address these operational challenges.

The software introduces a dual-phase review process, aiming to match loan conditions with investor criteria before the application enters the underwriting queue. Prudent AI said the goal is to reduce the number of exceptions, streamline documentation and increase overall processing speed.

“Non-QM lenders need more than speed — they need upstream accuracy, investor alignment, and scalable operations,” said Jayendran GS, CEO of Prudent AI. “This product isn’t just faster; it’s smarter, built to handle the growing sophistication of Non-QM markets.”

Angel Oak Mortgage Solutions, a wholesale and correspondent lender focused on non-QM loans, is also adopting the system.

“Angel Oak has been committed to growing the Non-QM market since 2013, and our collaboration with Prudent AI, along with the utilization of Prudent AI Upfront AUS solution, will be instrumental in helping us continue to lead that growth,” Angel Oak President Tom Hutchens said.

According to Prudent AI, the new tool is currently in use with a limited group of wholesale and correspondent lenders. Broader availability is expected by the end of 2025.

Christina Haack has shed some light on her divorce settlement with Josh Hall, hinting she feels “screwed” over by the agreement they finally reached.

Speaking on SiriusXM’s “Jeff Lewis Live”, the reality star revealed she “signed something” to get rid of the drama with her ex for good.

“There’s like a process after the process. It was resolved in mediation after I think 12 hours.”

When Lewis asked the interior designer if she was happy with how the settlement turned out, she noted she wasn’t interested in divulging all the details.

“I heard a saying once, like, if you both think you’re screwed … I don’t know how it goes,” she said. “Look, it’s not great, but I guess it’s done.”

Co-host Shane Douglas clarified the phrase: “If both parties are equally unhappy after the negotiation, then you got what you want.”

Although the details of the settlement haven’t been revealed, Haack teased that she will stop by Lewis’ show again when they become public record.

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Last month, the embittered exes finalised their split. A rep for Haack told Us Weekly, “Christina is pleased to confirm that a settlement has been reached through mediation.

“She extends her sincere appreciation to her lawyer, Laura Wasser, and her team for their professional guidance and support throughout the process.”

The HGTV star also praised her legal team on her social media, Realtor reports.

“You are all a true class act. I loved watching you in action and how you handle everything and everyone with class and grace,” Haack said on her Instagram story.

“I appreciate you all beyond words. I have learned so much under your guidance.”

The settlement came as a shock to fans and Haack, who previously lamented the ongoing legal proceedings during an appearance on the show “Jeff Lewis Has Issues.”

“We’re not even close [to a settlement]. We’re going to be going to trial, I hear. It’s going to be fun. Can’t wait,” she said.

She claimed that Hall asked the court to force her to pay his legal fees, noting that she has not yet been “ordered” to do so but that she has been supporting him financially.

The court hasn’t “ordered me yet, but he’s been asking me [for money],” she said.

“I’ve already had to give a little something, but then he bought a Bentley.

“I gave him money to live, and he bought a Bentley, but he also doesn’t have a job, so …”

According to court documents obtained by Us Weekly, Haack asked that neither she nor Hall pay spousal support, adding that she wanted her ex to pay her lawyer fees.

On the flip side, Hall requested spousal support and asked Haack to pay his lawyer fees.

In response to Haack’s interview rant about him, Hall’s spokesperson shared a comment on his behalf, quoting a Mariah Carey song.

“It’s sad Christina must resort to low blow about her ex Josh to promote her new show,” it read in part.

“She should focus on her new boyfriend and stop talking about Josh. As the great Mariah Carey once sang, ‘Why you so obsessed with me?’ We wish Christina the best.

“Christina knows nothing about Josh’s life, and it’s sad she keeps speculation. Her accusations are baseless.”

Sharing a screenshot of the statement on her Instagram account, Haack vented her fury about the comment.

“I just threw up in my mouth. Quoting a Mariah Carey song is a new low … even for you,” she wrote.

“Trust me idgaf about Josh’s life. I do however care about his bts tactics. Narcissism at its finest,” she added.

Hall filed for divorce from Haack in July 2024 after three years of marriage.

The pair have the past few months embroiled in a bitter feud with Haack accusing her ex of trying to take her money and her property, allegations that he has vehemently denied.

The former couple have been at odds over the HGTV star’s $US4.5 million ($A6.9 million) Tennessee farmhouse since their split last year.

Back in February, Haack delisted her farmhouse again as Hall continued his legal battle to block the sale.

The real estate investor first listed the property back in October, only to take it off the market three weeks later, when it was revealed that Hall had filed a temporary emergency order to try to halt the sale of the home, which is known as Parker Branch.

Hall — who was living in the house when it was listed — claimed the property was put up for sale without his consent, despite him offering Haack a global settlement, which she turned down.

Although Haack bought the home before she and Hall were married, he claimed in legal documents that the “paydown of the mortgage during marriage” entitled him to a say in what happened to the property.

Haack split from her first husband Tarek El Moussa in 2016. They had two children over their nine-year marriage. In 2018, she married Ant Anstead with the duo welcoming son, Hudson London, in 2019.

Anstead and Haack split in 2021, with the reality TV star marrying Hall in 2022. It is understood she is now dating businessman Christopher Larocca.

Parts of this story first appeared in Realtor and was republished with permission.

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