Update on IAVI

It's slightly shocking that the IAVI is taking so much credit for the recent reform of stamp duty. They issued a press release on the 20th of December, as follows:

"IAVI Delivers on Stamp Duty Reform 20-Dec-2007

It admittedly took a long time, and a change of tack, but the long standing pressure by the IAVI to have some equity brought into our national stamp duty regime eventually bore fruit in the December budget."

We're aware of the size and scope of their recent lobbying campaign but the tone is surely far too self-congratulatory for something as complex as budget decisions: so many influencing factors, so much lobbying by so many organisations, so much time spent dwelling on what should be done.

The next step for the IAVI, apparently, is a major campaign aimed at the public that will promote the differences between IAVI and non-IAVI auctioneers, or as they put it, 'truly qualified professionals' and 'fly-by-nights'. So we might expect them some day to be taking single-handed credit for reforming the estate agency business!

The Institute's winter 2007 magazine is also out and features articles on:

Ski Resorts
Budget 2008 - Property Related Aspects
Sir Gerry Robinson's Speech - Presidents's Lunch
Dublin Airport - A New Era
Review of the Fine Art Market in Ireland in 2007
Wexford Agricultural Land Prices 1920 to 2000
The Impact of Archaeology on Construction Projects
Student Focus
Legal Updates
European Real Estate Challenge
SIMA O8