Market Update
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What does the Budget mean for you?
Thursday, 16 May 2013
Budget, the talk of the town - on 14th May 2013 the Federal Government handed down one of the most keenly anticipated budgets for years.In the lead-up to the 2013/14 Federal Budget was all about surpluses and schools, deficits and disability care.Some of the numbers are eye-catching. With $14.3 billion… -
Hows the Market?
Thursday, 18 April 2013
The tail end of 2012 and the first quarter of 2013 have displayed some positive and encouraging indicators. There is a clear return of optimism within the residential property market.We have seen an increase in activity on websites, more buyers at our open homes, multiple offers and more bidder registrations… -
5 Tips to Add Value to Your Home Through Landscaping
Thursday, 04 April 2013
As an Estate Agent, I’m often asked how to add value to a property and improve the saleability of the home. One of the best ways is to look at the landscaping as this is the first impression the Buyer will get of your home. Here are a few landscape… -
World’s Greatest Shave
Thursday, 14 March 2013
This Saturday at Superior Fruit and Three Girls Skipping GracevilleMeet Ella McKenzie, she is the 12 year old daughter of one of our clients and she's shaving her hair off as part of the World’s Greatest Shave.Ella’s hair comes off at 10am on Saturday 16th March and we want to… -
4 Reasons Why It’s Harder to Sell a Bare House.
Thursday, 07 March 2013
If you’re hoping to sell your home quickly and for as much money as possible, try to avoid bare rooms in your house.We have just sold a home in Chelmer that was completely empty. Although we have always promoted the benefit of furnishing a home, we respect that sometimes this… -
Tips for buying your first home in Queensland
Thursday, 07 February 2013
So you’ve decided to buy your first home, congratulations, that’s awesome. The idea of this blog is to give you a few tips to help you through the process and save you time and money.If this is your first home, chances are that you may be a little overwhelmed by… -
Tips for selling in 2013
Thursday, 24 January 2013
Presentation is such an important element to get right if you are going to sell your home. It could mean the difference between achieving a premium price, an OK price or selling yourself short.In this week’s blog, I’ve given you a few things to consider if you are looking to… -
What will 2013 bring for our property market
Thursday, 17 January 2013
Welcome to my first blog of 2013. I hope that you were able to enjoy some R&R over the holiday season, you’ve managed to re-charge the batteries and that 2013 has started off really well for you.In this blog, I'm going to have a look into my crystal ball and… -
Security checklist for Christmas
Tuesday, 11 December 2012
Christmas seems to be the perfect opportunity for those not so nice members of the community to turn your festive holiday into a complete nightmare.If you are going away over the Christmas break, here are some tips to ensure your house is safe and remains in the same condition it… -
The Pros and Cons of Putting your Home on the Market before Christmas
Thursday, 15 November 2012
Recently we have been invited into a number of homes where the owner is considering selling. Of course the big question at the moment is “do we do it now or do we wait until after Christmas?”These meetings generally turn into a big ‘brain storming’ session with the owners on… -
Buyers could miss out if their price expectations stay too low
Thursday, 08 November 2012
Earlier today I read a great article by Mark Armstrong about the state of the local market place.He talked about the property bubble debate and put a lot of that into perspective. He then went to give examples of a moving market, again, very relevant given the market conditions we… -
The Moving House Checklist
Thursday, 01 November 2012
So as a real estate agent, you’d think I may know a thing or two about real estate and you’d be right. Here’s the thing, when your job is dealing with people that are moving (either into their new home, or out of their old one) you pick up a… -
Hows the Market?
Thursday, 18 October 2012
The most common question we get asked is “how is the market?” and recent reports in the newspapers have been talking the market up. Some even going as far as mentioning the next boom in on the horizon.This concerns me a little as market conditions are far from what we… -
Why Spend Money on Marketing Your Home?
Thursday, 11 October 2012
This week I wanted to share an article from Michael Matusik. Michael is a respected property analyst and he recently wrote this article on spending money marketing your home. I personally believe that the more people that know your home is for sale, the more people you will get through the… -
Ways to Sell a Home that’s been on the Market for a While
Thursday, 27 September 2012
We often get invited into homes that have been on the market for a while with a different agent. The Seller is lost and doesn’t understand why their home hasn’t sold. So in light of this, I’ve put together a list of a few things to think about if your… -
Reverse Auction and Sales Gimmicks
Thursday, 20 September 2012
Here's something truly unique. Last month, a historical Burrawang Cafe and residence in Burrawang, NSW was put to auction. What was interesting and unusual about this auction was it was Australia’s first ‘reverse auction’. Bidding started at "fair market value" and went down till someone made a bid. The first… -
Letting go - how to emotionally detach before you sell
Thursday, 13 September 2012
Imogen Brown from Home Staging Brisbane recently wrote this blog and it is very relevant with a lot of the Sellers I meet. I hope you enjoy Imogens blog as much as I did."How you live in your home and how you prepare your house to sell are two different… -
Stable Interest Rates Equal Buyer Confidence
Wednesday, 05 September 2012
We have welcomed the RBA’s announcement on Tuesday to hold interest rates steady, as traditionally a stable interest rate environment gives buyers more confidence. It is well known that a steady interest rate environment is essential for the ongoing health of the economy and with house prices generally flat across… -
Selling in Spring
Thursday, 23 August 2012
With temperatures consistently sitting above the 20 degree mark, some would argue that spring has sprung early this year. Gone are the cold winter days and now we welcome the warm spring weather with open arms. Traditionally spring brings a fresh influx of Buyers and Sellers to the market.So what… -
5 Simple tips to Maximise Your Rental Returns
Thursday, 16 August 2012
I’ve found that savvy investors are always on the lookout for ways to maximize returns from their rental properties. In the current rental climate where vacancies are limited, particularly in our region, it may appear easy for landlords to sit back and watch the rent roll in. But what if… -
We've just sold Chelmer’s 4th, non riverfront, flood affected home for over $1,000,000
Thursday, 09 August 2012
Great news! On Sunday we sold (under the hammer, at auction) Chelmer’s 4th, non riverfront, flood affected home for over $1,000,000. Peter and I are proud that we have sold all 4 of these homes.Since the Brisbane floods in January 2011, there have been 66 flood affected homes sold in… -
3 Property Sins that will Stop Your Home from Selling
Thursday, 02 August 2012
Here are 3 sins of home sales that can negatively impact your sale and the size of the cheque you end up receiving at settlement.Selling your home can be a demanding process, and too often sellers focus on the wrong things when getting ready to sell. I recommend a broad-based… -
Seven Step Plan for Renovation
Thursday, 12 July 2012
After last weeks blog on The Block I have had a number of questions about renovation and how to renovate for maximum benefit when getting ready to sell. Here’s what I consider important.The secret to renovating for profit is in selecting the right property, conducting thorough research and having a… -
Channel 9's, The Block, 2012
Thursday, 05 July 2012
Although some may say The Block is about as relevant to the Australian property market as Justin Beiber is to quality music, let’s have a look at the results of the 2012 season. Private Treaty v AuctionFirstly, I would like to start with the idea of private treaty sales v… -
How about this weather
Thursday, 28 June 2012
Have you ever planned a BBQ or big event for the weekend only to have it ruined by the weather? When it comes to Real Estate and Open homes, bad weather can sometimes be a blessing in disguise.Open homes tend to have a mixture of people. You of course get… -
Has the market has turned - by Michael Matusik
Thursday, 14 June 2012
This week I wanted to share an article from Michael Matusik. It’s a great article and we are seeing evidence of everything that he has discussed in our market place. Recently we have sold three properties before they officially came on the market. I also agree with his comment on… -
How to make your agent’s job as hard as possible
Thursday, 07 June 2012
WARNING, this blog is a little confronting however is meant in good humour. Only read on if you’re in a good mood and want a little bit of a laugh.Are you thinking about selling your home and want to really make your agent work for their commission cheque? Do you… -
What is Presentation and why is it so Important
Thursday, 31 May 2012
You often hear Real Estate Agents talk about the presentation of the property and how important it is. In this blog we are really going to drill down on presentation and discuss what’s involved. Unfortunately, there’s a lot more to it than just making the bed prior to an inspection.Presentation… -
Tips for Selling your Tenanted Investment Property
Thursday, 24 May 2012
Selling your investment property while tenants are still there can be a little tricky. The process is different to selling a home that you are living in and it does require some tact.If not done correctly, you can run into some complications, for example the tenant could become uncooperative, which… -
4 Insider Tips to Selling Your Home for More
Wednesday, 16 May 2012
The market is heating up. No, really, you did read that correctly. Our office is seeing a much higher percentage of homes selling faster than what we have seen in recent times. Don't take my word for it, have a chat to agents from different franchise groups or auctioneers from… -
Why use a Pro
Thursday, 10 May 2012
Why use a Pro - professional photographer that is. We’ve all heard the old adage “first impressions last”, this is particularly true when it comes to presenting your home and getting it ready to sell. Presentation is super important, but presentation covers more than just making your bed and… -
Getting the Price Right
Wednesday, 02 May 2012
If you are getting ready to sell your home, the best piece of advice I can give is get the price right.Your home will get the most attention from buyers when it is a “new” listing. If priced correctly, buyers looking for a home like yours will show interest. If… -
16 Questions to Ask When Hiring a Real Estate Agent
Thursday, 26 April 2012
It’s a bit rich when a real estate agent gives you advice on how to choose a real estate agent. What I really want to say is - Ask one question: “Is your name either Brad Robson or Peter May?” If the answer is “yes”, hire them. However, I… -
Is your first offer always the best?
Wednesday, 18 April 2012
No, of course not, however here is the reason why most of the time it is.One thing that we hear a lot when we receive an offer very early on in the selling process is “It’s just early days, we’ll wait for some other offers”.It may be early days for… -
Reasons to get a B&P Done First
Tuesday, 10 April 2012
The inspiration for this blog came from a conversation I was having with one of my workmates last week. He had just had a sale fall over at the last minute due to an issue with the Building and Pest inspection (B&P). No one was expecting the problem so it… -
6 reasons why you would use a Finance Broker
Wednesday, 04 April 2012
Recently I passed on the details of a finance broker to a potential buyer. They said to me how they didn’t need it as they were going through their bank and they didn’t want to spend money on getting a broker. That got me thinking, if one person has… -
2012 Land Valuations
Thursday, 29 March 2012
On the 28 March 2012, the Valuer-General released the 2012 statutory land valuations in all 58 rateable local governments in Queensland. These valuations reflect the overall change in value since the last annual valuation undertaken in 2011 and take effect on 30 June 2012. They will be used for local… Tags: real estate Valuations -
Are Buyers overlooking your home? This could be why
Thursday, 15 March 2012
In this market there are a few things that must be done right to get the best possible price for your home. In marketing we call them the “4 P’s” – presentation, promotion, placement and price.In this blog, I want to discuss the last ‘P’ and that is price. This… -
A Simple Inspiration
Thursday, 08 March 2012
Every week I write a real estate blog (click HERE to read previous blogs), however this week I wanted to share something completely non real estate related. I read it while doing some research on Auction statistics. One of Australias leading Auctioneers, Tom Panos had this up on his… Tags: positive quote -
10 Principles of Staging Your Home to Sell
Wednesday, 29 February 2012
We are lucky enough to work with Imogen Brown from Home Staging Brisbane and she has taken the time to write this brilliant piece of advice for anyone getting ready to sell their family home. 1. Emotionally Disconnect:Until you disconnect from your house you will find all the principles below… -
When Selling, be Repaired
Thursday, 23 February 2012
Before we get into this week’s blog, I would like to thank Imogen Brown from Home Staging Brisbane who helped me to put this together. Home staging is becoming increasingly popular when getting your home ready to sell and Imogen is excellent at what she does. Now let’s get… -
Tips for buying at Auction
Thursday, 16 February 2012
As an estate agent that runs a lot of auctions, I often get asked by buyers "what do I need to do to get ready for it?" The aim of this blog is to help buyers with the auction process and to give you some tips on bidding at auction.I… -
Brisbane, The River City
Tuesday, 07 February 2012
With the launch of 37 Morley St this week, I wanted to look into some sales data on riverfront homes since the flood of 2011. The data has come out surprisingly favourable. Brisbane has long been known as ‘the river city’ so after January 2011, as estate agents, we all… -
2012 is set to be a good year
Monday, 30 January 2012
We are a month into 2012 so let’s look at the year ahead for the residential property market. However before we get started, here is a funny quote I read today - “An economist is an expert who will know tomorrow why the things he predicted yesterday didn't happen today.”… -
A step by step guide to maximising the sale price of your home
Friday, 27 January 2012
We have all heard the stories, you may have even been one of the lucky ones yourself. You know the stories where the house was on the market for 2 days and sold for record money without any preparation. Yes, as with anything, there is going to be the ‘one… -
10 property lessons we've learnt in 2011
Friday, 13 January 2012
What did we learn about property last year? Here is a list of points that have been made by various experts across the country and compiled by Shane McNally from the Australian Property Investor. LESSON 1: Don’t panicRP Data national research director Tim Lawless says the past 12 months have demanded… -
100% Clearance Rate
Sunday, 18 December 2011
What a way to end the year! On Saturday, we had 5 auctions booked, 2 of them we sold prior to this weekend and the other 3, we sold under the hammer. Saturdays 3 auctions ranged from a modest home at 15 Barnes Ct, Mt Crosby, to a home that… -
Tips for a secure home over the holiday season
Tuesday, 13 December 2011
Christmas seems to be the perfect opportunity for those not so nice members of the community to turn your festive holiday into a complete nightmare. If you are going away over the Christmas break, here are some tips to ensure your house is safe and remains in the same… -
New REIQ, Queensland Law Contract Society Contract
Wednesday, 07 December 2011
We have just had the new, 9th edition, REIQ and Queensland Law Society contract released. This is the one that you use when purchasing or selling residential houses or land. Most of the changes are simply minor changes to wording and definitions, nothing to scary. That said, there is one… -
Market Update - Summer Lovin'
Thursday, 01 December 2011
The date December 1st holds a bit of significance for multiple reasons, not only will we see the end of the Sam Prosser’s moustache, but it’s also the first day of Summer. With the temperature rising in the weather, we have seen a direct correlation with a rise in the… -
Marketing Update - Heating Up To Summer
Wednesday, 23 November 2011
With summer just around the corner, we’ve noticed a substantial amount of growth in numbers of enquiries and inspections at open homes resulting in an increase in sales. With the recent interest rate cut by the Reserve Bank, demand for mortgages has risen by 2.2% through September, backing up what… -
Market Update - Successful Auction
Wednesday, 23 November 2011
Last Sunday the 13th of November at 2:00pm Nicola Alison took 45 Steptoe Street Chapel Hill to auction and sold the property under the hammer for the reserve price. During the four week advertising campaign her efforts attracted 51 inspections at the property and three offers prior to auction day.…
