The Blog

Excessive Advertising Costs are a Trap!  Don’t find yourself with a regrettable experience. Real Estate Agents have two primary roles when employed by a home seller: Find interested buyers.    Different agents use different strategies to achieve this objective and focus on a combination of newspaper ads, underquoting, internet ads, just listed cards, signboards, databases, […]

WHAT IS AN LVR?     HOW DOES IT AFFECT YOUR INTEREST RATE? When searching for home loans online, you may come across different terminologies related to interest rates.   The most common terms are interest rate and comparison rate percentages.   The interest rate excludes fees and charges, while the comparison rate includes the interest rate and […]

Here’s a handy list of ways to reduce excess moisture and humidity within your home. GENERAL • Open your curtains and blinds during the day to let the sun into your home • Ventilate your rooms by opening windows and doors. This will keep your windows and walls dry. Consider using extractor fans and heating […]

One campaign – Two deadlines – Selling before Auction During the recent real estate boom, there were unprecedented number of properties “Sold Prior to Auction”. Some reports suggested nearly 50% of all auction campaigns were concluded/sold before the scheduled public auction date. The most common reason a pre-auction bid is accepted is because the agent […]

10 THINGS TENANTS WANT IN A PROPERTY Do you ever ask yourself, “What do tenants want”?   It is obvious at the moment that it is PROPERTIES and AFFORDABLE PROPERTIES!    Such a lack of affordable housing has for some time been a reality, the recent floods  without a doubt changed the reality for so many […]

You viewed the property, you purchased & contracts have exchanged.   You’re excited to soon have a place to call your own…..but one aspect not to be taken lightly is attending a pre-settlement inspection. Buying a new home is one of the most significant decisions you will ever make which is why it is so important […]

“So, what do you think this place is likely to fetch?”   It’s the question every agent expects to answer when pitching for a new listing.     HOW the agents answer this question should be more important than what they answer. When interviewing agents, many people unintentionally favour the agent that quotes the highest price.    […]

A common mistake is Taking Advice from Unqualified People. People often take advice from relatives or friends, and however well meaning, that advice might just leave them short of the best advice for them at particular time. You wouldn’t take important medical advice from someone who watches medical programs, or once had what seems to […]

Although you may not be in the market to sell right now, it pays to educate yourself early on how to obtain the best price and the best time to sell. 1. Its time for a change Change generates mixed feelings, excited or unsure of future.    Think about what may be your change: Lifestyle change […]

Should you buy emotionally or objectively?     Whilst we want to make the very best decision, logically and practically for the property which will be the very best fit for our family, there’s no doubt our emotion plays a huge part in our decision, most particularly when looking for a HOME.     Emotion can get […]

Whether you are building your property investment portfolio, buying a holiday house or supporting a family member, there is always a lot to consider before you take that next step. Cashflow Property tends to be a long-term investment, so do your sums to make sure you can afford the ongoing repayments on two mortgages. Think […]

You may have noticed the growing number of  websites and home-valuing apps that  have popped up in recent times offering free valuations.          Typically, there are two types of valuations offered online: the automatic algorithm or the referral to a real estate agent (some offer both), and it’s very easy to be fooled by the result. All […]

Accept the market was overpriced – the market is not falling from fundamental value, it is falling TO fundamental value.  When you accept the market was overvalued, the slowing becomes less painful and the next decision becomes easier to make.    Waiting for prices to return to fresh highs means you won’t be selling in 2019. Accept […]

If you are like most people who may be thinking of selling or buying, you’re probably wondering – what’s the right move to make in the current market?  Should you sell?  Should you buy? or should you wait? The news as we know rarely delivers anything good and the negative portrayal of the property market, […]

Some Real Estate advertising is an example of dishonesty in the real estate industry with home sellers duped into spending thousands of dollars of unnecessary real estate advertising through a system known as vendor paid advertising(VPA). Real Estate Advertising went through a revolutionary change in mid 1980s when VPA was introduced, and allowed agents to transfer most of […]

Written  by  Peter O’Malley,  Author of Inside Real Estate Property  prices  across  many  parts  of  Australia  are  falling,  of  that  there  is  now  little  doubt. The  prevailing  sentiment  would  have  you  believe  that  falling  prices  are  terrible  for  all concerned.  Admittedly,  the  net  result  of  those  trading  in  a  falling  property  market  is probably  to  the  downside. Make  […]

4 out of 5 are Underinsured.  An alarming 80 per cent of property owners are underinsured- according to data from the Insurance Council of Australia. While some may underinsure their property on purpose, believing that an event may never happen to save on costs; there are many home owners and investors that are unaware that […]

Public Auction is the most deceptive method used to sell property in Australia.  Home sellers tempted to go to Public Auction their homes should remember four words: AUCTIONS GET LOWER PRICES! Why? For the Agent, public auctions are all about gaining advertising revenue and personal profile.    The “sale” is more important that the “price”.      We […]

If you are like most sellers, the thought of selling your property can be daunting. When it comes to getting the highest price for your property, these are the two things that, more than any others, will optimise your chances of success. But before we get into those areas, do you mind if I ask […]

As the cooler weather sets in, many people considering going to the market will be faced with a decision – sell in winter or wait until spring.     Aside from the practical considerations such as work commitments, school terms and actually being ready to go on market, the impact of the season on a campaign success […]