Monthly Archives: August 2011

Hello from all of us at Professionals Armidale.

What a great week last week was. I was proud to organise a charity lunch in Tamworth for Angel Flight and also hold our REINSW novice auctioneers competition. The day was a huge success and I wish to thank the following people and organisations for helping get this all together:

Tim Richards from Ray White Armidale, Gavin Knee from Bourke & Smyth Real Estate in Tamworth, Peter Georkas from Hutchinson & Harlow, Janet and Rory Cooke from R&W Armidale, the team from Professionals Guyra and Tamworth, not to mention our corporate partners such as The Armidale Express and Community Mutual who donated great funds to the charity as well.

A big thankyou also needs to go to Darryl “Big Marn” Brohman and Steve “Blocker” Roach who told me they had a great time at the luncheon and wish to continue to help us long term in raising money for such a great charity!!

The winner of the competition was Anne Star from Professionals Guyra and she will represent the New England Division in the state final later in the year! I urge anyone thinking of doing anything Real Estate to get behind the people and the companies that support the local communities through events such as these.

Thinking Real Estate??

Think Professionals!!

Selling a home involves everyone in the family working together to make the sale as smooth as possible. For those who have children though, getting a house ready for sale can be a little bit of extra work.

I often find it is helpful to make the kids aware of any plans to sell as soon as possible, so as they don’t overhear anyone talking about it later on. Make the idea of moving a positive experience and get them to help when it comes to presenting the home at inspections.

If your child has a lot of toys and items lying around, or maybe there is stuff you want to throw away, go through all of their items with them first. In general it’s probably a good idea to pack away really messy items like play-doh or paints, as these can be hard to pack up quickly if you’re in a hurry for an inspection. You might also want to create incentives to help them keep their rooms clean, such as some extra pocket money or maybe a trip to the movies.

It is also helpful when selling a home with children to have an understanding real estate agent. You might require a bit more notice if you have kids so you can get the home tidy, or explain that you’re about to have visitors over. Some people may also prefer that inspections don’t interfere with their kids daily routines.

When it comes time for packing up, one vendor suggested putting a couple of toys in each box. That way when you’re unpacking, your kids will get excited from each box and will be more willing to co-operate and help out.

Overall selling and presenting a home when you have children doesn’t need to be a nightmare. Make the idea of moving a positive and fun experience for the kids and your home’s sale is sure to be easier for everyone.

The kitchen is possibly the most important room in the house, so deciding on styles, layouts and materials can be very confronting.

Today I want to talk about the materials you can use for your bench tops. Granite, stone, marble, laminate, timber and stainless steel are just some of the most popular materials that people choose for their kitchens. Despite all of the options available though, laminate would have to be the most popular material used in Australia’s kitchens. .

Why do so many people choose laminate bench tops in their homes?

Laminate has a lot of appeal because it’s cheap and versatile. Laminate can be made to suit any home décor and the options are almost limitless when it comes to choosing colour, patterns and designs. You can even choose laminates that imitate more expensive materials such as timber, stone or stainless steel.

Another benefit of laminate is that it is a non-porous material, which means that it is ideal for food preparation as bacteria doesn’t get trapped in the surface. Laminate is also easy to maintain and it doesn’t stain easily.

Of course laminate isn’t perfect and it does have its cons (you can’t place hot pots directly on it), but considering it is the cheapest kitchen bench top material and it is easy to install, it is a very popular choice for most kitchens.

Stone, granite and other kitchen finishes often look great as well, but with cost being a big factor for a lot of families, it’s not hard to see why laminate has become a very popular choice in the kitchen.

At this year’s Country and Regional Living Expo it seemed that more people than ever before were voicing their opinions on how much they wanted to make the move from the city to the country.

As can be seen in a recent article in the Armidale Express, a lot of Sydneysiders are questioning their city lifestyle and wondering whether or not they would have a better quality of life in regional areas like Armidale.

There’s no question that it’s great to live in Armidale! Housing is more affordable than Sydney, people seem friendlier and there is just an all round sense of community that is harder to find in urban areas.

Living in a regional centre like Armidale doesn’t mean giving up amenities like some people imagine either. We have everything you need here, along with a strong job market and we are even one of the first regions in the country to have access to the National Broadband Network.

I may be bias, but I certainly think that Armidale is a great place to live and it looks like more and more people are starting to think the same.

Have you made the move from the city to Armidale? Why did you choose to move here?

Hello from all of us at Professionals Armidale!

When presenting your property for sale, presentation is crucial… you can’t make a first impression twice! What does this mean? It means simply presenting your property in the best possible light.

This can be done with a few minor changes, like “de-cluttering” your home and moving things, maybe into a storage shed, so your home has plenty of space. The biggest rooms look small if there is too much in them, so remember less is more.

Other things you can do are getting the windows cleaned and making sure your yard is presented well at all times, as many potential buyers will make a decision based on simply driving by.

When you sell a car you make sure it is clean, serviced and detailed and the same must happen for your home. All agents can advise you of their thoughts on how the property presents, and as not all homes are the same, an individual approach is crucial.

So please ask your agent if there is anything you can do to improve the property’s presentation. These improvements do not need to be expensive. The simplest things make the biggest difference in my experience, and remember it is not forever it is simply to assist in the sale of your biggest asset and that assistance can translate into thousands of $$$$.

If someone came up to you and said “I will give you $10,000.00 to detail your home” would you do it? I think you would.

Thinking Real Estate? Think Professionals!

Our power bills seem to be getting higher and higher and if the carbon tax is introduced next year, electricity prices are likely to rise even further.

But part of the reason our electricity bills are going up, isn’t just because of the electricity companies raising prices, it is probably also due to the fact that most people are using more appliances in their homes than they ever have before.

No matter what is causing electricity prices to go up though, we can try and keep our prices down by being a little more vigilant in our homes.

Take advantage of off-peak times – You can save money on your electricity by taking advantage of your energy company’s off-peak periods. During these times you will be charged at a lower rate, so it’s a good time to charge appliances or turn pool cleaners on etc.

Don’t be on stand-by – Your appliances could be using a lot of extra power even though you might think you’ve turned them off. Try and make a habit of turning things off at the wall, because leaving televisions, computers and other appliances on stand-by mode all day could be chewing g up a lot of extra power.

Think about your heating and cooling – Heating and cooling probably accounts for the biggest proportion of most household’s energy costs. So ask yourself how you can keep these costs down – would insulation, better windows or efficient appliances help keep your home at the right temperature for a fraction of the cost?

Think before you buy – Energy efficient products generally cost more to buy, but how much could they end up saving you in the long run? Do your research before you buy new products and try to choose ones that won’t be costly to run.

Being vigilant and trying to save energy wherever you can, can definitely help you cut back on your energy use and keep your energy costs down too.

Hello from everyone at Professionals Armidale.

With spring only around the corner, many people will be entering the real estate market soon – especially those thinking of selling. Spring is known as the peek selling time around the country and this spring will be no different.

If you are thinking of selling please ensure you make contact with your solicitor or conveyancor to get the paperwork ready, as you must have a “contract of the sale of land” before your property can be legally marketed by your agent. This process can take some weeks especially during spring so it is better to be prepared early.

The last week has certainly seen some doom and gloom regarding the economy however one constant message that did come through from all of this is that property is a “solid safe investment” in many cases. I truly believe many smart investors will be looking at the real estate market after seeing too many volatile years in the share market. With population on the increase in Australia, housing still behind demand and rents increasing; buying an investment with a solid reliable return makes a lot of sense. Armidale will benefit as always from this investor activity, the vacancy rate has always been low and rents have seen good increases.

Until next week …

Thinking Real Estate? Think Professionals!

Moving is a stressful time for many, so for all of those who are about to pack up all of their belongings to move somewhere new, I have some tips to help make your moving experience a lot easier.

Organisation – The key to stress –free moving often lies in good organisation. Start packing and sorting through things early so that you don’t get caught out at the last minute. It’s also a good idea to start making a list of all of the things that need doing before you move, so that nothing gets missed.

Removalists – Most people use removalists because it makes the move quicker and easier, especially if you don’t have the muscle power to move all of your belongings on your own. Good removalists can be hard to find though, so ask for recommendations from friends. On moving day don’t forget to be nice to your removalists and offer them drinks. If you’re kind to them they’re much likelier to be speedier and gentler with your belongings.

Utilities – If you want electricity, gas or internet connected at your house before you move in there, then you need to remember to arrange it beforehand. It usually only takes a few days notice for most connections, but in case of any issues that might cause delays, it’s a good idea to arrange your utilities a few weeks before your move.

Mail – It’s important to make businesses and associates aware of your change of address as soon as you remember. Keep track of the mail you receive in the weeks leading up to your move, as a reminder of the people and places that you need to tell of your new address. Chances are you will forget to tell someone of your new address though, so it’s a good idea to head to Australia Post and have your mail redirected for 3-6 months, so that none of your mail goes to the wrong address.

There are stressful aspects of moving but it can also be a very positive time too. Use your move as a chance to start afresh! If you were using a utility provider at your previous address that you weren’t happy with then use this opportunity to find a new and better deal. If you had a lot of clutter at your old address, use this as a chance to clean out!

Do you have any great moving tips? If so, share them with us.

Six thousand homes in Armidale are already connected to the National Broadband Network (NBN) network, but more homes are set to be connected over the coming months.

But are people in Armidale actually interested in using the NBN?

Apparently there are less than 50 customers using the NBN at this stage even, despite the thousands that have the service available to them.

So why aren’t Armidale households taking up the NBN? When the NBN was released in Armidale it was offered as a trial service, so not everyone in the community necessarily had the opportunity to connect to the NBN unless they chose to take part in the trial. So it’s possible that many households in Armidale simply couldn’t get connected to the NBN or they weren’t sure whether or not they could.

Perhaps it is just a matter of time until more people start taking advantage of the NBN network, but if you live in Armidale I’d love to know whether you have an NBN connection at your home. If you don’t have an NBN connection at your home, do you want one?

I have heard of houses in Armidale being described as part of the knock down rebuild market, because of the huge potential in value adding for some properties in the area. But which is better to do, knock a house down and start again or simply renovate the house you already have?

Well I guess the answer will depend primarily on the current condition of your home and what type of improvements you want to make. If it’s just simple things like replacing a kitchen or a bathroom then a renovation might be the best bet. On the other hand if you’re changing structures or replacing just about everything then maybe it will be easier to rebuild.

Sometimes with older houses, renovating can be more pain then its worth, and there is nothing like wiping the slate clean and starting over again. Also to consider when you are doing a renovation to an entire house is that there is often more work involved for the builders, which means that it could cost more too.

Of course when you knock down and rebuild there can be some drawbacks. Firstly you’ll have no where to live in the mean time, and you’ll also need to make sure that your new home meets all applicable council regulations.

Whether you renovate or rebuild though, there is always the risk of overcapitalising. It is better to have the worst house on the best street, than the best house on the worst street, so talk to your real estate agent about the best investments to make in your property.

If you would like any personalised advice about renovating or rebuilding your home then please leave a comment.

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