Viewing by month: October 2010
How to sell your home quickly
When it comes to selling your home, ideally you’d like to have as much time to prepare as possible, allowing you to fix everything that needs fixing, clean everything that needs cleaning and perform all of the activities necessary to present a pristine property. Unfortunately situations can arise where people need to sell their properties quickly and the luxury of having time to ensure a property is perfect to sell isn’t always possible. You may have just purchased a property and...Read complete post
Tips for First-Home Buyers
So you have decided to take the plunge and purchase your first property – congratulations! In my view, owning your own home is one of the most significant and satisfying purchases you will ever make. Although the initial outlay may seem like a lot, by paying off a mortgage each month you are actually building equity and essentially setting yourself up for the rest of your life. The first step to buying your first property is to save the money for a deposit. Depending on your...Read complete post
The value of buying off the plan and points to consider when doing so
There seem to be two schools of thought when it comes to buying a brand new house or apartment ‘off the plan’ (i.e. before construction on the property has even started). Some people love the idea that they are the first person to live in the home and relish the fact that everything is new. Others would prefer to give a building a few years to age, to see how it stands the test of time. An article in the Sydney Morning Herald entitled ‘How to buy new’ caught my attention the...Read complete post
Security when 'Home Swapping'
I’ve been hearing increasing stories of people I know going on holidays through a home exchange program – that is, as opposed to staying in a hotel or serviced apartment, you stay in somebody else’s home, and they stay in yours. I think the concept is a great idea, allowing you to stay in beautiful accommodation both around Australia and overseas for a fraction of what you would pay for a hotel. It is crucial however that proper precautions are taken to protect both your own...Read complete post
Protecting your home when going on holiday
With the weather getting warmer as we approach summer, I am surrounded in the CENTURY 21 office with talk of holidays. I must admit, I too am getting excited at the prospect of enjoying Sydney’s outdoors over summer with some time away from my desk. Whatever you have planned, whether it be an extended overseas holiday or simply a few long weekends away, it is important to make a few easy preparations to your home to ensure that you return to find it in the same state in which you...Read complete post
Is Australia facing a Housing Bubble?
The subject of a ‘housing bubble’ seems to be a media favourite at the moment, with consistent coverage ever since US property investor Jeremy Grantham said in June that it was only a matter of time before the Australian residential property market crashed. I can understand that for those Australians who own property and/or are considering making a property purchase, such speculation may be quite worrying. My colleagues and I at CENTURY 21 have consistently refuted the...Read complete post
How to ensure your home sells at auction
While many people choose to sell their homes at auction as opposed to private sale, the fact that auction clearance rates rarely reach one hundred per cent for any given period indicates that not all auctions end with a sale. Auctions can be a very successful way to achieve an excellent price for your property. With all the people who have shown an interest in purchasing together in one environment, along with psychology and egos, very quickly the amounts being bid can shoot...Read complete post
Investment property opportunities - student housing
I’ve noticed through my time in the real estate industry that people have varying ideas about what makes a good investment property. Some people like to buy in locations that seem to experience perpetual summers and are rented out as holiday accommodation all year round, while others like to purchase in up-and-coming trendy suburbs, so...Read complete post