Viewing by month: April 2012
Maintain a garden even if you’re living in an apartment
When comparing the pros and cons of apartment living, a drawback that usually tends to arise is that apartments generally don’t allow for occupants to have a garden. While many won’t see this as an issue at all, others might be making the transition from a property with an outside area and could mourn the loss of their gardening time. Living in an apartment, however, doesn’t have to mean the end of outside space or your gardening hobby. There are a variety of housing features...Read complete post
Fire safety at home a must this winter
Fires that occur in the home can be truly tragic events. In many cases much of the heartbreak lies in the fact that the episode potentially could have been avoided altogether. As the weather gets colder and the risk of household fires escalates, I encourage all home owners and tenants to be aware of the dangers of fires in the home and to take preventative steps to protect family members, property and possessions. Charles Tarbey, Chairman and Owner of CENTURY 21 Australia,...Read complete post
First quarter of the year sees home values stabilise
The recent release of the RP Data-Rismark Hedonic Daily Home Value Index results for March showed that national home values rose 0.2 per cent in March 2012 – a potential sign that the Australian housing market is stabilising. The market has remained unchanged for the quarter ending 31 March 2012; this flat result is the strongest result since March 2011 when values increased by 0.7 per cent. According to the managing director of Rismark International, Ben Skilbeck: “While...Read complete post
A finance health check could save you thousands
The home loans market is a competitive one, with a plethora of lenders offering various incentives and low rates to encourage you to borrow from them to purchase a new home or investment property. And while property purchasers will likely dedicate a good deal of energy to ensure they have secured the best mortgage, it can then be easy to put a home loan to one side once finalised, without checking regularly to see if there are improved, more cost effective options available. ...Read complete post
Rate hold accompanies stabilising housing market
At its April meeting held last week the Reserve Bank of Australia elected to keep the official cash rate on hold at 4.25 per cent for the third consecutive month. From our perspective at CENTURY 21 Australia, this move will help to create ongoing stability for those Australians considering the purchase of a property. According to CENTURY 21 Chairman and Owner, Charles Tarbey: “This move suggests that the Reserve Bank of Australia is...Read complete post
Get to know your new neighbourhood before buying
There are several features about an individual property that can influence your decision to purchase it. It is for this reason that many prospective buyers will visit numerous properties, and then a property of interest on a few different occasions, before finalising their purchase decision. And while the attributes of a home are very important, so too is the area in which it is situated. After all, they don’t say ‘location, location, location,’ for nothing. The area...Read complete post