Have Fun With A Splash!!

The time is upon us when it is considered normal to get up on your holidays and roll straight out of bed and into the pool, please remember that some of us cant swim and the need for secure pool fences is a must during summer. Make an extra effort to make sure kids are not left alone in the pool and that there are the proper signs in the pool area with emergency CPR information.

Happy Birthday Elene!!

We would like to wish Elene Shorter, one of our wonderful property managers, a very Happy Birthday!!!

Watch Every Drop!!

As we all know we are having very dry conditions this Christmas with “the chance” of rain.. Remember that before you light up your open fire that you check with the local SES or fire station to see what the fire conditions are like. Also please remember that you are allowed to water your lawn or wash your car but only between the hours of 4pm and 10am. If you are unsure about this or you have any questions please contact the Logan City Council.

New Slogan!!

This summer is it cool to slip, slop, slap and WRAP!!! Slip on a shirt, slap on a hat, slop on some 30+ sunscreen and wrap some UV protective sunnies around your eyes, be sun smart this summer … Remember is it not cool to have a melanoma..
Mark Sutton from our Browns Plains office is showing how to slip, slop, slap but remember to wear your sunnies.

Christmas Lights Tour

The council’s free Christmas lights tour may be over, but bundle the family into the car and make your own!!! The Albert and Logan News have listed all the entrants for the 2009 McDonald’s Christmas Lights Competition. The entrants all listed on page 37 of The Albert and Logan News Friday December 18th Edition have the address so you can take the family and have a great time looking at the lights. The entrants welcome people to come past and have a look!!

Professionals Follow Me Campaign

Head in to one of our four offices today to receive your free copies of Professionals Pathway magazines. Pathway magazines cover all aspects of property from buying to selling, moving, preparing to sell, and managing an investment property. There are 5 to collect so don’t miss out!

Can’t get to our offices? Visit www.bestvaluebrand.com.au/pathways to view the Pathway magazines in electronic format. Free, reusable and easy to use.

Plus if you leave your email address with your local office, or complete the form at www.bestvaluebrand.com.au/pathways, you can go into the draw to win a Piaggio XEVO 250cc scooter.

Free property magazines and a chance to win a neat ride – visit Professionals Logan Lifestyles today.

Browns Plains Office Enjoying Christmas

Once again Mark Sutton from our Browns Plains Office has showed some Christmas spirit by decorating the office so that everyone who walks in gets a bit of Christmas joy into their day.

Selling Tips in a Buyer’s Market (Part Two)

In a buyer’s market it’s extra important to assure that your asking price actually reflects your property’s current value. By pitching your property too high, you miss out on the initial wave of interest. Then, when you drop your price, people think there’s something wrong or that you’re getting desperate.

Plus, by being more realistic, you also can limit your marketing expenses since your selling campaign is likely to be shorter in duration.

The method of sale may also be affected. Auctions tend to work better in heated markets, since the marketing campaign will be shorter and intense competition drives the price higher. When there are less buyers around, your auction campaign will stretch out from a few weeks to six to eight. So it may be better to advertise as a private sale with a set asking price. This allows you to spread out your marketing dollars over a longer period. And, you can then deal with buyers on an individual basis.

But, most important of all, is to remember that while you may be selling into a buyer’s market, if you’re re-purchasing you’re also going to get similar reductions. So, in the end, you are not disadvantaged at all. And, if you’re trading up, you may even be advantaged, because the discounts will exceed your discount.

If you have a question about real estate, or would like assistance in locating a property, feel free to phone me, Noel Thompson Principal Professionals Logan Lifestyles at either Browns Plains 3800 4000, Marsden 3200 4495, Springwood 3808 5544 or Waterford 3299 7733.

Selling Tips in a Buyer’s Market

With the credit crunch biting into the property market, sellers have to adjust their tactics to sell. In slower markets supply outweighs demand, so conditions differ from times when property booms are occurring.

Firstly, do not shy away from advertising. In periods like this you have to actively seek buyers as opposed to waiting for them to come to you. Those who more heavily promote themselves in tougher periods will get more bang for their dollars, because other sellers tend to cut their ad budgets. So your ads will stand out.

The next thing is to be more flexible with your inspection hours. It’s necessary to have open-for-inspections, but with a more limited market you also need to make your property available for private appointments as well. This way you’ll attract more buyers by offering times that suit their schedules.

In buyers’ markets, prospective purchasers can be more fussy than normal because they tend to have the upper hand. So it’s good to cater to this sentiment remembering that lifestyle considerations and emotions also kick in. Thus, you need to present your property in the best possible light. That means keeping the garden looking topnotch, possibly adding more plants, replacing worn carpets and keeping the kitchen and bathrooms sparkling clean.

Things to particularly look out for are that there’s no cigarette odour, mould or pets.

If you have a question about real estate, or would like assistance in locating a property, feel free to phone me, Noel Thompson Principal Professionals Logan Lifestyles at either Browns Plains 3800 4000, Marsden 3200 4495, Springwood 3808 5544 or Waterford 3299 7733.

How to Attract the Ideal Tenant

Most people looking to rent first look for a property in a great position. For tenants, that would mean a good aspect, close amenities, nearness to work, etc.

The next thing is a property with plenty of storage and a garage.

Following this is a property that’s clean and in good repair with a sympathetic property manager that listens to a tenant’s needs and forwards requests to the landlord. Every tenant wants a landlord that will maintain the property.

Another desire is for privacy, a reasonable rent and fair rent increases.

If a tenant encounters these things, then their next wish is to achieve a long-term tenancy. This translates into a property that will not be put onto the market for sale.

Even with the current shortage of rental properties, the best tenants always seem to have a choice of renting the properties they prefer, simply because property managers feel most comfortable recommending such clients to their landlords.

So if you are an investor who wants good, long-term tenants, then consider providing your tenant with what they want.

The key to the above is to invest in the right type of property in the right location. If you buy where there will always be strong demand fulfilling the above criteria, you will be the most likely to attract the ideal tenant.

If you have a property for rent and would like it to be professionally managed, feel free to phone me, Noel Thompson Principal Professionals Logan Lifestyles at either Browns Plains 3800 4000, Marsden 3200 4495, Springwood 3808 5544 or Waterford 3299 7733.

The Difference between Median and Average Pricing

Real estate data can be quite daunting at times, but to make intelligent investment decisions, it pays to get a grasp of the numbers.

One misunderstood but often quoted statistic is the “median price”. You find it everywhere when housing values are discussed. The method of compilation involves sorting the prices for all the houses or apartments sold in a particular period, from highest to lowest, and then selecting the middle one as an indication of the characteristic price for the area.

But the median price is not the same as the average price. They are two different calculations. If seven properties sold for $180,000, $200,000, $205,000, $215,000, $230,000, $310,000, and $2,500,000 then the median price would be $215,000 and the average price $548,571. That’s quite a difference!

“Averaging produces a figure that isn’t necessarily an accurate representation of what’s going on because it only takes one or two very high or low sales to skew the result,” points out Enzo Raimondo, head of the REIV. “It’s also important to remember that a median price is based only on the properties that have been sold, not all the property that exists in the area.”

The median price of an area should not be used to assess the relative value of a property. Individual streets, for example, can have large variations from the surrounding neighbourhood.

If you have a question about real estate, or would like assistance in locating a property, feel free to phone me, Noel Thompson Principal Professionals Logan Lifestyles at either Browns Plains 3800 4000, Marsden 3200 4495, Springwood 3808 5544 or Waterford 3299 7733.

Be Decisive When Selling

Selling a property is like running a business. You need to be decisive.

You are either in the market or you are out. Nothing will happen if you’re half-hearted in your attempt to sell.

Everyone has their reasons for selling. Know what your goals are and your timeline for accomplishing them. Make your agent your business partner. Advise him/her of your plans at the beginning of the sales process. This will help determine how you market the property and will even help shape the final terms of your sales contract.

Keeping your intentions secret from your agent will hinder their success rate. Sellers often get cold feet at the tail end of negotiations and the sale falls through. Don’t let this happen to you. You’ll only lose money and waste your time and theirs.

To help you be decisive it is a good idea to get an appraisal from a couple of local agents) second last paragraph. This will tell you the true state of the market in your locality. You can’t afford to be over-optimistic. You’ll set your price too high and it will sit on the market longer than necessary. In the end, it will sell for less than if you started at the right price.

Give your agent time as well to create interest in your property, and be prepared to listen to what the market is telling you.

If you have a question about real estate, or would like assistance in locating a property, feel free to phone me, Noel Thompson Principal Professionals Logan Lifestyles at either Browns Plains 3800 4000, Marsden 3200 4495, Springwood 3808 5544 or Waterford 3299 7733.

How to Make An Offer

Making an offer on a property is a real art. How do you know if you are too high or too low? The first thing is to do your research to find out what the property is really worth.

Once you have determined the worth of the property, what then? In private treaty sales you first have to look at the vendor’s advertised price. You know that this is what they hope to achieve if everything works out for the best.

So now you have to decide on a first-offer price. Is there a rule of thumb on first offers? No. You can offer a ten-percent-discounted offer or even less, but always be leery of offending the buyer or their selling agent. Offending them is not a good idea, because they can walk away from the deal or get hardened in their stance.

So only offer a substantially lower offer if you really believe the property is worth substantially less.

Generally, it’s a good idea not to put your best offer first. There might be exceptions to even this rule if you’re trying to achieve a knock-out blow early on your competition, but, in general, if your offer is reasonable, you may get knocked back, but you can still make a counter offer.

The disadvantage of putting your best offer first is that you can feed the vendor’s expectations which, in turn, might encourage them to hold out for a better offer.

If you have a question about real estate, or would like assistance in locating a property, feel free to phone me, Noel Thompson Principal Professionals Logan Lifestyles at either Browns Plains 3800 4000, Marsden 3200 4495, Springwood 3808 5544 or Waterford 3299 7733.

The 3 Keys To A Sale

Real estate agents generally agree that the three most important elements behind a successful sale are smart marketing, presentation and a realistic price. When the market is slow these pointers are even more important. Paying attention to the three keys will maximise your chances of getting the best price for your property.

It’s good to keep in mind that even when prices are down, there are always cashed up buyers looking for a bargain or to upgrade.

Another trend is the increasing savvy of buyers, probably due to the increasing use of the Internet.

The main complaint of agents is that too many homeowners still want 2007 prices for their homes and are failing to put enough energy and attention into presentation and marketing. Instead, vendors should be looking to make their properties sparkle.

No one knows whether the current activity is a sign of a genuine recovery, but agents seem to agree that there are cashed up buyers looking. The challenge seems to be getting enough listings to attract them back into the market.

Presentation is certainly key. It should be 100 per cent with photos being the best possible. Only shoot in good weather.

With marketing, nominate a price. Buyers like to know a price. Then be proactive with showing your property. Show before hours, after hours and maybe twice on the weekend.

If you have a question about real estate, or would like assistance in locating a property, feel free to phone me, Noel Thompson Principal Professionals Logan Lifestyles at either Browns Plains 3800 4000, Marsden 3200 4495, Springwood 3808 5544 or Waterford 3299 7733.

What does Subdivision Mean?

Unlike passive investment where you purchase a home, rent it out and wait for it’s capital value to increase over time, subdivision requires your active involvement. This type of investment has lots of financial upside but requires you to roll up your sleeves.

One form of subdivision is to purchase a raw parcel of land to form a large housing estate. Another version is to build on an existing property with a second dwelling. Examples are duplexes and dual occupancy properties.

Subdividing can also include creating an entire new block of townhouses or units. This is usually in medium-density areas on land allotted for that purpose by a council encouraging residential development.

Then there is the possibility of purchasing an existing apartment block to separate or strata the title. This way you can sell single units within the complex.

Steve McKnight, a property investor and author, wrote about a successful purchase he was involved in which illustrates the idea of subdividing. “We bought eight previously strata-titled dwellings as an entire package deal and we’re just going to sell them off individually.

“We haven’t had to do any of the development work, it’s all been done for us. But we had the advantage to buy wholesale in terms of purchasing all eight units and then selling retail, by selling them off one at a time.”

If you have a question about real estate, or would like assistance in locating a property, feel free to phone me, Noel Thompson Principal Professionals Logan Lifestyles at either Browns Plains 3800 4000, Marsden 3200 4495, Springwood 3808 5544 or Waterford 3299 7733.

Getting Ready For A Spring Sale

It could be said that the early bird gets the worm, but putting up your property for sale in September or thereabouts could make sense. Consider that more properties are for sale from September to the first week of December than at any other time of the year.

In fact, there are proportionately more buyers than sellers in early spring, so your chances of achieving a higher price are better.

When selling it’s also a good idea to scope out the market for comparable properties to yours, comparing apples to apples. If you have a 3 bedroom unit, for example, look and see what other 3 bedroom units on the street are selling for. Don’t look at 3 bedroom houses.

Regarding whether to auction or sell by private treaty, it depends on the house and the area. If your property has unique features that would attract plenty of buyers, then auctions can achieve a competitive atmosphere.

If you’re in a new housing development, on the other hand, where there’s other similar properties auctions are less successful.

Finally, first impressions are so important when a sell sign goes up. So put attention on your garden. Simply pruning larger shrubs and trees, for example, can make the garden appear larger.

If you have a question about real estate, or would like assistance in locating a property, feel free to phone me, Noel Thompson Principal Professionals Logan Lifestyles at either Waterford 3299 7733, Browns Plains 3800 4000 or Springwood 3808 5544

Three More Years of Rental Increases Predicted

The Real Estate Institute of Australia (REIA) has recently published nationwide data indicating that rents have increased by 25 % over the last 3 years.

The cause of rising rentals has to do with the lack of new home construction and cautious investors continuing to put off building more investment properties.

According to property commentator Michael Matusik, rents will continue increasing over the next 3 years. Matusik’s research shows that 25% of the average renter’s income went into paying their rent in 2004. Today that figure has advanced to 26% of their income.

There is no doubt that some renters are doing it tough, but the report suggests that, generally speaking, renters can afford the increases.

The most recent figures of the REIA indicate a vacancy rate in all capital cities averaging 1.9% for the September quarter. Noel Dyett, president of the Institute comments that a vacancy rate below 3% is regarded as undersupply.

To gain perspective on these figures, one need only look at the REIA’s figures for the average vacancy rate around Australia for the past twenty years. That figure is 3.6%. The 1.9% current figure has been in effect since March 2005.

However, if rentals are set with unrealistic expectations, properties will sit longer on the market, costing the owners precious lost rental income. Generally speaking, it’s not worth the effort to try and recoup an extra $10 or $15 per week when you figure the costs of a week or two’s vacancy.

If you have a question about real estate, or would like assistance with property management, feel free to phone me, Noel Thompson Principal Professionals Logan Lifestyles at either Waterford 3299 7733, Browns Plains 3800 4000 or Springwood 3808 5544

PROFESSIONALS AGENT WINS TOP AWARDS

Professionals Logan Lifestyles would like to congratulate their Browns Plains office.

Winning top listing & settled sales office at the Queensland Quartly Awards Ceremony on the 13 May 2009.

Congratulations also goes out to Gayle Thompson for taking out the 4 Million Dollar Award, Top 10% Salesperson Award (sides), Top 10% Salesperson Award (brokerage).

Mark Sutton for his Top 10% Salesperson Award (sides).

Sarah Bey, Office Administrator, for her Shining Star Award.

BUYING AT AUCTION

On the actual day of the auction you should arrive with plenty of time to spare in order to make one last inspection of the property. In doing so you will have time to check the contract of sale, the vendor's statement and the auction rules.

If you have any questions about how the particular auction will work, be sure and get clarifications from the agent representing the buyer. One key principle in the whole action affair is that if property is passed in below the reserve (minimum asking price of the vendor) then the owner through the agent or the auctioneer will first negotiate with whom ever is the highest bidder on the day.

So if you are attending the auction and are interested in bidding for the property and you hear the auctioneer announce the property is going to be passed in, then it is a good idea to position yourself so that you are the highest bidder. That way you get first crack at the negotiating table afterwards. You need to do this before the property is actually passed in, because once that occurs it's too late to bid.

No auctioneer can reopen the auction to accommodate a late bid and override someone else's position as highest bidder.

Once the after auction negotiations open up, you either accept the owner's asking price or the owner has the right to end the negotiations then and there to start negotiating with yet another buyer.

If you have a question about real estate or would like assistance in locating a property feel free to phone me.

Noel Thompson, Principal Professionals Logan Lifestyles.

Waterford 3299 7733 Browns Plains 3800 4000 Springwood 3808 5544

http://www.llr.com.au

BUDGET FOR EXTRA COSTS WHEN PURCHASING A HOME

When purchasing a home be sure to account for all the costs beyond the purchase price itself.

HERE IS A SUMMARY:

• Stamp duty: This is a compulsory tax charged on any exchange of property at the time of purchase
• Legal fees: Generally a conveyancing firm or solicitor will need to be hired to analyse and oversee all documents. A title search is always needed to assure outright ownership and that there are no legal encumbrances.
• Building & pest inspections: Necessary inspections to identify all potential defects in the building(s) involved as well as in the invironment and to look for termites and other pests.
• Council and water rates:
• Mortgage insurance: This may or may not be applicable depending on the funding source and their requirements.
• Home & contents insurance expenses: Generally you will want to be fully covered for fire, damages and theft.
• Moving expenses: This covers the removalist fees.
• Disconnection & re-connection of utility services: This includes telephone, electricity, gas & internet connections.
• Strata levies when moving into a strata unit: These are quarterly assessments for property maintenance and leisure services.

There are concessions available for First Home Buyers on some of the above. A $14,000 grant is offered throught state governments to counter the effects of the GST on home purchases. Plus, there concessions for stamp duty.

If you have a question about real estate or would like assistance in locating a property feel free to phone me.

Noel Thompson, Principal, Professionals Logan Lifestyles

Waterford: PH 3299 7733 Browns Plains: PH 3800 4000 Springwood: PH 3808 5544

http://www.llr.com.au