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Friday, December 21, 2012

Nigella's Mince Pies


http://www.nigella.com/recipes/view/STAR-TOPPED-MINCE-PIES-5238


Christmas in exactly 3 days! ONLY TWO sleeps left!

Hope you've got your turkey/pork/ham organised, mince pies and other delish desserts to share with family and friends on this coming joyous day :)))) I came across this recipe and oh my... christmas just isn't quite complete without fruit mince pies. I love Nigella Lawson's replacement of clementine (just use an orange) juice and rind in her recipe. Brilliant. Check out her video too to boost that Christmas spirit.

STAR-TOPPED MINCE PIES

Have a safe and wonderful holiday everybody. Don't stress over this festive season, it's not about the food or presents - it's about being with your loved ones! Embrace every moment of it peeps.

JM CHASE FIRST NATIONAL WISHES EVERYBODY A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR!!!

Protect yourself from rental scams

http://discover.realestate.com.au/renting-sharing/how-to/how-to-protect-yourself-from-rental-scams
 
JM Chase First National Real Estate is here to catch you before you fall into traps!

Rental listings are a popular target for scammers. Prospective tenants are used to having personal details at the ready for applications, expect to be asked some questions, and ultimately, expect to hand over some money.

Don't be put off by scammers, there are plenty offline too, all you need to know is how to guard against them!! Here's how........

BE ALERT, BE VARY, BE THOROUGH
- If it's too good to be true, it most probably is
- Landlord is overseas
- You're asked to handover money before anything else happens
- You're given too many excuses as to why you may not view the property
- If the photos look abit "off" (eg: blurry), it most likely was stolen from other websites
- The ad was clumsily composed

HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF???


- Inspect the property
- Keep copy of emails or other correspondence exchanged with the landlord
- Do thorough research about the property 
(NOTE: Even fancy and professional looking websites can be  fake)
- Lay your own groundwork with money and finances. Do not consent to a money transfer - too high a risk, too high a cost to pay.
- Listen to your gut instincts, they are often right!
- Do your own independent research and checking references! Do not only rely on the contacts given by your landlord

YOU'VE BEEN TARGETED...... WHAT TO DO????

Right away! Contact ACCC's Infocentre on 1300 302 502 or SCAMwatch (via their report a scam page).

Pass on everything you can recall about the incident. Take a screen grab of the ad if you can (if it's still live and online) and advise the authorities of anything you've told the scammer.

You should also report it to the website you found it on. There may be a Report button on the listing, otherwise send them an email or call. They will usually have a plan for dealing with these types of listings which includes taking it offline and investigating further. Don't let other users of that website fall victim too.

If you sent money through a wire service, contact the service immediately and ask them to stop the transfer.

If you have given anyone your personal or financial details, advise the authorities immediately, and contact your financial institutions to alert them your accounts have been compromised.

For comprehensive information about scams and the law in Australia, visit SCAMwatch.


Moving out of a rental property - KNOW YOUR RIGHTS!

http://discover.realestate.com.au/renting-sharing/how-to/moving-out-of-a-rental-property

Depending on the circumstances, you may have to give up to 28 days notice that you will be leaving. Of course, if the property becomes uninhabitable you can leave and stop paying rent, as soon as you serve a Notice to Landlord explaining why you are leaving.

During a fixed term agreement, you can only end the lease if your landlord agrees. 
If the lease is causing you severe hardship, you can also apply to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) to end a fixed-term tenancy early.

Remember to give notice correctly!!! No one wants to be paying rent even after having moved out!

Tenant giving notice of intention to vacate:  

http://www.consumer.vic.gov.au/housing-and-accommodation/renting/ending-a-lease-or-residency/tenant-or-resident-ending-lease-or-residency/tenant-giving-notice-of-intention-to-vacate

Share houses mean shared responsibility

If another tenant takes your place when you leave, you'll need to send a completed tenant transfer form to the Residential Tenancies Bond Authority (RTBA). - call on 1300 137 164 or email rtba@justice.vic.gov.au

- Get the new tenant must also sign it. - Make sure your name is taken off the lease, or you could be held jointly responsible for any damage or repairs, even if it happens after you move out.
- When one co-tenant leaves, sorting out the return of bond money is a private matter between you and the other tenants.

When you're not the main tenant

When you leave, you must give them the proper notice, which depends on the reason for leaving.
If you paid a bond, the head tenant was obliged to lodge it with the Residential Tenancies Bond Authority (RTBA). The head-tenant is, in effect, your landlord for the RTBA's purposes.

Show me the bond money

If process was correctly followed, signatures on bond claim form matches RTBA's records and RTBA has bank account details, you should receive bond money within 2-3 days.

If you met all the conditions of your lease, you should get the full amount back.

If you can’t reach agreement, you can apply to your state tribunal for a hearing to resolve the matter.

** Never sign a Bond Claim form that doesn't show the amount you're to receive as a bond repayment **

HOW TO AVOID PROBLEMS:
  • check the property against the condition report from when you moved in
  • compare the property now to any photos taken at the start of the tenancy
  • take photos when you leave
Check out link above for step-by-step process of claiming a bond

Your things must vacate the property too

If you leave anything behind when you leave a rented home, you will have to arrange with the landlord to collect them as soon as possible - They cannot refuse to return them, even if you owe rent.

 

 

Suburb Property Data and Trends

Simply choose your choice of State and suburb and wallah! All the information you are looking for is infront of you. As easy as that! If you need help interpreting data or need more information, call us today at 88776688 to speak to our friendly, professional and knowledgeable property agents.

For example: GLEN WAVERLEY, Victoria

The most recent median house price for Glen Waverley is $909,000 and the median unit price is $430,000. 

Median sale prices in Glen Waverley for the past 12 months

Date Median House Price Median Unit Price
Dec-11 $661,500 $548,500
Jan-12 $736,500 $513,000
Feb-12 $682,500 $452,000
Mar-12 $725,000 $520,000
Apr-12 $735,000 $582,000
May-12 $730,000 $478,000
Jun-12 $812,944 $465,000
Jul-12 $755,000 $590,000
Aug-12 $729,000 $483,000
Sep-12 $641,000 $582,500
Oct-12 $721,000 $630,000
Nov-12 $909,000 $430,000        

For more statistics and visual/graphic information on 
- Demand ratio - Interest rate Trends - Supply and Demand - Monthly property prices - Annual Property Prices - Local Sales 

Check out : http://www.rs.realestate.com.au/cgi-bin/rsearch?a=sp&s=vic&u=glen+waverley
 

Land tax revenue might triple!

If State abolishes stamp duty, land tax revenue would triple!

Federal Treasurer Wayne Swan has urged the states to reform their own taxation regimes, saying they could start by getting rid of stamp duty. This means that Victorian families will be hit with a huge increase in land tax. This will then be levied on the family home.

The meeting wound up without any major agreement on the GST - The Victorian coalition government had said on a number of occasions that it did not support extending GST to services like health and education.

"We have advocated for a number of sensible reforms, including a lowering of the low value GST threshold for imports," he said.
 
"The Commonwealth also needs to make an effort to close loopholes in the GST system which are undermining the revenue base."

Friday, December 14, 2012

Christmas is coming! Best time of the year for a yellow christmas for us Australians



http://discover.realestate.com.au/renovating-building/news/10-festive-season-decorating-ideas

Who ever said decorating for such an occasion is expensive???? Here are 10 brilliant ideas, maybe this shall trigger that creativity in you. Share it with us on our facebook page. OMG GUYS! EXACTLY 10 DAYS TO CHRISTMAS :))))

HANDMADE SNOWFLAKES

Cut snowflakes from heavyweight white paper and hang them in all of your windows, over the tree, from the ceiling or over the dining table.

COOKIE WREATH
I would highly suggest quadrapling this! Within seconds it will no longer be a wreath. So yum! Brings out the kid in all of us


CHRISTMAS LIGHT BOWL



 BRANCH ART



Andrew Winter's Outdoor Overhaul






http://www.realestate.com.au/home-ideas/editorial/andrewtwinter/outdoor-overhaul

Andrew has 25 years' experience in property, starting his career in a UK estate agency at the tender age of 17 and sold his first home within a matter of months.
Again a small suburban yard, but exterior of house, the walls/fences etc all are beautifully blended into one another. Planting has been really considered here and a lot of regular pruning is involved, but what a look and when you need shade, or cover, the shade extends across!
VERY EURO!
 Again a small suburban yard, but exterior of house, the walls/fences etc all are beautifully blended into one another. Planting has been really considered here and a lot of regular pruning is involved, but what a look and when you need shade, or cover, the shade extends across!

If you are going to live right next to the bush, you should embrace it!
Breakfast in the wilderness.. anyone with homes in the country/mountains? Brilliant and stylish idea. Love it!!


OK this would blow the budget for most of us, the sunken table, that glass sided plunge pool, exotic fencing panels, the list goes on and not sure how Nanna might cope coming over for Sunday dinner at this outdoor table; whole garden is about style! Plants are nominal.       
Imagine a Sunday dinner here!!!

I'm proud to say I'm a Melbournian!

For the second year running, Melbourne has been ranked the worlds most livable city by the Economist Intelligence Unit’s latest live-ability ranking. Adelaide, Sydney and Perth also made the top 10.
10 Most liveable cities:


Melbourne 97.5
Vienna 97.4
Vancouver 97.3
Toronto 97.2
Calgary 96.6
Adelaide 96.6
Sydney 96.1
Helsinki 96.0
Perth 95.9
Auckland 95.7


“The ranking scores 140 cities from 0-100 on 30 factors spread across five areas: stability, health care, culture and environment, education, and infrastructure. These numbers are then weighted and combined to produce an overall figure. The cities at the top of the table are separated by tiny differences, with just 0.3 percentage points between first and fourth.” – source “The Economist”.

Head over to leave your comment : http://www.realestate1.com.au/blog/post/2012-08-14-melbourne-ranked-the-worlds-most-liveable-city-2012

Friday, December 7, 2012

Rent or Buy??? Hmmm... the $13m question answered





For more detailed explanation about advantages and disadvantages, head to : http://discover.realestate.com.au/buying/news/buying-news-rent-or-buy-the-13m-question

BUYING ADVANTAGES:
(1) As the value of your property increases, so does your net wealth.
(2) You are more in control of how long you can live in your home.
(3) Your mortgage repayments remain about the same over the life of the mortgage with slight interest rate changes


BUYING DISADVANTAGES:
(1) Mortgage repayments are usually higher than rent
(2) Have to pay for repairs, maintenance, rates, taxes, insurance, etc. All these extra costs add about 20 per cent of whatever the rent would be on the property.
(3) Buying and selling costs restrict you as to how often you can move.
CHRISTMAS IS COMING EVERYONE!!

RENTING ADVANTAGES:
(1) Weekly rental is usually less than the mortgage repayments.
(2) You can shift homes on a frequent basis
(3) You can rent where you’d like to live but you may not be able to afford to buy in the same location.
(4) No repairs or maintenance costs. Landlord pays for all the expenses

RENTING DISADVANTAGES:
(1) Your time in your home is determined by the landlord and the lease. Once the lease is over, the landlord can tell you to move on
(2)  If you don’t do the right thing, you can be evicted.
(3) The landlord and/or property manager has the right to come into the property, given the correct notice
(4) Rents will continually increase.



THE PROVE AS TO WHY BUYING WOULD MAKE YOU A MILLIONAIRE!

Assumptions:

- You are a first home buyer, 25 years old and based on life expectancy tables, you should live until 75
- I have used a $300,000 unit in my example

Renting

- An investor expects a 5 per cent return from a $300,000 unit
- Rent on a $300,000 unit @ 5% = $15,000 pa or $288 per week
- Rent increases on average at about 7 per cent a year, which means it doubles every 10 years

Buying

- A first home buyer requires at least a 5% deposit = $15,000
- First home buyer borrows $285,000 @ 6.5%, interest only for 30 years = $21,617 or $416 per week
- Home ownership expenses, such as rates, taxes, insurance, repairs, etc, average approximately 20% of the equivalent rental income = $58 per week
- I have calculated capital growth of about 7% per annum, which means it doubles in value every 10 years
This simple example above shows that you that it costs $9,600 pa or $186 per week extra in the first year if you buy the unit rather then rent it. This assumes that you have a $15,000 deposit and the FHOG & FHOB pay for all other buying costs. Now let’s look at the long term picture.

In summary, if you are now 25 years of age, by the time you are 75, you would have paid a total of $5,655,000 in rent over 50 years and your net worth is $0, if you didn’t buy any other assets.
However, if you bought the unit, you would pay $649,000 in mortgage repayments over 30 years and $1,131,000 in home ownership expenses over 50 years, totalling $1,780,000, making a difference of $3,875,000 in cash payments.
So there you have it - $13,475,000 difference. The home owner has $9,600,000 million in equity plus $3,875,000 better off than the renter because they made the decision to buy the unit rather than rent it.


Tips on buying in a low priced suburb by Peter Koulizos

LISTEN UP!! Peter Koulizos is a lecturer and author of The Property Professor’s Top Australian Suburbs (John Wiley & Sons) with some tips on buying properties in a low priced suburbs.

3 HOT TIPS: 

(1) Why is it cheap, ask yourself?! It is because of poor condition BUT in a good location adn is structurally sound? Then yes, go ahead, it's easy to dress it up abit and add value to become an improved conditioned house.

(2) Remember you can't change the location of the property.. think hard and carefully. 

LOCATION! LOCATION! LOCATION!

(3) Base your decisions on the following 3 reasons:

- High land component =  best capital growth

Properties in lower price brackets = Greater potential for an increase in value.       Remember though, there is a limit to how much property will sell for in a low priced suburb

- Families seeking rental properties are often seeking houses over units in the outer  suburbs. Therefore, tenant demand can result in higher rent!! :D


For more tips : www.thepropertyprofessor.com.au

Melbourne Market has spring in its step

http://news.domain.com.au/domain/real-estate-news/market-has-a-spring-in-its-step-20121201-2ao0l.html

Clearances rise to 60 per cent, from 50 per cent earlier this year for Victoria!! Yay!!

Some real estate analysts believe property purchasing behaviours in Melbourne are now mirroring those that kick-started the housing market recovery of late 2008.

RP Data research analyst Cameron Kusher confirmed ''The current data is a telling sign that although there have been ongoing weaknesses in housing markets, there are signs of improving market conditions,''

Current 3% interest rate is the lowest it ever has been for 8 years!! This should improve housing affordability, boost sales

Sellers -  are becoming more realistic in their expectations and purchasers are realising that this might be the levelling of the market. While it is not going to turn around quickly, it is certainly not going to fall any further.

Buyers - are no longer waiting for a further drop in prices

Check out the video in the link above :
Weekend auctions: hammer horror --> Megan Gale's pre-auction sale was a model result, but the clearance rate appears to be on the slide. Simon Johanson reports. 
Quick review on Megan Gale's house and comparison of Melbourne and Sydney's property growth status

Friday, November 23, 2012

What to do when your property doesn't sell? :

http://discover.realestate.com.au/selling/how-to/7-things-to-do-if-your-property-doesnt-sell

(1) REFRESH YOUR ADVERTISING
Photos are one of the most important ways buyers connect with and spark interest in your house. Rotate them around and hero a different shot for people to come across first.

Think carefully about your target market (if you don't have one, that's your first problem to solve...)

If you had a picture of the inside, try a shot of the facade from the street. Refresh them several times and test the impact on different people, including some you know and trust to give you an honest opinion. 
 
(2) CHANGE YOUR PRICE
You'll pay the price if you end up stubbornly attached to one.
The three most important factors - location, presentation, and price.
Price points are psychological triggers. One to five thousands dollars in the right direction can spark interest and make a buyer feel a purchase is possible.
In a stagnant or depressed market, price is incredibly sensitive, and can stop an interested buyer from clicking on your listing or lodging that enquiry.
.......................................... what would YOU pay if u were the buyer?

(3) TAKE A BREAK FROM THE MARKET
3 things that happen when your property is on the market for too long -

Buyers will make a mental note to avoid it, fearing something is wrong OR use it's time on market as a negotiating tool, trying to leverage your desperation OR tune out your property altogether, skimming past it in listings because they've seen it so often they're blind to it.

(4) MAKEOVER YOUR PROPERTY

Look at low cost, quick facelifts, like a new coat of paint, a better clean up inside, or some attractive plants in the garden. Remember!! To weigh up your investment on your property and how much more you actually get back. Sometimes, big renovations aren't worth it.. often small changes are enough. Contact us today at 88776688 for some advice :)

(5) GO COMPARISON SHOPPING
Don't just compare the property itself. Have a snoop at how those homes are bring presented, how their open inspections are being run, whether they're being sold at auction or by private treaty, and anything else that jumps out at you. See what's popular and what people are talking about.

Comparing doesn't mean making your property conform to everyone else's.

(6) BE OPEN TO ADVICE

But let's be honest.............. You might not be listening, especially if they're telling you things you might not want to hear.
Ask for advice (if you haven't yet, now's the time), and truly be open to it; from your agent, from property experts, from potential buyers and those you trust

 (7) DONT LAY BLAME (especially yourself)

Refocus............... take a breath........... then re-arm with any new tools or support you need to get back out there. There might only be some small changes to your home and your strategy standing in the way of you and the finish line.


Stay positive and you're half way there.

How to make the most of a small kitchen



http://discover.realestate.com.au/renovating-building/how-to/tips-for-making-the-most-of-a-small-kitchen

As a room, it's got some of the biggest expectation baggage in a house. It's got to be functional and enable regular meal preparation. But beyond that, it's meant to inspire the resident chef, weather endless foot traffic with aplomb, work as a waystation for members of the household, and embody hearth and home.

(1) KEEP IT COOL
Cool, pale colours help you make the most of limited kitchen space

Ensure bench or countertops are lighter coloured, and avoid stark colour contrasts which break up the flow of the eye. The more you can cast your eye around the room feeling uninterrupted, the larger you'll feel that room is

(2 ) STORE SMARTLY

- Consider investing in cupboards with smart storage, such as corner racks that hold 360 degrees worth of stuff.
- Add shelving to walls where possible, remembering to keep your choice of materials simple and in line with the overall colour and design aesthetic.
- Look at adding cubby holes for coffeemakers, toasters and other appliances that let you stow out of sight.

(3) BE TRANSPARENT

You can also remove some cabinet doors, or integrate more open spaces within cupboards and benches. This lets the room breathe and gives the appearance of walls being further away.

(4) LET THERE BE LIGHT
- Under-counter lighting can brighten countertops, and in cabinet lighting can offer function and valuable accents.
- Ceramic tile and stainless steel also amplify the effects of light.
- Overhead lighting can be showy, pulling the eye up and making the room feel bigger and more grand.

(5) WIDEN UNDERFOOT
diagonal patterns

adding a car space or alcove creates a sense of openess
(6) GROW INTO THE NEXT ROOM
(see picture right above)

Super Funds: from shares to investment in bricks and mortar

http://news.domain.com.au/domain/real-estate-news/building-for-retirement-20121116-29fhm.html

Many people who embrace DIY super are choosing to escape the sharemarket allocations of retail and industry funds and want to find stable income streams.

Issues to consider when deciding to hold a property in a self-managed superannution fund:

(1) A key benefit of buying property through super is that once you're on a pension, you can sell capital gains tax-free - ''It has to be a properly documented loan and actual funds have to be paid over by the lender,'' says Peter of Townsends Business & Corporate Lawyers. No paper transaction!!

(2) If you or a relative live in a property purchased by your super fund this will breach the ''sole purpose'' test and make your fund ''non-compliant''. ''Some of these smart owner-occupiers [buying apartments at Haven] are purchasing through their SMSF and renting out the apartment,'' Mr Yates says. ''They get to move in during pension phase capital gains tax-free and also sell their family home CGT-free.''  

(3) An income stream and a solid capital gain from a super-held property may not always be possible. Best to concentrate on rental income. If someone approaching retiring age holds a property for only six or seven years they may generate little capital gain. ''We are more focused on getting the income into the fund, so the rent goes in with contributions from the employer,''  

(4) Think like a tenant when purchasing your investment property. That will be your exit strategy ''You have to look for blue-chip assets that attract the right type of tenant and maximise rental return.'' Ms Monkley agrees that buying something with strong tenant appeal is vital, but favours residential properties in regional centres priced below $350,000. 

Swelling the retirement piggybank using property investment requires focus on capital gain, income - and the rules. 

Friday, November 16, 2012

Question: Open plan or closed plan?




The spaciousness of an open plan, with natural sunlight brightening up the whole house and everyone being together sharing one big area or more private, secluded and tranquil environment..??
dining areas image: feature wall, kitchen-dining - 1589179
new type of open plan! interesting :)
dining areas image: whites, decorative lighting - 1215341
more home-y feel :)
dining areas image: blues, browns - 916338
YES! for me anyway

Kitchen ideas






To me, the kitchen is where i am at peace, organised, calm and just enjoying that moment of preparation and cooking for my loved ones. Watching them eat my home cooked meals and seeing how much they enjoyed it! So yes, kitchen is pretty important part of the house to me. It is my "Zen". Do you agree?
Kitchen
Very modern and contemporary

Kitchen
very clean and my kinda kitchen

Kitchen
Modern yet tradtional

Is Darwin the next "booming" state??



Darwin is oozing property potential, which will be tapped as the “gateway” to Asia evolves. 

Vacancy rates being 0.5%, average rent about $600 for a decent 3 BR house, not very high capital growth but volume sales are very good.

“Darwin has great opportunities to become a world-leading centre for engineering, financial, medical and education services"
- via the education market to Asian students and the booming natural resources sector. Projects such as the $34 billion Inpex gas plant site are boosting its economy and population and, combined with a low housing supply, have caused a tight housing market and high rental yields.

The only thing hindering prices from rising through demand is the Northern Territory government to grant stamp duty exemptions for first home buyers on properties up to $530,000. However, they do expect house prices to grow steadily. Especially with parents purchasing more units for high entry point to the market and scant number of rental homes.

For a full read : http://firstnationalnews.com/

Friday, November 9, 2012

Let your home survive a long and hot summer :D



Australia having hot and windy summers makes us prone to bush fires. So many homes are destroyed in summer because of the rapid spreading fires. There just aren't enough fire crews and trucks to protect every home, every neighbourhood, every suburb.

Most of these are natural and out of our control...... So what can you do about it? Don't sit back and let "nature" take over your homes. There are precautions that you can take to minimise the chances of this happening!!



First National Real Estate recommends some simple precautions householders can take to reduce the threat of fire destroying your home.  These include:
  • Clear gutters of leaves, bark and twigs on a regular basis
  • Keep grass areas around the home well trimmed, and regularly rake up and clear leaves and twigs
  • Clear scrub and undergrowth around your property as they are potential fuel for a fire
  • Keep garden hoses connected to taps and ensure you have adequate access to a hose and reserve water supply such as a swimming pool, tank or drums filled with water
  • Install fire resistant mesh screens to doors and windows to help prevent  embers from entering the home
  • Store all flammable items such as wood, boxes and other recycling materials such as newspapers, flammable liquids and gas bottles well away from the house
  • Install a sprinkler system around your home

A little reminder and tip about chlorine levels in your pool this summer





http://firstnationalnews.com/category/news/

Longer daylight hours and stronger sunlight can wreak havoc with chlorine levels in your pool. Strong sunlight strips chlorine and this increases the risk of your pool turning green as algae levels build up - Don't want that happening!!

If your pool requires you to add chlorine liquid or granules --> make sure you maintain adequate levels of chlorine otherwise your filter will struggle to work efficiently and that’s just more power wasted.

If your pool is salt water chlorinated  --> you’re at increased risk as the amount of chlorine in your pool relates directly to the length of time for which your pool filter runs each day (and the percentage of salt in the water).

If your pool is salt water chlorinated, running the pump at night can help you save on energy consumption as the chlorine produced is not immediately affected by sunlight and you may be able to reduce your running hours slightly.

The best advise is to check chlorine levels regularly with your test kit and make sure Ph levels are kept in balance. That way, your pool will stay clear, healthy, and require no more than the minimum number of pump running hours to stay crystal clear.
Reduce power generation and maintain sparkling clear pool and plunge right away :)

Speak to your property manager about the recommended number of hours your pump should be running each day in your climate. 

Have a look at the properties we currently have listed

Or alternately, visit our website at: JMChase.com.au

Real Estate For Sale @ Domain.com.au