Do you know who needs housing??

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Victoria's population growth is putting pressure on real estate

 

Key pointers:

-         Population growth in Victoria is rising sharply and with it housing demand. 

-         Victoria's population rose 1.7 per cent to 5.65 million people in the 12 months to September 2012

-         While this growth is slower than in the mining states, Victoria added the highest number of people of all the states, attracting 94,800 new residents.

- Growth in interstate and international migration to Melbourne will particularly benefit unit and apartment sales.

- Any further growth in population is likely to soften the impact of economic ''negatives'' that affect segments of the property market. Victoria's jobless rate rose to 5.6 per cent in March and consumer confidence is still fairly weak, but these factors may not unduly influence housing demand if population numbers continue their upward trajectory.

 

Make your property hot this winter

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Spring is often heralded as the best time of year to sell your property – the birds are chirping, the air is warm, the flowers are out – and hopefully the buyers are, too.

But what about taking your property to market in winter? 

"Properties that can be attractive in winter are those that remain bright inside despite the drab weather – usually because they have got plenty of north-facing windows – or are presented as warm and cosy"

"A lot of old houses, if they are Victorian, they have got fireplaces and old formal rooms," says Clarke. "They present probably a lot better in winter than they do in summer."

If you are selling during the cooler months, here's 3 things to consider:

1. Present the property as warm and atmospheric, or if you're lucky enough to be to, as a light, bright escape from the weather.
 
- Photograph differently - do a lot more dusk shoots
- Advertise the property to make it look a little bit warmer (give it that glow to the pictures)
- Buyers' feelings will depend in a large part on the furnishings (eg: If the property is being styled, Alex Schiavo says his agency will often request furniture with thicker fabrics and warmer hues in winter)

2. Hold opens at the best time of day for the home

  














- It's important to show the home off at its best in winter when there's the best amount of light coming through- Some homes are morning homes and some are afternoon 






3. Keep things warm and toasty - sell the LIFESTYLE of the property

- Take a buyer to a cold house in winter and it usually doesn't take long for them to leave
- In summer we ask the clients to turn the air-conditioner on an hour before we get there to cool the house
- In winter, we definitely advise the clients to heat all the rooms. And to make the house inviting – put some nice music on and all that type of thing to get the house ready for opening
- Lighting all working wood or gas fireplaces if you have one. create that "who needs a holiday home when i live in one just perfectly" kind of feel
- check out Nigella Lawson's home backgrounds in her shows. It's always got that warm, homey, christmasy, happy feel to it.
- baking some cookies or brewing some coffee just to fill the air with things that will trigger one's mind to relate them to happy positive moments. I know I would be something that would make me so comfortable in a property and wanting to call it home.


 

Delicious Healthy Paleo Banana Bread

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Just to spice this blog up a little, I thought I share my coming Mothers' Day plans with you! I'm abit of a health nut so I love reading on different types of diets (blood type, mediterrenean, paleo, china studies etc). All with their own theories and I think it's just about experimenting and knowing what works for you. Anyway.. I will be baking banana bread with coconut flour or almond meal (haven't decided yet hmm toughie!). It's gluten free! Low in sugar! Amazing for your gut and perfect to treat all mums on this special day we thank them for doing what they do. Check out the blog for coconut flour banana bread recipe here 

You can buy coconut flour from most health shops. I actually found mine in Colonial Fresh Markets.

Who doesn't love banana bread? And now with a nutty or coconutty hint AND NO GUILT.. YUM! 

Delicious Healthy Banana Bread (with almond flour)

4 ripe bananas (make sure they are somewhat black, the blacker the sweeter it turns out)
1/4 cup of oil (I used olive oil but you can also use coconut oil or butter)
1 1/2 cups of almond flour
5 eggs
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 cinammon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp real salt
1 tsp vainilla extract
you can add 1/2 cup of walnuts or chocolate chips if you  are feeling like extra cheating!

Directions: 

Preheat oven at 375 degrees.
Mash the bananas until soft in a  large bowl and mix in remaining ingredients. Mix well until there are no clumps.
If you want to add walnuts or raisins or chocolate you can fold them into the batter now
Grease a 5 x 10 or a loaf pan and pour the batter.
Bake for about 50 min or until you stick a toothpick or fork on top and it comes out clean. The bread will start turning brown so make sure you keep an eye on it.
Let it cool, take out of mold and cut!
Best served warm with a piece of grass fed butter or cold.

MORE IDEAS TO COME!!

Commuters happy to leave the city behind

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So we keep reading that the trend is towards convenient-CBD living right? Well, here's an article from a different perspective for less 'hustle and bustle' living. This is based on New South Wales but it's still a trend  We live in a two-speed economy. Even within the property part of the economy different states are experiencing different growths because of different demands, different needs. Anyway! It's interesting..

''People love that kind of open space''  

''The price point is a key factor''

''Everyone is looking at what they can get for their maximum spend"

''People like to live in an area that isn't built up, by parks and bush with lots of greenery around. There's also good road links nearby, there's a bus stop on the doorstep and Birrong railway station is 800 metres away."

Travel is not an issue when you've got a house to come home to

When Darren Watt and his wife, Leanne, decided to move out of a rented home in Gymea in the Sutherland Shire and buy a house, they were happy to stay in that same outer-Sydney ring.
Although Darren, 24, still commutes daily from Ingleburn Gardens Estate, developed by Monarch Investments Group, to the city where he works, he doesn't mind travelling.
''There's a lot of bush around, we're right on the M5 and M7 junction, and the nearest train station for the south-west rail link is just 500 metres away,'' he says.
Darren and Leanne, 26, moved into their new four-bedroom home just four weeks ago with daughters Sienna, 5, and one-year-old Cassie, and 18 home-bred guinea pigs that their border collie loves to herd.
''I don't mind commuting at all,'' says Darren, who bought a $449,950 house-and-land package. ''I just love coming back every day to my own home.''

On the up: prices rise to challenge

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Melb's March quarter puts in a healthy performance (YAY!!)

• Low interest rates (unchanged at 3.0% - WOW) are continuing to boost Melbourne's real estate market. Here's the link to the RBA minutes - could be useful to understand today's property prices and trends.
• Improvements in prices were particularly pronounced in the inner and middle ring suburbs, with Balwyn, Brighton, Northcote and Camberwell all recording strong growth.
• shows downsizers swapping a large family home for a smaller dwelling are the best placed to take advantage of the cheaper housing finance.
• buyers remained cautious and there were opportunities for astute buying.

Families dictate trend for high-rise living

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Another article on high rise living again this week! This is the GROWING TREND! Get on it..Check out the article here.

Not only young adults, Gen Y and China are demanding apartments anymore!!! FAMILIES have joined the crew.

''A decade ago apartments were targeted to more of an investor market focused on one 

and two-bedroom apartments,''

''Now that has shifted to two and three bedroom [apartments].''

This change was led by the existing and new Asian communities. Then, young adults moving out of home into more convenient locations and nearer CBD continued the high rise living demand. Now families tooo.. ''more traditional Australian communities are just starting to catch up''. So much so that developers are changing the layout of the building to cash in on the new demand. Less 2 BR, More 4 BR..

Are you going to follow the trend? or are houses still better? More land space, more personal space.. hmm!

Playing up to the market - sellers

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SELLERS!!! This is to you! Has the difficulty of selling your property gotten to you? Feeling unmotivated and just a little upset with the lack of market demand? Well.... Don't beat yourself over it! you're not the only one in the exact same boat as you..

Unsual and effective methods to change the face of selling property... (that's the link) coming right up!

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

There's certainly a strong positive correlation between a big crowd and a positive atmosphere and the premium prices being paid for properties - try using local musicians, face-painting, sausage sizzles and balloons to bring out the local community for auctions. never thought of that huh! Generally people are quite interested in checking out auctions so why not use ti to attract people, play some music! draw the crowd in!

SELLING SUBURBS

Remember, when people buy a property (usually intending to live in it or even investing), people always check out the suburbs not just the proximity to shops or public transport. Sell THAT to them. Tell them why they will enjoy living in the suburb. Use videos and personal stories to win the buyers over. Let the prospective buyers see what it's like in the local area, how the people are.. All you need to do is let the personality of your suburb and property shine. This will make the buyer feel more at home and can imagine themselves living in that property. Once u get that, you'll be happy to see the 'Sold' sign!

Note: pleaseee make sure you know your target audience first! Don't go advertising a close knitted neighbourhood when your buyers are not into that kind of thing.

MAKE IT MEMORABLE

I keep drumming how important the first impression is! So once again FIRST IMPRESSION IS JUST AS IMPORTANT FOR SELLING PROPERTIES AS MUCH AS IT IS ON A DATE!!

Tick the box of attracting and pleasing all our senses:

- Good photography or a video

- Even baking some cookies or making some coffee just before an inspectio. Fill the house with freshly baked cookies... make prospective buyers feel at home and all 'cosy'. Brings memories of a cold winter day with a mug of hot chocolate and cookies. or the aroma of freshly brewed coffee... ohhh myyy..Tell me that's not just simply brilliant!!!

Apartment rents edge closer to houses in Sydney

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WHOA! BIG NEWS! It's only going to take < 2 years for Sydney apartment rentals to be the same as for a house!! This is because of higher demand for apartments across the city as there is a lack of supply for affordable and well-located rental accomodation.

"It's a very interesting trend that is developing and it's something that's positive for investors, because they can see rental increases in the units market, so that's improving yields."

There's a similar trend in Melbourne and Darwin..
House and aparment rents ALREADY ON PAR at $360/week. Holy Moly!!

House rent in Darwin is now up 22.8 per cent since last March, with Darwin's apartment median up 22.2 per cent. 

But... not so much apartment rent demand in Perth. Still some increasing growths but not so much!
House rents in Perth are up 22.5 per cent over the year but only 17 per cent jump for apartments.

Where are you gonna put your money into now??

APARTMENTS VS HOUSES

"Middle Australia" driving home price growth

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Just some quick info for you..

RP Data researcher, Cameron Kusher announced that middle priced homes across Australia are gaining greatest increases in home values!

"60% have recorded growth of 1.6 per cent over the year to February 2013," 

"Values have fallen by as much as -0.9 per cent and -0.6 per cent across affordable suburbs and the most expensive suburbs, respectively"