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November 2012
HOW TO BOOST YOUR CURB APPEAL
Everyone wants visitors to admire their home, and sellers
want to be sure buyers pay the best possible price for it. A
great way to start is by upping your street appeal.
Tip #3: Glam up the front door
It is easy and inexpensive to add some pizzazz to your home's
front entrance. Frame the entryway in colourful plantings, add
some oversized numbers and paint the door a pretty colour that
contrasts with the façade. Local paint dealers offer colour
combination guidelines that give designer appeal.
Tip #4: Regard the roof
The condition of a roof is always a concern to buyers. You can
pay for roof repairs now, or pay for them later in a lower offer.
A tired roof will look a lot better after you remove 20 years of
dirt, moss, lichens, and algae. Call a professional with the right
tools to get it looking good again.
A NEW HOME FOR CHRISTMAS?
Tip #1: Wash your house’s face
Before you do anything, wash the dirt, mildew, and general
grunge off the outside of your house, eaves and windows. US
research says washing a house may add over $10,000 to the
sales price. A heavy-duty rented power washer is your
friend; or you can hire a house cleaning company.
November and December are very busy months in the real
estate market as buyers and sellers try to complete deals
before Christmas.
The supply of new listings is still tight, a trend that has
persisted throughout the year. The shortage is forcing
buyers to make rapid decisions, lifting house prices, with
Tip #2: Update your paint
This is the most commonly offered curb appeal advice from
real estate pros and appraisers. Buyers will instantly notice
it, but it can be costly. The least expensive option is
matching the paint you have and doing the work yourself.
Scrape off a little and ask your local paint store to match it.
the national median in August close to its all time peak.
Buyers still have the advantage of low interest rates. This
will continue to fuel the market through summer, so if you
plan to buy, sooner looks better than later.
ljhooker.co.nz
Most awarded agency at the REINZ 2012 Awards for Excellence in Real Estate Sales.
A New Zealand icon, the first and only Real Estate agency in New Zealand to be given the Superbrands Seal.
A partner of China’s largest property website, Juwai.com, and Asia’s no.1 property group, iProperty Group.
INTEREST RATE UPDATE
INVESTOR TIP: GET THE PROS IN
With two-year fixed rates below 5.5% and many banks offering
incentives to new borrowers, home affordability has improved
FOR THE HOLIDAYS
around the country (at least outside Auckland). Low rates are
Many Kiwis who own an
attracting many first time buyers and investors into the
investment property are
market.
unaware that they must
Floating rates are very popular with buyers today; but
remember that they fluctuate constantly and increases will
pinch your budget. To reduce your risk, try to purchase a
home you can comfortably afford, and consider fixing some or
appoint a property manager
if they will be overseas for
more than 21 days.
There are some other big advantages to working with a
all of the loan for up to five years to protect yourself from
professional property manager. Many novice investors find
rate rises. BNZ chief economist Tony Alexander notes in a
that dealing with tenants is more stressful and
recent report, “If I were a borrower, given the behaviour I see
complicated than they realized at first. It can be tricky
the banks displaying, I would look to fix at one of the
finding a great tenant who always pays the rent. In fact,
discounted rates when offered…if I was offered a three year
one of the most common landlord complaints in the
rate at or below 5.5% I would take it.”
tenancy tribunal is missed rent payments.
Our company offers professional property management
services including a rigorous tenant selection process;
regular inspections, market rent reviews, and rent
collection systems that minimize your risks.
Martin Ferretti
Licensed Salesperson REAA 2008
SHOPPING FOR A DEAL: Competition in lending makes this a
very good time to compare rates between banks. If your loan
is set to roll over, you might be able to negotiate a better deal
by asking several banks to make you an offer, or consulting a
loan broker. To see how much you can save at varying interest
rates, check out the calculators at www.sorted.org.nz.
P: 626 6119
M: 021 599 105
E: [email protected]
Jenny Kim
Personal Assistant
M: 021 270 7717
E: [email protected]
Disclaimer: This newsletter has been prepared by LJ Hooker. Every effort has been made to ensure the contents are accurate at the time of publication and LJ H
responsibility for any subsequent action that may arise from the use of this newsletter. ©2012 LJ Hooker New Zealand Ltd, Licensed REAA 2008, MREINZ.