First Open House and it was Sold!

“Let the good times roll” the saying goes.
But how far can it really roll?
The Brisbane Property Market, that is.

The RBA has held interest rates steady again this month and many first home buyers and investors will breathe another sigh of relief if they have put their toes into the water in the past 2 years or so. The current status of the market in Brisbane is really one of  lack of supply of houses. There are plenty of units and townhouses on offer (just cast an eye over our inner city skyline right now) but the reality is that Buyers are flocking to any well priced, mid range homes within a reasonable distance of the city.

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The other day, a funny thing happened. Actually it wasn’t very funny. It was a real let down by another professional service.

Moving house? Need a Brisbane Removalist?

Do you think about saving some money on something you think you could get for less without necessarily compromising what you are after? A service you need? A purchase you are about to make? I know I have.

In January, we had to relocate some of our personal possessions from a storage shed to a container, all within Brisbane as we needed a more cost effective longer term storage solution to suit us. Many of you have had to do this when you move house, of course, and as I have had a couple of moves in recent years, I was familiar with the process. However, this time, I made a decision based on what I thought was a simpler relocation than our previous ones and engaged a different Brisbane removalist. I thought I would take a cheaper option. Ha ha! That was the wrong decision. (more…)

5 Open House Tips for s Successful Sale

The excitement of your first open house! You want it to be perfect, and most all, drama free. But what happens when things go wrong? Or more importantly, what actually CAN go wrong at an open house inspection? We share 5 open house tips to ensure your open house goes smoothly.

As a selling agent in Brisbane’s inner south, I have conducted, and helped sellers prepare for literally hundreds of open house inspection over the years, and time and time again, the same things will come up.

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Selling Tenanted Properties

Can tenants ruin a sale? Absolutely! Work with, rather than against your tenants using these four simple pointers…

I recently sold a property that was tenanted and much to my delight, the tenants were an absolute pleasure to work with and really helped the sale run smoothly.

Unfortunately this is not always the case. A poorly behaving tenant can put an end to the usual smooth sailing and their actions can sometimes go as far as affecting the final sale price of the property – in a downward way!

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Want top Dollar for your property? Don’t say this when interviewing a REAL ESTATE AGENT

Despite all of the information available on the Internet, there are some endeavors that you absolutely have to leave in the hands of professionals. Engaging with a real estate agent is one of those. Whether you are buying or selling property, delving into real estate involves a great deal of time, effort and most of all, skill.

Hiring a real estate agent provides you with a number of advantages. First, an agent has the experience and expertise to guide you through the process and thus, saves you time in learning the nuances of the industry by yourself. Second, an agent has a network of connections that will broaden your search for buyers. Third, and most importantly, an agent is not emotionally connected to the property and this allows her to negotiate from a stronger mindset.

However, the decision to hire an agent means you must go through the process of interviewing a real estate agent to market your property.

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Open Houses Brisbane:

Why Sellers Who Stay Home Will Cost Themselves $$$

A home means more to us than just shelter. It is the one place on earth where time stands still; every corner of the house, its walls, rooms and fixtures tell stories and relive memories that never remain dormant for long. We hear the sounds of children playing in the back yard, the smell of coffee in the morning and remember the feel of the warm bed we climb into after a hard day at work.

Buying your first home is arguably the greatest milestone in life and has long been considered the Great Australian Dream. People sacrifice a lot and push themselves to extraordinary levels of achievement in order to buy a good home for their family.

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Oh la la! La boudoir

Or is it Oh No No……..

Is it time you considered decluttering your home? 

Let’s take a peek inside your bedrooms.
As you open the doors, what do you see?  We may not all have designer interiors but a semblance of order can create a sense of space, harmony and flow.

Is there plenty of light flooding in or is the ‘mood’ more like the devil’s lair? I did say the house washer would be your best friend but there are two more elements that will also be your allies at sale time and they are loads of natural light and de-cluttering.

Regarding light, are the curtains and blinds still in good order or should they be removed or replaced? Are they hanging straight? Or missing loop attachments? Blind cords hanging loosely? Unless privacy is a major issue, having none may be the better alternative to sad droopy looking drapes or blinds.

Bedside tables – we all need them but is yours stacked to the ceiling with dozens of half read books and tissue boxes, a coffee mug?

Any built-ins in here? Again, check that your cupboard doors and windows are all opening and closing smoothly. The most crowded rooms in the house often tend to be the children’s rooms where soft toys, lego and books are fighting for the attention of their little owners. A bit of overindulgence at birthdays can now seem to be a bit of a nightmare when trying to sort out how to best handle what is precious or essential and what is not.

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Your next move is to open the front door

For this week’s practical tip on preparing your home for sale, let’s step inside.

What’s behind the front door?

How did you go? The house looking spiffy from the front? The front door gleaming with fresh paint?

Now open the door and let’s move inside.

What do you see? Is this home well presented or does it need some work?

Remember, we are being thoroughly practical here so try to do this with a visitor’s eye, not the one that arrives home each day with so much blind familiarity we fail to see the chaos and clutter! Did I say clutter?

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Questions. Questions. And First Impressions

Styling Your Home For Sale

Can’t work out where to begin? Why don’t you take a walk outside and start at the very beginning. Even if your home is an apartment, the front door or gate is a very good place to start.

The questions I would ask myself would be:

“Is the entrance looking smart, clean, inviting?”

“Is the gate hanging straight and the fence in good order?”

“Are the hedges behind it trimmed and tidy?”

“Are there things lying around the garden that can be tossed out or put away?” Broken pot plan holders, children’s toys, gardening equipment, the dog’s play things, dilapidated garden furniture?

“Do the gardens and plants look as if somebody loves them or are they tired, overgrown and woolly?”

There have been instances where overgrown shrubbery has given the perception of a smaller home than it actually is so a buyer has driven on by.  Silly, I know, but we are looking at everything you can attend to to maximize your home’s appeal, that all important first impression.

“Is the front pathway in need of repaving, some repair?”

“Are there tree roots lifting pavers?”

“Are the front stairs sound or are there a couple of loose treads needing attention?”

“How about the railings? Do they need an extra bolt or two?”

You would be amazed how many people misinterpret minor defects as reflective of something more ominous!

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