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28 November 2014
How do you get your home ready for sale?
So, you have finally decided to sell your home. You may need something bigger, smaller, closer to a school or near family, whatever the reason, you now have to get your property listed and on the market.
Where do I begin?
De-Clutter
This is a great way to reduce unwanted items in your household that you definitely do not want to move. Donate items to charity, get them listed for sale on www.gumtree.com.au or www.ebay.com.au or have a garage sale
Get clothes packed away that are out of season and store them off the property if you can or in the garage. Do the same with everything in cupboards so you can show off the room you have.
Start packing away extra picture frames and other items that are busying up your shelves – the neater and simpler everything is the better. Just present a few key items that are attractive to the masses – not just your taste.
Cleaning and spruce up
Clean out the cupboards, window blinds, and all rooms in the house. The outside of your home is what will give the first impression so it is worth spending a bit of time in the garden. Mulch the garden beds, pull the weeds, get the grass looking nice and green and aerated and tidy up any potplants.
Repairs, patching and painting
Now is the time to start fixing broken taps and leaky pipes and other minor repairs that need to be made. A coat of paint will do wonders for a tired house and keep the colours neutral.
Patch up any holes or cracks in the ceiling and walls and get the kids busy scrubbing off any pen and pencil marks around the house
Cracked pavers should be removed and tidied up too and make sure your pool is sparkling clean if you have one.
Adding personality and warmth
You can add a few key items to your home to make huge visual changes. If it is cold, turn on the heater, if it is hot – keep the air conditioner on. Clean and crisp white bedding, fresh towels and bath mats that match your tiles, a candle or two in the lounge and some bright cushions both indoor and outdoor can make a big difference.
Check out these awesome outdoor cushions from www.moteef.com.au – imagine how bright your outdoor area could look with a few of these scattered around.
Finally, how do you Choose the right agent
It is best to get a few opinions on the market value of your property. They can also assist you with some suggestions on how to best present your home for sale.
Look for an agent that has:
· Local area experience
· A good track record in sales
· Gives you a good feeling when you meet them
· Is supported by a good brand and office with good administrative support
· Has great marketing- this is the key to getting your home out there – be wary of agents who quickly offer free marketing – that might not be the best way to go
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20 November 2014
Save $70,000 off your average home loan!
Did you know that. the average home loan in Australia today is around $350,000!! Did you also know that by getting a finance health check done – you could probably around 0.4% off your current loan or more!
Sounds like a small percentage but over the term of your loan – that means you are saving 36 monthly repayments, a saving of around $92 per month and that is in the region of $70,000 over the term of the loan.
Now that is a good chunk of money you do not want to give to the banks!
Some things to consider when reviewing your home loan!
- Are you paying off your loan as fast as you would like? Retaining your current repayments but on a lower interest rate can literally take years off your mortgage.
- Have circumstances changed since you took your loan out?
- With interest rates at an all-time record low is it worth considering locking in a low rate for the next few years?
- If you have otherdebts apart from a home loan are you prioritising your repayments appropriately? Is debt consolidation appropriate for your circumstances?
- Are you considering purchasing an investment property? How will you structure your loans to ensure you can achieve your current and ongoing objectives?
- Many banks have reduced variable and fixed rates over the last few months, has yours?
- Are you planning a renovation, swimming pool or other major expense? Would refinancing be a better option than a loan top-up?
- Do you have savings earning interest on which you are then paying tax? You can maintain access to your savings but use them to reduce interest on your home loan with the right mortgage.
- Has your special low introductory rate come to an end? Have you moved on to the standard variable rate often as much as 1% higher than the introductory/special rates?
- And finally, are you happy with your current lender or do you feel that you could find a better deal?
If you want to find out the answers to these questions above you need to get a finance or loan health check. You really should do this every few years and ensure you are not paying too much – what sounds like a small percent ends up being a very large sum on money over the life of your loan.
For more great tips check our blog or contact us to arrange a finance health Check today – john@platinumrealtygroup.com.au.
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14 November 2014
Maximising Social Media for Real Estate Agencies
One of the main reasons we use social media at Platinum Realty Group is for our clients benefit. So, how do we go about maximizing our social media in relation to real estate?
The better we are at communicating and the more people we can communicate with, the more efficiently we can do our job as Selling Agents and Property Managers.
In basic terms, our job is toassist vendors to sell their properties by matching them with the right buyers and to assist Landlords to rent out their properties by finding the right tenants. It’s about finding the right person for each and every property and those people are located all over the place.
In Western Australia there was a surge in the number of real estate agents in the early 2000’s and again since 2010 – there has been a surge in Boutique Agencies popping up with a new office/brand opening almost every month.
Good real estate becomes about cutting through the clutter and staying one step ahead of your competitors.
Our Social goal is to increase our brand awareness, become top of mind and invite the community into our brand and culture
To maximise our social media presence we have three facebook pages, a twitter account, are building our you tube channel for our substantial list of videos and are very active on Linkedin.
We are always looking at other options to engage the public through social media as it is a moving feast that changes almost daily. We also engage a Marketing and SocialMedia company to guide us through the process along with an in house marketing/social media specialist. You might be surprised but it really is that involved to have a good on line presence, maintain good content and ensure your communications are seen.
We get involved in our local community, speak directly with local businesses to see how we can help them grow their business and we constantly search for good content for our fans and on line community.
The benefits of a good social media presence:
o A convincing on line presence and profile will assist you to covert prospects to listings
o It allows you to present yourself as a market leader and provide tangibe good information to the public
o Over 70% of people trust opinions from their friends and contacts when posted on-line
o Every successful dealing is often shared with their friends and family which leads to more referrals
o Our brand is seen more often every day
o Our on line marketing is highly targeted – allowing us to reach the right people and the right tome of day
For more on the benefits of Social media and its use in Real Estate, contact John Kemsley – Principal of Platinum Realty Group. john@platinumrealtygroup.com.au
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13 November 2014
Is your Property Manager doing the right thing when selecting tenants and placing them in your Property?
Did you know that a large percentage of Property Managers do not ring the prospective tenants past landlords and employers when they place them in your property!
It is a sad but true fact!
Here are some things you need to ensure your Property manager does when selecting a tenant and that they are the right ‘type’ of person for the job.
1. They must ring all past/current references – that includes employers (to make sure they are in fact employed) and previous landlords or Property Managers – this allows to check up on how they looked after the property
2. Explain the Lease – yes that’s right – they need to fully go through the lease at sign up with the tenant – they shouldn’t just leave it with them to sign andn return. Often the tenant wont read it all the way through (it is boring after all) but an explanation of what is required of them is very important
3. Communicate with both parties – Good communication is vital for the relationship to work. They need to be good listeners, be proactive, up to date with legislation and really good listeners. You should expect a return email or phone call within 24 hours and know that any maintenance items are being attended to as they crop up and before more damage possibly occurs.
4. Check the national tenancy database (NTD) to ensure they have not previously defaulted on rental payments or been to Tribunal (Court before)
5. Cross-check private rentals details with the Property Owners – many people say they are renting privately (when they are not) and use false references. Ensure your Property Manager is cross checking the correct owners details of the property they are in and contacting them directly (not just the name on the application)
6. Are they a people person – Property Managers need to manage people – often more than they need to manage houses. It is a balancing act with landlords, tenants and suppliers/government agencies and then reporting back to the Company owners. They need to manage logistics, time-frames, budgets, different personalities and be on top of everything. It’s a tough job!
7. Cashflow Management – most Landlords have a bill to pay each month and you need cashflow – a good Property Manager will be on top of your income and expenses and ensure you get a good cashflow each month – they need to actually care about managing this – not just process money in and money out!
8. Customer Service – are they giving you good service, are they cutting you off when you speak and rushing, are they genuinely interested in your needs? You will know after the first couple of conversations if they fit the bill in terms of your needs and are providing the service you expect and deserve.
If you want more information on Renting out your Property – you can ring the Property Management team at Platinum Realty Group on 9300 4100.
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04 November 2014
Sometimes you just need some handy hints for keeping your household spic and span. Here are a range of handy tips to help you around the home – who knows, we may be able to save you hundreds of dollars in call out fees and labour!!
CLEANING MILDEW: Light stains on fabric may be washed out in the laundry. You could also try soaking in diluted bleach, rubbing with a cut lemon dipped in salt or dabbing with hydrogen peroxide. Keep moist until the spots fade, rinse and wash as usual.
UNBLOCKING SINKS: Flush sink with a cup of ammonia in a bucket of boiling water. Use a piece of wire with a hook bent into the end to scrape out any blocking soap and hair from pipes. Smelly floor drains can be flushed out with a bucket or two of boiling water mixed with ammonia.
CLEANING BATHTUB STAINS: Make a paste out of cream of tartar and hydrogen peroxide. Apply a small amount to the stain. Use a nylon net scrub or an old toothbrush to gently scrub the area. Repeat for stubborn stains, then rinse thoroughly.
REPLACING HALOGEN GLOBES: Never handle new tungsten halogen globes because oils from the hand can cause the globe to fail or shatter. Use a tissue to handle globes and if necessary clean globes with mentholated spirits. And remember to store globes on an angle for them to remain active.
DRIPPING SHOWER HEADS: The solution to a dripping shower head is to replace the washer in the tap handle. A blocked shower head needs to be removed and washed out in hot water and detergent. Then use a piece of wire to clean out the holes
CHANGING TAP WASHERS: Turn off the water main or the hot water supply. Next, turn the tap to its fullest open position, undo the nut, and expose the valve assembly. Lift it out and replace with the new one. You can purchase a valve assembly at your local Home Timber & Hardware store. Then replace the handle assembly, tighten the nut, and turn water on at the mains. Turn off the tap and check for leaks
MOWING TIPS: The basic rule is to under-mow rather than over-mow. Leave the new grass until it is as least 6cm high before mowing. Ensure the mower blades are sharp and remove no more than one third of the grass length the first time. Thereafter, gradually lower the blades.
WEED CONTROL: Most summer weeds can be effectively controlled with one of the herbicides that work only through green tissues, not through the branches, trunk or soil. Purchase a weeding wand for easy application and apply to the mature leaves as well as the new growth.
HOW TO SAVE WATER: Water your garden early in the morning for best results. That’s because evening watering encourages fungal disease and watering during the day is less effective due to increased evaporation. And remember, too much fertilizer makes lawns thirsty and healthy ones use less water than sick ones.
MAINTAINING GUTTERS AND DOWNPIPES: Remove leaves and other debris with a small brush and use the garden hose to wash away the pieces. Then place the garden hose into down pipes with the water turned onto full. A plastic mesh gutter guard can be easily fitted to ensure leaves are kept out.
REMOVING CONCRETE STAINS: Scrub area with hot water and grease-cutting detergents or scouring powders. Solvent based pavement cleaners are also effective and are available from your local Hardware store.
FIXING FLY-SCREENS: Cut wire and pull at the centre of each edge to line strands along the frame and fasten. Cut away excess wire. Mitre-cut the beading, prime the raw wood ends and nail to frame at about 100mm centers. The beading should hide the wire edge and its inner edge flush with the frame’s inner edge.
POOL MAINTENANCE: Before starting up for summer, check your water test kit and buy new bottles of liquid reagents because they only last one season. Switch on the pump, check your pool’s filters for holes and tears and discard old cartridges.
HOME SECURITY: Never leave keys hidden outside the house and it’s a good idea to leave a spare set with your neighbor. Lock away ladders and tools that could be used in a burglary and install movement activated lights to deter thieves.
HOME FIRE SAFETY: If fire breaks out get all the family together and leave the house at once, closing as many doors and windows as possible on the way. Where there is heavy smoke stay low because smoke is less dense closer to the ground where the temperature is lower.
We hope these were helpful, The Platinum Property Management Team.
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