Shedden’s listings now on realestate.com.au

July 27th, 2010

Shedden Real Estate’s properties now appear on realestate.com.au.  This is to complement our existing listings on www.domain.com.au, www.homehound.com.au, wwwgoogle.com.au, our facebook page and of course shedden.com.au.

To view our listings on realestate.com.au, please click the link below:

http://www.realestate.com.au/buy/by-kmfizb/list-1

When is it a good time to sell?

July 11th, 2010

Ask any agent when is it a good time to sell your property and they will almost always say the present. Why would you consider selling now, in Winter? Surely no one is buying houses in such cold weather?! Surely no one goes to open houses in the cold?

The answers to the questions are yes and no.

Yes people are still buying houses in Winter and no people are still going to open houses in the cold weather too. Think about, in winter there are less properties on the market for sale, therefore reducing the competition for the buyer’s money. This is where you can take advantage of this and make your property stand out.

Does your home have a fireplace? A reverse cycle air conditioner? When selling your home in winter, it is important that the home is warm and inviting. Turn these or light the fire prior to your open house or private inspection. Not only is the allure of an open or combustion fire romantic and inviting, it warms most houses. If you think of this and the others don’t, you have instantly gained a distinct advantage over the competing properties and will encourage the buyers to spend a little more time to appreciate the home. Rake up the fallen leaves and trim back dead tree branches. If your garden is something special in spring, have some photos of it to show prospective buyers what they can expect in the coming months.

Do buyers attend open houses in winter?

Research shows that 70% of people that come through open houses aren’t even buyers. For the agent it is a great opportunity to meet the neighbours and other people with an interest in property. It is important that if you do have an open house that some rules are adhered to. I will cover these another time. So if only 30% of people that come through the open house are buyers, during the colder months it is more likely that the percentage of buyers to lookers will be higher as the weather will keep the sticky beaks at home.

So to sum up. Winter is a good time to sell if you are serious about moving or need to move. Less competition, more genuine and serious buyers. To discuss your plans or find out what you could achieve in today’s market, contact our office on (02) 49261566.

BankWest First Home Buyer Report 2010

July 8th, 2010

Below is an interesting article about the report by BankWest on the First Home Buyer Market. What does this mean for our bustling market?

Bankwest First Time Home Buyer Report 2010

Housing affordability has continued to worsen over the past year, with first home buyers needing 4.5 years to save for a house deposit, up from 3.7 years.

The second annual Bankwest “First Time Home Buyer Report” also found thousands of young Australians have been forced to rent or live at home with their parents for an extra 10 months as they struggle to pull together a house deposit.

The research shows a first time buyer couple needs to raise an $85,800 deposit to purchase the median house, and $76,900 to buy a median unit.

There are 26 Local Government Areas (LGAs) – in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth – where it would take a first home buyer couple on average earnings more than a decade to save a house deposit.

Bankwest Retail Chief Executive, Vittoria Shortt said this was the stark reality of a strong Australian property sector.

“Increasingly we are seeing an entrenched two-speed market emerging with property owners on one side and a growing army of first home buyers seemingly locked out on the other,” Ms Shortt said.

Ms Shortt said first time buyers needed on average four-and-a-half-years to get together a conservative 20 per cent house deposit. This drops to four years for first time unit buyers.

View the full article at:

http://www.bankwest.com.au/Media_Centre/Financial_Indicator_Series/Bankwest_First_Time_Home_Buyer_Report_2010/index.aspx

If you are a first home buyer and would like to discuss property, please contact our office on 492615566

Line Frustration

June 18th, 2010

Sitting opposite Worth Place at the moment, looking across the street, the workers are hard at work repairing the “doomed” railway line. How much money is being spent repairing this bottomless money pit that is completely under utilised? Creating traffic chaos while the work is being completed and upsetting commuters travel times, they should have held off and invested in converting the heavy rail to light rail. So much talk has been going on, when is a decision going to be made!?

WHEN YOU ARE A SELLER AND A BUYER

June 8th, 2010

The following article is an extract from the book, Real Estate Mistakes by Neil Jenman.  Although the article was posted back in 2003, what it discusses is as relevant today as it was 7 years ago.

Do You Sell First or Buy First?
If you want to sell your home and buy another, which comes first – Selling or buying? There seem to be dangers whatever you choose.

The advice you receive from agents is often the advice which is best for the agent. The agents will tell you to sell first if they are going to be the selling agent or, if you are thinking of buying from them, you may be told to buy first. If you sell first, you have nowhere to live. If you buy first, you may not be able to sell – unless you sell fast and cheap.

So, what do you do – sell first or buy first?

The answer is neither: Do not sell first and. Do not buy first.

Instead, do them both at the same time. It’s the safest way. Plus, it gives you complete control with low pressure.

Here’s how you sell and buy at the same time:

First, you place your home for sale (NOT AUCTION – it is almost impossible to sell and buy at the same time with auction.) It is easier for agents when sellers are forced to sell. But you are not going to be forced to do anything; you are going to do it your way. And you are going to win – without having anyone else lose.

A Summary of Selling and Buying Together

The solution to selling and buying at the same time can be summed up in four simple stages.

Stage 1. Find a Buyer.
Finding a buyer for your home does not mean selling your home. It means you have found a buyer who will accept your condition of you finding another home before you sell.

Stage 2. Find a Home.
Finding a home does not mean buying a home. It means you have found a home where the seller will accept your condition of selling your home before you buy.

Stage 3. Match Finances.
Once you have found a buyer for your home and you have found a home to buy, you have to make sure there is enough money from your sale to cover your purchase.

Stage 4. Sell old home. Buy new home.
This is the final stage of selling and buying at the same time. It is the perfect solution with no risk and low stress. If the finances match, you sign a contract to sell at the same time as you sign a contract to buy.

Make sure, of course, that the conditions of both contracts are the same, especially the ‘time conditions’. You don’t want to spend two weeks in a motel. A good real estate lawyer will help you.

Selling and buying, at the same time, can be simple, safe and pleasant.

To view the entire article online, please visit:

http://www.jenman.com.au/news_article.php?id=36

If you are looking at buying and selling at the same time, please contact Shedden Real Estate on 4926 1566.

How much is my house worth?

May 26th, 2010

Recently we posted a blog about www.onthehouse.com.au.  A comparable website for those looking for property data on real estate in Newcastle is the Australian Property Monitors’  www.homepriceguide.com.au.  This site provides similar information to www.onthehouse.com.au including sales information along with data such as number of properties sold and highest/lowest prices.  For $74.95 24 month comprehensive postcode reports are available or for $64.95 a 12 month report can be purchased.

Check out www.homepriceguide.com.au and tell us what you think about the information it provides for those  buying, selling or simply wanting to obtain an idea of the value of their home.

If you would like to know how much your property is worth from a local expert in Newcastle Real Estate, contact Shedden Real Estate Newcastle on 4926 1566 or visit www.shedden.com.au.

How to save thousands when selling your property!

May 19th, 2010

Neil Jenman, real estate consumer advocate, recently posted an article titled “Don’t pay anything” on his website.

The article discusses how some agents charge home sellers for advertising their property on top of the commission they receive for selling the property.  It encourages vendors to be wary of the sales spin placed on advertising and the true motivations for agents for requesting advertising dollars from the property seller – promoting their agency’s profile.  By not paying advertising costs you could be saving thousands of dollars.

Check out the article at www.jenman.com.au/news_item.php?id=421 and let us know your thoughts.

Shedden Real Estate Newcastle does not charge vendors for advertising.  If you are thinking of selling and would like to save thousands of dollars, contact Shedden Real Estate Newcastle today on 4926 1566 or visit our website www.shedden.com.au.

Another Great Idea Courtesy NSW State Government

May 13th, 2010

http://www.news.com.au/money/property/premiers-sneaky-tax-on-property/story-e6frfmd0-1225865832122

Rising interest rates, housing affordability at an all time low, construction in a slump not seen in fifty years…Wow this has to be the smartest tax NSW Government has ever come with. How about we raise stamp duty and land tax while we are at it?

Avoid losing thousands when listing your property

May 12th, 2010

Real Estate consumer advocate, Neil Jenman recently posted an article on his site www.jenman.com.au “The Asking Price Delusion – How some property sellers lose thousands”.

The article discusses how important it is not to list your property too far over its value and the potential damage this can cause if the property is left at an inflated price too long.  Jenman says “There will never be more buyers for your property than when you first place your property for sale”.

View the entire article http://www.jenman.com.au/news_article.php?id=259 and let us know what you think.

If you are considering selling and would like to discuss your property, contact the experienced and friendly team at  Shedden Real Estate Newcastle on 4926 1566.

Investing in real estate in Newcastle? Check out this website.

May 5th, 2010

If you are a serious investor in real estate or would like to become one, the website www.realestateinvestar.com.au is definitely worth a look.

The service Real Estate Investar provides is similar to those offered by other websites but really targets the data analysis needs of property investors.  It helps investors analyse  properties and for example, find properties with positive cash flow and development potential.

Real Estate Investar offers a free demo, so why not give it a try and let us know what you think.

Shedden Real Estate has a number of properties with investment potential for sale in the Newcastle area, contact our experienced team today on 4926 1566 or visit www.shedden.com.au for more information.