Wednesday, May 26, 2010

GREENING YOUR HOME FOR SALE

Reducing the energy use of your home and thereby its environmental impact is likely to add thousands of dollars to the re-sale value of your home, especially further down the track. Some prospective buyers may even be put off by homes which have not kept up with energy awareness and where money has been spent on flashy consumer fittings instead. Read the rest of this article for some tips on how to improve the carbon footprint of your home before putting it on the market.

If you are unsure of how much unnecessary energy your home is using, you can get a professional energy audit (google energy audit to find options near you and a comprehensive explanation of the benefits) and utilise the advice of trained home energy consultants who will prepare a personalised home energy savings report including practical advice. Many householders find themselves saving hundreds of dollars a year as well as reducing their carbon footprint by up to 20% - even improving the health profile of their homes e.g. reducing electromagnetic radiation when appliances are turned off after use. Insulating water pipes and water heater, re-sealing around windows, doors, eaves, edges and joints and installing solar lighting outdoors are just some of the things that may improve your home’s carbon footprint and its re-sale value.

If you are in the process of renovating, remember, while many of the ‘green’ features currently available may seem innovative, by the time you sell they may be standard, and putting them in now is likely to be less expensive than retrofitting.

In the kitchen, this means choosing appliances that have a good energy rating and opting for gas cooktops and ovens rather than electric ( a gas cooktop produces half the greenhouse gases of an electric one). Look for ovens with high levels of insulation and triple glazed, low-e coated windows. Remember that fan-forced ovens are 30% more efficient than convection ovens which waste 90% of the energy used.

For water heating, consider that solar, gas and electric heat pump systems produce far fewer greenhouse gas emissions than conventional electric storage systems. Gas-boosted solar is the most greenhouse efficient form of water heating.

For lighting use fluorescent or compact fluorescent lamps – they are energy efficient and long lasting. Avoid using low voltage downlights for general lighting and look for compact fluorescent replacements which are now available.



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Friday, May 21, 2010

Don’t be fooled by price $$$… IT IS NO JOKING MATTER


When you are looking to sell or rent your property, many smart property owners take the time to do their homework and research the market.  They may research prices in the local newspaper, visit national property websites or invite several salespeople or property managers to the property to submit an appraisal.  
These activities are all very beneficial to determine the price for a property… BUT “Don’t be fooled by price $$$”.  Often the advertised price may not be a true indication of the property’s value.  
The property owners may be asking $699,000 or $600 per week rent, but is this a realistic price for the property and a reflection of the current market supply and demand?

The most important information that you need to gather and questions to ask are: 
·   How long has the property been marketed and advertised for?
·   What have been the recent prices for ‘sales’ and ‘properties let’?
A property that is not priced in accordance with the market can often cost you money.
If you are selling and need a quick sale an unrealistically priced property can cost you additional interest and lose potential buyers. 
If you are renting your property, an unrealistic rent can lead to long- term vacancy periods that can have a greater financial loss to you than the extra $40 per week in rent.
You also need to BEWARE of agents who are prepared to tell you want you want to hear… just to get the listing.
When considering selling or renting your property we strongly recommend that you do your homework, research the market and ask relevant questions in regards to the price.

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Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Social Media Parenting: Raising the Digital Generation



Who are your kids friending on Facebook? What are they really texting to their classmates? How much online time is too much?
Too often, parents who are misinformed about the social web (willfully or otherwise) will shut their kids out of it completely, only to find they are logging in anyway. If you’re not taking an active role in your child’s online life, you may be missing important opportunities to ensure they are on the path toward “digital citizenship,” and protected from inappropriate content and people.
To help shrink the tech-culture divide between parents and their kids, we sought advice from the experts, who draw not only from their own research, but their family experiences as well. Keep reading for some valuable wisdom on raising the first fully digital generation.
Take an Active Role, and Do Your Homework

For kids, social media can no longer be dismissed as a time-waster or distraction. The networks your kids use to rate their friends and comment on photos will eventually become their core business tools and career prerequisites. Those who don’t learn to use them responsibly will face a severe disadvantage.
So how do you grant kids the freedom to explore while still keeping an eye on their safety? Start by educating yourself.
“Parents can’t just decide to keep their kids at a distance from all of this. There’s no way to opt out,” said Melissa Rayworth, a freelance writer who tackles parenting and digital issues for the Associated Press, Babble.com and other media outlets. “Parents need to learn about the sites and devices their kids want to use, and then set strong boundaries. If you don’t know what something is or what it’s about, dive in and start using it.”
“If [parents] engage and have their own experiences on Facebook, Twitter etc., they will better understand the attraction, the possibilities, and the issues that their teenagers face,” said Sue Blaney, author, speaker, and teen parenting blogger at PleaseStopTheRollercoaster.com.
One important step, especially when it comes to younger children, is to set up their social media accounts with them.
“Parents should guide their teens through the privacy settings on Facebook and all other social networks on which they participate,” said Blaney. “Make no assumptions here. Instead, invest the time so you can make informed and considered choices about privacy.”
Being a part of the sign-up process from day one will establish you as the gatekeeper of social media, and not a barrier for your kids to inevitably circumvent. You can become part of their online life while learning the ropes yourself.
“Have your teenager show you around the web. Be a ‘curious tourist’ in your teen’s digital world,” Blaney continued. “Ask your son to show you his favorite games, or ask your daughter to share her favorite sites, videos or activities. This can be a pleasant way to engage with your teenager and to learn from her.”




Safety and Privacy


Safety and privacy are probably the two biggest concerns of parents when it comes to social media. While there are some software and profile setting solutions, your greatest asset here is likely education.
We need to teach them as they grow up that ’stranger danger’ exists in the virtual world, as well as the real one — whether it’s the weirdo in our local park or a weirdo following you on Foursquare,” said Giarrusso. “We also need to constantly be hitting home, ‘think before you act online.’ The repercussions can stay with you and be devastating.”
“Many social media sites for young kids only let them post pre-approved phrases, so they can’t divulge personal info, and no one posing as a kid can say anything inappropriate,” said Rayworth. “But at some sites you need to turn those controls on, so definitely explore any site your child wants to use.”



Teens can face a whole new set of safety and privacy challenges on the larger networks, most of which are open to everyone, and are far more public.
“In terms of safety for older kids, every expert I’ve spoken with says, ‘don’t let them have a computer in their room,’” Rayworth noted. “Keeping it in a common space gives you more access to what they’re doing, and a clearer idea how much time they’re spending online. Kids may also make better decisions if they know mom and dad are nearby and can see the screen.
“The complicated thing is figuring out how far you want to go in the name of safety,” Rayworth added. “Some parents aren’t comfortable reading their teenager’s texts or accessing their Facebook messages. Others think it’s important. One option with Facebook is telling your kids that they must friend you … but agreeing that you won’t be posting on their wall or commenting on their posts. Agree to just stay in the background.”
The Fine Line Between Participating and Spying

While it’s important to take an active role in your child’s online life, there are personal boundaries that should be respected and adjusted based on the child’s age, maturity, and earned trust. While public posts on a social network may be fair game, things like e-mail messages and passwords could be considered an important threshold of maturity.
“Parents have a right to have their kids’ passwords, particularly younger teens,” said Blaney. “When teens get into the upper levels of high school, different rules may make sense for teens who prove themselves to be trustworthy.”
Remember, social networks are just that — social. They tend to be an extension of what kids do and say in their “physical” social circles — much of which is not intended for parental consumption.
“During the teen years, they often experiment with various personas. Am I like Britney? Am I like my older cousin Jamie? A teen may change her look, her friends, [and] her activities during this natural and important exploration process,” said Blaney. “It makes sense that some of this experimentation will take place over and through the communication channels that they utilize, including texting and social networks.”
If you’re intruding on your teen’s personal online space, she’s likely to take it underground. Remember, she’ll always be one step ahead of you technologically, so it’s unlikely you’ll win that race. If you’re willing to give up having passwords, you should trust that simply being a part of her online community (from day one, if possible) will be enough to ensure good behavior.
“Be a presence on your teen’s online profile, but in the background,” said Blaney. “Some parents like to post on their kids’ Facebook pages, but that isn’t necessary to do an effective job of monitoring (and may be a real turn-off to your teenager). Often, just letting your teen know that you look regularly is enough.”
Read the complete article from Mashable



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Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Property Presentation…

GOOD LOOKS DO COUNT! 
What type of tenant do you want to attract to your property?
You should never underestimate how important property presentation is to the tenancy selection process. Good quality, clean and tidy tenants are normally attracted to good quality, clean and tidy properties. A property that appears a little run down or that could do with a clean will generally not appeal to those tenants who take their property care seriously.
Worse still, poorly presented properties may attract tenants who have little regard for property care and presentation, because they think that people are less likely to notice if they are not caring for the property.
Property presentation is important and you may need to consider a scheduled ‘spruce-up’ in between tenancies to ensure that everything is looking fresh and inviting.

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Friday, May 7, 2010

THE 'IF'S' AND 'BUT'S' OF MORTGAGE RE-FINANCING


These days borrowers are likely to re-finance their home loan during its term – after all, personal circumstances change and there are always new loan products on the market. What does this mean for the average home owner?

Where their parents and grandparents were used to the ‘loan for life’ concept, today’s home owners are looking at loan terms have that have reduced even since the 1990’s from an average of seven years to an average of three to five years.

Switching loans is usually done because personal circumstances change and financial saving or gain can be made by doing so. Some people may want to consolidate debt from several sources, or access their equity to buy another property or asset. Some may simply be on the lookout for a better loan – always a possibility in today’s competitive market.

There are now hundreds of products on the market and product innovation is also a fact of life as savvy loan providers look to attract clients. There are many options already out there: 100 percent-plus loans for those who haven’t got the savings, professional packages for high earners, home equity loans for investors, reverse mortgages for retirees and even no-document or low-document loans for the self-employed.

At the same time, be aware that new products generally come at a cost which may eat into any advantages gained. After all, banks aren’t in it just for the fun of it. Is there a price for leaving the party early? Deferred establishment fees, for example, typically apply if a loan is exited within three to five years.There are usually establishment fees for any new loan entered into. Every contract is different and the fine print of your current contract needs to be examined as well as the fine print in the new products on offer. Other fees and charges may include application fees for the new loan, approval fees or additional stamp duty costs. Are the long term benefits worth the cost?

There are many ‘if’s’ and ‘but’s’ when it comes to home loan products. Fixed or variable rates, for example. Which is better? When interest rates have been low for some time, many people start thinking and talking about fixing their interest rate, thinking it will surely rise in the near future, rendering the cost of their loan more expensive and putting a strain on the family budget.
Whatever the question - fixed or variable, which of the hundreds of loan products on the market, or even whether to switch loans at all - it pays to seek advice from a well-referenced accountant or financial adviser before making changes.

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