Thursday, December 23, 2010

POST XMAS AND NEW YEAR Money Saving Tips




With Christmas, present buying, holidays and celebrations behind us, many home owners and investors are now faced with ‘The Bill – or credit card debit’ to manage in conjunction with mortgage payments. 
Many will agree that the last 12 months has been very challenging with regards to the economy, job security and property investment in general.
Our property management team is aware and understands the pressures that such an economy can place on property investors and tenants, and it is our priority to place a high importance on ensuring that rents are paid on time, that we obtain competitive maintenance quotes and that we carefully manage preventative maintenance and renovation costs to assist in alleviating your financial pressures.
As a value-add to our property investors, we have taken the time to research the Top Money Saving Tips for this month’s newsletter.
Make it your 2011 New Year’s resolution to action our ‘To-do’ list
ΓΌ Money Saving To-Do Tips
Number 1# Tip is to not avoid financial pressures
  • Establish a budget outlining your income and expenses
  • Establish a property maintenance plan and budget to cover the unexpected need of a new hot water system, oven or stove, and don’t forget to allow for renovations and improvements, such as carpet replacement, painting and new curtains, etc. Make sure you put a little extra away each month for these costs
  • Review your home loans
  • Can you get a better rate elsewhere? Is it time to fix your rate? Do you want to split the mortgage to fixed & variable? Can you align your repayments with your pay day or income cycle to minimise interest?
  • Pay your wage/s into your home loan to reduce your monthly interest
  • Establish a line of credit or redraw facility on your home loan.  Transferring your credit card debt to your home loan can greatly reduce credit card interest charges
  • Review your car insurance
  • Review your house insurance
  • Review your phone, mobile, and Internet phone plans

By reviewing your insurance policies and ensuring you are on the best plans can save yourself $1000s.
Before making any financial decisions about the management of your finances, we strongly recommend that you consult your accountant, financial manager or bank manager to determine the most effective way to save money for your situation.

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Merry Christmas to All - Holiday Security Tips


Christmas is a time to rejoice, let your hair down and enjoy the company of family and friends.
If you are planning to be away from your home over this period we would like to remind you of some thought-provoking holiday security tips.
ŸKeep Christmas trees and presents hidden from the outside view Ÿ Remove all ladders and climbing objects from around the house Ÿ Notify neighbours that you are going away and have them collect your mail/newspapers Ÿ Leave a light on inside Ÿ Hide all money, jewellery and valuables Ÿ Don’t hide a key outside your property or leave notes – Be Safe!

The Team @
David Deane Real Estate

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

WE'VE MOVED !!!

We have moved to our brand new, custom built showroom at

2 Dixon Street (Cnr Gympie Road) Strathpine.
Opposite Westfield Shopping Centre




We see our move as a launch pad for amazing client service and results to delight both sellers and landlords.

Please feel free to call in for a look around and a coffee.

Please note there will be disruptions to our telephone, fax and email services on Thursday 16th and Friday 17th December.

We hope to see you soon.

The Team at
David Deane Real Estate


Friday, December 10, 2010

Christmas Real Estate comment ...


Sales are being made – buyers have not gone away. 

"A Tumultuous year" would be our best description of 2010. The continuing financial crisis, ridiculous charges for utilities (water, power, petrol, food costs) have contributed to more market uncertainty and wanning confidence for many. The election fiasco and ending the subsidised home grant all contributed.

WHAT AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THOSE WHO HAVE TAKEN ADVANTAGE AND GRABBED SOME GREAT HOMES AT EXCELLENT PRICES. BARGAINS WILL NOT BE AROUND FOR EVER, OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS NOW.

It’s always these canny buyers who make big returns from residential homes over the long term. They will lead the next boom with capital gains and low payments, the stuff from which great stories start.  Interest rates have never been so low for so long. We believe those that lock in rates now will not only sleep well but be well placed as rates continue to rise to pay mounting governmental debt on all levels. It really is time to eliminate one tier of government, as we simply can’t afford to continue to shovel money into these bottomless pits. Governments on all levels need to re-address theIR roles, basically to provide utilities, health, security and education at the lowest price possible. All other areas of focus are no more than fanciful political diversions.

Local Buyers will find the task of finding the right homes a lot easier on www.daviddeane.com.au our award winning website which is updated daily. Everything listed is really available correctly priced with all contracted homes marked accordingly and removed when settled.

The local market is certainly over supplied at the moment or is it? Within 5kms of Strathpine there are 1200 homes listed for sale, with only 15/20 selling each week. Add to this 100 new listings each week and the buyer absorption rate blowing is out to almost two years supply. That’s the bad news…

The good news is that  less than 15/20% of homes listed represent buyer value, and they are obtaining significant inspections, offers and selling. Make no mistake there plenty of buyers for well-priced well presented homes. We have 500 active buyers registered with our team, now.

Many sellers are chasing prices that were obtainable last year but are overpriced today by generally 10/20%. It is a very tough decision to loose money from the original purchase price but sometimes the early loss is the best. If nothing else the share market has taught us that.

This is a market for high negotiation skills and determination by sales people. The weak ill-informed will not be around next year to talk up listing prices to dream levels, over promise and under deliver. The team at our office has been training for ten years to handle a market like this and are ready to get sellers sold. Our record and figures speak for themselves. 

Finally thankyou to the thousands of sellers, buyers, landlords and tenants who have selected the team at David Deane real estate to complete their real estate transactions over the 2010. So many of you have given us glowing references which we are very proud to receive, thank you.

2011 sees us open the first ever purpose built real estate showroom on the northside of Brisbane. It provides excellent facilities for clients and staff never before seen. We see our move as the launch pad for amazing client service and results to delight both sellers and landlords. Please feel free to call in for a look around and a coffee. Seasons greetings from all our team may we all spare a thought for those families doing it tough along with our forces overseas.

David K Deane
Principal

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

HOLIDAY SECURITY CHECKLIST


Is yours one of the few houses in the street with an alarm, dog or well-secured doors and windows or where the occupants come and go at irregular times?  Then  give yourself a big tick for offering the least opportunity i.e greatest opposition or risk to aspiring thieves. But if you were going away this Christmas you might want to make your home even less attractive to opportunistic thieves by using this holiday security checklist.

Firstly, try to think the way the thieves do. Does your home look neglected, abandoned, unused? Make it look occupied by carrying out the following activities
  • Leave a light on inside if you intend returning home after dark. The light should be visible from the street and give the impressions that the house is occupied. Consider using an automatic lighting timer.
     
  • Never leave notes on your door. Thieves can read too.
     
  • Keep blinds and curtains partly open to give the house a "lived in" appearance if you are gong away for some length of time.  
     
  • Cancel all regular deliveries, e.g. newspapers so the stockpile doesn’t give the game away.
  • Ask a friend or neighbour to keep an eye on your home and collect any other deliveries which may be made during your absence.
  • Ask the Post Office to hold your mail.
  • Ask a friend or neighbour to park a car in your driveway from time to time.
And remember to make things tough for anyone who has the temerity to have a go.
  • Lock away all portable garden equipment, tools, ladders or anything that could be used to break into your house.
  • Securely lock your garage; most breaking-in implements are found there.
  • Lock all doors and windows.
  • Take your keys or leave them with a friend. Do not hide them.
     
  •  Remove all money and valuables to a safe place such as your bank.
  • Notify your local Police of your absence.
Have a great Christmas holiday.