Attracting and keeping quality tenants

There are a wide range of ideas and things that you can do with your rental property to attract and keep quality tenants, which we will be including in future newsletters.

The one that we would like to share with you this month is the installation of reverse-cycle air conditioning.

Tenants want to be comfortable in their home.  They want to be  cool in summer and warm in winter.  If they are unsure about renting two properties and have to decide… you can be sure that reverse-cycle air-conditioning is a great selling point.

For a relatively small tax-deductible investment you can improve your property, possibly increase the rent and reduce your vacancy period.

Even if you currently have a tenant in the property, the proposal of installing reverse-cycle air conditioning may win the tenant over as a loyal and long-term tenant.

If you would like to install reverse-cycle air conditioning to your property, feel welcome to contact our office to discuss this further


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Is buying the Worst House on the Best Street good advice?

For some reason, we seem to measure our success in life by how we compare to others. Is our house bigger than theirs? Is my car nicer than Bob’s down the street? To feel successful, many people fall into the trap of buying things simply to impress others.

Thomas Stanley, Ph. D. quotes in his newly released book “Stop Acting Rich.... “If you examine homes by value from the lowest to the highest, you would find that as the value of the homes increases, so does the proportion of people who are living well above their means.”

The more expensive your home, the more you’ll be forced to spend on home repairs, maintenance and upkeep. This is hard enough, before you factor in what you’ll have to spend to keep up with your neighbors. If you buy a high-end home, you’ll end up sending your kids to expensive private schools and you’ll be forced to buy them all of the expensive clothes and gadgets the other kids have in the neighborhood.

The reason this happens is because it’s hard to avoid copying what you see every day. You won’t want to look like some schmuck who drives a rusty old car and sends his kids to the public schools in out-of-style clothes from Kmart.

The trick is to live in a nice home in a nice neighborhood that allows you to live below your means. It’s better to be a high earner in an average neighborhood than it is to be a low earner in a high-end neighborhood. Remember the old saying about “buying the worst house on the best street?” Well, as it turns out, this “best street” might actually lead you to the poor house.

Most of the millionaires profiled by Mr. Stanley in his book live on less than 80 percent of their income. They are frugal and focus their attention on investment rather than consumption. Their goal is to convert income into wealth, which is significantly different than people who act rich.

A psychology study found that having “things” isn’t what usually makes us happy. If “things” do, it’s short-lived happiness.

Instead, what makes us happy are life experiences. The good news is that life experiences are free.


See complete article


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The facts about first home buyers

First home buyers were an extremely important element in the property market recovery during 2009. This week we look at exactly what impact first home buyers had on the market in 2009 and how their gradual slowdown in demand may affect the market in 2010.

During 2009, 191,000 first home buyers took the opportunity to become home owners across Australia. It’s no real surprise that first home buyers were so active during 2009 given that the Government was offering the First Home Owners Grant Boost, interest rates were at almost 50 year lows, some State Government’s were offering additional incentives such as low or no stamp duty on more affordable property purchases and properties had become more affordable during 2008 thanks to a fall in values. The volume of first home buyers during 2009 represented the highest annual volume of buyers on record and saw a 55% increase on first home buyer activity compared to the previous year. 

Between 1992 and 2009 there was an average of just over 116,000 first home buyers annually. Not only was the level of activity during 2009 the highest on record it was 64% greater than the long-term average level of activity.


Read more... 


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"I didn't sleep well last night" - that is something many of us have heard each morning when we ask how a co worker is feeling today.



The stress of our work schedules, our home lives, are often dealt with while we are lacking one of the most vital survival skills - SLEEP!


Most of the time, we are worrying about something we did or didn't do at work, or something we have to do tomorrow - many of these things are out of our control and we continue to worry about them. In all honestly, is worrying really going to solve the problem? Or do you need to get a good night sleep and take it on the next day with a clear fresh head?


If you can't stop yourself from worrying, you need to learn how to manage your thoughts - think of work AT work. Replace the worrying with more positive thoughts. if you can't switch off at night, think of positives for the next day. don't put yourself down and punish yourself with lack of sleep because of something that may or may not happen.


Try these following commonly used tips for a better night sleep -

 • Deep breathing. Close your eyes—and try taking deep, slow breaths—making each breath even deeper than the last.


• Progressive muscle relaxation. Starting at your toes, tense all the muscles as tightly as you can, then completely relax. Work your way up from your feet to the top of your head.


• Visualizing a peaceful, restful place. Close your eyes and imagine a place or activity that is calming and peaceful for you. Concentrate on how relaxed this place or activity makes you feel.


• Reserve your bed for sleeping. If you associate your bed with events like work or errands, it will only make it harder to wind down at night.


Don't associate your bedroom with work, work related issues or ideas - your bedroom is for SLEEP!! All in all if you get a good night sleep, you will function and perform so much better the next day. It won't happen overnight, but it will happen, you just need to be patient, stop stressing and simply switch off and relax. Again - will worrying about something that may or may not happen really solve the problem??

Cassy Levinge
Property Manager

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FEEL THE BUZZ IN THE AIR!

Something new, something different, something unheard of!

The count down is on for this Saturday Nights, Night of football!

Surely you would have heard by now that it is not just an ordinary game of football being played at Skilled Park this weekend, instead it is the inaugural game of the NRL Indigenous All Stars! A large part of conversation in the David Deane lunch room of late has surrounded this unprecedented event.

The sold out game is not just another football match, but instead a very clever avenue to convey the significance of reconciliation of today’s society through a common interest. The use of contemporary methods are proving to have a greater impact on today’s society - and that is why at David Deane’s, we too frequently have to formulate new ways to appeal to today’s gen Y and gen X. At David Deane’s we are in tune with new technologies like iPhones, Facebook, Instant Messaging, Blogs, Twitter etc. By being in touch with what the up-and-coming generation relates to,  we can then align our marketing techniques to be more efficient, which will in turn be more rewarding for all involved.

NRL Australia’s most popular sport appeals to the majority - therefore using it to convey the subliminal message of reconciliation should prove to be a recipe for success as long as the message is not lost within the game itself.


For this reason the players on the Indigenous team will be wearing in the dreamtime Jumper which signifies a history built on pride, war and blood. By providing an awesome game of great football, it will be a win-win situation for both Indigenous and sporting fans alike.

So like this weekends match, we at David Deanes Real Estate should continue to incorporate innovative and unprecedented means to our everyday real estate goals so we can continue to be the best that we have always been!

No Barrier can obstruct a man who craves success!

Cassie Turner
Personal Assistant to Mark Rumsey


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The Australian property market’s last decade in review

Over the last ten years the Australian property market has recorded an annualised rate of growth just below 10% each year however, the results vary greatly between each city. 

Across the capital city residential property market, the last 10 years has seen home values almost double with an annual rate of growth of 9.4%. Today the capital city median dwelling price across the country sits at $451,000 with houses recording a median of $485,000 and units at $400,000. If you bought a home 10 years ago, you were probably looking at a median price of less than $200,000 for either property type.


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How do you distinguish between a good investment property and a bad one?

It can be hard for inexperienced property investors to distinguish between a good investment and a bad one, especially if they keep looking for something they like.  In reality, many investors make it harder for themselves than they need to by being too emotional about their purchases.

The problem starts when investors see their investment properties as an extension of their own home and indulge in the same feelings of pride of ownership. It is not uncommon for novice investors to turn down a property with terrific investment potential and strong rental demand just because they themselves couldn’t live in it. Some end up buying what they consider to be a nicer property, only to find that the tenants have different priorities and will choose more basic accommodation in order to be say, closer to amenities.

The strongest demand for both re-sale and rental is usually, by very definition, around the median price in any marketplace or location. Those who choose to invest in the luxury end of the market are usually the first to be hit by any economic downturn. Much of the luxury rental accommodation available is leased by corporations who, in poorer economic times, can no longer justify the cost of accommodating employees in high rent areas. And high income earners are unlikely to commit to large mortgages or rents in a climate of economic uncertainty with the possibility that salaries or jobs could be under revision.

Median priced properties - those in what you could call middle range of the market - are not as badly affected and usually give their owners the best long term return. If they lose some demand from their usual occupiers because young people move back home or families scale down to smaller or cheaper accommodation, they pick up tenants or purchasers who can no longer afford the luxury markets.


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SIZZLE INTO SUMMER!

The hit  show Biggest Loser has once again HIT our tv screens for yet another series.  I feel the important message from this show is the way in which people are changing their life, health and motivating one another NOT how good they are now looking in a dress or pants. People often forget the amazing lesson one can learn from this show. 

The team at David Deane Real Estate  however,  realise the importance of this message.  As a team we are always supporting and motivating one another whether an indvduals goal be in weight loss, buying a new home or saving to go on a fantastic trip!.  Often in the lunch room you will see someone providing advice on the lastest money saver idea, best local buy in the area or cooking a fantastic meal for us all to share. It is amazing the power a team can have in inspiring you to achieve - rather than trying to achieve on your own.

In the lunch room we also have a GOAL PLANNER FOR 2010. On this board we each have a goal we would like to achieve this year. By having this board in the lunch room it makes each team member  accountable to one another. This currently is having HUGE success and I think it should be adopted in all work places.

On that note Individually we are one drop, Together, we are an ocean.

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