Tag: buying

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Expert Tips Outdoor & Exteriors The Block

Block’s Greville Pabst on selling your home in the New Year

Credit: Harrison Landscaping

By Greville Pabst

As many Australians enjoy the festive season and summer sun, the real estate market goes into hibernation. That is until the New Year, when the market starts to pick up again. If you are looking to put your home on the market in early 2018, there are  a few things you can do to make sure your home stands out from the crowd and increase your chances of achieving a successful sale. Here are seven tips on how to prepare your home for a summer sale:

Garden is number one – When looking at a home during summer, many buyers will pay extra attention to the garden and outdoor areas, as this is where they will imagine themselves spending time during the summer. Make sure the garden is well maintained, green and lush, with no dead flowers or uncut grass. If possible, try and incorporate some shady areas in the backyard.

Credit: renoguide.comau

Inspection times – Running around and looking at houses when the sun is shining and the temperature is high, is not an ideal scenario for potential buyers. Try to schedule your inspection times earlier in the morning or later in the afternoon to avoid the heat during the middle of the day.

Inside retreat – The inside of your home should be a cool escape from the outdoor sun. Keep the air conditioning or ceiling fans on during inspection times, or open windows and doors to get a nice breeze flowing through the house.

Credit: Three Birds Renovation

Change up the colours – Remove heavy curtains, rugs and cushions in darker colours, and replace them with a brighter and lighter palette that is more suited to summer. These small things can give the home a completely new look that is more suited to summer and warmer temperatures.

Create an oasis – If you have a pool, this is the time to show it off by making sure it is well maintained and looks its absolute best. During summer, this is a great selling tool and you want it to appear as the perfect summer oasis.

Credit: Harrison Landscaping

Replace the old – Small things that are worth investing in include updating the mailbox, front door, fence and adding a fresh coat of paint to the exterior. This can work wonders for the front of the home, which is the buyer’s first impression. It’s important that the home has great street appeal and looks inviting.

Credit: Heartly Design

Outdoor dining – In Australia, we are lucky to be able to use outdoor areas the majority of the year, and during summer we really want to take advantage of our climate. Stage your alfresco or patio area with furniture to make it appear large and inviting. You want potential buyers to imagine themselves eating and entertaining in the space.

–Greville is executive chairman of WBP Group and one of the buyer’s advocates on The Block. He is a regular commentator on Sky News and the daily papers such as Herald Sun, the AFR and The Australian, helping everyday Australians make better property decisions.

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Design Expert Tips RENO ADDICT

3 reno tips for selling your property this spring

Storage and more storage. Photo credit 306/417 Bourke Street, Surry Hills represented by Belle Property

As the weather gets warmer it’s time to highlight the best renovations that will see you attract interest and win over buyers. Keep in mind that as we head into summer, people think about spending more time outdoors and that some of the things you can get away with in winter, become essential to fix when the market heats up.

Light it up

You can make a dim room look cosy in winter but as the days get longer, getting in enough light becomes crucial to nailing a sale. If a room can be improved by introducing more light—whether that’s enlarging a window, removing a wall, or adding a skylight—do it.

Also consider where shadows fall at different times of day. You may already have an instinct about what time might best represent your property: do you have bright mornings or stunning sunsets? Schedule an inspection at the optimum time.

Light and bright. Photo Credit: 1/102 Albion Street, Surry Hills represented by Belle Property

Some rooms need light more than others, so if you’re on a budget focus on bringing light into spaces where people gather during the day, like the kitchen, dining and lounge rooms. Bedrooms look nice with natural light but because they are used mostly at night it’s not nearly as important.

Show some space

You might get away with relabelling a poky property as ‘intimate’ in colder, less competitive seasons, but in spring you need to lift your game and open up the space. Older style properties are often made up of many rooms, which makes the property come across as poky. Combining a couple of these spaces to make it open plan will definitely improve what buyers see. Space is something buyers look for subconsciously, so if you can increase the feeling of roominess, that will help your place sell.

Storage and more storage. Photo credit: 306/417 Bourke Street, Surry Hills represented by Belle Property

Also consider if there is enough storage. If your renovation can add storage without cutting into the floor space —think high and low— then that will make the property more attractive. And if you haven’t done your spring cleaning, do it before you show your property, as clutter is a big turn off. Better yet, move out and let a property stylist bring in furniture that fits proportionately and shows the space at its best.

Private property

A sense of privacy is another element that’s largely subconscious but makes a huge difference to how comfortable buyers feel in a place. It helps if you can’t see the neighbours and vice versa, but if you can, make sure your reno addresses this. Consider screens or awnings that don’t block the light, or fittings like frosted windows or glass bricks that let in light but reduce visibility.

This also goes for backyards, especially if you have a terrace that opens up to a back area such as an entertaining deck or a garden. Use hedges and other natural elements like bamboo screens, wood fences or living walls to disrupt the line of vision but maintain that outdoorsy feel.

Urban oasis. Photo credit: 164B Bourke Street, Darlinghurst represented by Belle Property

Sellers often think buyers are primarily influenced by size and location, but these factors only serve basic needs. What will make a difference is how the property feels and that intangible feeling is based on light, space and privacy. Ensure your renovation improves those three things and you’re set for a competitive selling season.

Mark Foy is one of our resident experts and a director of Belle Property Surry Hills in Sydney.

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RENO ADDICT

Buy property with friends and increase your tax deductions

The pool

Co-ownership is becoming an increasingly popular trend. Owning a property with others can provide improved purchasing power. This can be particularly useful in capital cities where it can be difficult to break into the property market.

It can also balance out the expenses of owning an investment property including ongoing repairs, maintenance and fees. Additionally, co-ownership can provide improved depreciation deductions, allowing more items to be depreciated at a higher rate. This is where a BMT Tax Depreciation split report can assist.

How does a split report work?

A split report calculates depreciation deductions based on each owner’s percentage of ownership for each asset. This involves splitting the value of the assets based upon each owner’s interest in the assets before applying depreciation rules.

In a scenario where there is just one owner, legislation allows property investors to claim an immediate write-off for assets with an opening value of $300 or less. However, when an investment property is co-owned by two parties with a 50:50 ownership share, a split report allows the owners to each claim an immediate write-off for items where their interest in the asset is below $300. This means the owners can claim an instant write-off for items which are less than $600 in total value.

The same method can be used when applying low-value pooling. Where an owner’s interest in an asset is less than $1,000, these items will qualify to be placed in a low-value pool. This means they can be claimed at an increased rate of 18.75 per cent in the first year regardless of the number of days owned and 37.5 per cent from the second year onwards.

In a situation where ownership is split 50:50, by calculating an owner’s interest in each asset first, the owners will qualify to pool assets which cost less than $2,000 in total to the low-value pool.

Distributing the value of assets based upon the percentage of ownership first will increase the number of assets which investors are eligible to claim an immediate write-off or low-value pooling for. As a result, the rate at which depreciation deductions can be applied will be accelerated and the owners will receive increased deductions in the earlier years of ownership.

BMT’s split reports simplify this process and allow owners to get more from their investment. Each split report can also be provided in CSV format for easy importing into accounting software.

There is an option for owners who prefer a depreciation schedule without any split applied should this be required.

Bradley Beer (B. Con. Mgt, AAIQS, MRICS, AVAA) is the Chief Executive Officer of BMT Tax Depreciation. Click here for more.

Categories
Bedrooms Kids Rooms

What’s new in kids room interiors for 2017?

By Amelia Coote-Harris 

When asked to picture a typical kid’s room, most people likely summon the classic pieces or themes – blue for boy, pink for girl, a rocking chair, a desk, and maybe a toy box. That would have been accurate a decade ago. Now, as we enter 2017, I’m pleased to say times have changed and kids’ rooms are no longer just about basics but are instead all about beautiful interiors.

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Image: Taylored Dots

The last decade has seen children’s bedrooms go from necessities to a designer’s dream space. Kids’ rooms have become extensions of a family’s excitement for their little ones, and their rooms are no longer forgotten as part of the greater home design. The dynamism of children’s rooms is especially exciting – whether it’s statement pieces hung from the wall, bold new art, or a twist on something vintage, kids’ rooms today are sophisticated representations of the bright minds living in them.

Key trends in the space will be on display at this year’s Life Instyle, Australia’s boutique trade event for anyone working in the interior design and retail space. With a whole section dedicated to the little ones, Kids Instyle, the event will showcase emerging trends, brands, and products on the cooler side of style and design. The following are a few trends bound to be big business in the next year – so count this as your sneak peek into the next big thing in the playful world of kids’ rooms!

Classic pieces, with a difference

We’re seeing a lot of designers holding on to the classic pieces you’ll find in nurseries or kids’ rooms, but adding a modern twist to them. Rocking chairs are a great example of this. This furniture item is still well adored, and incredibly practical for many nurseries, but they’ve undergone a transformation over time. No longer boring wooden pieces, rocking chairs are now modern staples, with a reinvention in style and comfort that provide a playful but perfect addition to any room. Hobbe Home create rocking chairs perfect for the modern home; made with longevity in mind, the style is elegant and fit for a kids’ room from toddler to primary school. This type of range proves that style is priority, and with matching ottomans and cushions, the most comfortable seat in the house will also, easily, be the most stylish.

Grey

Once maligned for being boring, grey is very quickly becoming one of the coolest colours to feature. It’s the ultimate neutral, not so stark as white, still with warmth to it, and absolutely modern. It provides a base for colour combinations to brighten up the room for smaller ones with pops of or yellow, and can progress to a palette of black and white, or modern navy and white – to will grow with children. Also a perfect gender-neutral tone, grey provides limitless design possibilities. 

Animals

Animals have been, and always will be, a fun way to accesorise a child’s room. Each child has a favourite – the lion, giraffe or even a hippo, and featuring these majestic animals automatically brings excitement into a space. 2017 is all about animal expression, but the modern twist is to feature them as sophisticated images. Taylored Dots is the perfect example of this – with their handcrafted animal motifs the colours are neutral, but sophisticated enough so as to keep each feature modern and clean. Whether they’re statement pieces or the base for pairing complementary colours into the room, animals have never been more in style when it comes to creating a truly exciting room that will last until the little one is a lot older.

Wellness

Health and wellness has been a prevalent trend in the adult world for a long time, and while a child’s health is always a parent’s first concern, the ethos is moving from physical wellbeing to décor too. Accessories such as candles with relaxing scents, natural fibres for linen, and even crystals are accessories parents are choosing to build a child’s room. With more accessibility, these methods of restoring wellness are becoming increasingly popular. Stoned Crystals is a great example, offering an entire range of crystals to help centre energy, with display stands and jars too, bringing the dated concept of crystals into a modern room design.

–Amelia is event director for Life Instyle, in Sydney from February 16 to 19. 

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Before & Afters RENO ADDICT

Selling before you buy… patience is a virtue!

Before: front

When clients came to talk to us recently about organising finance for the purchase of their next family home, it was time to action the “slow and steady wins the race” approach.

Leah and Brett bought their first home in a sleepy lakeside suburb of Lake Macquarie, with the plan of giving it a bit of a facelift while they lived in the granny flat out the back.

Before: front
Before: front
After: front
After: front

“We built the granny flat so we could live there while we gave the house a cosmetic makeover,” says Leah. ‘But once we started to pull things out we realised it was more of a project than we realised – and my husband is a builder!’

So what began as a freshen-up quickly escalated into a complete renovation, with the home stripped back to its foundations before any new work could begin. What was to be a three-month job for Brett blew out by six months and as for costs…

But nine years down the track it’s (almost) a fond memory for the couple. “We lived in the granny flat for three years,’ Leah explains. “It was great!”

With two small children and a yearning for some more space, the family is moving on and has put their home on the market. And, despite already finding their next dream project, after chatting with us they have chosen to sit tight and wait until they sell their home before making an offer on the next.

“It’s hard to wait,” Leah says. “We’ve found a place that’s perfect for us. But once we sell this place, we’ll know where we stand, we’ll have our finance in place and we can make an offer from a position of strength. I just hope it all works out!”

Before: front
Before: back yard
After: back yard
After: back yard

Even though Brett and Leah are probably in a position in which they could organise a bridging loan, after working through their options, they decided to take our advice and wait it out and try to sell their own home first before doing anything else.

This way, they will know just how much money they have to offer and it also means they won’t be tempted to take a lower price on their own home just to relieve the financial pressure of a bridging loan. The worst case scenario will be having to find somewhere to live if they miss out on the home they want to buy.

While there is a good cased for bridging finance for a lot of people, it just wasn’t the approach the couple wanted to take. Bridging finance is no longer as expensive as it used to be and if you have the means to service the loan, most lenders should negotiate with you on a rate that is usually pretty well in line with the current home loan offering.

However, it can be expensive to set up and you will have to service two home loans until you sell your existing home; which may put you under financial pressure and tempt you to sell your home for less than it is actually worth just to ease the stress.

— Paul is the Director of CVG Finance, a leading brokerage offering financial services across all areas. 

Categories
Outdoor & Exteriors RENO ADDICT

Hot property: how to sell in summer

Spring has always been the darling season on the property sales calendar, but summer is hot for sales too—if the timing’s right.

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When is the best time to sell a property? Many people assume it’s spring, but the answer is not a season. The best time to sell is when there’s not much stock on the market. The best sales results are achieved when your property is selling in isolation, not competition.

Summer then, is a great time to sell property, but you need to get your timing right. A lot of ‘new year’ stock comes on the market in February after everyone has had a break and has finally gotten around to talking to an agent. The best time to sell in summer is therefore January, before everyone lists their property.

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There’s a myth that there aren’t as many buyers during summer but, the truth is, buyers are always looking. On a lazy summer’s day people browse property listings and start dreaming of a new life and plenty of new year’s resolutions centre on finding a new place to live. Sellers should take advantage of this.

Want to sell in summer? Follow this schedule:

December

If you’re going to sell in December, the first two weeks is the best window you have before everyone (including most agencies) take a break over Christmas and new year. Buyers will still be looking during the holidays but very few agencies will show a property during this time.

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Otherwise, December is the best time to prepare your property, especially the garden. Lawns need a decent lead time to look their best, so cut and treat the grass so it looks lush by January. Clean the gutters, give the property a lick of paint and declutter. When you retrieve the Christmas tree from storage, it’s a great time to look around and see what you can sell or throw away.

Talk to your agent in December and have photos taken after sprucing up the place but before the holidays so you are ready to list the property in January.

January

List the property and get ready for inspections. If your house tends to heat up, consider scheduling showings for the morning or evening. A sunset viewing when the days are longer is one advantage summer has over other seasons.

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While it may be too hot for baking bread or burning a candle, seasonal scents from fresh flowers or fruit can set a good mood. Have fresh cold water or lemonade on hand to give to visitors.

Summer showings are also an excellent time to play up any appealing outdoor area your property may feature. Set up your deck, courtyard or balcony as an inviting space so buyers can instantly see it as a place for friends and family to gather. Highlight other warm weather features such as breezeways and, if you have one, your pool—which you have cleaned, of course.

February

If all has gone well, you’ll have exchanged contracts by February. If your property is still on the market, however, rest assured that you don’t have to compete for tradespeople and painters and agents to get your property ready.

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If you’re selling at auction, book the auctioneer for late January or early February, giving you enough time to show in January but closing the sale before the rush in February.

In my experience, the best times to sell are before the rush periods. For me that’s August, before the spring listings, and January, before lots of stock comes on the market in February. With a bit of planning, you can get the jump on the summer sales period by listing in January, making it a very happy new year indeed.

Photography by Belle Property Surry Hills

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RENO ADDICT

Should you buy before you sell?

House for sale

Number crunching is one of the less exciting parts of renovating – but unfortunately it’s also one of the most important. Whether you are turning over an investment property or renovating your home as a long-term nest for your family, it makes sense to know you are not overcapitalising and the money you are spending is adding value in the long-term. What’s more, the scope of the work can often determine the best type of finance you need to put in place.

This is the third part in a series about steps to take to ensure the hard work you put into your renovation pays off financially.

House for sale

So you’ve finished your reno and your house is on the market. But what do you do when you find the next house of your dreams but you have not sold your original one yet?

You have a few options, all of which have their pros and cons.

The first is taking some of the equity out of the home you have on the market to put down a deposit on the home you want to buy.

For example, the house you are selling is worth $500,000. You owe $200,000 and have $300,000 equity, so to procure the home you want to buy you can transfer some of this equity to use as a deposit.

Pros:

  • You can secure the house now and either move in or get started on your new reno;
  • You’re buying your new home at today’s prices;
  • You can shop around for a better loan for your new home as you have a deposit for a completely new transaction and will be able to pay out your existing loan once you’ve sold; and
  • You don’t risk losing the house of your dreams.

Cons:

  • You’re holding two mortgages which need to be serviced, because in effect, you have borrowed 100% of the cost of the new house on top of the loan you already have;
  • You have two houses to maintain; and
  • You are sweating on selling!

The second option is a bridging loan. These are useful when you don’t really have enough equity in the house you are selling to make it worthwhile pulling money out of your existing loan for a deposit on the new house.

Bridging finance is no longer as expensive as it used to be and if you have the means to service a bridging loan, most lenders should negotiate with you on a rate that is usually pretty well in line with the current home loan offering.

Pros:

  • You can secure the house now and either move in or get started on your next reno;
  • You’re buying your new home at today’s prices; and
  • You don’t risk losing the house of your dreams.

Cons

  • It can be expensive to set up;
  • You usually have to stick with the lender you are already with which means you can’t shop around for a better deal;
  • You need to service two home loans until you sell your existing home; and
  • You are putting yourself under financial pressure which may entice you to sell your home for less than it is actually worth just to ease the stress.

Room

Your third option comes in to play when you simply don’t have the funds to service two loans and you need to sell your place first to free up the money to buy the next one.

But if you really want to secure the house of your dreams, this is when you can start working with your solicitor to put some clauses into the purchase contract that make it possible, but give yourself some breathing space and some outs in case yours does not sell.

There are clauses that can be set up for a delayed exchange on a purchase. This means you’ll pay a small holding deposit initially, but exchange can be subject to either the sale of your home or finance.

Your solicitor could also negotiate a six-month settlement that will allow you to secure the house with a holding deposit, but give you some time to sell yours. This one’s not for the faint-hearted because you are really putting yourself in the pressure cooker to offload your place within the six months.

Again, the pros are:

  • You aren’t tied to the lender you are already with because the sale is not linked financially to the purchase. This means you can shop around for a better loan for your new home because you’ve given yourself time to sell your own house and organise finance on the new one;
  • You secure the house now and you can either move in or get started on your next reno;
  • You’re buying your new home at today’s prices; and
  • You don’t risk losing the house of your dreams.

But the cons:

  • Sometimes you’ll come up against a seller who is reluctant to give you time to sell, especially if it’s a seller’s market or a hotspot, such as certain suburbs in Sydney; and
  • You will lose the house if yours doesn’t sell.

So the short answer to the question is yes; you can buy again before you sell your existing home, and there are number of ways you can make it happen — you just have to decide which best suits your circumstance and will work in your favour financially.

— Paul is the Director of CVG Finance, a leading brokerage offering financial services across all areas. 

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RENO ADDICT

How does murder affect property price?

This series of The Block

If you’re not reading this out of curiosity (fetching title, isn’t it), then you’re probably either looking at buying a property with a cloudy history, or have already bought one and you’re just finding out about it now. In any case, could purchasing a property that’s been home to a murder kill your property value too?

The short answer to this murder-mystery is yes, at least in the short-term.

This series of The Block
This series of The Block is being filmed at the Hotel Saville where a crime scene once took place

If someone has taken a hit in your local area recently, your potential property value is likely to as well, according to research by finder.com.au. A 2014 study by the University of Technology, Sydney, revealed that properties within a 300 metre radius experienced a 3.9% price drop the year after a murder or sex offence. To give you a ballpark figure, this means a $504,000 property could see nearly $20,000 ($19,600 to be exact) shaved off it’s value following one of these tragic events.

This isn’t the only consideration, either – the second things get real on the streets of your neighbourhood a few key things also happen:

  1. The local crime rate increases, which is never a good thing.
  2. Your ‘walk-score’ may decrease as a result.
  3. Some residents in the area may be spooked and look to sell their property – increasing competition if you just happen to be selling also.

These are all aspects local property owners – or potential owners – need to factor into their property options. You know that your property value is likely to take a hit. So what can you do to brace or adjust for this change?

The Block contestants
The Block contestants

If you haven’t yet bought in the area, but still want to:

You’ve decided to stick with a place in the local area? No problem, just look at ways to improve the property to balance out any potential negatives. Some ideas include:

  • Renovate one of your ‘power rooms’, such as the kitchen, main bathroom or living area
  • Assess your landscaping options: could levelling out that scraggly back lawn provide a new summer entertaining area?
  • Turn the spare room into a studio to let: the rent earned could easily offset the sub-four percent you might lose from the recent loss of life.

The other bonus here is that, by law, real estate agents need to inform you if there’s been a death in your property – this has been the case since 2004. Rest assured you won’t walk into a death-trap unawares.

If you’ve been spooked:

The thought of resting your head where someone lost theirs may be a bit much, and that’s also understandable. A key consideration here is to look at the property regardless and determine exactly what it was that initially drew you to it. Detail what you love about the property and the neighbourhood – and just as importantly, the property prices in the area – and try to aim for a similar set of aesthetic compliments in a nearby location. A bit of flexibility in your house hunting journey can go a long way, and save you money (and headache) in the long run.

— Bessie is a property commentator at finder.com.au, one of Australia’s largest comparison websites. She’s passionate about real estate, renovating and helping Australians find better. 

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RENO ADDICT

Renting vs buying: expert tips

While there is nothing quite like owning your own little piece of suburban paradise, whether to buy or rent depends on your view says Mark Foy, principal director of Belle Property Surry Hills.

mark-foy-reno-addictMark Foy of Belle Property Surry Hills

“For first homebuyers, you need to consider your personal position. If you take a long-term view you will always build equity over time, riding out the peaks and troughs in the market. You can then draw on your equity to invest in more property so you are building wealth through real estate,” says Mark.

But if you are looking for a short-term cash cow, buying is definitely not the wisest move. “We have seen 20 to 30 per cent growth in the inner city and outer suburbs of Sydney over the past couple of years, and the likelihood of seeing the same growth again soon is slim,” says Mark.

It’s good news for many first homebuyers though. “If you are a first timer and you are looking at a long term investment, and by this I mean seven to ten years, you can buy at any time as you’ll ride out the fluctuations in the market,” says Mark.

Darlinghurst_405_138_Barcom_Avenue_Living_Dining One of Mark’s recently sold properties. Photo credit: Belle Property

The wise renter
For those who may be saving for a deposit or simply can’t afford to buy, there are smarter ways to rent. “My advice would be to go for a shared rental. Rent a two bedroom apartment so you can share the costs but still get decent living accommodation,” says Mark who has been surprised by the cost of one-bedroom apartments of late – they often approach that of two bedroom abodes. “I guess it suits the demographic. Single people or couples that are willing to share small spaces seem to have pushed up the price of one-bedders,” he says.

And it may sound odd, but winter is the best time to take out a lease – wait until then if you can. “There are fewer changeovers in winter with more stock on the market. You can generally negotiate a better deal and you won’t be competing with 20 or 30 others,” says Mark.

Paddington_1_Hampden_Street_LivingOne of Mark’s recently sold properties. Photo credit: Belle Property

Advice for first-time buyers
While it is far from glamorous, Mark is a big advocate of saving in order to get a foothold on the property ladder. “Save, save save! Don’t go out to restaurants and really set out a budget as to how you are going to spend your money. You’ve got to be wise when saving for a deposit and if this means taking your lunch to work, or catching a bus instead of a taxi, there are many small ways you can cost cuts. It’s what our parents did,” says Mark who sees credit cards as the enemy of savings. “I would advise against a credit card as if you don’t have a credit card you don’t have the money therefore you won’t spend it,” he says.

Redfern_A903_Bourke_Street_LivingOne of Mark’s recently sold properties. Photo credit: Belle Property

Buying & renting: a mixed approach
If lifestyle is important to you, there is a definite argument to be made for buying an investment property in a suburb that you can afford, while renting in a more desirable area. “In my view, you really want to get in and start somewhere so you can build financial wealth and security. The first property is always the hardest but once you have secured that you can sit on it for five years before thinking about pulling out the equity to buy another,” says Mark of a trend that has been widespread over the past few years.

If you are going to look further afield when it comes to purchasing an investment property, just make sure to consider infrastructure. “If you can’t buy in the inner-city, try and buy along the train line as most people work in the city,” says Mark.

Waterloo_10_1_Danks_Street_LivingOne of Mark’s recently sold properties. Photo credit: Belle Property

Real estate vs shares
While investing in property isn’t the only way to make money, it offers relative certainty when compared to other investment types such as super or shares. “Real estate is tangible and that’s why people like it. Stocks and shares can be lucrative and worthwhile if you know how to buy and sell them and you follow the market daily but real estate is always a good long-term hold,” says Mark.

And with interest rates at historic lows, Mark sees it as a great time to get into property. “Take advantage of the rates if you can and lock them in for a three or four year period,” says Mark who favours a fixed interest rate in times such as now. “They provide a lot of certainty as you can do up a budget and know exactly what your outgoings will be for the next few years,” he says.

Categories
Designers Furniture Homewares

What’s a homewares buying trip to India really like?

Last month, Shelley Boyd, founding director of leading Australian interiors wholesaler Boyd Blue, ventured to North India for her annual 10-day trip with employees Georgia Anderson and Elizabeth Hemlin. They visited the artisans and factories producing the handcrafted exclusive collections for Shelley’s own Boyd brand and to source customised hand-knotted rugs and product for Boyd’s 2016 catalogue. They also managed to squeeze in a trip to the majestic Amber Fort and a celebration with their local friends at the exquisite Bar Palladio.

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In Shelley’s own words:

“The buying trips to India are always deeply inspiring and moving and I am, and have been for many years, passionately in love with the place. It is such a wonderful and diverse destination, filled with colour, magic and greatly talented craftsman. Whilst exhilarating, it can also be a frightening and physically demanding experience. The days are long with vast distances travelled on pretty horrible roads with drivers who have a different interpretation of “safe” to those of us in the western world. Couple this with sometimes uncomfortable conditions and the chance of a tummy upset and you can see why the journey is always what you would call up and down.

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That said, the spirit of the Indian people and their constant optimism in the face of adversity certainly puts things into perspective.

Our trip this time was primarily to source traditional rug makers for Boyd’s new hand-knotted range, to view prototypes for some very special product for our 2016 catalogue, and to catch up with our key artisans, some of whom we have been working with for close to a decade.

As part of this process, we based ourselves in Jaipur and visited a handicrafts trade fair to help source new handmade product for our collections. This involved hours of trawling through stands, looking at product and talking to craftsmen. Some of what we saw was exquisite and some was what I would describe as less than inspiring! As part of this visit I have been able to hand pick unique and globally themed pieces for our clients, which will be available in our 2016 catalogue. We are very excited about what we found; gorgeous new hurricanes in glass, leather and rope, nautical accessories and fabulous timber and glass pendants.

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While staying in Jaipur, we visited my all time favourite entertainment spot, Bar Palladio, with our dear Indian friends. The interior decor here reflects serious style and the attention to detail is breathtaking. The finely hand painted murals and enormous hand carved marble bar sit alongside an absolutely beautiful garden setting, and it was the perfect place to say thank you to our valued Indian suppliers. Catching up with the artisans we have worked with for so many years in Jaipur and continuing to nurture these relationships really makes my heart sing as we have worked long and hard to find the best India has to offer and are so grateful for these connections. On a previous trip, I had the privilege of sharing a fine meal with one of my longest standing suppliers in the private dining room of the Amber Fort. I was pretty thrilled to learn the last guest to entertained in this private room before me was Richard Gere!

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A key highlight of this journey was the discovery of a wonderful group of craftsman in Bhadohi, a small rug-making village two hours out of Varanasi. The rugs are of superior quality and their makers use ancient techniques. We were so moved watching them cycle past us on their push bikes towing wagons filled with absolutely beautiful rugs. The Boyd Blue team and I are really excited to bring these rugs to Australia exclusively for our clients and are also really excited about what will be on offer through our 2016 catalogue.

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All items will be available through interior designers and as one off retail purchases from our showrooms throughout Australia for Interiors Addict readers. We look forward to sharing this trip and others with you via Interiors Addict and our Facebook and Instagram.”

If you’d like the opportunity to buy from Boyd Blue’s latest collection, usually reserved for trade and wholesale customers only, please call your closest showroom and mention Interiors Addict:

  • Brisbane (07) 3254 0877
  • Sydney (02) 9331 0099
  • Melbourne (03) 9509 3332
  • Perth (0411) 135 533
  • Adelaide (08) 8363 6200.
Categories
RENO ADDICT Shopping

Domain’s new Apple app helps you watch the market. Literally.

With the Apple Watch due to be released 24 April, Domain have transformed their award-winning iPhone app into the perfect tool for helping house hunters closely watch the property market (pardon the pun!).

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Providing easy access to the information you need throughout the buying, selling, renting and searching process, the Domain app will allow you to:

  • Search and view property information and photos with one touch
  • Receive instant notifications about properties that meet your criteria and when details or inspection times update
  • Organise properties as favourites and schedule inspections
  • Pick up where you left off with your iPhone to explore properties in more detail.

Domain’s Apple Watch app will be available to download free from the Apple App Store following the release of the watch.

For more information.

Categories
Expert Tips RENO ADDICT

The new online place for renovators, homeowners and builders

Buying, renovating or building a home can be an overwhelming prospect and often the only person who can truly help is an architect. However unfortunately, not everyone has access to one, nor can they afford one; so the next best thing? www.askanarchitect.com.au, the new free online portal launched by the Australian Institute of Architects.

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A place for consumers to see real stories, gather inspiration, ask questions, participate in webinars, discover events and engage with an architect, Ask an Architect is there to help whether you’re looking to buy, build, renovate or maintain a home.

If you’re buying, the site can guide you through home inspection tips, renovation advice, pre-purchase questions and other options. For builders or renovators, a handy cost guide lets you gain an indicative cost on a range of maintenance and re-building tasks, such as restumping. Or put your renovation wish list into the budget calculator for an indication of how much your project might cost.

There is also a range of affordable new fixed priced services to help consumers take that first step engaging an architect. These include ArchiInspect fixed price home inspection services and ArchiDesign, an introductory design feasibility service including floor plans and cost indications to help bring your dream home project to life.

Ask an Architect also includes a handy online question and answer service, relevant upcoming events, the Find an Architect directory of professional architects, a gallery for inspiration and Pinterest tools to help you start scrapbooking ideas.

Visit Ask an Architect here.