Author: Kylie Davis

Promises plentiful in a boost for first homebuyers

As Australia moves on from a historic election victory for the Labor Party, it’s worth reflecting on what it promised voters before we all went to the polls. Housing became a central theme of last month’s election, and the policies of the returned Labor Government are likely to have an impact on the ability of…
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Five tips for cleaning dirty grout and silicon

Once you’ve bought your new home, the motivation to make it even more perfect can be insatiable. Having already fallen in love with your property, it will only take you a few weeks to begin to see where it can be improved to suit your lifestyle and taste. When it comes to making any big…
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Number of $1m homes rises 25% in 10 years

The track record of property as a high-quality investment has been underlined again by new data showing the number of homes now valued at more than $1 million has increased by almost 25% in the past decade. Fewer than 10% of properties could boast $1 million values back in April 2015, but now that figure…
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Seven ways to make your property irresistible to renters

With the rental crisis easing in many centres of Australia, landlords and property managers are again battling to find high-quality tenants. For the first time since the arrival of Covid back in 2020, renters have an increasingly wider selection of properties from which to choose. And while rents are still expensive – especially in the…
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Should you cash-in on the Bank of Mum and Dad?

The Bank of Mum and Dad is one of the most discussed concepts when it comes to young people saving for their first home. Official data on the financial strength of this so-called “bank” is absent in Australia, although a survey by Finder.com.au – a comparison website – claimed it was worth $35 billion and…
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Buyers’ market a boost for street-savvy upsizers

After months of owners holding onto their properties tightly and bolstering prices, the pendulum is swinging back in favour of buyers, and especially for Kiwis who are seeking to upgrade. The recent 0.25% reduction in interest rates – the Official Cash Rate (OCR) has now fallen from 5.25% last August to 3.25% – is offering…
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How to make a wall-to-wall statement in your home

Wallpaper is not a fad that’s going to disappear any time soon. Gen Z and Millennials are embracing big and bold patterns as they modernise the look and feel of their first homes.  And unlike many fashions in property, it’s really a case of anything goes when it comes to wallpaper. Block patterns, stripes and…
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Not even a democracy sausage can dampen home values

Australians are normally a careful people when it comes to money, and the prospect of a federal election is enough to put most property purchases on hold as buyers wait to see which party and policies win the day. Not this time. Buyer demand for homes across Australia showed no sign of stalling as the…
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NZ market full of opportunity as pendulum swings to the buyer

As we head into winter, the New Zealand housing market is full of mystery and intrigue. Trying to find the perfect time to buy and sell a home has rarely been harder if you believe you can read the tea leaves of our real estate market.  We’ve been helped by the recent 0.25% cut in…
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Six selling tips that overcome buyer economic uncertainty

The economic uncertainty instigated from Washington has dampened the mood of the spring real estate markets in Canada and the United States. A time of year that’s traditionally associated with optimism and a desire to buy and sell homes across the country has been overshadowed by caution. While we have never seen an economic twist…
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