Category: First Time Buyers

Six ideas to help you cope with your energy bill

Have you ever looked at your energy bill and wanted to scream? Not only does the cost of heating your home feel like it’s through the roof, but the data that electricity suppliers give to explain your bill can be bewildering and unhelpful. Following an unusually cold and wet winter, many will fear their bill…
Read more

Seven tips for finding a new home perfect for your pet

Home-hunting takes on an extra dimension when you are a pet-lover and you need somewhere that’s suitable for your dog or cat.  According to data from the RSPCA, Australia has one of the highest percentages of pet ownership in the world. Some 69% of occupiers have a pet, with 48% owning a dog and 33%…
Read more

Nine tips for your auction strategy this spring

The upcoming spring sales season is expected to be one of the most competitive moments for property buying in recent memory. After a period of high interest rates because of the post-Covid spike in inflation, we have seen the interest rate fall from a high of 4.35% in February to its current level of 3.6%.…
Read more

Seven buyer tips for when spring market gets hot

The spring sales season is just around the corner and buyers are likely to face one of the most competitive periods since the post-Covid property boom. We’re seeing the early signs of a competitive sellers market with recent auction results that are consistently delivering clearance rates of more than 70% every weekend.  And just because…
Read more

Values rise again with supply 19% below five-year average

Market momentum continues to pick up nationally following the third cut in interest rates since February.  Industry researcher Cotality has reported a sixth successive month of value gains across the real estate market – a great sign with the spring sales season just around the corner. Dwelling values rose by 0.6% in July – the…
Read more

Young buyers optimistic but wary of market trends, says survey

Knowing your buyer is an essential part of executing a successful property transaction – and every seller should expect their agent to have an intimate knowledge of their target market. With GenZ and Millennials either buying their first homes or upgrading to a second, they have become an important part of the market. While most…
Read more

Existing home values up $141,000 in five years to hit record

The median price of an existing American home has hit a record high, increasing 2% year-over-year in June to $435,300. The value of an existing home has increased almost $141,000 in the past five years, according to the latest “Existing-Home Sales Report”, issued by the National Association of Realtors (NAR). Just 12 months ago, the…
Read more

Fall promises to be a great time to buy, says Zillow

As Americans enjoy their summer vacations, it has become increasingly hard to get a solid fix on real estate.  Prospective buyers and sellers await interest rate cuts, any inflationary impact of tariffs and wonder what the inevitable flow-through to the housing market will be. As one Zillow economist observed, Americans are playing a “wait-and-see” game…
Read more

Eight myths dispelled for today’s first-time buyers

With the number of homes on the market increasing, and the summer sales season coming to a close in a few weeks, first-time buyers have a rare opportunity. There’s more choice than there has been for nearly six years, and research suggests a quarter of all sales are only finalized after the seller has given…
Read more

Auction success rates show market strengthening

Momentum is picking up in the major Australian real estate markets judging by the latest trendlines in auction clearance rates. The improvement is particularly noticeable in Melbourne and Sydney, while most other capital cities continue their strong performances. The only exception is the new multi-million-dollar market of Brisbane, where the trend has dipped slightly. Industry…
Read more