The significant 0.5% reduction in the Official Cash Rate (OCR) last month is now expected to spur on the New Zealand property market as buyers continue their cautious approach. The rate is now just 2.5%, down from 5.5% in July of 2024. And this stimulus is expected to fuel not just the property sector but…
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When preparing your home for sale, there’s probably no more important focal point than the bathrooms and the kitchen. Sometimes, a little regrouting around the taps works wonders from an aesthetic perspective. Clear and white silicone will often turn black with continued exposure to water. If you attempt to do the job yourself, don’t neglect…
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What do buyers really want? It’s a question that’s asked continually both those about to put their homes on the market. The answer can never be constant. Society, technology and the economy shape and change our lives in ways we might not have desired or intended. As the Australian market begins to see a peak…
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Debate about whether it’s better to buy a new home or an established property is as old as the real estate sector itself. New homes have an inherent value because they should have fewer maintenance costs and challenges, although that’s not always the case. They should also benefit from modern design and convenience. With older…
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If you’re an Eastern states investor, you’d be forgiven for thinking most properties are sold at auction. Yet, that’s far from the truth. Two of the nation’s fastest growing markets – Adelaide and Perth – don’t “do” auctions. In the last week of September, for example, there were just three auctions in the whole of…
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Here are seven buyer tips for today’s market: Key advisers – Opinions are cheap in real estate. Everybody has one. So, choose who you listen to carefully. You want advice only from those who understand your goals and financial situation with a good handle on the market. They’ll give you insight, not an opinion. The…
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In this spring market, Australian property has become so competitive that it feels like the majority of owners in the mid-tier and luxury segments are investing in styling their homes to impress buyers. Even an average four-bedroom family home can comfortably cost $8,000 or more to style. Of course, the majority of the cost is…
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Sales agents ask you lots of questions when you’re beginning the process of selling your home to upsize, downsize or move interstate. One of the more interesting ones is, “What do you love about your home?” It’s a good idea to pause before you answer. Why? Because you know better than anyone else what makes…
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The spring market continues to deliver handsomely for homeowners with national values increasing month-on-month by another 0.7%, according to the latest data from Cotality’s Home Value Index (HVI). The result, the strongest monthly gain since May 2024, means property prices have now risen 4.1% year-on-year, according to Cotality figures. If the current growth trends continue…
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There are many signs of the Canadian market improving, but the biggest signal everyone wants to see is an upward shift in value trends – and that seems to be a few months away. A rising level of inventory of homes for sale is keeping a lid on prices. This is despite the Bank of…
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