Know your numbers before remodeling to sell

When considering a remodeling project to increase your home’s value before a sale, it’s crucial to approach the process strategically. Your focus should be on projects that offer the best return on investment without risking delays that could affect your moving timeline. Investing in upgrades can potentially lead to a better sale price, but it’s…
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Jobs you can do before summer is gone

With summer in full swing, it’s a great time to see which projects around the home you can complete before the first chill winds of fall arrive. As a local real estate agent, I don’t advocate that any homeowner spend their entire summer with a hammer and bag of nails – that’s way too boring.…
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Six ways to avoid your dream home becoming a nightmare

So you’ve fallen in love with your first dream home! Now it’s time for a reality check; and I’m not talking about the price or even whether one or more buyers are trying to beat you to the same property. No, it’s time to call in the experts: a builder, roofer and pest inspector to…
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7 ways to save more money and beat the rising cost of living

Prices are rising fast for many goods and services, so it’s never been more important to economise. With that in mind, here are seven things you can do to save money without seriously affecting your quality of life. New Zealand’s inflation rate has reached 7.3%, the highest level in 32 years, according to the most…
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The places where property prices are still rising

Property prices may have declined in New Zealand as a whole during the first half of 2022, but some towns and regions actually experienced growth. Two major cities recorded price growth between January and May, along with a collection of smaller communities. Property prices may have declined in New Zealand as a whole during the…
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New law aims to stop consumers being ripped off

The government has introduced a new regulatory regime to govern conduct in the financial sector. Under the new regime, the authorities will be able to ban or regulate certain sales incentives. Also, banks will have to maintain effective policies to ensure customers are treated fairly. The government has introduced a new regulatory regime to govern…
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Property market returning to equilibrium

After the property market boomed in 2021 and started cooling in the first half of 2022, it now appears to have stabilised, according to realestate.co.nz. The data is also telling a much more positive story than the doom-and-gloom headlines might suggest. After the property market boomed in 2021 and started cooling in the first half…
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Construction industry problems impacting home builds and renovations

National residential construction costs increased 10.0% over the 12 months to June 2022, according to CoreLogic’s Cordell Construction Cost Index. That’s the highest annual growth rate on record, apart from a 10.2% result in 2001, when the GST was introduced. CoreLogic construction cost estimation manager John Bennett said that as fuel, freight and electricity costs…
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Market conditions strongly favour property investors

Two key statistics from a recent CoreLogic report show why now could be a great time to be a property investor. First, the national vacancy rate (which is the share of untenanted rental properties) fell to just 1.2%, which is the lowest in recorded history. Second, the median weekly rent for an Australian rental property…
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Why it’s time to think about switching energy plans

Australia has recently experienced “significant and unprecedented” rises in electricity prices, according to the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission, which actively monitors the energy sector. As of July 1, regulated price caps have jumped by up to 18.3% for households, compared to the previous financial year. The ACCC attributed the recent price increases to several…
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