10 ways to revamp your kitchen before selling

Are you planning to sell your home this fall and asking whether your old kitchen is going to hold back the possibility of a good price and a quick deal? If that thought is going through your mind, then you probably know the answer already. You’re going to have to concede you must spend some…
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Canadians selling their US properties

More homes are coming onto the market from a surprising source. A new survey has found more than half of Canadians who own a property in the United States are intending to sell up and stay behind the border to our north. The study, conducted by the Canadian real estate services provider Royal Le Page,…
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Seven tips for downsizing

With America’s population aging, the supply of suitable accommodation for downsizers is becoming an emerging issue. Our population is aging due to the retirement of the large Baby Boomer generation and increased life expectancy.  The proportion of Americans aged 65 is projected to reach 20% by 2030. Centenarians could quadruple over the next three decades.…
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Seven tips for keeping kids amused on moving day

With the spring sales season just around the corner, sellers will not only be planning how to maximise the value of their property but also contemplating the practicalities of moving to their next dream home. There’s a lot to think about, of course, including the physical moving of your possessions and the transfer of utilities…
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Kitchen upgrades at heart of seller strategies

Renovations are often at the heart of an owner’s strategy to maximise the value of their home, or for investors seeking top-dollar from rental income. But which renovations really sell a property or attract a top-paying tenant? Most focus falls on bathrooms and kitchens – two areas that are expensive to upgrade because of the…
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Local features that can boost your home’s value

One of the biggest contributors to the long-term value of your property is location and local infrastructure.  Areas where governments are investing in trains and schools quickly begin to contribute to higher local prices. A recent survey from the industry researcher Cotality (formerly CoreLogic) outlined how buyers were paying six-figure premiums to live in suburbs…
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Six top savings tips for first-home buyers

With mortgage rates holding stubbornly at around 6.75%, first-home buyers continue to face a tough challenge to break into the property market. Only a few weeks ago, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) called for an increase in the building of new homes for first-time buyers following its own report that revealed existing homes were…
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Rate cut No. 7 bids to get market moving

The challenges of the housing market were cited as one reason why the Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) has again decided to cut the Official Cash Rate (OCR), reducing it by 0.25% to 3%. Cheaper mortgages are now likely to further encourage the signs of green shoots that have emerged in several regions in…
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Rare opportunity rises for first-time buyers

Six of New Zealand’s 16 regions continue to deliver value growth for their owners, while the rest of the market prepares for a turnaround after the Reserve Bank cut the Official Cash Rate (OCR) for the seventh time in two years. With a record-high level of listings and a cash rate now down a further…
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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…
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