Are you an organic modernist? It’s possible!

Who doesn’t love the idea of selling your home for more than expected? No one, of course. But what are the features of a home that command a premium with today’s cautious buyers? The American aggregator Zillow loves to delve into its database and come up with answers to these types of questions. There’s no…
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Confidence rising as more buyers strike deals

Confidence is returning to the Canadian real estate market with resales tracking 2.8% higher in June and values stable, just 0.2% lower. It’s the third successive month that we’ve seen resale data move upward, indicating that Canadians have put aside previous concerns about the economy, job security and the furore over American tariffs. All three…
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Affordability hits three-year high in two-speed market

Owning a home is more affordable now than at any time in the past three years, according to analysis from the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC). A negligible drop in values – down 0.2% in June compared with May – combined with an aggressive campaign of interest rate cuts by the Bank of Canada (BoC)…
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Four tips to capitalise on our buyer’s market

Reading the tea leaves of today’s Kiwi property market is not an easy task. Sales are up, yet prices are flat. Record levels of inventory are starting to dwindle with a reported 5% fewer properties coming onto the market than 12 months ago. The Official Cash Rate (OCR) has dropped 2% since last September, but…
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7 investors strategies as rents come off boil

New data shows rents beginning to fall, challenging landlords and investors who continue to face increasing compliance and maintenance costs.  Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp (CMHC) says rents for a two-bedroom apartment are down in four of seven markets it analysed due to falling immigration intakes and an increase in the supply of rental properties.…
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Seven upsizer tips for today’s Kiwi market

The New Zealand market is stuck in a bit of a groove right now. We’re continuing to see price stability nationwide with in-demand areas strengthening, while the stragglers struggle to gain buyer traction. Happy owners include those in Arrowtown in the Queenstown-Lakes, which has seen values rise an average $178,000 in six months, and those…
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Six simple strategies to maximise rental income

With rental markets super-tight across Australia, it’s easy for investors to take the foot off the pedal and assume they’ll find a great tenant, and the rental income will keep rolling in. Perhaps that’s true for some, but most investors need to work a little harder to find good and loyal tenants who’ll respect the…
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Rising building costs a warning signal for renovators

Construction costs appear to be climbing again as inflation continues to hamper new building projects and provides a sober reminder for renovators and buyers of new homes that your budget can get blown out of the water. Building materials became 0.5% more expensive in the June quarter, following an increase of 0.4% in the March…
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Quarterly prices up 1.4% as value growth accelerates

Property values have now clocked up their fifth straight month of growth with all the signs suggesting prices may accelerate with the prospect of more interest rate cuts before the end of the year. Nationally, monthly values increased 0.6% with bellwether markets Sydney (+0.6%) and Melbourne (+0.5%) both strengthening in terms of auction clearances.  Darwin…
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Major markets’ rebound offers investors new opportunities

For investors, prices in the bellwether markets of Sydney and Melbourne are beginning to strengthen, providing an immediate opportunity to achieve capital growth if you move quickly. Recent data from InvestorKit – a leading data-driven property investment advisory firm – shows a resurgence of market pressure within the inner and middle suburban rings of Sydney…
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