Tag: country_nz

Upgrader tips as market offers recovery hint

There’s a light at the end of the tunnel, or at least the first indication of one, in the latest January house price data. Tapering values across New Zealand slowed by 1.2% in the three months to the end of January, according to the OneRoof-Valocity House Value Index. After dipping 4.3% in the September quarter,…
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How to prepare for buying at auction

It’s a good time to be a buyer, with prices trending down and owners with property on the market keen to strike a deal. Many pundits believe we’ve entered a buyer’s market, although the reality of higher interest rates tempers that judgement. As an experienced local agency, we’ve worked through similar economic cycles before.  And…
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Eight renovation trends to dominate our year

Our expectations of a modern home are changing, and that’s having a direct impact on how many owners are approaching renovation projects. The work-from-home (WFH) movement, climate change and the pandemic aftermath are the most powerful factors influencing today’s designs. Owners are keen to explore sustainable building materials and want the highest levels of insulation…
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Eight ways to give your pool the wow factor

If you’re one of those lucky people with a swimming pool, you’ll know the enjoyment it offers, which is a fact not lost on prospective buyers. A pool will draw a crowd and is a magnet for young families. But it is important to prepare your pool for sale as you would the rest of…
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Five fabulous reasons to sell in autumn

A New Year often inspires fresh ideas, and this is an ideal moment to start planning the sale of your home with an autumn campaign. As an experienced agency, we don’t believe there are any hard and fast rules when it comes to timing the sale of a property. The best approach is to sell…
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Seven ways to give your home a touch of ‘luxe’

The goal of any seller should be to make their home as luxurious, spacious and appealing as possible for buyers. That’s the best way to maximise the value of your biggest financial asset. And if you put yourself in the buyer’s shoes, you’ll appreciate that many of them are tired of walking around homes where…
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How to stop ants marching through your home

A feature of any wet and warm summer is the emergence of ants, digging their way through the mortar of bricks and pavers and often invading your kitchen. While there are more than 12,000 species in the ant family, the two most common pests across the Southern Hemisphere are the sugar ant (also known as…
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How to make Easter egg-stra special in your home

Easter is one of the last opportunities of the year to entertain friends and families before winter sets in. While the nights are closing in and the days become cooler, we are lucky enough to have a climate that encourages outdoor entertaining. Hosting a gathering at your home is a special moment – it’s how…
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Should you swap from gas to induction cooking?

Higher tariffs for household gas, plus publicity highlighting how methane emissions from gas cooktops risk your health and contribute to global warming, have many owners considering switching to induction cooking. Gas cooktops are being targeted by organisations such as the Global Cooksafe Coalition. Its goal is to stop gas cooking because of the methane issue.…
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Banks offer home loans relief in response to Cyclone Gabrielle

For only the third time in the country’s history, a National State of Emergency was recently declared, to help in the response to Cyclone Gabrielle. The declaration applies to Northland, Auckland, Tairāwhiti, Bay of Plenty, Waikato and Hawke’s Bay CDEM Group areas, and the Tararua District. “A National State of Emergency gives the National Controller…
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