As we enter 2023, many owners will be thinking of redecorating to help maintain and even increase the value of their homes. There is nothing like a fresh coat of paint to make your place feel like new again, boosting your spirits in the process. If that idea appeals, you’ll be fascinated by the décor…
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One of the most valuable and ambitious renovations before putting your home on the market is to rip out and replace your bathroom. A brand new bathroom can add tens of thousands of dollars to the value of your home and help it sell quickly. A bathroom is arguably the most complicated area of the…
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Did you know that switching from gas cooking to electricity can help save the environment? Research now shows that every time you ignite a gas ring, your stove will push out unburned methane that’s 86 times more potent than carbon dioxide (C02). And, according to a Forbes magazine report, the number of gas stoves being…
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Buying a home for the first time doesn’t have to be a daunting experience, if you know the basics before your start. It takes many puzzle pieces to ensure all your paperwork and lender funds are in order for settlement day, so preparation is the key to a successful transaction. One of the most important…
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New Zealand homeowners continue to reap the rewards of investing in real estate, with new figures suggesting almost 95% of sales made in the September quarter were achieved at a profit. The results gathered by researcher CoreLogic are slightly down compared to the previous quarter when 98.1% of residential properties were sold at a profit. …
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As we approach the end of 2022, many potential home buyers will be wondering how the market will play out over the next 12 months. Nationally, it’s slipped 2.7% over the past year, at an average of $28,000 for each property. But the performance is pretty erratic. Cities such as Auckland (-5.5%) have taken a…
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Decorating our homes for the festive season is a highlight of the year for many of us, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere for family and friends. But finding the right Christmas tree and most suitable decorations can be challenging if you’re in a small apartment or house. It’s a little deflating to buy the…
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At the end of a challenging year, many homeowners will be looking forward to kicking back and enjoying this Christmas and the summer holidays. One of the great ways to celebrate the festive season is to hang lights in your front yard, brightening the summer evenings not just for yourself but neighbours and passers-by, too.…
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With 2023 fast approaching, it’s that time of year when we consider our New Year’s resolutions, or whether we should bother at all having failed countless times before! If you’re one of the many who pledged, but never bothered to: lose weight, go jogging in your lunch hour or stop smoking, then we’ve got a…
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It’s that time again when family and friends ask about New Year’s resolutions. It’s an old chestnut of a conversation, even though most of us are hopeless at keeping the well-meaning promises we make for ourselves. So, how about this year trying something new and focusing on managing your mortgage? With interest rates rising faster…
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