HOW TO BOOST YOUR CURB APPEAL November 2012
Transcription
HOW TO BOOST YOUR CURB APPEAL November 2012
November 2012 HOW TO BOOST YOUR CURB APPEAL Everyone wants visitors to admire their home, and sellers want to be sure buyers pay the best possible price for it. A great way to start is by upping your street appeal. Tip #3: Glam up the front door It is easy and inexpensive to add some pizzazz to your home's front entrance. Frame the entryway in colourful plantings, add some oversized numbers and paint the door a pretty colour that contrasts with the façade. Local paint dealers offer colour combination guidelines that give designer appeal. Tip #4: Regard the roof The condition of a roof is always a concern to buyers. You can pay for roof repairs now, or pay for them later in a lower offer. A tired roof will look a lot better after you remove 20 years of dirt, moss, lichens, and algae. Call a professional with the right tools to get it looking good again. A NEW HOME FOR CHRISTMAS? Tip #1: Wash your house’s face Before you do anything, wash the dirt, mildew, and general grunge off the outside of your house, eaves and windows. US research says washing a house may add over $10,000 to the sales price. A heavy-duty rented power washer is your friend; or you can hire a house cleaning company. November and December are very busy months in the real estate market as buyers and sellers try to complete deals before Christmas. The supply of new listings is still tight, a trend that has persisted throughout the year. The shortage is forcing buyers to make rapid decisions, lifting house prices, with Tip #2: Update your paint This is the most commonly offered curb appeal advice from real estate pros and appraisers. Buyers will instantly notice it, but it can be costly. The least expensive option is matching the paint you have and doing the work yourself. Scrape off a little and ask your local paint store to match it. the national median in August close to its all time peak. Buyers still have the advantage of low interest rates. This will continue to fuel the market through summer, so if you plan to buy, sooner looks better than later. ljhooker.co.nz Most awarded agency at the REINZ 2012 Awards for Excellence in Real Estate Sales. A New Zealand icon, the first and only Real Estate agency in New Zealand to be given the Superbrands Seal. A partner of China’s largest property website, Juwai.com, and Asia’s no.1 property group, iProperty Group. INTEREST RATE UPDATE INVESTOR TIP: GET THE PROS IN With two-year fixed rates below 5.5% and many banks offering incentives to new borrowers, home affordability has improved FOR THE HOLIDAYS around the country (at least outside Auckland). Low rates are Many Kiwis who own an attracting many first time buyers and investors into the investment property are market. unaware that they must Floating rates are very popular with buyers today; but remember that they fluctuate constantly and increases will pinch your budget. To reduce your risk, try to purchase a home you can comfortably afford, and consider fixing some or appoint a property manager if they will be overseas for more than 21 days. There are some other big advantages to working with a all of the loan for up to five years to protect yourself from professional property manager. Many novice investors find rate rises. BNZ chief economist Tony Alexander notes in a that dealing with tenants is more stressful and recent report, “If I were a borrower, given the behaviour I see complicated than they realized at first. It can be tricky the banks displaying, I would look to fix at one of the finding a great tenant who always pays the rent. In fact, discounted rates when offered…if I was offered a three year one of the most common landlord complaints in the rate at or below 5.5% I would take it.” tenancy tribunal is missed rent payments. Our company offers professional property management services including a rigorous tenant selection process; regular inspections, market rent reviews, and rent collection systems that minimize your risks. Martin Ferretti Licensed Salesperson REAA 2008 SHOPPING FOR A DEAL: Competition in lending makes this a very good time to compare rates between banks. If your loan is set to roll over, you might be able to negotiate a better deal by asking several banks to make you an offer, or consulting a loan broker. To see how much you can save at varying interest rates, check out the calculators at www.sorted.org.nz. P: 626 6119 M: 021 599 105 E: [email protected] Jenny Kim Personal Assistant M: 021 270 7717 E: [email protected] Disclaimer: This newsletter has been prepared by LJ Hooker. Every effort has been made to ensure the contents are accurate at the time of publication and LJ H responsibility for any subsequent action that may arise from the use of this newsletter. ©2012 LJ Hooker New Zealand Ltd, Licensed REAA 2008, MREINZ.