ultimate
home living August 2014
The Adviser. Australia No. 1:1211 Wednesday, August 13, 2014 – Page 17
ultimate
home living
SEAMLESS TECHNOLOGY… For the latest kitchen and cabinetry technologies, call in and see the friendly team at Liberty Kitchens. Photo: Supplied.
Cabinetry in motion MODERN technology has come a long way and no part of the home has been untouched by these advancements, including the humble kitchen. With the latest in electric motion support technology, your kitchen’s cabinetry can be created to open and close effortlessly with a single touch. Dale Wathen from Liberty Kitchens said, “These latest technologies provide more freedom of design and motion in the kitchen with the opportunity to create perfectly seamless and handle-less cabinetry.
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“The systems offer the ultimate in easy living kitchens, which allows for streamlined efficiency in busy household kitchens. For example, if your hands a full, the motion system can be opened with a simple touch or bump of your hip, which certainly simplifies waste disposal or putting dishes away. “The systems are very user friendly and provide ease of motion throughout the kitchen. Even large panel fronts open with ease and provide ergonomic access to all areas of the kitchen. “And in the event of power failure, the
fittings are still fully functional.” The qualified and experienced team at Liberty Kitchens specialise in all forms of cabinetry including custom design with their extensive showroom demonstrating the latest innovations and ideas to inspire creativity. For all of the latest innovations in kitchens and cabinetry, call in and speak to the professional team at Liberty Kitchens visit 60 Williams Road, Shepparton or phone 5831 2620.
ultimate
home living Duplex designs ideal for investors BUDDING property investors who want to secure their financial future can now take advantage of Hotondo Homes’ new duplex designs. Local Hotondo Homes’ Shepparton Franchisee, Colin Mintern believes the addition of the new plans; Aon Garage and Aon Courtyard are an affordable way for investors to begin building their property portfolios. “We added the designs to cater for the investor market,” says Colin. “The Aon is a modest home that doesn’t compromise on modern comforts and are a great option for investors.” Purchasing a duplex can be great investment for homeowners and landlords, so what does Colin see as the benefits of building a duplex? ‘Live in one, rent out the other or rent out both’ “To get a significant rental return from your duplex you have the option to rent out both homes and collect two rental incomes, or live in one and rent out the other. The rental income will significantly reduce the financial strain of your mortgage repayments and save you the hassle of having to actually live with roommates.” ‘Get the most out of your land with two for the price of one’
DUPLEX DESIGNS… Local Hotondo Homes’ Shepparton Franchisee, Colin Mintern sees the advantage in the new Duplex Designs option. Photo: Supplied.
“Because you can fit a duplex on a narrow block, you can fit two homes on the one block and get double the return than if you were building one home on the same sized block.” ‘Be close to family, but not each other’s space’ “If you have a family member that requires extra care or supervision, you can live close to them but not in the same house.”
Colin said, “This enables you to keep an eye on your loved one, without having to ship them into a nursing home. They get to maintain their independence; you get to preserve your privacy and have peace of mind that you are close.” To contact Colin Mintern and the team at Hotondo Homes in Shepparton, visit 53 Canterbury Avenue, Shepparton, contact 5831 2250 or go online to hotondo.com.au.
Pools and spas must have fences
THE Victorian Building Authority (VBA) warns Victorians that all swimming pools and spas must have a compliant fence. V B A D i r e c t o r of Te c h n i c a l a n d Regulation, Jarrod Edwards said there is confusion on what a safe and properly compliant pool fence looks like. “While there are stringent building regulations in place to ensure swimming pool and spa areas are safe, people often do not know what is required. “This is why the VBA has released a new brochure for consumers called: ‘About swimming pools, spas and their safety barriers’, so home owners with pools and spas can receive easy-to-understand information,” he said. Mr Edwards said the brochure will help Victorians make sure their pool fence complies, that they understand the regulations and where to get inspection services. The brochure will be available online at the VBA website and also from local councils. The VBA reminds Victorians with pools and spas that they must take the following precautions: • If a pool or spa can hold a depth of 30cms, the length of a school ruler, they must have fencing around them. This applies even to inflatable pools.
• All pools and spas built since 2010 require a four-sided fence, with no direct access from the house to the pool or spa surround. • A building permit is required to build the pool/spa and the fencing. You must begin work within 12 months of the building permit being issued, with work to be completed within six months of starting it. • You should hire a registered building practitioner to do the work. The VBA has a list of registered practitioners on its website at www.vba.vic.gov.au • Gates around pools and spas must be selfclosing and self-latching, regardless of when a pool was built. • Homeowners should never prop open a pool gate. It is illegal to do this. • Pot plants, eskies and chairs, which may be used by children to climb into the pool or spa area, must also be moved away from the fencing. Mr Edwards said while taking these precautions goes a long way to protecting children around backyard swimming pools and spas, the best safety message is for parents and carers to actively supervise their kids in the water. For more information about swimming pools and for a copy of the brochure, visit www.vba.vic.gov.au
The Adviser. Australia No. 1:1211 Wednesday, August 13, 2014 – Page 19
ultimate
home living
Your home, by design WELL known local window furnishing specialist, Wyndham Décor has recently cha nged ha nds a nd now, u nder t he leadership of local Shepparton women, Sue Johnston and Jenny Younger, Wyndham Décor looks forward to continuing to provide their tried and trusted services. Sue and Jenny are well known faces at Wyndham Décor, both having worked there for many years. In fact, Sue has been with Wyndham Décor for 23 years and in the interior design industry for 33 years. Jenny has worked at Wyndham Décor for the past five years and has a background in new home construction sales and colour consulting administration. Both Sue and Jenny are passionate about the interior design industry and their intricate knowledge of Wyndham Décor’s services and client needs made their decision to purchase the business an easy one. Jenny said, “W hen the opportunity came up we thought, lets take the plunge. We both know the business from an inside perspective. We know it’s a successful business built on solid foundations and this was a wonderful opportunity for us. “The most important thing to us is to provide our customers with good, personalised service, that’s a really high priority. We also only use quality products and materials from trusted suppliers, many
INTERIOR DÉCOR SPECIALISTS… From left, Wyndham Décor Owner’s, Sue Johnston and Jenny Younger offer years of experience in the window furnishings industry. Photo: Madeleine Caccianiga. of whom we’ve enjoyed a long working relationship with, so our customers can be assured of quality. We can work with you to ensure that your needs are met at a price that’s not only competitive but that you can afford. “We love what we do, we enjoy working with all of our wonderful clients and look forward to the challenges and exciting times ahead.” Wyndham Décor offer everything from
in home or showroom consultation, free measure and detailed itemised quote by window and by treatment. As well as a complete coordinated accessories service including custom made bedheads, bed linen, cushions and wallpaper. Call i n and see Sue and Jen ny at Wyndham Décor at 7988 GV Highway, Kialla, phone 5823 5694 or visit www. wyndhamdecor.com.au
Investors prepared to ‘cut back’ to buy property
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THE vast majority of first time investors say they would cut back on general day to day spending in order to afford an investment property, new research has revealed. According to Mortgage Choice’s latest First Time Investor survey, 74.3 percent of respondents said one of the first things they would do is cut back on their spending in order to afford an investment property, while a further 56.3 percent indicated they would “eat out less” and 25.7 percent said they would cut back on “alcohol related spending”. Mortgage Choice spokesperson, Jessica Darnbrough said it was possible for first time buyers to save a significant amount of money and achieve their property ownership goals faster by simply cutting back on their day-today expenses. “There are lots of things potential buyers can do to reduce their daily spending. In fact establishing good saving habits can be as simple as taking a back to the basics approach,” she said. “In the first instance, it pays to build an achievable budget. Budgeting monthly or in accordance with the length of your pay period will allow you to amend your budget fairly quickly if an unexpected expense rears its ugly head.” Once investors have a manageable budget in place, there are a few other techniques they can implement to help them achieve their savings goal sooner rather than later:
Become a VIP member Sign up to be a VIP member at your regular shopping spots. Whether this means you will get a few dollars off per ticket on a trip to the cinema, receive sale prices at your favourite clothing stores, or earn a supermarket discount voucher, every little bit counts. Savings enforcer Ask someone to help you oversee your savings plan. That way you can stay accountable if you don’t reach your savings goal and you’ll be more inclined to stick to your budget. Home cooked meals Rather than buying your lunch each weekday, why not prepare your own meals by making a weekly trip to the supermarket. If you are heading to the shops, it pays to have a shopping list and a full stomach – if you are hungry, you may find you buy more than you need. Waste not, want not Eliminate some of the little luxuries that you can do without. Try cutting back on takeaway coffees, fashionable items that have a short life-span, pay-television, internet or data usage etc. Ask for discounts Have you been a member of your local gym for some time? If so, it may pay to give them a call and see if they can reduce your weekly fee for being a loyal customer.