REAL ESTATE GRAFTON
2460
ELDERS REAL ESTATE GRAFTON Monthly digest ISSUE FIVE 2016
(O F AN ELDE RS P ROPE RTY MAN AGE R)
RENOVATION RESCUE 11 Thomas Street, SOUTH GRAFTON \ 11 Thomas Street is loaded with untapped potential that is just waiting to be unlocked. Here is a great opportunity for you to invest today and benefit for years to come. Let's be honest, this house is far from perfect but hiding under the outer layers is a sturdy hardwood frame and good bones in need of rescuing. With a new roof and external cladding, most of the work would be completed. Internally you may choose to replace the kitchen and bathroom however the bedrooms are large and the floor plan is great. This is a charming little home just waiting to be restored to its past glory. One major selling point is the neighbourhood - the street is quiet, schools, shops and sporting fields are only within a 5 minute drive and you are also flood-free. The rental market is heating up and as a result prices are rising. Affordable properties are becoming scarce and anything representing value is being snapped up, in fact two homes in the immediate vicinity have both sold at or before auction in the last 6 weeks. This could be the trustworthy investment property you have been looking for!
Ryan Creed Sales Professional 0423 865 329
Our vendors are committed to selling as soon as possible and have set a price in line with recent buyer feedback. YOU have set the price and we want it SOLD!
Elders Grafton – Monthly Digest | 2
REVIEW
MONTH APRIL 2016 Her e Co m es th e Su n - I t ’s t h e star t o f an oth er d ay . Th is i s su e, w e fo llo w A Da y in th e Li fe o f an E ld e r s P rop er ty M an a ge r – H er e , Th er e an d E ver ywh er e . Bro ok e say s He y Ju d e a n d ch ec k s in on a ten a n t, t alk s M o n e y wi t h lan d lor d s , an d e v en fin d s th e ti m e fo r a F l yin g tr ip to Pen n y Lan e f or an ap p r ai sal . Th er e ’s a P lac e in h er d ay for A l l S h e ’ s Go t T o Do .
Sh ell ey tal k s mai n t en an ce - w h e th er it b e Fi x in g a H ol e , o r E ver y Li tt le Th in g – We Can Wor k It Ou t. Be n tak e s u s on a M a g ic al M y st er y Tou r th rou gh th e Lon g , Lon g, Lon g p r oc e s s ten a n cy ap p l ic ati on s. If y ou wan t mor e in fo, C om e an d Get i t . You Kn o w ou r Na m e ( Lo ok u p th e Nu m b er ) -
2460 – Clarence Valley Property Guide | 3
(O F AN ELDE RS P ROPE RTY MAN AGE R) G rr aa ff tt oo nn –– M M oo nn tt hh ll yy DD ii gg ee ss tt | 4 EE ll dd ee rr ss G
8:30 AM – Planning the day The start of my day is dictated by my calendar and my new emails. Synching the two every morning lets me see what I’ve already got booked, and what new events need to be tended to today. My email account is normally filled with maintenance requests and enquiries, so it’s important to prioritise what is considered urgent, and what can be handled and sorted througho ut that day . 9:00 AM – Respond to maintenance Work orders are something that I organise on a daily basis. Always time sensitive, orders needs to be sent out as soon as possible, giving landlo rds, co ntractors and tenants sufficient time to respond and sort time. This means it’s v ital to contact landlords and gain permission first thing in the day. Emergencies and urgent repairs are really a case-by-case situation, and these take absolute priority in a day. 9:30 AM – Routine Inspections I can effectively schedule aro und four routine inspectio ns ev ery day. With new legislations in place, smoke alarms are a new priority with inspections, and these are checked to make sure they comply at each visit. Following the routine in spection guides, I walk thro ugh room -by -room, taking images and notes of everything needed. 9:45 AM – Roaming Rural Many of the properties we manage are out of town. Today, I’ve got three inspections that have taken me out along L awrence Road. Rural inspections are different to those in town – our checklist extends to the grounds, boundaries and additional buildings – making sure that the landlord is assured of t he maintenance of the property as a whole. 2460 – Clarence Valley Property Guide | 5
11:20 AM – New recruit s With a new lease sign up, the new tenants visit our office to sign their paperwork and get the run down on both the property and their responsibilities as a new tenant. Grafton has recently received an influx of fresh blood, and we lo ve taking the time to give new tenants an o verview of the area their property is in, the town itself and everything liv ing in the Valley has to offer. 12:15 P M – New business Time permitting, I like to get to a property that is listed for appraisal early eno ugh to get a good scope of the property and its location. After going thro ugh the house and seeing everything it has to offer, I make time to have a chat with the o wners, to find out exactly what it is they want, and let them know about the services we offer . The official appraisal will reach the owners by the end of the day . 1:30 PM – Call me As I’m on the road and out of the office for what can almost be m y whole day, it’s really im port ant to schedule time to be back at my desk to return calls and make contact with everyone needed. There is always some fresh maintenance requests, as well as returned calls from landlords to get back to. All of the fresh appraisal informatio n is ready to be finalised and sent off too. 3:00 PM – Hit the road Vacates are generally conducted in the afternoon, giving the tenant time to hand over keys and finish any remaining exit cleaning or final jobs. Our report and inspection checks that the condition of the property matches that of the ingoing report. We match images and notes as a guide, and mark off the vacating inspection checklist. Elders Grafton – Monthly Digest | 6
IN FOCUS
3:45 PM – Signing up a new owner
Advertising images
Every new management is different. Some properties are freshly purchased, whereas others are already tenanted an d leased.
Once we’ve signed the MAA and have gotten the keys, we head straight over to the pro perty to take the most realistically flattering images of the property possible.
We always ask new owners to come in to the Elders office and get to know our team and our service. We talk about prices and costs, availability, access, and everything we need to know to organise a time frame to get the property on to our roll an d in to the market.
It’s important to get the mix right – it’s not worth wasting anyone’s time being shown through (or applying for) something that is not what they want, what they need, or what they can afford. Truthful images and information is the key.
The fine print
Uploading to the internet
Paperwork for a new management includes an exclusiv e managing agency agreement, which is basically a contract between the owners and ourselves stating that we are the only agency to be marketing and managing the property.
Once we’ve snapped the key images of a property, we can begin the advertising campaign. The photos and listing informatio n is uploaded to our database, as well as our advertising platforms and connections – this ensures maximum reach, extending to as many potential tenants as possib le. Hard copies of our current rental lists are always available for pick up from our Prince Street office.
This ensures that we can concentrate on maintaining the owner’s investment as efficiently and responsibly as possible.
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4:30 PM – Rent arrears Although we have a "P roactive Financial Management Plan' that is activated at the commencement of any tenancy, it is not uncommon for a tenant to fall behind in payments. I dedicate a minimum of half hour to rent arrears daily. It is imperative that I identify rent falling late as early as day one to identify and implement a correction plan with the tenant. General tasks – Ingoing condition report Ingoing condition reports are vital to any tenancy as they clearly and specifically outline the condition of properties. They cover every aspect of the pro perty - from the flooring to the light fixtures. To ensure that my condition reports are as detailed as possible, approximately two hours are spent on the report, as well as extensive photographic documentation of anything mentioned in the report. General tasks – General visit s As Property Managers, it is o ur responsibility to have the owners best interests at heart, especially financially. This means that we head out on a lot of home visits for repairs, making sure that the right tradesmen are sent to each job, as well as ensuri ng which party is liable, and who should be handling the task. A good example of this is interactions with energy providers or the council. General tasks – PM Team Training Property Management legislatio n is continually changing, and it is v ital to keep up to date with these changes. Every Friday, the Elders PM Team spend a minimum of two hours dedicated to training. This is to ensure we keep up to date with all there is to know, as well as being able to plan ahead for upcoming legislatio n changes.
Elders Grafton – Monthly Digest | 8
Elders Real Estate Grafton Property Management Team
Contact us 23 Prince Street GRAFTON NSW 2460 Call us on
Dedicated to the job, the Property Management Team at Elders Real Estate in Grafton
(02) 6642 1122
With forward planning and knowledge of the new Pool Compliance laws, we were able to implement a scheme so as to ensure properties with pools were ready for inspectio n by the council on or before the law change start date.
Email us at grafto n@eldersre.com.au
www.eldersgrafton.com.au
Hello, I’m Brooke. It’s nice to meet you. You can chat more to Brooke about taking the first steps or making the switch to Elders Grafton to day, by calling the office number listed above and asking for Brooke.
It’s maintaining a pro -active approach, a thirst for expansion and a commi tment to service that has taken the Elders PM Team to where it is today . We look forward to greater expansion and with the training we have in place we have the staff and systems ready.
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IT’S THE VIBE – AND THE VIEW Terry Deefholts TD. 0413 299 176 www.eldersgrafton.com.au
E l d e r s G r a f t o n – M o n t h l y D i g e s t | 10
TICKS ALL THE BOXES. A spacious architecturally designed home with magnificent views from Grafton to the mountains, you can even catch a glimpse of the Clarence from the top lounge and balcony of 266 Bent Street. Sitting at a slight angle on the block to take advantage of the North/North East aspect, this stylish home is drenched in light throughout the day. The solar passive roofline, with its wide overhanging eaves, allows the low winter sun in while reducing the effect of the summer sun. The layout of the home is ideal for families with teenagers and young adults with plenty of separate living spaces across three levels of quality home. Currently used as a library, there is a further dining space towards the front of the home. Upstairs you'll find the main lounge/living space which leads onto the master bedroom complete with ensuite, walk in wardrobe and verandah. Ideally situated for a home business, any number of enterprises could be incorporated into several spaces in the home - the downstairs space with its own entry and natural light would be perfect.
266 BENT STREET
SOUTH GRAFTON Terry Deefholts
REAL ESTATE GRAFTON
Sales Professional 0413 299 176
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The long, long, long process of finding
THE RIGHT TENANT Words by Elders Property Manager Ben Holder
As Pr o pe rt y M a na g er s , it ’s o ur r es p o ns ib i l it y a n d d ut y t o ac t o n b e ha lf of th e L an d l ord . T h is r es po ns i bi l i t y c ar r i es a l ot of we i g ht a n d ex p e c ta t io n. W e ado pt t h e p hi l os op h y to m an ag e t he pr o p ert y a s if it wer e o ur v er y o wn , ens ur i ng t h e h ig h es t s ta n dar ds p os s ib l e t o pr o t ec t yo ur i n v es tm e nt a n d tr us t. O ur j o b is t o f i n d a nd s ec ur e t he bes t te n an t we c an . In or d e r t o d o th is we wi l l go t hr ou g h s e v er a l hur d les t o m ak e t h e bes t d ec is i o n we pos s i b l y c an .
Fi nd i n g a s u it a b le t e n an t f or a pr op er t y is l ik e bu i l di n g a p u z zl e . It ’s o ur j ob as Pr op er t y M an a gers t o f in d a nd g a th er as m an y p i ec es of inf orm at i on we c a n a bo u t a te n an t, t h eir r en t al his tor y a n d th e ir c urr en t a nd f ut ur e s t at us , t o b u il d t he o ver a l l p ic t ur e to pres en t t o t h e pr op er t y o wn er. A c om pl e te d p u z zl e m ak es a wh o le p ic t ure , a n d t h is g i v es t he o wner t h e m os t i nf orm at io n s o as t o m ak e t h e b es t pos s i b le c ho ic e of t e n an t f or th e pr o per t y.
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Before the Inspection B ef or e c on d uc t i ng a v i e wi ng f or po t en t ia l a p pl ic a nts , i t ’s im por t an t th a t we o b ta i n as m uc h i nf or m at io n a bo u t th e pro p ert y a s pos s i b l e. T his n ot o n l y a l lo ws u s t o m ak e d ec is i v e dec is i ons wh e n it c om es to ad v er t is i n g , bu t a ls o a ll o ws u s to b eg i n t he ap p l ic a t io n pr oc es s a n d r ef i n e th e te n an ts th a t we a ttr ac t - s om eth i n g as s im pl e as wh e t her t h e o wn er s a l lo w p ets or n ot c a n c u t yo u r T e na nc y p o ol in ha lf . A s er i es of in de pt h q u es t i ons ar e pres e nt e d to t h e o wn e r b ef or e m ar k et i ng to e ns ure t h at t h e c or r ec t t e na nts ar e at trac t ed , g i v in g t he p r op er t y th e gre a tes t c h anc e of h a v i ng a be tt er qu a l it y a n d l on g er t er m ten an t. It ’s o ur r es po ns i bi l i t y t o l eas e yo ur i n ves tm ent a s s oo n as we c a n to h e l p yo u ha v e t he m on e y c om in g i n.
Cre at i n g i nt er es t a n d a ‘ bu z z’ a ro u nd th e pr op er t y is wha t w e n ee d t o s pa rk i nt eres t i n p ot e nt i a l te na n ts . W e c ol l ec t an d c o l l at e p ho tos i n par t ic u l ar t o h ig h l ig ht t h e u n iq u e q ua l i ti es t ha t e ac h i nd i v i du a l pr op er t y h a s , us in g t ha t im ag er y to c om m unic a te t o th e p o te nt i a l te n an t th e q u al i t y a nd un i q ue as p ec ts of th e pr op er t y - c r ea t in g d es ire t o re n t. Com m unic at i on wi th b ot h t he O wn er a nd pros p ec t i v e t en a nts is c ruc ia l i n t h is s ta g e, a n d we lo ok t o k eep e v er y p art y i nf orm ed wi t h a n y u pd at es a nd ne w i nf orm at io n as i t c om e s t o h an d. W e prid e o urs e l ves in our a va i l ab i l it y t o a ll our s t ak eh o l ders , a nd our le v e l of c om m unic a ti o n wi t h b o th o wn er a n d te n an t is tr u l y s om eth i ng t h at s e ts t he E ld ers R e al Es t a te G r af to n P ro p ert y Ma n ag em en t T e am ap art . W e aim to w ork t og et h er to he l p ac h ie v e th e b es t p os s i bl e o utc om e f or e v er yo n e.
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During the Insp ection As a Pro p ert y M a n ag e r , yo u le ar n c er ta i n tr ic k s of t he t ra d e - t h e s am e as in an y bus i n es s or wo r k en v ir onm en t. L it tl e t h in gs t ha t p eo p l e d o at a v ie wi n g c an be m aj or i nd ic a tor s of th e ir pers o n al i t y a nd b e ha v i our s . If yo u yo urs e lf wer e t o un d er tak e a vi e wi n g , yo u wo u ld pres e nt yo ur s e lf i n t he bes t l i gh t pos s i b le . I a l wa ys l ook f or c er t a i n i nd ic at or s , s uc h as if s om eon e was o n tim e, d i d t he y r em ov e t he ir s h o es u p on en tr y, a r e t h e y pus h y or r ud e i n t he ir be h a v io ur ? I a ls o tr y to as k op e n en d e d qu es ti o ns to s ub t le t y wi t h dra w t he i nf or m at io n a n d m ark ers I’m l o ok in g f o r - wi t ho u t ap p ea ri n g to bom bar d th em wi t h qu es ti o ns . It ’s m y j o b to s ee wh at as p ec ts of th e pr os p ec t i v e t en a nt ’s a pp e ar anc e a nd -
be h a v io ur ar e f or s h o w, a n d wh at is i nh er en t. No t ic i n g a l l th es e l it t le tr a its c a n s a v e a tro u bl es om e t e na nc y d o wn t he tr ac k . It ’s a ls o v er y im por t an t f or t h e pr op ert y t o l ook its b es t dur i n g an i ns pec t io n – t h is s ho ws t he p os s i bl e t e na n ts th e l e v el of c are an d res p ec t t he p rop er t y war ra nts . O b v io us l y, we c a n no t pre d ic t t h e f u t ure bu t t hro u gh t h e us e of o ur p ers on a l a nd c o ll ec ti v e k no wl e dg e b as e an d ex p er i enc e , we c a n wo rk to e v al u at e e ac h te n an t a nd p ro p ert y m atc h, an d a tt em pt to c rea t e th e b es t c a s e s c en ar i o f or yo u . W e ex trac t as m uc h in f orm ati on as we c a n s o th a t wh e n ou r f orm a l har d c o p y ap p l ic a t io ns c om e i n , we c a n c ros s ref er enc e s t or ies an d s it u at i ons an d g et be yo n d t h e h yp e of t h e ir pe rs o n al s t or i es an d c re at e s o l i d i nf or m atio n a b ou t t he te n an t.
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After the Inspection O n e of t h e m os t im po r ta nt r ol es we u nd er tak e as Pr o per t y M a na g er s - we n e ed t o t ho ro u g h l y pr es e nt a l l t h e i nf or m ati o n we c an , to he l p th e o wn er m ak e t h e b es t d ec is io n p os s ib l e. T his is whe re we g at h er to g et h er a l l th e p i e c es we c an in o rd er t o b u i ld t h e te n an t p u z zl e, i nc l u d in g:
Ch ec k in g a l l i nf or m at i on f i l l ed o u t is ac c ur at e P as t re n ta l r ef e r e nc es c om pl e te d a n d c on t ac ta b le Com pre h ens i v e o ut l i n e of t e na n ts th at wi l l b e l i v in g a t th e pr o per t y Cl e ar d es c r ip t io n of c u r r e nt em pl o ym en t or i n c om e s t at us Ac k no wl e d g in g a nd an s we r i n g a ll t h e q ues t io ns as k ed S ig n e d t h e pr i v ac y p ol ic y A LL r el e v an t d oc um e n ta t io n , inc l u di n g P ho to I D Ref er e nc es ( c ha r ac te r a n d prof es s io n al) or r at es n ot ic es if o wn ed o wn h om e Pr oof of i nc om e ( p a ys l i ps AN D b a nk s ta tem e nt AN D Ce nt re l i nk s ta t em ent if ne e de d) Mus t b e a war e a nd ha v e 6 w e e ks r en t re ad y pr io r to a p p l yi n g f o r pro p ert i es
A no th er s ys t em we us e to he l p us g at h er p ie c es is T IC A ( T en an c y Info rm at ion C ent re Au s tr al i a). T IC A is a n A us tr a l i an o wne d a n d o p era te d c om pa n y , a nd has b e en s inc e 1 9 9 2. From th e or i g in a l d e v e l opm en t of t h e T e n anc y H i s t or y D at a bas e t o a f u l l R is k M a na g em en t S ys t em , T IC A h as d e v e lo p ed in to a c om pa n y of f er in g m ore th a n j us t A us tr a l ia's Lar g es t T ena nc y H is t or y D at a b a s e t o t he R e a l Es ta te I nd us tr y. W e us e th is C en tr e to c hec k t h e h is t or y of p os s ib l e te n an ts a n d if th er e has be e n a n y pro b l em s or is s ues wi t h th em pr e v io us l y .
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HOW TO CHANGE A LIGHTBULB
IN TWENTY-FIVE STEPS
A tongue-in-cheek look at sorting a maintenance issue – the long (and wrong) way Words by Elders Property Manager Shelley Crapp
1. A ns wer P h on e 2. Fi nd ou t l i gh t is br ok e n
3. T r y t o f i gur e o ut if b u l b h as b lo wn or e lec tr ic it y is ou t 4. Fi nd ou t l i gh t b u lb is b l o wn
5. Le t t en a nt k no w t h at t he y n e e d to c h a ng e t he bu l b 6. L is t en t o t he ir dis a pp o i ntm en t an d a n ger ab o ut t h is 7. Le t t he t e na nt k no w th at yo u 7. wo n ’t b e c a l l in g t h e l a nd l or d an d as k i ng t h em to f ix i t 8. 8. Fi na l l y a gr ee t o r in g in g th e l an d lo r d
9. Ri n g th e l a nd l or d
10 . L is t en t o t he ir dis a pp o i ntm en t an d an g er a bo u t th is 11 . Ri n g th e t en a nt b ac k
12 . Le t t he t e na nt k no w t ha t th e l an d lo rd wo n’ t be f ix i ng it 14 . L is t en t o t he ir dis a pp o i ntm en t an d a n ger ab o ut t h is
15 . W ork s hop p l ac es t o b u y a l ig h tb u lb
16 . Ex p la i n t ha t yo u c an ’ t g o ou t a nd bu y t h em a l ig ht b ul b
E l d e r s G r a f t o n – M o n t h l y D i g e s t | 16
17 . L is t en t o t he ir d is a p po i ntm en t a nd an g er a bo u t th is
18 . Le t t he t e na nt k no w th at yo u won ’ t b e c a ll i n g th e l a nd l or d an d as k in g t hem perm is s i on t o b u y th e m a l i gh t bu l b
19 . Fi na l l y a gr ee t o r in g in g th e l an d lo rd as k t h em per m is s io n to bu y t h em a l i gh tb u l b 20 . La n d lor d re q ues t s 3 q uo t es of pr ic es of l i g ht bu l bs 21 . 21 . G et 3 qu o tes of pr ic es of l i gh tb u l bs
22 . B u y l ig h tb u l b
23 . T r y t o i ns ta l l l i gh t bu l b – f in d o ut i t ’s th e wr o ng t yp e 24 . P ut t he ol d l i g ht b ul b b ac k i n p lac e
25 . Fl ic k t he s wi tc h - o l d l i gh t bu l b is wo r k in g a ga i n
W ow. W hat a pr oc es s .
T his is a n ex am pl e of a Re ac ti v e a g enc y – n o pr ior ed uc at i on g i v e n t o te n an ts , po or ne g ot i at i on s k i l ls r es u l ti n g i n l an d l or d d is r u pt i o n a nd a lac k of le g is la t i ve k no wl e d ge f or t h e pr op ert y m a n a ger .
A Pr o ac t i v e a ge nc y m ea ns e d uc a t io n f or te n an ts , ef f ec ti v e n e g ot i at i on s k i lls , v er y l i tt l e d is ru pt i o n to la n d lor ds a n d a th or o ug h un d ers t a nd i n g of c u rre nt le g is la t io n – pro ac ti v e a g enc i es res er ve t im e f or go o d n e ws ph o ne c al ls e n h anc i ng yo u r l a nd l or d ex p er i enc e .
Pr e ve n ti o n is b et t er th a n c ur e .
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MUM
THE MASTER NEGOTIATORS S al e s M an a g e r Kyl i e Pe a r s o n ta k e s a c l os e r l o o k into the necessity of the give -and-take of negotiations
S
Now, as a Mother of 3 little cherubs (ages 10, 8 & 18 months) I know first-hand that my negotiations start on the opening of my eye-lids at approx. 5.40am. I don’t know where I would be without negotiation training – actually, I do - because I have been there, and like most mums (and dads) it’s a challenge faced every single day. I often feel like I’m living with 3 little Lawyers who “object” to every rule and request I make. Negotiation tip from office to home: the more you give in to negotiating [with your child or client], the more you’re training [your child or client] not to accept your limits. I have been guilty of over-negotiating with my kids, mistakenly thinking it is improving their sense of self-worth - by letting them be a little more adult, recognising their individuality and being flexible as a parent. Now, all those things are important, but at what point am I allowing the children to negotiate limits with me? By the way instead of “negotiate”, I’d like you to consider the word “bicker”, because that’s where this can easily land. A personal example of over-negotiating. “It’s time to go to bed. It’s 8.30.” And the child says, “Oh Mum can I just watch the end of this TV show please -” Mum says, “No, it’s bed-time.” The child continues to argue, “Oh please, please, you never let me do anything. Just ten more minutes.” Mum relents, “Oh, fine then, 10 more minutes.” And the child responds with positivity, “You’re the best.” Here parent goes back and forth with the child, when really, there’s nothing to negotiate.
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Im ages courtes y of Mi n ya Rose
One thing I have learnt is: The more you give in to negotiating with [your child or client], the more you’re training [your client or child] not to accept your limits. Now - contrast this with another negotiation tactic - where the response with the cherub’s plea is, “No, it’s time to go to bed. On weeknights you have to go to bed because it’s important to get enough rest for school.” And the child says, “Oh please, let me stay up. I’ll be fine in the morning, it’s OK.” And the parent says “No, I’m sorry, you need to go to bed. I love you – now get going.” Here the limit has been set, followed, and has given a reason why. In this scenario, the child has also tried to negotiate their way down, but the parent sticks with the limit. This is firm negotiation. A lot of the time, there’s nothing to negotiate. Be clear about how you handle business in your home. “We go to bed at 8.30 p.m. so we can have a good sleep and in turn a good day at school tomorrow. This is much more important than TV.” When you over-negotiate, your ‘little lawyers’ never quite know if this time they’re going to get a win. When Kids Test the Limits Kids are going to test limits - that’s their job. What we forget sometimes is that it’s our job to stand firm. In some ways, we confuse negotiating with somehow empowering our child. For me, I have learnt that allowing my children to negotiate for things doesn’t empower them. Instead, what empowers them is understanding the limits. Here’s a final tip in Mummy negotiating: if your child asks you for something - let’s say a later bedtime - and you think they have a point, tell them what they can do to earn it. If you think your child can handle staying up a half-an-hour later at night, don’t let them back you into a corner by negotiating with you and complaining to you about their situation every time. Tell them how they can earn that half hour, and for how long. So, you could say, “If you do ‘this’ for a week, I’ll be happy to discuss staying up later.” What you’re doing is taking control back by rewarding your child for their good performance, instead of letting them push you into a corner. An example - if your child wants to stay up later at night, and it’s a school night, the message needs to be clear that they have to go to bed and get a good amount of sleep. By saying to your child, “If you go to bed all week without giving me a hard time, I’ll let you stay up a half-an-hour later on Friday and Saturday", kids learn to develop the fundamentals of negotiating, so each person faces a win-win situation. Editor’s Note: Whilst we don't always see eye to eye (with our children) - we are always heart to heart - A big shout out to all the mothers who recently celebrated Mothers Day X
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WE CAN’T ALL BE SUPER HEROS -
BUT WE CAN BE SUPER AGENTS O u r p l e d ge i s t o d e l i ve r o u r c o m m u n i t y th e i n c o mp a r a b l e s e r vi c e th a t i s th e u n d e r l y i n g b a s i s f o r e v e r y d e c i s i o n w e m a k e . Th e o p ti mu m o u tc o m e , th e s t r o n g e s t r e t u r n , t h e p r e mi u m p r i c e i s w h a t w e s e e k - n o t j u s t m e r e l y s e c u r e a sale. We s t a n d p r o u d b y o u r b r a n d , t h e p e o p l e o f o u r v a l l e y a n d t h e p r o f e s s i o n a l s w h o m a k e i t a l l p o s s i b l e . We b u i l d r e l a ti o n s h i p s – n o t tr a n s a c ti o n s . C o n t a c t u s o r vi s i t t h e w e b s i t e , a n d ge t i n to u c h to t a l k m o r e a b o u t w h a t w e c a n d o f o r y o u – (0 2 ) 6 6 4 2 1 1 2 2 o r gr a f to n @ e l d e r s r e .c o m . a u
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Live it.
REAL ESTATE GRAFTON
CONGRATULATIONS TEAM ELDERS REAL ESTATE GRAFTON We w e r e a l l s mi l e s w h e n C o l i n H a w k i n s f r o m E l d e r s H e a d O f f i c e c a m e i n t o p r e s e n t o u r t e a m w i t h o u r 2 0 1 5 Aw a r d s !
No. No. Top No. No.
3 O f fi c e 2 O f fi c e Au cti on 8 O f fi c e 7 O f fi c e
( G ro s s Co m mi s s ion s ) ( S ett l ed S al e s) Of f ic e N at ion al ( G ro s s C o m mi s si on s) N at ion al (S ett l ed S al e s )
C o n gr a t u l a t i o n s Te a m!
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E l d e r s G r a f t o n – M o n t h l y D i g e s t | 22
8076 Old Glen I nnes Road NEWTON BOYD Your home away from home…
Re m ot e an d p ri v at e wi t h b re ath ta kin g vi e w s of m ou n tai n ran g e s a n d b u sh s et tin g s - th e p er f ec t w ee ke n d e r sty l e ge ta way th at w il l l ea v e you wi th a s en s e o f aw e ! Th is on e b ed r oo m cott a ge w ith a m od ern a n d c o mp l et e l y u n iq u e c on str u ct ion of f er s it se l f to th e mar ke t. R ec en t ly ren o vat ed a n d c on tr ib u t in g an op en p lan d es ig n , th e li vi n g, d in in g an d ki tch en al l in te gra te as on e. 34 ac re s w ith a c o mb in a tion of p as tu r e an d f or e st of f er s a d i ve r se ran g e o f a ct i vity su ch as b u sh wal kin g t o h ob b y far m in g . Ou r s el l er h a s exp r es s ed h e h a s p re v io u s ly ru n u p t o 8 st ee r s p er io d ica lly . E n joy th e d ri v e t h rou gh th e s cen ic Bu c caru mb i an d Boyd Ri v er v al ley s a s you w in d you r way al o n g t h e ri v e r to t h e p rop erty .
PROPERTY INFORMATI ON 1x b ed roo m s 1x b ath ro o m s Lan d Area 34 acre s 24 V Sol ar Syste m
Sam Danvers Sales Professional
0432 623 244
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PROPERTY MANAGEMENT
Investment properties: It’s not about you! Words by Yasmin Noone, taken from Domain.com.au
18 NOV 2015 When buying a property to rent out for investment purposes, do you follow your gut, head or heart? According to Benjamin Kingsley, chair of Property Investment Professionals of Australia, you can consider all of these as long as the renter’s perspective holds the greatest sway. “Investors might get seduced by an inferior property, because they are thinking about picking up a bargain instead of buying a good investment that a tenant actually wants to rent,” he says. Kingsley urges investors to always think about their target market and purchase properties with features that renters demand.
Location Always opt to buy property close to the amenities your target demographic needs, such as public transport and shopping centres.
“Just because tenants don’t own the property, it doesn’t mean they won’t take pride in it. '”
Schools are a major drawcard. Kingsley says it’s now common for families to rent a property in a specific school zone to get their child into a good school. So if you want a family with school-aged children to rent your investment, buy a property near a school with a good NAPLAN score. Domain’s School Zone feature is a great tool to see what catchment zone a property falls into. Sufficient indoor-outdoor space Choose a property with an outdoor area offering an al fresco living experience or an additional area for kids to play. But, Kingsley advises, ensure any gardens falling within the responsibility of the tenant are low maintenance. Lifestyle Young professionals renting units and apartments typically want to live in properties that have access to the beach, bars or cafes. “They may not be able to afford to live in a house in a desired area, but they can afford to rent there and have access to various lifestyle drivers.”
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Off-street parking in congested areas “Think about how frustrating it is to drive to get your shopping, only to have to park blocks away from your house and still have to carry the shopping home,” Kingsley reminds investors. An apartment or unit with a designated parking space is always likely to generate rental demand. Bonus internal extras No tenant wants to leave their apartment, with a washing basket inhand, to get to the communal laundry in their block. “That’s why more and more washing machine areas are being installed inside units, and tenants are enjoying that as part of their living arrangements,” he says. Dishwashers are also an attractive feature, increasing the rental desirability of a property.
Floor plan features Always ask the questions about the property layout that a renter would ask.
Is there a toilet separate to the bathroom? “If there is a twobedroom tenancy and the renters don’t know each other, having a separate bathroom and toilet will make their life easier.”
Are the bedrooms large enough to fit a queen or double bed?
Is there enough storage space?
How many bedrooms does the property have? “It’s easier to raise rent if you have more bedrooms, as technically, there are a greater number of sleeping quarters to charge tenants for.”
Are there enough bathrooms? Kingsley says if you want a property with three-to-four bedrooms, always make sure it has more than one bathroom.
Does it have multiple living zones? “There’s nothing worse than a share house where everyone has to congregate in the one living area, so buy a property where you can separate the entertaining needs throughout the house, with one zone for tenants to watch television and another for those wanting a quiet space or privacy.”
“If a property is well presented and has an owneroccupier feel, then you’ll always be able to attract superior rent.”
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Did you guess the theme of for this month? T hat ’s r i g ht , J a z o ur e d it or a nd in - h ous e c re at i v e d ir ec t or to ok f u ll ad v a nt a ge of t he 2 4 6 0 c o v er s t or y t it l e m atc h in g t he n am e of a pr e tt y s pec tac u l ar B e a tl es s o n g – ‘ A D a y i n t he Lif e’ . G o b ac k a n d ha v e a n ot he r r ea d of t h is m on th ’s we lc om e l et ter , a nd t r y an d f i nd th e m atc h of th es e we l l - k no wn B ea t les i m age s a n d a lb um c o v ers thr o ug h ou t t he zi n e. D i d yo u s po t th e ye l l o w s ubm ar in e ? M i ss ed an i s s ue ? V i e w all pa st i s s u es onli ne at t h e E ld er s I s s u u , or cal l i n t o o ur Princ e St re et of fice an d g rab a p rint e dit ion t oda y . He a d to t h e E l ders R e a l Es t a te G r af to n Is s u u p ag e t o v i e w a l l o ur pr e v i o us is s ues , as we l l as o th er b o ok le ts an d m ed i a b y t he E ld ers G r af t on t e am . w w w .i s s u u .c o m/ eld e rsr eal est at e gra ft o n L ik e El d er s R ea l Es t at e G r af t on on F ac e b oo k to s ta y i n t h e l oo p , c l ic k o n th e i ssu u ta b to v ie w th e c urr e n t is s ue of 2 4 60 .
Ml oy n Dt hi gl ye s Dt i |g e26s t | 26 E l d e r Es l d G er ar sf t G o rn a –f t oMno n– t h
CONTACT US
Elders Real Estate Grafton 23 Prince Street
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GRAFTON NSW 2460
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graftonre@elders.com.au
Property Management Ben Holder Brooke Lancaster
0427 368 669 0423 911 361
Shelley Crapp Karen Gorton
0466 212 438 0437 867 243
Sales Professionals Dave Dart Ryan Creed
0427 440 808 0423 865 329
Terry Deefholts Sam Danvers Kylie Pearson Sue Kenworthy Lily Barry Angus McDonald
0413 0432 0488 0437 0421 0488
299 623 161 233 254 118
176 244 621 938 776 943
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REAL ESTATE GRAFTON
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