2460 ISSUE NINE 2016
That Spring Thing Angus McDonald talks us through that warm and sparkly seasonal feeling The Ultimate Guide to Tszujing your Property for Selling Great tips on how to really sell your place Let’s F ASTRAK it…! W hat’s it all about?
HOW TO Construct a Dream A vendor’s tale of turning a house into a home
ELDERS REAL ESTATE GRAFTON Monthly digest
REAL ESTATE GRAFTON
MID-YEAR
\
AWARDS
No. 2 OFFICE
A big CONGRATULATIONS to the whole team at Elders Real Estate Grafton for their continual hard work and dedication, earning us two new awards to add to our ever growing collection. Thank you to our Auctioneer Gordon Macdonald for delivering our awards to us at the August Auction Evening.
2016 MID-YEAR
No. 3 OFFICE
(SETTLED SALES)
ELDERS REAL ESTATE
(GROSS COMMISSIONS)
QLD/NTH NSW
AWARDS
QLD/NTH NSW
Pictured (left to right): Lily Barry Sam Danvers Kylie Pearson Ryan Creed Gordon Macdonald
REAL ESTATE GRAFTON
Elders Grafton – Monthly Digest | 2 23 Prince Street, GRAFTON
Phone: (02) 66422 1122
www.elder s gr a ft on .com.au
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ISSUE NINE 2016 It’ s th a t t im e o f th e y ea r ag ain . Th e d ay s ar e g ett in g lon ge r, th e n i gh t s a re ge ttin g wa r me r, a n d th e re’ s an u n d en iab le u rg e t o wh i st l e wh i l e y o u wa lk . Sp r in g t en d s to h it Th e Val l ey wit h th e a w e in sp ir in g o v ern ig h t t ran s for m ati on n o r mal ly re s er v ed fo r th e in n er p ag e s o f a s tory b ook . Work in g on a sp r in g cl e an in g ch e ckl i st can b e a b it li ke walk in g ar o u n d in a th ick f og of fr e sh p ol len ; It 's an n oy i n g, ta k es a lot lon ge r to g et th r ou gh th an y ou wou ld lik e an d mak e s y ou sc r e w y ou r n os e u p al l th e ti m e.
Th is e d it ion , w e ' v e tr i ed to l ook at th e s ea s on of n e w b e gin n in gs a lit tl e d if f er en t ly. An gu s M cD on ald ta lk s u s th rou gh so m e of th e s ea son al d et ai ls o f d i f f e ren t c rop s in Th e Val l ey, an d sp in s a me ta p h or th at ma ke s y ou th in k aga in a b ou t w ait in g u n t il sp rin g t o s ell wh i l e h e’ s a t it . Th e v en d o r s o f T er ry D e e fh ol t’ s 1 6 6 R e il ey s Lan e sh ar e s o me o f th ei r jou rn ey o f tu rn in g a p rop erty in to a h o m e. Th in k o f th i s i s su e a s yo u r r ea l es tat e a n ti h i sta mi n e . W e ju st h o p e it ' s th e n on d ro w sy typ e.
2460 – Clarence Valley Property Guide | 3
LET’S FASTRAK IT. Whilst Fastrak still spikes a few questions from the uninformed, it’s the beneficiaries of this method of property marketing that has buyers and sellers raving! Ok, let’s be honest – most people know that agents offer free property appraisals. It’s an agent’s responsibility to understand the market they work in and agents are legally bound to provide prospective sellers with an estimated sale price at the time of signing an agency agreement. Believe it or not, agents can be wrong and are quite often shocked at the price diversity that can be found in any market. At the end of the day, your agent does not dictate your eventual sale price – it is indeed the market that will. It is your agent’s job to professionally market the property, drive qualified buyers through, bring you offers and negotiate you the absolute highest dollar in the market with conditions you are happy to accept.
Fastrak is basically marketing & selling your property without an advertised price. Fastrak agents understand that property pricing can be detrimental to your eventual sale price. If you list too high buyers will bounce off your property to buy competing properties that are priced in-line with the market. Pricing too high can also increase days on market that may later send a message to buyers that nobody else wants your property – you can lose your market sparkle very fast. Pricing too low can obviously leave you with less in your pocket.
Elders Grafton – Monthly Digest | 4
? Fastrak'd to success properties
Fastrak properties work best with an overactive approach to your agent’s key responsibilities. We market the property extensively, we give lots of opportunities for buyers to inspect, we pass on all offers and we create an environment for ideal negotiations. We would somewhat compare this with an auction campaign where the aim is to identify your buyer and know what they will pay within a few weeks. In conjunction with underquoting laws and also the best interest of buyers and sellers, Fastrak price guides to buyers are around the height of the agent’s opinion not the base. We would be inclined to express to the buyer a price that we wouldn’t expect the property to sell for. For eg. “We wouldn’t expect the property to exceed $250,000” – and we make sure buyers have enough information to feel confident in their offered price.
What is FASTRAK? Exclusive to Elders, Fastrak is placing a property on the market without a set price. Your Elders agent will market the property intensively and by law must convey all offers to the owner as they come in. Fastrak allows the market to determine where it sees value for a property and creates an environment for competition.
Interested in being Fastrak’d? Our agents are constantly sharpening their tools to ensure that your home stands out. With Fastrak being an exclusive method of sale to Elders Grafton, why not put your home at the top of the ‘to-see’ list of potential buyers by simply being unique and exciting?
2460 – Clarence Valley Property Guide | 5
Elders Grafton – Monthly Digest | 6
Selling your property can be daunting - first of all there’s the big decision that you’re even ready for a move, or juggling of assets, then the stress of all those last minute jobs (that door handle that needed fixing 18 months ago, the weeding of ALL the gardens and replacing that fly screen). All of a sudden, it’s official, you’ve signed the paperwork and your agent has booked in with the photographer to be here next week…cue the panic setting in!
Why should it matter what our home looks like in the photos?
Is Tszujing even a thing?
Your properties market value is determined by three main factors – price, promotion and presentation. When all three of these aspects are done well (well-priced, well-promoted and well-presented) then it is simply a case of when - not if - your sale will happen.
Whilst it hasn’t yet made the Oxford, Urban Dictionary explains the word ‘tsjuz’ as ‘to make something better, generally by tweaking or quirking it to better fit what it's supposed to do both functionally and artistically’.
How your property is presented is your buyers’ first opinions of the home; a sloppy, cluttered home can instantly shave thousands off the markets perceived value.
We know that tszujing is something to take seriously when it comes to your property sale, but just how do you become a master of the tszuj?
2460 – Clarence Valley Property Guide | 7
1. Minimise De-cluttering is the number one tip for all owners wanting the top dollar. Whilst it might feel homely to have family portraits and your favourite china on display, it runs the risk of taking your buyers eyes away from their main focus – your home. Buyers want to imagine themselves living there, and this becomes hard to do when the home is filled with items that aren’t theirs. Only leave complimenting statement pieces, pack ornaments and figurines away ready for the move, remove magnets from the fridge, store away all paperwork, tie up cords and hide them behind furniture and make sure benchtops and flat spaces remain blank (this will also enhance the feeling of space).
2. Light & Air This is imperative for all inspections, including open homes. Open the curtains and blinds, turn on the lights and open the windows. A light scented candle or mist is fine but the aim is for the home smelling fresh and for no odours to be present. In saying that the home must be warm and inviting, heating or cooling may be necessary and used appropriately as well.
3. Be a green machine The externals of your home are always the first impression potential buyers get; they will often do several ‘drive-by’ inspections before calling the agent or inspecting at an open home. Gardens become that x-factor when selling, and can be the reason a property sticks in buyers’ minds when it comes to choosing one home over another. Keep it simple though - weed the gardens, trim the hedges and any out-of-control plants, freshen up the mulch and keep the lawn tidy. If your garden itself needs a little TLC consider some DIY options to spruce it up (Pinterest is a gold mine for ideas) and look into seasonal flowering shrubs that can add a little life and colour. It doesn’t have to be expensive to be effective - keep it simple.
Elders Grafton – Monthly Digest | 8
4. Put the shine on As the heading suggests, it’s important to do those extra little things to get your home sparkly and shiny. People gravitate towards clean; purchasing a home is a huge life decision and, whether or not you’ve been a stickler for cleanliness in the past, a clean home is always a sign of home that’s been well cared for. This can involve a half day worth of careful searching from top to bottom, but the results are well worth it! In your mission to make everything sparkly make sure you address everything from your windows and sinks to the ceiling fans. Stainless steel appliances and fridges are magnets for finger prints, so consider having some wipes in a nearby cupboard to keep them looking like new. Once the big clean is done it’s simply a case of keeping on top of it prior to any home inspections - which brings us to the next point…
5. Consistency Ensure your preparation work has been well worth it. Whilst it may become mundane, following these tips is your insurance for finding a buyer for your home. Keep cleaning products on standby, make it part of your weekly routine to fix any ailments in the home, keep the gardens tidy, and most of all don’t let that clutter come out of hiding. A quick spruce and some fresh air and light prior to each inspection and open home will make the world of difference.
Your presentation is taken care of – now time to chat to your agent about price and promotion.
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171 Burragan Road COUTTS CROSSING Approx 10 minutes to the township of South Grafton and approx. 5 minutes to the schools, shops and amenities of Coutts Crossing is this neat as a pin 10 acre lifestyle property (4.09ha) priced for immediate sale. The cottage style home has been well cared for with its verandahs front and back. The central wood fire heater definitely the heart of the home that is balanced with the split cycle air conditioner and complimented by the fans. The hard wood timber floors have been polished to grace the bedrooms, with the warmth of a carpeted area in the living room and easy mop vinyl in the high traffic areas. The reasonably level allotment is well fenced with 3 internal paddocks, 2 with substantial dams and yards in place. Additional lifestyle improvements include animal enclosures, a greenhouse, garden shed, permanent BBQ area and not to forget the freestanding lock up shed on cement slab with 3 good sized water tanks alongside. Perfect for the horses, motorbikes or just to enjoy the privacy of this expansive corner acreage. We know small lifestyle properties this close to Grafton are highly sought so please don’t leave your inspection too late.
VIEW ONLINE NOW
Kylie Pearson Sales Professional 0488 161 621
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
THE SPRING THING Rural Agent Angus McDonald talks us through the misconceptions of spring being the season of starting new things.
IN FOCUS 2 4 6 0 – C l a r e n c e V a l l e y P r o p e r t y G u i d e | 11
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Spring is the time that people feel motivated to get outside and clean up the garden. “Nothing like a good old Spring clean” is the phrase usually heard, but for the man on the land, it doesn’t necessarily mean the start of planting. With warm days, flowers in bloom and trees budding, it signals that the start of Spring is when all crops grow. The sad truth is that Spring is usually a time of low rain, and on average it is the driest start of a season, with September having the lowest rainfall average of any month in the Clarence Valley. For the lower river region, sugar cane is a large part of the farming sector. Spring is actually in the middle of harvest season (July through to December) as it is the driest time of year, meaning machinery will not be bogged, cane fires will burn and harvesters work more efficiently. Late Spring is traditionally the time to start planting sugar cane as it has been already harvested and it’s now time to replant. Having a dry paddock is a big advantage and with the wet season right around the corner in summer, the crop will be established and will take full advantage of what is to come.
Oats and rye grass are planted in either Autumn or Winter due to the fact that they can handle the colder weather, while the beans prefer to be planted mid Spring to early Summer again before the wet season rain and warm Summer days. Corn and Millet are thrown in the mix of Spring time as to when they should be planted. Millet will grow if planted in early spring, but late frosts can knock it round. The same goes for corn as the old farming saying goes, “plant your corn 4 weeks after the last frost of the season”. Clearly the seasons play a large factor in farming, and Spring with its low rainfall is almost the complete opposite to what is thought of it.
Cattle share a large sector of our valley I’m not saying that Spring isn’t a great just like the sugar cane industry. The time of year - it really is the best time “traditional” crops grown in our valley of year to get outside and clean up the for either fattening cattle or associated garden or wash down the house – but with fattening cattle are oats, rye grass what Spring does is bring opportunity. and different varieties of beans including cow pea, poona pea, soya It’s more about forward planning than bean, lab lab, ebony pea… and the list anything. 2 4 6 0 – C l a r e n c e V a l l e y P r o p e r t y G u i d e | 13 goes on.
“I’m not saying that Spring isn’t a great time of year - it really is the best time of year to get outside and clean up the garden or wash down the house – but what Spring does is bring opportunity.”
We can start planning where we want to see our property in the next six months, and start preparing to get there - just like selling your house. With the sale of a property, the first impression is key to getting a good sale, and I think that the real estate idiom-style notion that Spring is the best time to sell your property can be misleading, and can be used as a powerful tool of procrastination. Anytime is a good time to start preparing your home for sale – preparation being the key word. A farmer doesn’t wait until his cattle have lost condition and then plant oats, just like he doesn’t plant a Summer crop in the middle of Winter.
Spring is certainly an amazing time, where the cool nights balance the warm days, and there’s nothing wrong with believing it’s the best time to start preparing your home for sale – but it’s not going to happen overnight. Spring time may rapidly energise your mind, but it can’t grow your wallet or your muscle when it comes to renovations and maintenance. Enjoy the coming Spring – I know I will – but just know that if three months come and go and you suddenly start to think about selling, don’t be put off by the change in season. A seed can’t grow until you plant it.
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Set on a private hill top parcel taking in aweinspiring views, 26 Fairway Drive is ideally positioned in one of the most desirable and floodfree locations Grafton has to offer. Flaunting a stunning blend of suburban convenience & rural freedom, this property will make a beautiful & unique home.
26 Fairway Drive
SOUTH GRAFTON Ryan Creed Sales Professional
0423 865 329
2 4 6 0 – C l a r e n c e V a l l e y P r o p e r t y G u i d e | 15
HOW TO CONSTRUCT A DREAM 166 REILEYS LANE GLENUGIE $585,000 The owners fell in love with the unique combination of uninterrupted rural views and convenience to Grafton CBD that this quiet location offers. Their first job was to create a comfortable
fully
self-contained
granny flat for parents, who arrived within a year for a 6 month stay, along with stables for the ponies that arrived soon after. Then they spent half their 20 years here landscaping and working with a leading local builder on renovations, transforming the house into a stylish open plan entertainer. They changed the whole interior structure so that the living areas and master suite both enjoy views over the pool deck and paddocks, without 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
losing their privacy.
A large house yard was fenced with recycled
post
and
rail
to
accommodate a traditional shed, also built from recycled materials. Apart from fencing into 3 further paddocks, the rest of the partly cleared property was preserved, dropping from the elevated home site, past 2 dams, to fertile creek flats with an extensive natural wetland which is a birdwatchers paradise. Times change, and with the new highway intersection 5 Km away due to be completed next year, it will be only 40 mins to Coffs CBD. In retirement they have the travel bug and, sadly, feel it's time to let a new family care for this very special property.
Only a personal inspection can reveal its character and quality, but a clue is that they wrote this article relaxing in bed, watching a kookaburra take his morning dip in the pool!
Editor’s Note: Thanks to the Vendors of 166 Reileys Lane for penning this piece about their amazing property and its many faces. We wish them all the best in 2 4 6 0 – C l a r e n c e V a their l l e yexciting P r o p future e r t y endeavours! G u i d e | 17
VIEW THE VIDEO ONLINE NOW You can view the video for this property from the property listing at eldersgrafton.com.au or directly from the Elders Grafton YouTube channel - just search for the listing.
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2a Clear Water Close GRAFTON Located in one of Grafton's most sought-after areas just metres from the Clarence River, this huge modern home boasts rural views and river breezes. Just a glance at the floor plan gives you an indication of the amount of house on offer here. The high ceilings in the main living area add to the sense of space.
The clever design of the home puts the master suite (and it truly is the master with its size, en suite and walk in wardrobe) at the opposite end of the house to the other bedrooms. The open plan dining/living area lead directly onto the modern kitchen and this area flows to the covered outdoor space and back yard.
Terry Deefholts
$439,000
Sales Professional
0413 299 176
2 4 6 0 – C l a r e n c e V a l l e y P r o p e r t y G u i d e | 19
Turning a home into an investment property should be a financial decision, rather than an emotional one.
Capital growth potential and rentability
When your situation changes – whether it be relocating interstate for work or moving in with a partner – there are some things consider:
What’s more important is whether the former home has a track record and a propensity for strong capital growth, he says, and whether there is a deep pool of potential renters for its property type in the particular area.
Mr Wakelin says tax benefits are right on the bottom of the list for considerations.
Wakelin Property Advisory director Richard Wakelin believes people often have a strong attachment to their first home.
A period-style cottage (Victorian/Edwardian) or an olderstyle/art deco flat in the inner suburbs, within 10 kilometres of the CBD, has potential for good capital growth. But Mr Wakelin says not all properties are created equally or appreciate uniformly.
He says keeping the home is also often seen as a safety blanket for when the new move does not work out, and some people may look to eventually downsize there.
Home owners can look at comparable sales in the past six to 12 months, he says, and work out how much the property has appreciated over the past decade or two, he says.
From a financial perspective, Mr Wakelin says the family home – or the first property – usually has a lot of equity because of capital growth and debt reduction.
“With certain types of properties, history is a very good indicator.”
Is it emotional?
Financial savings “Because of the amount of equity in it, it’s usually positively geared,” he says. “And if something is positively geared, you’re paying tax on it as opposed to getting tax relief from a negative-gearing situation.”
By keeping the property and running it as an investment, home owners don’t need to pay stamp duty, marketing costs, building inspections and conveyancing fees.
The six-year rule
Mr Wakelin estimates the transaction costs associated with selling a property can add up to about 10 per cent of its value.
The principal place of residence is capital gains tax free.
Case study
Valuer and buyers’ advocate Greville Pabst, of WBP Property Group, says home owners can rent out their primary place of residence for up to six years and maintain a “capital gains tax free status”.
Melbourne-based Leigh Chant of Rendina Real Estate says many investors decide to sell their property to either reduce the mortgage of their family home or to upgrade.
When it is leased for more than six years, the tax office would treat it as an investment property, which is subject to capital gains tax, he says. “When somebody is relocating for work, or personal circumstances change, they really should speak to a financial adviser or their accountant as to how their tax status is going to change as a result of moving house,” he says. Capital growth potential and rentability Mr Wakelin says tax benefits are right on the bottom of the list for considerations.
One of her clients rented out their two-bedroom art-deco house at 166 Mount Alexander Road in Travancore after relocating to Western Australia. The vendors recently decided to sell it because they believe they’ll be living longer where they are, and wanted to upgrade to a larger family home. They also chose to sell now because they thought the market is very good, she adds. The property ended up selling prior to auction for $56,000 above the vendor’s $700,000 reserve, and attracted at least eight interested buyers.
What’s more important is whether the former home has a track record and a propensity for strong capital growth, he says, and whether there is a deep pool of potential renters for its property type in the particular area.
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Written by Christina Zhou and taken from Domain.com.au
15 GREENFIELDS DRIVE, JUNCTION HILL In real estate we always here the term opportunity knocks, in this case however, it's kicking down the front door - 15 Greenfields Drive, Junction Hill combines style and excitement with classiness and an attention to detail that is rarely found and highly sought after. 5 bedrooms 3 car parks Land Area 2847 m2
2 bathrooms 3 car garage Air Conditioning
Dave Dart 2 4 6 0 – C l a r e n c e V a l l e y P r o p e r t ySales G u i d Professional e | 21
0427 440 808
37 HAWTHORNE STREET SOUTH GRAFTON $299,000 Negotiable "Enough is enough" - the owner has told Terry to get rid of this property and all reasonable offers will be considered. The tidy brick and tile home features a kitchen overlooking the valley (Musk Creek), an open plan living area and veranda which wraps around the front of the home. All three bedrooms offer spacious built in wardrobes along with large windows to maximize the intake of light. The main bedroom has access to the veranda. With backyard access down both sides of the home and a two-car enclosed garage makes the possibilities of a stand-alone granny flat, dual occupancy or even subdivision would seem very doable (subject to council approval of course).
VIEW ONLINE www.eldersgrafton.com.au
Terry Deefholts Sales Professional
0413 299 176
INVESTORS - Rental appraised for $320 per week
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CONTACT US
Elders Real Estate Grafton 23 Prince Street
Opening Hours
GRAFTON NSW 2460
9.00 am - 5.00 pm 9.00 am - 12.00pm
Monday - Friday Saturday
Contact Us Phone
(02) 6642 1122
Fax
(02) 6642 1321
grafton@eldersre.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 Kylie Pearson Dave Dart
0488 161 621 0427 440 808
Terry Deefholts Ryan Creed Sam Danvers Angus McDonald Lily Barry
0413 0423 0432 0488 0421
299 865 623 118 254
176 329 244 943 776
Editor and Photographer Creative Director – Jaz Grady
(02) 6642 1122
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