ISSUE
1
2016
Real estate is our world
LOOKING FORWARD TO 2016 If like many, you were outbid on your dream home in 2015 by a buyer with deeper pockets, then this could be your year. Many experts are predicting that sellers may not have the same extreme advantage of last year’s market as we enter 2016, and that buyers may potentially have greater leverage than in 2015. Great news if you’re cashed up and ready to make that move. Current market hotspots are Caulfield South, Caulfield, Elsternwick and Gardenvale, especially those locations that offer great local schooling and infrastructure. The home is now taking on a new focus amid chaotic world events with more people finding solace in their local communities and neighbourhoods and being inclined to invest more heavily in their homes, especially those with top range finishes, fittings and the latest in technology. These homes are going to rise in value and be continually sought after with people wanting to spend more time with
their family around them. Energy efficient homes are all the rage and as new technology, materials and products bring the costs down for energy efficient buildings, a growing number of architects and developers are creating buildings that use less energy, including those that follow “passive house” standards — when buildings are super-insulated to lower heating and cooling costs while pumping in fresh air. 2016 is sure to be an exciting year for the residential real estate market. Of course rising interest rates are on the top of everyone’s mind right now and this will play a major factor in the upcoming year. Interest rates have been either flat or dropping for most of the last decade, so I expect an environment of increasing interest rates will begin to change the dynamics of residential transactions by limiting affordability. This will lead to a psychological impact on the market with a shift in relative pricing. The
impact of this psychological shift will be most prominent in investment properties, providing great buying and investing for self managed super funds. For luxury properties where pricing has seemed to know no bounds, this price point will be continually driven by strong demand. As always please feel free to make contact with myself or any of your local hockingstuart team for the most current expert advice on buying, selling, leasing or renting.
Marshall Rushford Director/Auctioneer 0418 396 981 mrushford@hockingstuart.com.au
SELLING IN AUTUMN Spring is traditionally considered the ‘selling season’ in real estate, but it’s becoming clear that autumn is also a fantastic time to put your home on the market. Here’s why: Buyers have the right mindset At the start of the year, people are refreshed and ready to act. As people settle back into work and school, they have time to make plans for the year ahead and think carefully about what they want. That means autumn buyers tend to be motivated and determined. As well, timing plays a part; most people are keen to avoid moving in winter when rain and wind can present problems. Settling their sale before the weather really turns is a great motivator. Perfect presentation gets attention Autumn is a great time to present your home to buyers. The vibrant foliage makes for a wonderful backdrop, and the weather is pleasant because the most intense summer heat has passed while winter has not yet set in. Buyers can comfortably wander inside and out, while cool evenings can be offset by adding a few cosy touches and turning up the heating to create an inviting atmosphere. Less competition to contend with Because so many buyers are keen to take advantage of the spring property market, there can be fewer homes on the market during autumn. That means less competition for your home. This, combined with a smart buyer strategy and standout marketing campaign can help secure an outstanding result. If you’re thinking of selling this autumn, now is the time to start planning. Call the Hockingstuart Caulfield team today on 8532 5200.
REMOVALS MADE EASY WITH HOCKINGSTUART CAULFIELD
Moving can be stressful and exhausting. But as a valued hockingstuart client you have access to a removal service we handpicked for their care and diligence. With military planning and a fleet of trucks at their disposal, Peter Sadler Removals can help make your move easy. All Peter Sadler’s removers are specially trained so you can rest assured that your belongings are in safe hands. We offer careful packing and unpacking as an option, so you’re free to
DIGGING IN St Josephs School Agriculture Project - Proudly Supported by hockingstuart Caulfield. Over the past two years hockingstuart Caulfield have been providing support to St Josephs for an amazing project driven by the parents and leadership group of the school with the keen and knowledgeable assistance of Matt Morris (parent). Pictured here from left to right are Todd Newton (HS) Simon Collis (Principal), Sophie Laforest (HS), Matt Morris and Marshall Rushford (HS). The project has given the children the opportunity to actively learn how to prepare, grow and cultivate their own vegetables in a beautiful environment with a project that will hopefully continue for many years to come. Thank you so much to Matt, Simon and all at St Josephs for inviting our participation. Worth noting - as gardeners Todd, Sophie and Marshall make terrific estate agents!
celebrate your new home without worrying about all those boxes. Whether you need to clear the decks before selling, pack and unpack belongings or to store excess furniture, we’re here to help. For further assistance, please contact Nerada Stern on 8532 5200 or nstern@hockingstuart.com.au
FEATURE SALE
“Building luxurious designer homes sustainably is what we believe in.” Ronen and Sarah Kavallero, Knight Constructions
27 York Street, Caulfield South
We are continually setting the bar in the sustainable home market and believe that through elegant, functional design and construction, Knight Building Group together with our clients are leaving a positive footprint for our future generations. Well known for setting records in Melbourne’s designer home market, this seven star-plus sustainable home is testament to the quality and custom architectural design that is present on all Knight Building Group homes. This particular home infuses natural elements with abundant light, architectural finesse and landscaping prowess. This cutting-edge four bedroom + study, 4.5 bathroom stunner takes you to a brand new level of luxury. A hallmark of the award-winning Knight Building Group, this impressive home provides two entertaining zones, an unrivalled stone kitchen with Bosch appliances and butler’s pantry, four bedroom suites all set on a deep sunny rear garden with solar heated pool and BBQ cabana. Resplendent with European oak floors and high ceilings, it boasts reverse cycle ducted air conditioning, alarm, iPad controlled Sonos sound system, double-glazing and double auto garage. Please contact Todd Newton on 0412 568 313 or Mark Kirkham on 0408 338 896 for viewing times or further information.
WHY WHERE YOU LIVE IS ALL IMPORTANT Finding a new home isn’t just about the size of the backyard or the number of bathrooms; choosing where to live is just as important, and there are many factors to weigh up. Here are a few things you should consider when deciding where to put down roots. Budget What you can afford will be the major factor in narrowing down the list of potential suburbs. Looking ahead If you want to sell the property down the track, look for suburbs where you can be confident that prices will increase over time. An in-demand area where plenty of potential buyers will be keen to purchase property is a must. Work Your home’s proximity to your workplace is an important, but often overlooked, factor. You may be able to get a larger property in a fringe suburb for a fraction of inner city prices - but if you’re commuting three hours a day, is it really worth it? Transport Outer suburbs often have little in the way of trains and buses, or have infrequent services when they do. If you live further out, a car is vital; alternatively, in inner city suburbs you may be able significantly cut down on car use. Look for areas with good public transport links, bike paths and easy walking routes.
Social Being near friends and family makes it easy to socialise with them on a regular basis. Being close to an elderly relative or sick friend can be important in times of crisis. Services and amenities Think about the services you use regularly - having them close at hand will save you a lot of time. Consider doctors, schools, gyms, parks, shops and more. Lifestyle Do you want the peace and quiet of suburbia, or the hustle and bustle of cafes and nightlife? Community Consider your potential neighbours. In an apartment building you’ll be living closely with other people, while a house will let you keep a degree of distance. Do you want neighbours you can chat to and have over for coffee, or would you prefer to keep to yourself?
Hobbies Can you undertake your leisure activities of choice in the area? Gardeners might want a nearby community garden, while fishermen might enjoy a river or lake. Think about swimming pools, dance studios, running tracks, tennis clubs and more. Renovation If you want to update the property, how easy or difficult would that be? Check with the local council for any restrictions or guidelines - in some instances, the trouble of convincing local government to approve your plans may not be worth it.
TESTIMONIALS Here’s what our clients have to say about the hockingstuart service I discovered someone who was honest, reliable, loyal and has integrity. I was regularly kept up-to-date with details of progress. I got the impression that it was not just another property, but that he actually had my interests at heart. Thanks again Mark. Elizabeth
Max Bevacqua - 0408 002 488 Jessie Medwin-Smith - 0415 958 525 Being foreigners to the auction system, my family and I were very wary of the property market here, and with all the jokes and reputations of real estate agents, we just didn’t know who to trust. Max and Jess covered EVERYTHING for us. Max recommended we move out and let him ‘dress’ the place up and that’s what we did. We set a budget with Max and then he brought in all the tradespeople we needed to transform our home and achieve the result we said we needed to make our next move possible. Max is just a superstar in our books.
Todd Newton - 0412 568 313 ONE WORD ... BRILLIANT! Mark and Gabby were truly dedicated agents and a pleasure to work with. The entire selling process can be a stressful time, however, with Mark and Gabby as your agents rest assured that the process becomes less stressful and more enjoyable. Their communication skills are second to none and as a seller, I was at all times kept in the loop which was very reassuring. I would with no hesitation highly recommend Mark and Gabby. Vivienne
I have to also quickly say that Marshall was a breath of fresh air too. He was our auctioneer on the day and just came in full of class and composure, which helped bring some serenity to a very hectic day.
Eyal Malka - 0414 778 837 Dedicated, thorough and honest. We found Eyal to be a wonderful choice to sell our home. Sharing his expertise and insights along the way, he kept us up to date with all the important developments during the campaign. He is an excellent communicator for both buyers and sellers, and has a warm and engaging personality. If you are looking for an agent with honesty and integrity to market your home, Eyal is your man! Thanks Eyal for your hard work and achieving a fantastic result for us on auction day. Donna
Our deepest heartfelt thanks go to Max, Jess and Marshall. Olly & Selina Leon and I would like to express how much we appreciated the efforts you put into selling the townhouse for our family in Snowdon Avenue. Right from the start we recognised your expert grasp of the local market. You quickly summed up where our property fitted in that market. Your well-presented marketing proposal provided a realistic strategy which was followed through with diligence. Your regular reports, emails and notices of inspection to both Leon and myself were much appreciated. Your background research served us well. You were considerate of us as the sellers of a property that required some work before it could be shown to prospective buyers. We were also very pleased with the sale price achieved which matched your initial valuation. Never an inconvenience, always felt well looked after. We will definitely recommend any further business be directed your way. Boris
Mark Kirkham - 0408 338 896
Nerada Stern - 0488 044 067 Nerada reduces the stress of selling
Gabrielle Krayz - 0449 899 700 Mark impressed me from the start with his genuine friendliness. Along the journey
Selling can be stressful. Nerada helped reduce much of this stress by demonstrating that she was committed to and cared about helping us achieve the best possible outcome. I needed to do some work to prepare the property and Nerada helped out with recommendations of very good third parties (i.e. painters etc). Their quotes were very competitive and the quality was awesome. Would definitely recommend. Scott
SHOULD YOUR FIRST HOME BE AN INVESTMENT? An increasing number of first home buyers are opting to buy an investment property before purchasing a home to live in, and there are some good reasons why.
5 Minutes With...
Jessie Medwin-Smith
Sales Consultant & Client Manager 0415 958 525 jmedwin-smith@hockingstuart.com.au
How did you get into real estate? What interested you in the job?
Increasing property prices
Location, location, location
Melbourne’s strong price growth is great news for owner-occupiers, but it’s becoming more challenging for young home buyers to save a large enough deposit to get a foothold in the market. As well as this, many Australians are staying at home longer. That provides the opportunity to earn rental income on an investment property while paying low, or sometimes no, rent by staying in the family home.
Areas where it’s beneficial to invest aren’t necessarily the same areas where it’s beneficial to buy, so investing strategically in a growth area can bring young investors a financial windfall while they can still maintain the lifestyle they prefer.
Financial benefits Becoming an investor first can put a first home buyer in a stronger position for when they are ready to buy their own home. With smart strategies, an investment property that increases in value gives them more equity to invest in their own property further down the track. And property investment offers certain tax incentives, like negative gearing, while depreciation and interest on maintenance and repairs can be claimed as deductions (although it’s important to point out that property investment should never be motivated solely by tax incentives).
Flexibility For young people in particular, being tied to a mortgage and location isn’t always desirable - those who want to travel or move for work may still desire the flexibility of renting. An investment property gives short term flexibility alongside the stability and growth that home ownership provides.
After I finished university and was working in a boutique marketing firm I realised that I had acquired some great skills during my degree but they weren’t being utilised in an area that I was interested in. The real estate industry on the other hand allows me to utilise my marketing and sales skills perfectly. Dealing with the public every day, listening to what vendors have to say and developing a personalised brief and translating that into a course of action is very rewarding. What’s the most rewarding part of the job? The satisfaction of connecting buyers with their dream home is very rewarding. What attracts people to Caulfield and the surrounding suburbs? What makes the area stand apart? Caulfield is very family friendly and the public amenities are excellent. What advice do you have for sellers and buyers in the current market? My advice for sellers would be to style the property and maintain it throughout the campaign, it makes all the difference. For buyers I would suggest keeping in touch with the local agent so that when a suitable property is on the horizon they will be kept in the loop
Here are some of our recent property highlights:
FEATURE SALES
Alma Road, Caulfield North
Bambara Road, Caulfield South
Bambra Road, Caulfield
Bambra Road, Caulfield
Beatty Street, Ormond
Eumeralla Road, Caulfield South
Glen Huntly Road, Caulfield South
Glen Huntly Road, Elwood
Head Street, Brighton
Lewisham Road, Windsor
Maxwell Grove, Caulfield
Milton Street, Elwood
Ross Street, Elsternwick
Sussex Road, Caulfield South
Sycamore Street, Caulfield South
Teak Street, Caulfield South
FEATURE RENTALS
Bambra Road, Caulfield South
Hartington Street, Elsternwick
Holland Grove, Caulfield North
Inkerman Road, Caulfield North
Kambrook Road, Caulfield
Kooyong Road, Caulfield South
Morrice Street, Caulfield North
Sycamore Street, Caulfield South
CAULFIELD 616 GLENHUNTLY ROAD 3162 T. 03 8532 5200
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