HOME-GROWN Autumn Edition

HOME-GROWN ALBURY/WODONGA & SURROUNDS

Welcome to our autumn 2023 issue of HOME-GROWN. An Albury-Wodonga based Real Estate Magazine, keeping you up-todate with the latest listings and information as well as current local market statistics. In this autumn edition, we have some great tips for marketing your home for sale as well as some handy information about the housing markets resilience to rate rises. We also have our most recent results and a superb article about local talent starring in Chicago - The Musical. We hope you enjoy reading our sixteenth issue of Home-Grown as much as we have enjoyed putting it together for you! Here’s to a fantastic autumn!

WHY A GREAT GARDEN IS A GREAT INVESTMENT

MARKETING YOUR HOME FOR SALE

RECENT RESULTS

NEW LISTING

LOCAL BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

WELCOMING SOME NEW FACES TO OUR TEAM

CHICAGO - ON THE BORDER

TENANT OF THE MONTH

DIRECTORS’ MESSAGE

SOCIAL SNAPS

VIEW FROM 7 RONALD PLACE, EAST ALBURY

Attractive landscaping is one of the best investments you can make for your home, not only enhancing the aesthetic and enjoyment of your property but also creating more value when refinancing or selling. In an increasingly competitive market, captivating curb appeal could make all the difference to your outcome.

According to landscape economist John Harris, good landscaping can add up to 28% to your home’s overall value. And as plants become lusher with every season, that value actually increases over time.

Award-winning landscape designer Paal Grant says, “For real estate sales, brand new turf should be considered”, and that premium quality alfresco decks, paving and driveways also significantly increase long-term value. Directly correlating to a home’s broad appeal, research has shown that a captivating garden has the power to influence a buyer’s perception of a property and can also reduce time spent on the market.

WHY A GREAT GARDEN IS A GREAT INVESTMENT

When thinking of ways to add impactful value, also consider ideas such as:

• statement trees

• feature lighting

• clearly defined retreat areas

• discreet outdoor storage sheds

• privacy hedging

Keep in mind your unique circumstances when curating your outdoor space:

• Regard for your local area – how will your space connect with and age in its environment?

• What do you value most – creating an entertainer’s haven or a child-safe sports zone?

• How will you – and who will – use the space the most?

• What is your commitment to upkeep?

Landscaping tips to increase home value

If you are landscaping to sell a house or even just to improve your property, here are some landscaping tips to consider:

1. Focus on your lawn edges

Edging your lawn is a big way to make your garden look neat. It also creates a tamed feel, which makes it look like it requires less maintenance, which is a great selling point. Edging is easy and can be done by yourself, or you can hire a professional to really ensure it looks great.

7 RONALD PLACE, EAST ALBURY

WHY A GREAT GARDEN IS A GREAT INVESTMENT

2. Add a lot of plants

The effect of a visual barrier from plants cannot be understated. It can also help to reduce street noise while creating shade in the summer months. It would be best if you kept a limited number of plant species as it is easier to maintain while creating a uniform look. Biodiversity is an excellent way to reduce pest impact and create colour; you just don’t want to go over the top.

3. Mulching

Mulching (and weeding) also helps to create the visual effect that your garden is low-maintenance, and it simply makes everything much neater. Utility mulch is your best bet, e.g., pine bark or forest fines, as they look neater.

4. Install new lawn

If selling, a lush lawn will really make an impact, and the most cost-effective option is Kikuyu lawn instead of buffalo grass. Patchy or browned lawns will benefit from lawn seed blend which will thicken and green the lawn.

5. Don’t be afraid of some colour

Colourful flowers in planters and a range of pots with perennials will really create a comfortable aesthetic. Plus you can take them with you once you have sold the home.

6. Be a conservative pruner

Pruning is a great way to create a well-maintained look; however, you don’t want to go overboard or hack away at things too much. Bare is bad, so just take a little off the top.

7 RONALD PLACE, EAST ALBURY

MARKETING YOUR HOME FOR SALE

MARKETING YOUR HOME FOR SALE

With the local property market becoming increasingly competitive, it’s important that your home stands out from the crowd. The number one way to do this is by investing in professional property photography and videography.

Get your home photo ready:

Quick Fixes

Wear and tear gives the impression that the house has not been well maintained, and that there may be hidden problems. Have carpets professionally cleaned and consider sanding and polishing tired floorboards. Also make sure bathroom tiles are in good shape with clean grout. A fresh coat of white or pale neutral paint throughout will add appeal and value.

Clean and Declutter

When decluttered, rooms appear larger, and prospective buyers can imagine their own furniture in a clear space. Before each open for inspection, make sure windows are sparkling, ceilings are free of cobwebs, and even clean hidden areas such as under the sink and inside ovens – we all know potential buyers like to peek!

Style with Style

A professional property stylist understands current market trends and will know exactly how to present your property in its best light. By selecting a few key pieces of furniture and accessories such as cushions, throws, lamps, rugs, artwork, and indoor plants, your home will be given an instant facelift, designed to suit the style of the property, and its locale.

Stean Nicholls agents know how to market your home to increase its appeal without overcapitalising, and they will discuss with you which areas you should overhaul before the first open for inspection. They’ll be able to appraise your property and advise its worth ‘as is’ and also advise on some simple styling and marketing tips that could take your home to the upper end of the estimated market price bracket.

148 D2 ACCESS ROAD, CHILTERN

148 D2 ACCESS ROAD, CHILTERN

RECENT RESULTS

RECENT RESULTS

Escape to Tallowwood Farm Retreat set on 11 acres, especially designed for a friends getaway or couples retreat, Tallowwood farm offers an outside dining area, firepit, massage chair, outdoor baths and hand-raised animals to pat.

Small orchard with beehive, developing vegetable garden, flower and herb garden. Our chooks and ducks are out the back where we collect the eggs for your breakfast hamper. We have a farm gate stall on the Beechworth Road that sells our eggs and flower bouquets.

136 D2 Access rd , Chiltern, VIC, Australia, Victoria 0431 821 347

tallowwoodfarmchiltern@outlook.com.au

WELCOMING SOME NEW FACES TO OUR TEAM

This month Emily Atwell will be going on maternity leave, as Emily and her husband Joe will be welcoming their first baby into the world in the coming weeks. We are going to miss Emily immensely but wish her all the best on her journey into motherhood! We know she is going to make the most fabulous mother! We look forward to seeing Emily around from time to time and welcoming her back in the near future.

This month we also welcome to our team two new faces, Taya Zanardo into our sales team and Zoe Vandeven into our property management team.

Taya:

Taya joins the team at Stean Nicholls with 15 years’ experience in administration. She has grown up in the Albury-Wodonga area and attended both primary and high school locally. Taya takes pride in her friendly personality and can-do attitude, always striving to learn new skills and achieve her best. On weekends you will find Taya spending time with her partner and daughter Amelia, travelling, and catching up with friends and family.

Zoe:

Zoe joins the team at Stean Nicholls as a reliable go-getter! Comfortable in every aspect of the business, her bubbly and responsive personality makes any dealings you have with Zoe a very pleasant and stress-free experience. With great time management and an eye for detail, she is already building strong rapport with our clients and team. Zoe spends her weekends enjoying time with family and friends.

Pictured left to right: Emily Atwell, Zoe Vandeven and Taya Zanardo.

Let the longest-running American musical in Broadway history whisk you away to Chicago, where the jazz age is in full swing.

Chicago - Directed by David Todd of Livid Productions, showing at The Cube Wodonga, is sure to have you singing along to Broadway’s hit songs from John Kander and Fred Ebb’s 1975 musical.

Playing the two main merry murderesses of Chicago’s Cook County Jail are Chantelle Hutchins (Velma Kelly) and Deanna Merriman (Roxie Hart), both defended by suave, slick, and seasoned lawyer Billy Flynn (Corey Cooper).

Audiences familiar with Livid shows will recognise Cooper, a local musical theatre veteran, who most recently starred as Tommy De Vito in Livid’s last years smash hit ‘Jersey Boys.’

Hutchins, a seasoned local dance teacher and choreographer is familiar to the local theatre scene, with roles in AWTCO’s Cats, Livid’s ’Jersey Boys’, and more recently ‘Let It Go’ where she wowed the audiences with her performance and amazing vocals in the opening numbers ‘Greatest Show & This Is Me.’ Hutchins is excited to perform in her first major role of Velma. A dream role for any performer wanting to combine their love of song & dance.

Merriman however will be performing the role of ‘Roxie Hart’ for her debut stage performance. With no onstage singing or acting experience, she walked into the audition only wanting to audition for the dance ensemble. When asked to sing and read some lines, the audition panel were blown away with Merriman’s natural vocal & acting ability. A local dance teacher, who has now opened up her own Dance Academy in Wodonga called 5678, she is really embracing the character of Roxie and is loving exploring all of the sides to Roxie’s character. Although she has found it challenging at times, Merriman has been working really hard and can’t wait to get out on stage in front of a live audience!

With a stellar cast and production team - David Todd Director, Damien Jones Music Director, Caitlin Clarke Choreographer and Lauren Schmutter Vocal Director, this is shaping up to be yet another amazing show for Livid Productions.

A true New York City institution, CHICAGO has everything that makes Broadway great: a universal tale of fame, fortune and all that jazz, one showstopping song after another and the slickest dancing in town.

Chicago will play at The Cube Wodonga from 24th March until 1st April. You can purchase your tickets through www.thecubewodonga.com.au

CHICAGO - MURDER, PASSION, FAME & ALL THAT JAZZ

CHICAGO

PRESENTED BY LIVID PRODUCTIONS

MARCH 24TH TO APRIL 1ST 2023

THE CUBE WODONGA

MURDER PASSION FAME AND

ALL THAT JAZZ

TENANT OF THE MONTH

Gallus & Rea

Albury and Wodonga

kerrie@gallus-rea.com.au

gallus-rea.com.au

Gallus & Rea supply beautiful custom furniture pieces that are carefully selected from Australian and International manufacturers, to be enjoyed locally.

Whether you’re buying, building, entertaining or renovating, Kerrie Burzacott and the team at Gallus & Rea share all the passion for regional living. When it comes to stylish living, they appreciate the detail in good design, softer furnishings and layered textures to create a classically beautiful home.

Kerrie created Gallus & Rea from a love of curating her own look and feel for her home, an appreciation she shares with her clients. The business has operated for over 6 years and has showrooms in both Albury and Wodonga. With a wealth of experience in furniture, textiles, interior design, styling and a true love for people and their homes, you’ll find Kerrie and the team selecting quality collections and brands just for you.

With an extensive range of Molmic, IMG and Stressless seating, carefully selected homewares, along with a number of beautiful floorstock and in stock models ready to take home, you will be sure to find the perfect piece for your home.

With a focus on both functionality and comfort, you can experience world-leading comfort with an extensive range of lift chairs and powered recliners also available.

Gallus & Rea’s passion for beautiful pieces, industry knowledge and eye for detail makes selecting furniture a personal experience.

2023 is now in full swing, with the kids settled into the new school year and work conditions returning to normal. The local real estate market is now presenting great opportunities for both those looking to sell, as well as those seeking to purchase, following the 8th interest rate rise since May last year.

Whilst not as boisterous as late 2021, and the beginning of 2022, the level of activity at auctions and open homes remains quite resilient at this stage, with an average of 12 inspections per open home per property. The average sale price in Albury currently sits at $775,000, which is consistent with the average sale price 12 months ago, whilst the median rent return is $480 per week, up almost 8% compared to this time last year.

When considering purchasing your own home, as opposed to waiting to see if the market changes and continuing to rent, it is worth considering that the latter could cost you over $20,000 per annum in rental payments, as opposed to using this money to pay down your own mortgage. With recent changes to interest rates, it is crucial that buyers who have obtained finance approval in the past, re-establish their approval as their borrowing capacity may have changed.

The average number of days on market currently sits at 44, providing property owners with confidence that the market and property turnover is still proving consistent.

As we progress into 2023 and the market returns to normal, we are seeing many properties sell before official marketing begins, which was quite common pre-covid. It can therefore be beneficial registering your buying criteria with an agent, to be kept informed of properties that may not be on the open market.

Geoff Stean 0413 888 788 geoff@steannicholls.com.au

Nicholas Clark 0439 215 293 nicholas@steannicholls.com.au

Lachlan Hutchins 0457 888 212 lachlan@steannicholls.com.au

Jack Stean 0434 588 664 jack@steannicholls.com.au

SOCIAL SNAPS

Lachlan to the rescue.

Jack in action at the Albury Tigers season launch.

Nick and Jess took part in the City2City RunWalk. Thumbs up for a successful auction.

Mikaela and Harry went sailing recently in Anglesea.

In February some of the staff went to The Red Hot Chili Peppers concert in Melbourne.