keeping the balance in 2011

It seems we have hit the ‘business end’ of this year and to see 2010 out, I’ve put together some points on how I see early 2011 playing out.

• The market will remain challenged as stock continues to outweigh demand, interest rates will also be a factor.
• However the market won’t be ‘dead’, stock will still sell. Not at a rate high enough to clean out the excess, but I think people will still see value in the market and take advantage.
• Value will remain in the market, astute buyers will act.
• When selling, we need to understand that buyers are going to be very price sensitive. Over valued pricing will be of great detriment to sellers.
• Days on market will be the enemy of sellers. Sellers and agents need to attempt to sell homes within the optimum period of one month to achieve the best results. Those homes that languish on the market will be negatively impacted.
• We are experiencing the fall out from the Government’s stimulus packages that were very successful economically, but used up future demand. While uncomfortable, this is a period of letting the market find its own equilibrium which is important in allowing for a sustainable market.

Let’s finish with some tips:

• Sellers should only appoint an agent for a period of 60 days max. This will ensure they remain focused.
• Don’t over value your home, consider ‘no set price’ sale methods (Auction, Realmark’s Set Date Sale) that allow the market to communicate to you what value buyers put on your home.
• Sellers don’t be scared of the market, but understand the challenges, choose an agent wisely and do your best to get it right from the beginning.
• Buyers, act ahead of the curve if you are in the right financial position. There is value to be had!
• Understand that the property market is a place of ups and downs. This is all just part of the ride and everyone (including my business) needs to find ways to adapt and ride it out.

Finally, from everyone at Realmark we wish all our readers a very happy and safe festive season! We look forward to sharing with you in 2011!

First home buyers and their mini mansions

John Percudani is the lead story on wangle.com.au today.

"Once again an increase in the First Home Owners Grant is in the headlines.

While this is certainly a way to assist first time buyers into the world of home ownership (also a good way to create some extra energy in the economy), I do worry about what our first home buyers are buying and building.

We really like to use first home buyers. We used them to help save us from recession..." visit the site here to read more

About Wangle:

"wangle publishes opinions from prominent and every day Australians. wangle also features other forms of writing, slice of life stories, a splash of fashion, reviews, photography, art and much more."

IN Holiday

By Ara Jansen

With the holiday season and summer almost upon us, we thought we’d help stock up the drinks fridge.

We’ve come a long way in our drinking tastes from the days of Chateau Cardboard.

Ric Skipworth has spent most of his life working in the food and beverage industry and says in the last four years alone he’s seen a serious shift in buying and drinking habits. Along with a push for fresher, tastier food has come an overwhelming interest to treat alcohol as an integral ingredient in the tastes of the meal.

“I’d like to think we’re drinking less but better,” Ric says. “We’re having less but we’re enjoying the full flavour of something. Much of that has filtered through from all these cooking and dining shows on television.”

He says encouraging the slow food movement also encourages the slower drinking movement.

“As with food, stay away from the meat in a can and buy some Italian sausage. Take your time and enjoy the experience, rather than the instant gratification. It’s not about the alcohol, it’s about the journey. Spend two or three hours in conversation with good friends and slowly enjoy the flavours an alcoholic drink offers.”

Ric suggests if you want to try something different, share a bottle of Denmark’s Mikkeller, a beer brewed with champagne yeast or Scotch whiskey from the island if Islay. He says there’s a wealth of new and interesting tastes across the drinking range and it’s worth the adventure to discover some you like.

Holiday drinking doesn’t have to be all about alcohol either. Keep a carton of bubbly mineral water on hand to sip with ice, make mock gin and tonics or add to fruit juice. It’s refreshing cold or at room temperature.

Stock your favourite fruit juice or try some of the many interesting flavours available. Have lime cordial, bitters, grenadine and soft drinks on hand or try the Italian soft drink chinotto.

Keep and eye out for specials too across the board, so you can save on the staples and favourites.

No matter how you drink over the holidays, please be responsible.

Fine Wine Partners state manager Bernard Hughes picks five wines to stock up on for festive and holiday celebrations:

• Sandalford Estate Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (around $38)
  
• Ashbrook Semillon (around $23)
  
• Capel Vale Debut Chenin Blanc (around $15)
  
• Buy a case to always have on hand: Sandalford Margaret River Classic Dry White (around $17)
  
• If you like bubbles, New Zealand’s Te Hana Reserve Cuvee (around $23) is the new kid on the block. Just launched in WA, its name means “to shine” and is proving an instant hit.

Wine consultant Zach Nelson says he’s chosen wines that “remind me of the holidays and are suited for our climate and our food”. His favourite bottles of holiday cheer are:

• Pol Roger NV Epernay for special occasions (approx $75)
  
• Yellowglen Bella or Bella Bianco for all-round holiday cheer (approx $17.99)
  
• Brookland Valley verse 1 Chardonnay 2009 (approx $19)
  
• Always keep room in the fridge for Valley of the Giants Crisp Dry White (approx $14.99 but specials can be $9.99)
  
• A lovely food wine for hot summers, try something new in France’s La Vielle Ferme Cotes de Ventoux (approx $17.99)
  
• Go the Spanish reds, particularly Torres Sangre de Toro (approx $17.99)

The Holiday Season

“Should I bother trying to sell my home over the holiday period?”

There is a perception that selling a home around Christmas and New Year is a bad idea. It is a question that I get asked a lot. Yes, people have a lot on their minds, but believe it or not, there are a couple of advantages to selling at this time of year.

The New Year often brings with it new beginnings for many of us. Once we get Christmas out of the way we feel a sense of excitement and opportunity for the year ahead and if that involves purchasing a home, you will find people will use their summer holidays to get out there and get the process of finding ‘the one’ underway. Without fail, we see these ‘holiday buyers’ in the market each Christmas and New Year period.

Another reason why selling at this time of year can be a plus is the fact that like most industries, real estate agencies slow down at this time of year. Therefore home open numbers drop, many agents take holidays and don’t run listings until they are back on board.

However, we are currently operating in a market overflowing with stock, but I guarantee a majority will sit idle during the break, which may give rise to more opportunity for your home to get noticed. Perhaps making a move while the competition is on holidays will give you some edge?

But despite all this, selling is all about your specific situation and needs and when you decide it is time to sell, if you pick the right agent it won’t matter what time of year it is. Good agents provide solutions no matter what and if there is one thing I can leave you with as we launch into 2011, it is to be smart about selecting your agent


Happy New Year from Realmark


We would just like to take this opportunity to wish all of our readers a very happy New Year! Best wishes for the year ahead.

The Realmark team.