IN Gardens

We usually associate a garden with the colour green, but is your garden green enough to help the planet? We asked one expert what you can do to help green your garden and still make it feel like a haven.


When you consider giving your garden, courtyard or outdoor area a face-lift or a boost, it’s worth taking some time to consider making the project green, waterwise and as eco-friendly as possible.


ABC TV Gardening Australia presenter, environmental scientist and landscape designer Josh Byrne knows that with a little thought and pre-planning your new space can be gorgeous and environmentally considerate. No matter how small, you can always add some greening touches.


If you’re starting from scratch or redesigning and renovating your garden or outdoor space, Josh suggests the first thing to do is consider how the design complements the thermal comfort and energy performance of the house and surrounding areas.


“Be conscious of what materials are used – that is, where they are sourced from and how long they will last,” Josh says. “Other key sustainability goals that should be addressed include water efficiency, local food production and wildlife habitat. It’s a matter of identifying the sustainability objectives early on in the design process and being clear on the desired aesthetic and functional outcomes. Like anything, it just requires a little thought and effort.


"Just because you are going for a garden which ticks plenty of eco friendly boxes, that doesn’t mean it’s going to be maintenance-free. At the same time though, it doesn’t have to suck up all your leisure hours. Decide how much time you want to spend taking care of your space and plan around that.


“Some garden elements, such as vegetable gardens, do require regular maintenance but they are also extremely productive, so there’s a return from the resources that are expended. The size and intensity of food gardens should be scaled according to your needs, expectations and capacity. Higher maintenance activities should be balanced with low maintenance areas so the net result is manageable.”


One of the things very close to Josh’s heart is the home veggie and herb patch and he definitely recommends one if you want to green your garden.


“Growing veggies and herbs is so rewarding, with significant taste and health benefits. Even if space or time is limited, seasonal herbs and picking greens can be incorporated into feature planters or pots. There are also lots of clever and stylish ways to incorporate fruit trees into gardens, such as the use of trellises and productive screening hedges.”


While you’re doing all this Josh suggests the three big no no’s to watch out for are:

• Blanket irrigating, as opposed to hydro-zoning the garden, based on the specific water requirements of plants.

• Dominating the garden with hard landscaping at the expense of planted areas, which help to cool the home and outdoor living areas, whilst allowin rainfall to infiltrate the soil and increase biodiversity.

• Using timber products that aren’t certified by a recognised accreditation scheme, such as the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).

Lastly, what’s one smart trick which is simple but can make a garden look a million dollars and still be environmentally friendly?


The answer is mulch. Use quality mulches and gravel surface treatments.


“If done well, this can really lift a garden by providing a neat finish that sets off plantings. Gravel areas around feature plants can be used to reduce irrigated areas, whilst mulched garden beds will help with moisture retention and reduce weeds.”


www.joshbyrne.com.au

IN Applecross

What’s in a suburb? According to two Applecross locals, it’s their life-long connection to the area which makes it the ideal place to live and work in.

There’s something special about working in the area you grew up in. You know all the nooks and crannies, the best places to hang out and you can’t go past a quietly satisfied sense of belonging.

For Paul Evensen, associate director of Realmark Applecross and Mark Correia, owner of cafe C15 Espresso, Applecross is that place.

“I live and run a business here,” Paul says. “A lot of people go away but end up coming back because they miss the area and are familiar with it. I love being in this part of the city because it’s so accessible.”

Paul sends his kids to a local school and presents a monthly book prize to a local student for being a quiet achiever not only at his kids' school but also the one he attended as a child.

“I’ll often see people around here I went to school with and some of them have kids at school with my kids, so there’s a lot of familiarity. There’s just that instant connection and I think that makes a difference doing business here.”

Mark Correia and his twin Jason own C15 Espresso, a cafe in the busy Kearns Crescent eatery area, recently dubbed the Claremont of the south. The brothers grew up in nearby Attadale but have been living in Applecross for the last eight years. The brothers have been in business together for most of their lives and started C15 eight years ago.

“The river is one of my favourite places,” says Mark, who also loves meeting friends at The Raffles for meals. “I’ve also seen the place grow and it has come such a long way from where it was before. It’s a really pretty part of town.

“All my friends live around here and a lot of my neighbours have grown up here as well. Plus having a business in the area, I think there’s something great about all those links.”

Mark and Paul’s local connection has meant Paul hosts a chat about local real estate every Thursday from 9 – 10am at C15.

“It’s free and I’m trying to break down that barrier people sometimes feel with real estate agents while at the same time promoting the local area and its activities,” says Paul.

You see, it really is all about being local.

Realmark’s Applecross office has relocated to 11a Riseley Street adjacent to C15 cafe. Telephone: 9428 2888. C15 is at 15 Riseley Street. Opening hours are Tuesday – Saturday 7am – 10pm, Sunday 7am to 8pm and Monday 7am – 8.30pm. Telephone: 9316 4242.

Carbon Tax - how can you benefit?

The Carbon Tax legislation has now been passed through the lower house of Federal Parliament. An historic event without doubt.

But amidst all of the debate around energy efficiency and greenhouse emissions, it’s worthwhile considering how the Carbon Tax would affect the property market.

Residential energy use is on the rise with the ever increasing availability and development of gadgets and technology. While a number of household appliances are being made to be more efficient, energy consumption per person has increased as has the size of the average Australian home which is now in the largest range world-wide.

Furthermore, energy costs are rising beyond what most think is affordable, no wonder homeowners and buyers are becoming increasingly mindful of a home’s energy efficiency rating and how the carbon tax will affect them.

There is no doubt that the introduction of carbon tax will have an inevitable impact on the property market both in terms of consumer preferences and affordability. Once it is implemented next year, it will progressively have a significant impact on consumer activity and people need to be prepared for this.

It will affect household spending and buyer preferential demand for particular types of houses as buyers gradually become a lot more aware of how energy efficient a home is. This will become a distinct buying feature to be ranked and marketed.

Energy efficiency may become, for some, one of the most important features when considering a property. It could very well overshadow other features which currently dominate the decision making process. Things like ocean views, swimming pools, air-conditioning and heating systems, or that dedicated entertainment theatre room may come under different consideration and level of importance in the buying selection.

It is likely that renovations and building new homes will also become more expensive for people as the price of materials increase and building codes change. Thus, buyers will be attracted to established homes instead, which will consequently bump up the prices of this market segment. This will in turn impact on the ongoing challenge of housing affordability in Western Australia.

It’s not just the buying of property that it will affect; it’s the ongoing cost of living and many people may choose to buy a new property that better suits their carbon tax adjusted lifestyle in the future.

People need to start thinking about the type of property that will suit their lifestyle post the introduction of the carbon tax, because it will have an effect and people need to accept this.

Developers and sellers who are in tune with this structural change in Australian society and in particular the property market, who take a proactive and positive approach could create a competitive advantage and improve sale or rental returns. We as real estate agents need to think further than selling ‘bedrooms and bathrooms’ and develop a more sophisticated understanding of the product whilst shifting the focus towards this emerging buyer selection criteria.

IN Freo

Celebrating the truly eclectic nature of our port town, the annual Fremantle Festival celebrates the start of Summer.

Anyone who has spent time in Fremantle knows its diversity and the Fremantle Festival celebrates the city’s colour, quirks, creativity and community spirit.

Well over 100 years old, Fremantle Festival is Australia’s oldest and longest-running festival.

“The festival has grown over the years and includes all facets of Fremantle life,” says Alex Marshall, the co-ordinator of cultural development at the City of Fremantle.

Much-loved highlights of the Festival which starts in the middle of November include the Sunday Street Parade featuring vibrant floats and the energy of Carnivàle, the indigenous festival of Wardarnji celebrating Nyoongar culture, a children’s fiesta, a youth music event, shows at the Town Hall and Black Box Theatre, a coffee festival on the strip and entertainment at Kulcha.

Continuing the varied nature of the fun and activities on offer, the community part of the Festival features everything from visual arts and a feast in the park to a reggae beach party and Tweed Run vintage bicycle ride, which should feature around 100 cyclists on old bikes. There’s also the return of the Sticky Maze and Alex says a record 106 different groups have activities planned.

“What makes it most exciting is when we have people coming back and talking about putting their event in the festival. The strength of the Festival is how people wish to use it and people are starting to respond to that. The many and varied things people want to do is exciting.”

Interesting inclusions this year include Unbuilt Fremantle which is an exhibition looking at planning applications for past and present Fremantle dating back to the late 1800s, including those for buildings which never went ahead.

Taking the Festival to the West End will be Projections on High where local visual heroes VJZoo will illuminate buildings on High Street with static and moving projections.

“The West End is one of the jewels of Fremantle and it’s an opportunity for people to remind themselves about what a fantastic part of town it is. We want people to move around the community more and discover new spaces and disused buildings.

“In the last few years people have been talking Fremantle down but there are a lot more people talking it up because we know it’s a unique place.”

The Fremantle Festival runs from November 18 to December 4. Program details at www.fremantle.wa.gov.au on the Festivals page. Most festival activities are free.

IN Fitness

Getting fit for your wedding is one thing, but a Perth personal trainer who specialises in training bridal parties is on a crusade to stamp out something called brideorexia.

Justine McInerney might have started a personal training business, but she has also got a serious message to teach her clients.

A nurse, midwife and personal trainer with 18 years of experience in the health care profession, Justine owns Runaway Brides, a training business which gets bridal parties fit for a wedding.

While Justine can help people look great on their big day, her ultimate goal is to educate brides and grooms to exercise safely and focus on the long term goal of maintaining their health and fitness during their marriage, rather than only on their wedding day.

“We want brides and grooms to start their marriage feeling healthy and strong, thinking clearly and glowing from within,” Justine says. “We encourage couples to train together. We like to say that couples who train together stay together.”

A good 70 per cent of her clients are women but Justine and her team – including fiancé and head trainer Colby Huggins – train all members of the bridal party and their friends. With a focus on fun (as well as plenty of exercise) they also work with young professionals through to older people, many of whom simply want to keep fit and aren’t necessarily married.

“The boxing sessions are really popular,” says Justine. “How often can you hold the pads when your favourite girl is banging the hell out of you? It seems to be a great release for people who are stressed out!

“We find it also gives couples something in common to talk about when they leave a session. It’s something they can share in as they are preparing for the wedding and being in a marriage.”

As well as seeing fit people head to the altar, part of Justine’s mission is to eliminate the rise of bulimic brides to be and brideorexia as an acceptable practise for wedding preparation.

Brideorexia is a term given to the extreme measures brides or grooms take to lose weight in order to look great on their wedding day. That includes strict calorie limits (anorexia), binging and purging (bulimia) and over exercising. It has been around for centuries and continues to be accepted as part of wedding preparations.

“We’ve all come across a friend, family member or work colleague who has dropped a significant amount of weight in a short time in the lead up to their wedding day. Of course most of this weight is put straight back on within the next few years of marriage as maintaining a brideorexia lifestyle is near impossible long term.

“We want people to consider their long term fitness future and in the short term before their wedding, we can help them get into that strapless dress. We’ll also show them how good fitness and regular exercise is an excellent de-stressor without turning them into bridezillas.”

The decision making process...

Consumers today are not following the patterns of the past. By that I mean consumers are becoming increasingly astute and in-tune to the property market and will now research the credibility of an agent as opposed to selecting purely on the basis of familiarity or proximity. Now, clients will investigate an agent’s integrity and reputation long before picking up the phone to engage in a conversation about buying, selling or letting.

Information online is also more accessible than ever and this has empowered customers to make informed decisions. In the past, people relied on a family connection to the brand or simply that an agent was located at the end of their street.

The emotional connection to a brand is also highly important. Not the emotional connection that comes from a previous transaction but an intangible emotional attraction that one self generates with a product or service. So in other words, people are not just buying a ‘Hoover’ because their mother bought a ‘Hoover’ anymore, it’s about the difference the product or service can make to them. There are much bigger points of differentiation from brand to brand these days and a higher consumer sensitivity to brand values. In terms of the property industry, we are certainly seeing that not all real estate agents are the same.

For the Realmark brand, associations such as; innovative, contemporary, progressive should be evoked. Our service offering includes tailored solutions, specialist advice and most importantly, quality results. Our list of awards is also an important expression of our potential value to a consumer and verification of what we can offer.

While the awards themselves might not be the actual trigger that brings clients through the door, it is professional recognition that helps to give the agency credibility. It also gives the consumer confidence that the advice they are being offered has some weight.

Today, clients are looking for independent ratification that they will receive expert knowledge and advice, a choice of strategies and solutions and that the agency can be adaptive to the client’s needs and wants. This is where awards come into play as they help to give affirmation that the agency is a stand out provider.

Client testimonials are not enough, in my opinion consumers want more facts around other consumers’ experience and circumstances, to provide credibility and reinforcement. Realmark are utilising specific case studies that address individual client scenarios and showcase the range of marketing strategies, solutions and selling methods that have proven to deliver results in the past. Provide more than an incomplete story but a reference for consumers to reflect their needs against.

But most of all, people are looking for confirmation that an agency actually has real answers and really understands the how and what to deliver the best advantage and this is the overriding factor when it comes to the decision making process in agency selection today.

IN Symphony

Pulling together all the things he’s good at, David Garrett has released an album he hopes builds a bridge between rock and classical music.

David Garrett has the looks of a model, owns unparalleled skills on the violin and loves rock’n’roll. Hence, it seems perfectly sensible that the 31-year-old classical musician would combine all these things for an album which has sent him hurtling into the mainstream.

Just released is the sizzling Rock Symphonies, which features David on violin, fronting an orchestra and a rock band covering rock classics ranging from Nirvana’s Smells Like Teen Spirit and Led Zeppelin’s Kashmir to Aerosmith and Run DMC’s Walk This Way and November Rain from Guns N’ Roses. He’s also rocked up classics like Toccata, Peer Gynt, Asturias and The 5th.

“I did my research and listened to a lot of records to learn what songs would work with the right approach,” says David, who was recently in Australia. “I had a lot of fun with this but it was also something I needed to do.

“I didn’t care about the reaction so much as how far I could push myself. The more I pushed myself, the more excited I got about the possibilities. I love music, not just classical music so I thought it was important to keep the classical respect but get people from both rock and classical areas interested in something new.”

Born David Bongartz, the German-American adopted his mother’s maiden name and has been playing violin since he was four. By 14 he was the youngest soloist signed to the prestigious classical music label Deutsche Grammophon. Without telling his parents, he later left Germany for New York, where he was accepted at the world famous Juilliard School, studying under legendary violinist Itzhak Perlman. To pay the bills he worked as a model which landed him in the pages of Vogue and walking the catwalks for Armani.

Since then David has played with symphonies and with his band all over the world, usually accompanied by his faithful Stradivarius. Rock Symphonies is David’s eighth album and a DVD concert featuring his cross-over tracks has also been released. He has partnerships with Audi cars, MontBlanc, Cadbury and wears German jewellery and accessories by designer Thomas Sabo. His arrangement of Beethoven’s The 5th has been used in a series of chocolate commercials but he’s also broken the world speed record for performing the speedy Flight of the Bumblebee.