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Aug 24, 2020
10 Reasons People Move Home
1 minute read Moving home can be a stressful, time consuming and costly process. This begs the question: "Why do so many people choose to move?" We explain the top 10 reasons why people decide relocating is the best option. 1. Need more space First time home buyers positioning themselves on the property ladder often outgrow their starter home. This means they might need to upsize to a larger house with plans to start a family. 2. Upgrade Deciding whether to improve your property or move to a new home entirely can be difficult. Becoming restless at home is a common problem, with many people getting itchy feet to upgrade to a bigger, more desirable home. 3. New job A new job can mean relocating to a different area if the commuting distance is simply too long. Maybe travelling from your current home to your new job is completely unfeasible. 4. Empty nest When the kids are all grown up and have moved out of the family home, many choose to downsize. Usually, they choose a smaller place as they no longer need all the extra space or the upkeep. 5. Relationships Choosing to move in with a partner is typically a significant stage in any relationship and is one of the main reasons people relocate. This often means that one partner needs to sell their house if both owned homes prior to the decision. On the other hand, break-ups can also result in moving home, as one person’s income may not be able to support the price of the home or one individual may need to buy the other out. 6. Visit family more often Living closer to the family can be very important and can be one of the key reasons people choose to move. As the family unit extends to several generations, parents want to be nearer their children. Grandparents want to see more of their children and grandchildren so they move closer. 7. Catchment area for schools More and more people are shifting to catchment areas where their children will be a higher priority for admission to their school of choice. Parents who are keen to send their child to a particular school may not fall within the specific catchment area in their current home, meaning many decide to relocate. 8. Change of scenery or lifestyle Those feeling unsettled in their current home or searching for a fresh start are most likely to uproot and move to a different location. Whether you want to move from the bright lights of the city to the peaceful countryside or vice versa, many decide that a change of scenery is the ideal option for them. 9. Cost of running a house A change of income or need to save money means many choose to relocate to an area where the running costs of a house are much lower. From the price of the house itself to rent or bills, the expense of owning and running a house can cause many to move to a different area. 10. Changes in the surrounding area Since originally moving into your current home, the neighbourhood might have significantly changed. This might be due to economic, social or physical reasons. You may choose to relocate to an area where you feel much happier and more comfortable in your surroundings.
Jul 31, 2020
What Buyers Should Remember During an Open Home
Would you spend just 20 minutes inspecting a property that is going to be your home for many years? Some buyers do – and they live to regret it. Don’t remember the things you should have looked for after you have left. You should have a building inspection done during the contract stage of your purchase, but you don’t want to spend money on it until you have the basics. 1. Check for water stains, mould, peeling paint and corrosion. You need to know if there has been any water penetration or leaks in the house. There might be a leaky roof, poorly sealed windows or doors, plumbing and drainage problems, or even signs of flooding in the past. The main giveaway signs are a mouldy smell, flaky plaster, and watermarked walls or ceilings. It sounds obvious, but make sure you look closely near the ceiling and around showers, baths and toilets and even look in the cupboard under the kitchen sink. 2. Is the building structurally sound? Big cracks are what you are looking for – but you should expect some hairline cracks. Look especially around where extensions join, above and below windows and doors which are weak points where you’ll see cracking first if there is any movement. If the house is on stumps, then check that the floor is level. You’re looking for issues now that you can ask the homeowner or real estate agent about and then ask your building inspector to investigate later. 3. How much storage space is there? Storage space is a valuable but often overlooked asset. Where will you keep your vacuum cleaner, towels, spare linen, lawnmower and boxes of junk? Do the bedrooms all have built-in wardrobes? If not, is there room for cupboards or shelves to be built in? Especially in newly built houses, storage space can be scarce. 4. Which way does the house face? A block's positioning and the sunshine it receives are crucial to how much light and warm the home will be in winter and how cool it will stay in summer. Everywhere in Australia, the ideal aspect tends to be north or north-east. There are advantages to having the main living spaces, such as the lounge, dining room, kitchen and backyard, where most people spend 90 percent of their waking time at home, facing north. To savvy buyers, a north-eastern aspect can be worth a premium of 10% on the price. 5. Are the rooms big enough for your needs? We’ve heard of new build home developers putting smaller furniture in rooms to make them seem bigger. Be warned! Assuming you won’t be buying all new furniture as soon as you move in, will your existing furniture fit? Is the layout right for you? Some buyers plan just where each piece of furniture will go on a floor plan before they make an offer. 6. Is home staging influencing your logic? Cleverly placed mirrors, strategic lighting, delicious smells, cosy fires, and fresh licks of paint are all tricks sellers use to make their homes more appealing. It’s nice to feel you can move straight in without having to do a thing but try to remain objective. And if their furnishing makes the space, take photos and ask what they are leaving behind. You might be surprised what the seller will be prepared to leave. 7. How well maintained are the windows? The state of the external window frames is a great indicator of the state of the house – if people have invested in and looked after those, they are likely to have taken great care of the rest. If you can easily push your finger into a wooden window frame, they are usually rotten. Aluminium windows can often stop sliding freely: sometimes they can be refurbished with new rollers, catches and locks, but sometimes they need to be replaced. 8. Termites? Ask whether the area is prone to termites or other borers and double-check what you are told with the local council. Check for termite damage wherever any wood touches the ground, such as alongside walls, pergolas and decking. When was the last treatment done? 9. Are there enough power points and what condition are they in? Dodgy wiring can be dangerous and rewiring your new home can be an expensive business. Also, check out the consumer unit to make sure that there are safety switches – often an indication of the state of the wiring but an electrician will confirm if it needs replacing. Having enough power points is apparently a big selling point in our increasingly gadget driven world so worth taking note on the way round. Does the property have solar panels for power – they could save you money on your electricity bills. 10. Is the plumbing up to scratch? Run the taps to check the water pressure. Check that the pipes are not steel, as they corrode and will need to be replaced at some point. How old is the hot water service (you could check the date on the side of the tank)? Is there solar hot water? Will the gutters and downpipes discharge the water from heavy storms? Ask a plumber to check out the plumbing and drainage if you are concerned. 11. If you are looking at a unit is it properly sound-proofed? Neighbourly noise from TV, music showering, toilet flushing or scraping furniture on the floor above can be annoying. Make sure that you can listen out without background sound whilst you are at the inspection or open house to check that poor sound insulation won’t drive you crazy once you move in. 12. What’s the internet and mobile phone reception like? Ensuring high-speed Internet access before your purchase can be a tricky proposition. Make sure that you’ll be able to binge-watch the latest shows and ask to see for yourself that download speeds will support TV streaming. Likewise, check for a decent signal on your mobile phone whilst you look around the home. 13. What’s the area like? Are the other homes in the street neat and tidy? Is there suburb improving; are there lots of builders renovating in the area, is there new or planned infrastructure - roads, rail, shopping centre? Can you walk to shops to buy milk, or do you have to drive? What’s the Walk Score Ranking of the home? Is it easy to get to public transport? Are there noisy roads or train tracks nearby? Is the property underneath a flight path? Does a nearby school make it impossible to get out of your drive at school run time? And most importantly, does it feel like you could make it your home? If you do like a property, arrange another inspection for a different time of day, and scout out the local area a bit more. If you can, take somebody with you who might be able to notice things you don’t.
Jun 23, 2020
Moving with Children
By the time you are a parent you will almost certainly have lived in several homes. However, children might have only ever known one home and moving from it can be a significant upheaval. This can be compounded if you are leaving for a new life elsewhere, particularly if that is interstate. Here are some ways to make the move easier for your children to process and deal with. Before you move Involve your children from the start. Parents often assume that the less time children have to worry about moving the better, but this just isn’t so. Kids are perceptive and will pick up on what’s going on so don’t leave them out of the loop. They need time to get used to the idea of moving and you're the best person to help them understand. Whenever possible, take your children with you when you inspect properties. Ask them for their opinions and views and where possible try to include these in the final decision. Whilst they are not going to make the final decision, it is important that they feel part of the process. You might feel it’s appropriate to discuss the reasons behind your choice when you’ve made it. If you can’t take them with you, take photos of the home, the garden, and the local area. Then you can show your children and talk about the move. You could ask them to help you research the new area on the internet. Talk about what they have found. This is a good way to gauge how they are feeling if they are excited or apprehensive about moving. If you are moving to a new area, find out about local facilities for children, schools and the benefits of living there. It is important to be positive about the move. Kids will pick up on your emotions and feelings towards moving. Make sure that your children feel involved. Sit down and work out a moving checklist. Plan the design and furniture layout of their bedrooms so that they feel part of the move. Leaving your old home Encourage your children to tell their friends that they are moving. Help them collect email addresses and phone numbers so that they can keep in touch with friends once they have moved. Your children will probably feel a mixture of emotions leaving their old home. It’s good to let them know that you feel the same way too. Show them that you understand how they feel: excited to be going somewhere new, but sad to be leaving your old home and friends behind. A few weeks before you leave, think about the special places that you go to. If you have a favourite park or cafe you could make a special trip one last time before you leave. Moving day Get younger children to make moving labels and stick them on the boxes with their toys and clothes in. They could draw on some of the boxes with crayons so that they can recognise their boxes in the new home. If your children are very young, you might want to ask a friend to look after them to keep them out of the way of the removal men. You can bring them back to say goodbye to the house when it is all packed up. Pack one box with the essentials that you will need when you get to your new home. Pack it last so it is first off the truck. Include things like a kettle, towels, bedding, favourite toys, toiletries, toilet paper and some food. Find out where the nearest supermarket, takeaway or restaurant is to your new home and check the opening hours. Then you’ll know where to go to get your family’s favourite food when you arrive. Once your property has been emptied take a final walk through with your children. Compare how it feels now with how it felt with all your furniture and belongings. This can help your children understand that what makes a home is the family and all your personal belongings, books, pictures, toys and furniture. Moving in When you arrive at your new home it is tempting to try and unpack everything all at once. Take care of your children’s new rooms first so that they can have familiar things around them. Then unpack the rooms you use most like the kitchen and family living room. Although there will be disruption when you move, try and re-establish family routines like bedtimes and mealtimes as soon as possible. Young children benefit from routines and it will help them to settle in. It also sends a clear message that you are still the same family and the same rules still apply, you are just in a new home. If possible, allow your children some input into the setting up of their bedrooms: this is their space in your new home. Children can have problems sleeping in new rooms so take some time to talk to them about how this room is different from their old room. Perhaps there were things that they didn’t like about their old room like a creaky floorboard, help them see the good things about their new room. After the Move Once you’ve moved into your new place it will take a few weeks to settle in and get used to things. It’s important to keep talking to your family and stay positive. If you all get involved with the community (meet the neighbours, get involved at school) both you as parents and your children will settle in quicker.
Apr 29, 2020
What's Happening to the Real Estate Market?
Are you confused about what is happening in the property market, perhaps even scared? It’s a pretty normal reaction to have. After all, our world has been turned upside-down with restrictions imposed to flatten the curve and protect the vulnerable from Covid-19. In the past six weeks, we’ve seen the ASX plummet (and recover somewhat), witnessed empty shelves at the supermarkets from panic buying, and have read little other than bad news stories. We’re missing lots of things like having a coffee at our local cafes, dinners with friends and family, and even trips away to the coast. There’s no wonder that we are wary of what impact it will have on real estate. The number of properties selling across Australia is considerably less right now – it’s about 30% less than this time last year. However, sellers are still getting strong prices due to the lack of property available for sale. This is not a time when buyers can name their price and make lowball offers. In fact, with fewer houses to choose from some buyers might find they miss out if they don’t take a level and reasonable approach. When will it be ok to sell my house? If you are a vendor who needs to sell, you don’t need to be afraid. You should give your property the very best chance by showing it in its best light. You are still very likely to get a good price now and with the latest technology that RealWay offers, it is possible to manage inspections and negotiations and hold auctions virtually so the risk of Covid-19 infection during the sale is significantly minimised. Most recently, we have added new technology such as 360˚ virtual walk-through tours as well as a private inspection booking tool. What should I be doing now? Like many others you might have used the extra time on your hands to make a few home improvements. That might have been cleaning, decluttering, gardening, or painting. This is an excellent time to show your newly refreshed home to the online world, whilst buyers have more time to look. As isolation restrictions lift - even if it is gradual - market activity will increase. If you have been thinking of selling, now is the right time to prepare for sale. RealWay can help. Your local experts at RealWay can provide you with a Property Price Report. We offer virtual consultations to help you make the most of your house without us needing to step inside. Our Property Price Report will provide you with a house evaluation and price range, a suburb guide and current market trends. We will advise you on what you should do now and in the coming weeks to improve your home so that it is ready for sale. Individually we may not be able to control all that is happening around us, but we can control our decisions around property. Knowledge is power. Contact your local RealWay agent today. [siteloft_form id=11 add-background="true"]