There are more interesting articles, commentaries and analyst reports on the Web every week than anyone could read in a month.
Each Saturday morning I like to share some of the ones I’ve read during the week.
The weekend will be over before you know it, so enjoy some weekend reading…and please forward to your friends by clicking the social link buttons.
Things you should never say in front of your real estate agent
There’s an etiquette lesson in every life situation – meeting the in-laws, going for a job interview and hosting a dinner party – an open for inspection is no different!
Having an understanding for what one should or shouldn’t say in front of a real estate agent make an enormous difference in the long run.
But don’t stress – this article from domain.com.au has an insight to the etiquette do’s and don’t of open for inspections.
There’s a time and a place for conversations about your turgid love life and your marital frustrations.
In front of a real estate agent at an open for inspection is definitely not one of them.
Nor is it a time to talk about the virtues of thick walls or where you’ll fit the stripper pole.
Real estate agents hear it all, but beyond the gory personal details, there’s a slew of things they say aren’t helping you in your quest to buy a home.
For starters, if you’re the kind of person who thinks that loudly announcing the house has hidden asbestos (when it doesn’t) or that an 18-storey building is about to be built next door (when it isn’t), you will probably get the opposite reaction of the one you’re looking for.
“When people bag a property before an auction, we know what they’re trying to do,” says Biggin & Scott Richmond director Russell Cambridge. “And so does everyone else — they assume you’re interested and it’s no surprise when you make the opening bid.”
Don’t try to throw agents off on your price range either.
“Buyers will say, I’m not going to pay a cent over $800,000,” LJ Hooker principal Brett Greensill says.
“Then immediately after, the next thing they do offer is $820,000. You’re better off saying, ‘I’m prepared to negotiate, help me get the property for a reasonable price.”
In fact, most agents say giving them a clear and honest price range not only helps them guide the seller’s expectations, but allows them to suggest other properties that may be more suited to your budget.
You may think it’s fair game to bully a real estate agent, but remember: they’re paid very well to take as much as you can throw at them.
And — believe it or not — they’re human and they respond to personal attacks or nasty behaviour the same way anyone would.
Read the full article here
What will put the brakes on the market in 2017 + Where the smart money is going + Patience and long term thinking will be essential
Another great Real Estate Talk show produced by Kevin Turner.
Michael Yardney says with banks tightening up on lending, especially to investors, finance is likely to be the ‘x factor’ in 2017.
Cherie Barber says Housing affordability and the high cost of relocation will see a lot more people opt to stay put and renovate
Josh Masters says that Sydney and Melbourne markets are likely to slow down in 2017
Noel Whittaker says he is continually shocked at the prices some people are prepared to pay to get into the property market.
Patrick Bright has some advice about what he sees will be the trends next year and where he will be investing.
Rich Harvey says not getting sidelined by short-term thinking is going to be one of the big obstacles that property investors will have to look at next year.
If you don’t already subscribe to this excellent weekly internet based radio show do so now by clicking here.
Tourism & education go Boom-BOOM
They question is often asked – where is Australia booming?
As we reflect of the year that was, it would seem that tourism and education just keep on rising.
This Blog by Pete Wargent, looks at the statistics behind the results.
Immigration steady
If you’re a new blog reader…g’day!
If on the other hand, you’re a long term blog reader, you’ll need no reminding of a theme raised regularly here – to pay less attention to the spruiking of permanent arrivals figures and more attention to the number of international student arrivals (in line with forecasts made by the Department of Immigration and Border Protection).
Net permanent and long term arrivals stabilised at +266,700 over the year to October 2016, around the level we’ve seen for the past seven months now.
After accounting for the natural growth in population (births minus deaths) net permanent and long term immigration at this level will hold population growth up at around +325,000 per annum.
Meanwhile, short term arrivals have boomed to a record high 8.15 million, largely thanks to the lower Aussie dollar, which is great news for Sydney, Queensland, Tasmania, and other popular regions of the tourism industry.
Read the full article here
42% of renters searching for pet-friendly property
When applying for a rental property everyone has their own list of requests – high ceiling, wooden floorboards and car parking no name a few.
But it would seem the most popular request in today’s rental market is a pet friendly property.
An article on rpmonline.com.au has reported that up to 42% of renters are in search of a property for them and their four legged friend – and the number is only rising.
More than 60 per cent of Australian households own pets, so why are renters struggling to find homes that will accommodate their furry friends?
One website is aiming to make it easier for landlords and PMs to accept tenants with pets.
According to the RSPCA, 63 per cent of Aussie households have pets, but 42 per cent of pet-owning renters find it ‘extremely difficult’ to secure a home.
In a bid to tackle this problem, Rent.com.au has launched ‘Pet Resume’, a feature that allows tenants to list the best qualities of their pet – whether they’ve been vaccinated, registered or trained – in the hopes of improving their applications’ success.
“While many landlords would eventually welcome pets, we find that only 25 per cent of our property listings specify ‘pets allowed’.
By adding Pet Resume to the Renter Resume application, we are making information available which will help all parties involved make a favourable decision,” Rent.com.au CEO, Greg Bader, said.
“We are striving to bridge the gap between the overwhelming demand for pet-friendly rentals and limited supply.
For instance, more than half of the listings do not specify if pets are welcomed at all.
When we surveyed over 700 property agents and landlords, around 80 per cent said they would consider pets if they were presented with all the information required.
This is how the idea of Pet Resume was born.”
Click here for the full article
8 Everyday Activities That Increase Your Mental Health
There’s nothing more important than looking after your health – but often the stresses of everyday life can have a serious affect on our mental health.
Thankfully there’s lifestyle changes we can make to try stay balanced.
According to this article on PsyBlog there are 8 simple everyday activities we can start doing today to stay happy and healthy.
Which of these uncomplicated activities to you do most days?
Do these most days and it will help protect your mental health.
1. Dwell on the positive
Positive memories could be used as a way to help boost mental well-being, new research finds.
People in the study were asked to focus on positive social memories.
Participants focused on their own positive feelings from that memory as well as on the positive feelings of the other person.
2. Drink some tea
Tea is both calming and can make you feel more alert.
It improves cognitive performance in the short-term and may help fight Alzheimer’s in the long-term.
3. Be calm about minor irritations
Dealing with the minor stresses and strains of everyday life in a positive way is key to long-term health, a new study finds.
The research found that people who remained calm or cheerful in the face of irritations had a lower risk of inflammation.
4. Don’t watch the news
Viewing violent news events on social media can cause symptoms similar to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
A recent study has found that almost one-quarter of individuals had PTSD-like symptoms from following events like 9/11 and suicide bombings on social media.
5. Get your micronutrients
Despite consuming more calories than ever, many people do not get their recommended intake of brain-essential nutrients, a new study reports.
6. Look out the window
People who live with a water view have better mental health, new research finds.
7. A little activity
Compared with inactivity, even ‘mild’ levels of physical activity are linked to 50% better mental health, a new study finds.
The more exercise people performed, the more protected they were against mental disorders, the research also found.
8. Brush your teeth
Brushing your teeth regularly could reduce the risk of dementia by more than one-quarter, new research finds.
People with fewer than 20 teeth are 26% more likely to develop cognitive problems that could lead to Alzheimer’s.
Click here for the full article
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