Charity Golf Day …. for Ronald McDonald House

Hello ..

I thought instead of blogging about the market trends I would blog about my Charity Day supporting the Ronald McDonald House last Thursday (29/10/15) on the Gold Coast.

Ronald McDonald house South East Queensland provides accommodation for the families of seriously ill children who live more than 50km from the treating hospital in Brisbane.  Ronald McDonald Houses help preserve the family unit in the midst of physical, emotional and financial stress.  It also gives parents the chance to draw hope and comfort from other families in similar situations, while being supported by staff and volunteers.

I was lucky enough to sponsor a hole at the Inaugural Red Boot Golf Classic at the Pacific International Golf course on the Gold Coast.  We had a team of four playing an 18 hole game.  I was like a kid in a candy store when I was signing up for this fun day on the green and literally had no idea of the FUN that was in store for our team!

I am not a golfing connoisseur and had no idea really how to play the game!  I have played putt putt … so how hard can 18 holes be?  Right??

Thankfully I recruited my husband’s friend who is a golfer, my husbands general manager whom is female and LOVES golf and my husband whom has played a few swings at a driving range!  What a TEAM!

We arrive to the Pacific International and I heard that if you have a beer or two it can help the swing and hitting the ball a bit easier!!  So beers all round for the team, then off to our golf buggy with our golf bags (as I mentioned … I am so glad we had our pro golfers on board with us as they had all the equipment necessary to get around the 18 holes)

We were starting on hole 1A .. how hard can it be to find?  Ok it took a few loops and we were back at the start of the green … (we were really just testing the golf buggy out) … Off we go … the rules are … FOUR PERSON AMBROSE!!

I am thinking to myself .. RULES?  This is a Charity Golf Day??

Thank you to our pro golfers in our team and google for clarifying the below rules of Ambrose 😉

The rules of Ambrose are as follows –

Each player in the group hits from the tee.

Yellow markers for men

Red markers for women

At least one tee shot of each team member must be used in the 9 holes

Once the tee shots are played the team selects the ball from where they wish to play their next shot from

The selected ball may be marked.

Each team member then plays their next shot within 1 club length of the selected ball after placing their

The process is repeated for each shot, with the best positioned ball being selected.

Once on the green the selected ball is marked and each putt is taken from within 15cms of that spot.

The total number of strokes is entered on the scorecard together with the initials of the team member where tee shot was selected

I was so pumped to be playing golf, I teed off first …  after about eight swings and the ball is still on the tee, does this call for another beer?  Or should I have a champagne?  I think it just dawned on me that we are in for a long day!

I was so impressed with the pro golfers in our team and my husband wasnt doing to bad either …. I was starting to dread the Tee of at every hole now … believe you me … I was not improving!  I was taking tips from my team members and whilst I would eventually hit the ball , they would either go into the trees, ponds, or sand dunes!  It started to remind me of Tennis and how fun I thought that would be until I kept hitting the balls over the fence!

So … the drinks cart was looking like a great option to drive around the green instead … but I couldn’t leave my team .. so a champagne was ordered, and another and another …

After 18 holes and 5 1/2 hours later we made it!  Many laughs were had around the green, many lost golf balls, BUT overall a great day out with great people!

Sometimes it’s nice not to take things so seriously and just have a great laugh…. Many were had!  Sure were some serious golfers out and about on the green but that’s ok .. It’s all for Charity and now I know how to play 18 holes of golf .. Ambrose Style!!!

Back to reality the following day ….  but with a day of great memories x

Take advantage NOW to get into your first home.

Have you always wanted to get into the property market but don’t know how?  With the interest rates at all time low NOW is the time to be things in to action!

First of all … GOALS!

You need to know where you are financially, and exactly what you can afford to pay back each month, as well as what up front costs are going to set you back.  It is crucial to be realistic with your budget and personal expenses as this will help with any unforseen circumstances.

Research home loans!

A broker can save you a lot of time, and give you the best loan options to suit your needs.  The big banks have some great offers available as well.  It is important to speak with family and friends about their experiences with lenders, as this will likely gauge the type of service you will receive.

First home owners grant is a crucial question to ask your lender and how much you are entitled to and how it can be used towards the purchase of your new home.

Once you have decided on a lender, it is important to qualify for pre approval on finance.

**A helpful hint – It is a good idea to call a few solicitors or conveyancer for the legal requirements.  Suss out prices, and again talk to family and friends who may be able to recommend someone.

House Hunting 

Once you establish the price range you can afford, start inspecting as many open homes as you can, whilst your mind can be become like a spinning washing machine, however with so many apps at your finger tips now and real estate sites such as domain and realestate.com enabling you to save listings, and record information about what you liked and disliked is a great way to keep track.  It is important to note the condition of the house, and do you think there could be any immediate expenses. Call local agents in the areas you are looking at buying in and ask them to add you to the mailing list.

Submitting an offer

It is important to submit all offers in writing, nothing is ever taken seriously unless it is on paper.  The agent will present the contract to the vendor and if they do not accept the price a counter offer will come back to you.  This can continue until all parties agree on a price.  Nothing is complete until all parties have signed.

Hooray!  The offer is accepted …

It is now time to meet with your legal representative and go through the contract before the end of the cooling off period.  Once you are satisfied with the contract, contact your broker and advise them of your purchase.  The deposit will need to be paid within the time frame that was agreed on the contract.

Building and pest and home insurance will also need to be organised.

Waiting for settlement

So many things can be organised whilst waiting for settlement.  If you are renting you will need to look through your contract and organise accordingly, change of address through Australia Post, utilities, removalists.

Settlement day   

Both legal representatives meet to hand over cheques, and sign any further documentation.  Once this is completed your agent will call you to arrange picking up the keys to your new home.

If you would like more information on purchasing your first home, looking at selling, or renting your home give Mel @ MySpace Real Estate a call today 0432 731 741.

http://www.myspacerealestate.com.au

Fresh as a DAISY!!

WooHoo!  Good bye Winter!  Welcome to the warmer months ahead, the fresh smell of spring flowers, bright colours and swooping Magpies.

Lets talk about Property Management for Lessors.

It is a big step putting your Investment property in to the hands of a Property Manager.

When should a Landlord hire a Property Manager?

• If you have lots of properties/units
• Your time is limited
• You are not interestesed in hands on management
• Perhaps you dont live near your rental property

Property Managers deal directly with prospects and tenants, saving you time and worry over marketing your rentals, collecting rent, handling maintenance and repair issues, responding to tenant complaints, and even pursuing evictions. Plus, a good management company brings its know-how and experience to your property, giving you the peace of mind that comes with knowing your investment is in good hands.

As a Landlord you may be asking yourself a few questions?

How long will it take to rent my property?

It is impossible to predict exactly how long it will take to find qualified applicants for your property but a correctly advertised, priced and presented property greatly increases the chance it will rent in the first 2-3 weeks with a goal of no more than 30 days on the market.  A number of factors are involved including the size, location, amenities, overall condition of the property, time of year, and the rental price relative to that of comparable properties in the neighborhood.  Pricing your property competitively and having your property in the best condition possible are crucial to effective marketing.

Why won’t my property rent?

There are many factors that may contribute to why your property won’t rent.  Some of the reasons may be that the property is overpriced, lack of amenities, location, does not show well due to; cleanliness, outdated appliances or deferred maintenance, lack of curb appeal including paint, landscaping, neighbors etc.  In addition, the time of year your property becomes vacant may contribute to a longer vacancy, less people tend to move during the winter months.

Is there anything that needs to be done to make my property rent ready?

The better condition a property is in, the faster it will rent and better quality tenants it will attract.  If needed we recommend that the interior be painted or at least touched up, that the carpets, window coverings, floors, fixtures and appliances are clean and that all needed repairs be made, front and back yards mowed, trimmed, edged and free of weeds.  After price, the most important controllable factor in renting a property is condition.  We would be happy to offer suggestions to you to help you make the property look great.  MySpace Real Estate Brisbane is a full service and provide all the vendors needed to get your property rent ready.

How do you determine the rental amount?

Rent amounts are determined by finding the “fair market” rent value of comparative properties in the neighborhood.  We do extensive research using local newspaper, internet, other property management companies and our own expertise to provide the rental rate recommendation to you.  It is our opinion that it is best to rent a house right at or slightly below the fair market rent, by doing so we will frequently have more applications to consider and rent the property quicker.

If you would like to find out more about how MySpace Real Estate Brisbane Bayside looks after your Investment and frequently asked questions you can go to http://www.myspacerealestate.com.au and look under Property Management or email mel@myspacerealestate.com.au

Have you had a Rental Appraisal done recently?  It might be worth looking in to especially now Spring is up on us and the busier months are ahead with more Tenants on the move.  Mel @ MySpace Real Estate 0432 731 741.

Shaking off the Winter Dust …

Winter has nearly passed by for another 9 months.  As I sit and type away I look out my window and see the Winter leaves dropping from the trees, the birds chirping, the sun so bright and the sky so blue – It really is the perfect Winter’s day.

With Spring so close in the air you will start to see more properties hit the market, more signs popping up, more activity in the market.  Have you been hibernating?  and waiting for the warmer months?  Well now might be a great time to put that Spring in your step and get out and about to open homes, not everything is as it seems when searching on the internet for hours a day … the pictures can be very deceiving! However it is good to set up the tools on the Real Estate sites that you search on for newly listed properties so that you can be one of the very first people to inspect.

Make sure your finances are in check, so that when you do find the right property you are ready to pounce!  With Mortgage rates at an all time low, it has never been better for a buyer to purchase a property.

If you are going to be selling your home and upgrading or downsizing it is really important to remember these 5 tips and perfect timing with Spring around the corner.

Selling tip #1

Does your home have curb appeal?

Have you put off outside maintenance to your home?  Including the landscaping? It might be time to grab a cuppa and have a look from the outside and see if your home has curb appeal.

Selling Tip #2

Make Upgrades

Kitchens and bathrooms are the rule of thumb.  Investing a little into small renovations could potentially give you a much higher return when selling your property.

Selling tip #3

Make your home like a clean, welcoming, blank canvas that any buyer can visually paint their own dreams upon.  Remove family photos, quirky art, collectibles and vibrant paint colours.

Selling tip #4

Price your property competitively

Choosing the right listing price is one of the most important tips for selling your home quicker.  So don’t let your home become a stale listing because it’s overpriced.

Selling tip #5

Hire a professional photographer

Most home buyers start looking online for a property or in a local magazine.  That means your images that accentuate your homes best features and selling points.

If you are thinking about selling or renting your property but not sure where your property is placed in today’s market.  Give Mel @ MySpace Real Estate a call today 0432 731 741.

If you are wanting to purchase an investment property or just can’t seem to beat the crowds at open homes/auctions.  Give Mel @ MySpace Real Estate a call today 0432 731 741.  Skype is available to International & Interstate clients, and remember we don’t work your normal 9am – 5pm we work around you.

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