Talking Real Estate
Speak To Your Bank
Hi folks,
Thought I would aim this column at anyone thinking of buying a property whether as a first time buyer or selling to buy elsewhere. This may come as a surprise to regular readers of my musings but the real estate agents are not the most important cog in the buying wheel. We are the people to approach AFTER speaking with your bank or mortgage broker.
Sales Levels Are Now More Consistent
Hi folks,
I thought it was time to revisit the Upper Hutt market as I haven’t done so for a while and it seems to be the only thing I talk about these days. Memo to self, try to get more of a life!
Empty Houses Sell For Less
Hi folks,
As we are in the middle of winter and I have a couple of empty properties to sell I thought I might offer some thoughts. It’s well known that empty houses usually take twice as long to sell and often sell for less. But why?
Realism in Pricing is Hugely Important
Hi folks,
In the course of my work I find that realism in pricing is hugely important, the best price may be the soonest sale. In New Zealand today many Vendors of residential property are experiencing a falling in the sale prices of their homes. At times like this it is even more important to price property keenly to sell, as ‘waiting for a better price’ often has the opposite result.
Hold On? Or Sell?
Hi folks,
In recent times I have met some people whose property is valued less now than when they bought so I thought I would ask the question, Is it ever financially sound to hold onto a property that doesn’t reach the desired price rather than sell for less?
Is It Really a Sellers' Market?
Hi folks,
I haven’t spoken about the Upper Hutt market for a couple of months so I’m well overdue addressing a couple of things. Firstly let me offer my opinion about recent media reports saying about how the market is at a record high and it’s a sellers’ market. I’m sure they are completely correct in Auckland or Christchurch but completely wrong in the Wellington region.
Selling Strategies for a Buyers' Market
Hi folks,
In response to questions I was asked while I was out over the weekend I thought I would revisit a familiar topic, “selling strategies for a buyers' market”. Because, let’s face it, we are definitely in a buyers' market.
Read more about 'Selling Strategies for a Buyers' Market'...
Rental Investments: Think Like a Tenant
Hi folks,
In the last couple of months I have had a couple of multi –unit properties to sell so thought this would be a good time to revisit rental investments, why? Because as prices have dropped rental yields have increased and at some point in the future property prices will increase as well.
Read more about 'Rental Investments: Think Like a Tenant'...
Negotiating a Property Sale
Hi folks,
Most vendors and purchasers expect that in the sales process, the price will be negotiated to take into account the different expectations of the two parties. Few realise that attributes other than money can also be subject to the negotiation process for a mutually beneficial result.
What Makes a Good Real Estate Agent?
Hi folks,
Not sure I will like some of the replies to this question but “Is a real estate agent the pushy guy with the sales pitch or the expert with the local market knowledge who can help buyers get the statistics they need to make an informed buy?”
Certainly, there are some agents who think that they can achieve their goals by putting pressure on their clients but most experienced agents know that the best purchaser is the informed one. They know that purchasers who buy under pressure and with insufficient knowledge usually get cold feet before the contract is exchanged - a waste of time and effort for all parties.