Australian Property Alerts Surge

February 2, 2012 1 Comment

Example buyer registration eCard

Technology has been firmly embedded in real estate marketing for many years but First National Real Estate is leading the charge when it comes to regular customer communication about homes suited to their needs.

Buyer alerts issued from First National’s Utopia cross matching system surged by 50% in 2011 with some 375,000 customers receiving SMS alerts, telling them that a property matching their wish list had just been put on the market. More than 11.8 million email alerts and property market updates were also issued.

The system is used equally by buyers and tenants and customers love the regular, instant updates.

‘Our customers tell us we are the only real estate brand that gets back to them when they take the time to tell us about their property hopes and dreams;’ says National Communications Manager, Stewart Bunn.

Customers register their details by visiting First National member websites and following the links for priority alerts.

‘It’s simple to update search criteria, as your wish list changes, and also to choose to receive market updates or not’ says Mr Bunn.

‘Plus, once you’ve bought or rented a new home, it’s easy to remove yourself from our database so we don’t bother you with updates you no longer need. Our customers just love the convenience and our members have reduced the number of days it takes to sell a home or rent a vacant investment property.’

Find out more about First National’s Utopia system by talking to a local First National member today.

 

 

Filed under Network News Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Safe Decisions Can Make The Most of Your Holiday

December 16, 2011 2 Comments

Stay Safe This Holiday Season

Media Release – 16 December 2011

For people heading off on holidays, First National Real Estate’s National Communications Manager, Mr Stewart Bunn, says to be careful to make sure homes are left safe and secure and to think carefully too, if considering a holiday home purchase.

“Holidays are great times for criminals to get to work if they believe a home is empty.  It’s also a time when vacationers ponder their existence as they sit back and enjoy the relaxing lifestyle on offer in popular holiday spots,” Mr Bunn said.

“No one likes returning from their holiday to find dead plants, over stuffed mail boxes, or even worse, stolen or broken treasures from a burglary.

“But they do like to think about ways of making the holiday euphoria last longer than the few weeks away.”

Mr Bunn said with some careful planning and forward thinking, home owners can find they peace of mind they seek whether they are leaving for vacation or looking for ways to extend it.

“Anyone considering heading off for a well-deserved rest should start now to put some simple, cost effective measures in place for while they are away,” Mr Bunn said.

“Unattended homes and cars act as green lights for burglars, which is why it’s important to take as many precautions as you can to ensure you don’t return from your holiday to find you’re a victim of crime.

“Turning on security lights or alarm systems is a great place to start, but the best thing you can do is ask the assistance of a trusted friend, neighbour or family member to collect the mail each day, put out bins at collection times, park a car in the driveway or adjust curtains and blinds.

“This helps give an impression of someone still being at home and deters unfriendly and unwelcome visitors.”

According to Mr Bunn, a common trend for people on vacation is to fall in love with the holiday spot and look at purchasing in the area to either move into, or retire to, at some later stage in their lives.

“It is easy to get carried away with the relaxing lifestyle of a holiday home and many people want to either relive this time away, or adopt it as a new way of life,” Mr Bunn said.

“But, purchasing a holiday home should only be done after careful planning and consideration of all the factors, beyond the pleasant experience.

“A holiday home purchase comes with some financial considerations such as use or purpose of the home when the owner is not there. These matters have potential long-term impacts and tax implications.”

Holiday homes can attract capital gains tax on the difference between the purchase price and the later sale price, should the decision to sell ever arise.

“However, many holiday home owners neglect to expand their purchase cost base by adding the expenses involved with holding the property, including council rates and water bills, major extensions or repairs, strata levies, garden maintenance and interest on mortgage repayments,” Mr Bunn said.

“This can reduce the taxable component of the sale by many thousands of dollars, which is why it is important to ensure you keep all receipts for any expenditure on the house, including legal fees, stamp duty and any other costs relating to the purchase.”

Mr Bunn advises when looking to purchase a holiday home, to approach it in the same way you would any property investment and make sure it is in the right location.

“A holiday home may also double as an investment property, given it is vacant for most of the year Mr Bunn said.

“So it is important to ensure it is close to transport or employment opportunities, especially if it is in regional areas, otherwise it will be less desirable as an accommodation option for renters.”

There is a lot more holiday property advice says Mr Bunn and your local First National team can offer assistance.

-       copy ends –

For further information contact Stewart Bunn, National Communications Manager, First National Real Estate, on 0413 624 317

 

Related articles

Filed under Media Releases Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , ,

Lend a hand for renters

November 23, 2011 1 Comment

Is NRAS is losing its edge as affordability improves?

Media Release – 23 November 2011

First National Real Estate National Communications Manager, Mr Stewart Bunn says government needs to do more to support renters and provide better assistance than is currently offered through the National Rental Affordability Scheme (NRAS).

“While we support NRAS, it is no longer enough in its existing form, to meet rising rents, leaving those most in need of assistance flailing in their efforts to make ends meet,” Mr Bunn said.

“It could soon be the case that with falling house prices, lower interest rates and reduced consumer confidence, purchasing a home will make more economic sense for those doing it tough, where the monthly mortgage is not too far off what they are paying for rent.”

According to Mr Bunn, evidence of improving housing affordability can be garnered through recent home value index results.

“Home values recently posted the best results in seven months and the recent cuts to interest rates, along with talk there may be even further drops, is resulting in NRAS losing some of its validity as an assistance package, especially for those who are finding it difficult to come up with the rent each week or month,” Mr Bunn said.

“What the government needs to do is look at changing NRAS so it has more relevance and achieves what it set out to do, or consider other forms of assistance such as bringing back some of the grants and other incentives that were obviously phased out too soon.”

Mr Bunn said although it is good news for the property market that home buyer activity is increasing as a result of the market conditions, it is not good when it is done at the expense of those renters who can least afford it.

“It is always encouraging to hear that more people are realising their dreams of home ownership, but there also exists the reality that there are those in our community who are forced into rental accommodation and can ill afford to fall behind in any way at all in keeping pace with rental increases,” Mr Bunn said.

“In these situations, they need access to assistance schemes that meet their circumstances and offer real assistance, which NRAS initially did, but has since failed to recognise the growing demand of assistance required, making it virtually obsolete.

“We don’t see property market conditions altering too dramatically in the near future, and certainly not to the extent that they will improve the situation for struggling renters.”

-       copy ends –

For further information contact Stewart Bunn, National Communications Manager, First National Real Estate, on 1800 032 332

Filed under Media Releases Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Make Property Investment Rock Solid

November 12, 2011 5 Comments

Media Release – 11 November 2011

Real estate offers many benefits for investors, and its continued strong performance has made it the preferred investment option for many Australians.  But, First National Real Estate National Communications Manager, Mr Stewart Bunn, says it takes more than good luck to maximise your returns from investment properties.

“Property investment is still a popular option, representing a rock solid, secure and long-term method of creating wealth and growing capital,” Mr Bunn said.

“In fact, property has delivered an average 12 per cent return for the past 24 years, even before tax and maintenance costs, so it’s not surprising that a recent survey shows 59 per cent of home buyers and investors plan to purchase an investment property in the next year.

“That’s probably because Australian property performed exceptionally well throughout the GFC and still shows great resilience in the face of share market gyrations.

“But for investors to maximise the financial benefits of their property they need to look at their investment as more than just collecting rent or striking a deal on management fees.”

According to Mr Bunn, the crucial component for a successful rental property yield is to appoint a trusted and reliable property manager.

“A good property manager is one that provides expert advice on the opportunities available for them to take advantage of to improve the yield of their property investment portfolios,” Mr Bunn said.

“At First National, we have an in-depth knowledge of the local market and can assist with the two most important criteria when choosing an investment property – location and quality.”

Mr Bunn said properties located close to transport, schools, place of work, shops and recreational facilities are in greater demand and usually command a higher rental.

However, investors should not be afraid to look beyond inner city properties as lower priced outer suburbs can produce higher yields and frequently enjoy strong demand from prospective tenants.

“It is also wise to maintain your asset in good repair and ensure it is well presented.  That way, rent is maximised, vacancy periods reduced and a high standard of tenant is attracted, who will ensure their rent is paid on time.

“Sometimes, simple improvements like a fresh coat of paint in bathrooms and kitchens, or installing new window coverings, can make the world of difference.”

As an experienced property manager, supported by rigorous processes and systems, First National provides the highest standard of advice to investors, backed by leading edge technologies that match tenants to vacant properties and comprehensive marketing programs.

“First National uses the latest technologies and prides itself on getting the best results in the shortest time,” Mr Bunn said.

“A professionally prepared tax depreciation schedule can also play an important role in the efficient management of your investment.”

-       copy ends –

For further information contact Stewart Bunn, National Communications Manager, First National Real Estate, on 0413 624 317

Related articles

Filed under Media Releases Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Agents should rate in energy scheme

October 20, 2011 2 Comments

Media Release – 20 October 2011

As Federal Parliament passes the Carbon Tax, legislators and policy makers should now turn their minds to making a viable and adoptable national mandatory disclosure energy rating scheme says Stewart Bunn, communications manager of First National Real Estate.

“We support mandatory disclosure of a home’s energy rating, which is where this nation, and the rest of the world, is heading,” Mr Bunn said.

“But we need to make sure the proper policy and regulations are in place, and that the appropriate people play the right roles.”

According to Mr Bunn, the crucial component to success is a national and consistent approach.

“Each state already has a ratings scheme in place, but there are no national standards and regulations,” Mr Bunn said.

“A number of studies conducted by both industry and academia have found ratings and results to be inconsistent.  This can be due to software flaws or subjective interpretation of results and can be compounded by a lack of correlation between the actual energy performance of houses and their star ratings.

Mr Bunn said the real solution to the mandatory disclosure issue lay with government and industry working together.

“Government needs to get the scheme right and put in place the appropriate financial support, resources and implementation,” Mr Bunn said.

“That means getting the regulations and policies passed, educating the general public on the benefits of energy efficiency ratings and funding ongoing research and development.

“It then falls to real estate agents to promote the ratings through the marketing of the properties they have on their books to buyers and lessors.”

The real question then, says Mr Bunn, is how assessors are selected, trained and accredited. It is important that they are independent of the real estate profession so no potential conflict of interest is perceived by consumers.

“This is the tricky part of the equation,” Mr Bunn said.

The First National Real Estate network is committed to environmentally efficient principles and prides itself on its green initiatives – it fully supports a national mandatory disclosure of energy efficient ratings scheme, as long as all players act in the interest of the environment.

-    copy ends –

For further information contact Stewart Bunn, National Communications Manager, on 1800 032 332

Filed under Media Releases Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 2,909 other followers