Luxe for less

Lay it out
Feeling a little bored with your current furniture or room layout? Try evaluating what space you have available and rearranging the furniture; consider how different pieces may fit together in different ways, and don’t be restricted by what furniture happens to be in the room. You may find that a cute stool that has been hiding in a bedroom makes a character-filled side table and conversation starter in the living room. Try arranging your furniture around the flow of natural light, or around indoor/outdoor flow, to create a harmonious space. Even better, centre your living room furniture in such a way that encourages conversation.

Surface art
Drinks carts, sideboards, shelving and coffee tables are all wonderful opportunities to make a space feel styled. Arrange your drinks cart with pretty bottles and glassware that are complementary, perhaps with a few fun cocktail accessories thrown in to complete the picture.

Where are the risky areas of the market?

This oversupply is most prevalent in Queensland, which has a dwelling surplus of close to 60,000 – most of which is most likely made up of apartments located in Brisbane centre. Victoria is also oversupplied, according to the research paper, with a dwelling surplus of over 40,000. Similar to Brisbane, many of these oversupplied dwellings are apartments near to Melbourne’s centre. One of the best ways to spot risky markets, and property that’s unlikely to appreciate in value, is to identify areas where dwelling oversupply is most prevalent. A recent research paper published by the Australian National University found that as of June 2017 the surplus of dwellings in Australia could be as much as 164,000.

The research paper also identified Western Australia as an area with a surplus of properties. Much of this surplus was created in part by the mining boom, in towns where the population swelled then quickly fell when the boom period came to and end.

On the other hand areas on the outer fringes of large capital cities, such as Melbourne and Sydney, were identified as having dwelling shortages. This may indicate that property in these locations will increase in value over the long term.

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Can capital gains still be found?

Yes. It may require a little more effort than it did three or four years ago, but if you’re after an investment it’s still possible to find a property that will increase in value over the short and long term. For example, if you’re willing to go south, Hobart has experienced value increases of 18 per cent over the year to January, according to CoreLogic.

As a whole, regional areas outside of the capital cities saw their values increase by 0.2 per cent in January alone, indicating that capital gains can be found in regional areas. Fast growing towns near large centres like Ballarat in VIC or Wyong in NSW are great places to start looking, despite being a little small and far flung.

Should I put off buying a home during this period?

No. If it’s the right time for you there’s no reason why you shouldn’t buy a property now. If you wait for better market conditions you may end up waiting for years. However, it never hurts to be cautious when making such a big decision, particularly when you’re buying in an uncertain market.

To minimise risks associated with buying property:

• Buy well within your limits and keep money aside for unexpected costs.
• Speak to a mortgage broker to make sure your home loan is structured well.
• Buy with the help of a real estate agent who knows the local area well.
• Do your own research, and find an area that’s likely to grow in future.

If you’re careful and get all the expert help you need, you should have no reason to worry about the market. Instead of delaying and watching prices go up and down, get the ball rolling on your property aspirations and get in touch with a local real estate agent you can trust.

NSW Customer Choice Award 2017

At the highly competitive Ray White NSW annual awards, Ray White Kiama were thrilled to be presented with 5 awards. It is with our sincere thanks to our clients that Ray White Kiama was the recipient of the Customer Choice award, recognised for excellence in customer service across NSW.  Ray White Kiama's ranking sits at a positive 91, the highest score in the Ray White group.

Downsizing. Watch this great video

Considerations for downsizers:

1. The costs involved with buying and selling

2. what are you trying to achieve?

3. The physical move- get help if needed.

Realestate.com and financial advisor Bruce Brammall share his top tips on downsizing property. Check out this video link.