Thursday, January 29, 2009

BUYING BEFORE AUCTION

You don't necessarily have to wait for an action to buy if you're certain it's the right property. One way to avoid all the angst is to try and buy the property beforehand.

Of course you will need to do your homework and line up your finances. You may want your solicitor to check out the contract of sale to make sure everything is correct. You should have a professional building and pest inspection done on the property and most importantly to make a serious bid you will want to already have your financing lined up.

This pre-auction strategy is particularly useful if you think there will be great interest in the property. But be prepared to offer a fair price. You won't achieve a bargain but you may avoid having to bid against 3 or 4 other interested parties.

Remember everything is negotiable.

You don't have to necessarily accept the seller's terms. You can ask (but may not receive) for amended terms. At least this way you can gauge the level of interest and the degree of competition by the seller and their agent's reaction. If you ask for a longer settlement for instance and the seller refuses it might indicate there is strong interest. On the other hand if they readily agree you may be in a stronger position to negotiate further.

If you have a real estate interest or need feel free to phone me, Noel Thompson Principal Professionals Logan Lifestyles on 0418 517 525 or call into our friendly offices at Browns Plains and Waterford for immediate assistance.

http://www.llr.com.au

Monday, January 26, 2009

SUCCESSFUL PROPERTY INVESTORS

Most successful property investors over the long term invest safely without speculating. They buy quality properties in good locations and hold them over the long term, allowing them to grow in value.

The main reason they purchase property in the first place is for strong capital growth. These types of investors rarely sell their properties. When they need money they simply refinance their investment properties as the equity increases.

It is probably the golden rule of property investing to buy the best quality property you can in the best location you can find. You then purchase within your budget and never sell the property.

Another successful trait of property investors is to buy at the right time in the property cycle. The end of a property slump is of course the ideal time to purchase because it is soon followed by an upturn in property values.

Purchasing at low prices kick starts and investment. One rule of thumb for property investors is not to overpay. You should buy at or below "FAIR MARKET VALUE".

There are still bargains to be had in today's market and any further negative global influences will flush out even more nervous sellers. Long-term investors can then take advantage of such short-term upsets to establish themselves for the next segment of the property cycle.

You can then add even more value to your property purchases by renovating or redeveloping your properties.

If you have a real estate need or question feel free to contact me Noel Thompson, Principal Professionals Logan Lifestyles on 0418 517 525 or call into our offices at Browns Plains and Waterford for a friendly chat.

http://www.llr.com.au

THE PROPERTY MANAGER'S ROLE IN CHANGING TENANCIES

One of the primary roles in a property manager's job is to oversee the changing of tenancies.

A property manager needs to be alert to the need to reduce tenant turnaround time; in other words to reduce the amount of time that a tenanted property is vacant.

Another primary task of the property manager is to make sure the property is adequately cleaned by the vacating tenant and that it is satisfactorily prepared to receive a new tenant.

When tenant changeovers do occur it can present an opportunity to do deferred maintenance such as painting as well as doing a thorough clean. You always want your property to be well maintained and well presented in the marketplace.

As property manages, we also need to verify that all correct keys are returned and to do a vacating inspection on behalf of the landlord. One of our jobs is to compare the Entry Condition Report with the state of the property upon vacating to make sure the property is brought back to its original condition.

We look to see that it's clean and without damage or excessive wear and tear. We also check to see the fixtures are in place and everything is working and that the gardens are tidy and lawns mowed.

If anything needs rectifying we oversee this as well as doing a final inspection for the purpose of arranging the return of the tenant's bond.

If you have a property management need or query feel free to phone our property management department on 3299 7733 or call into our office at Waterford for immediate assistance.

http://www.llr.com.au/