Rate Rises, Growth, Tax reform
Emma Cunningham of Platinum Finance has provided a run down on some pertinent issues currently relating to the property market.
Emma’s team at Platinum Finance provides long term financial strategies to investors with an ongoing focus on wealth creation.
Rate Rises, Property Growth and Henry Tax Reform
what a week!!….still more to come….Tuesday is budget night….
Below I have given you a break down of what it all means…
If you don’t read any of it. Just book a pre 30 June Investment appointment with me. Why? I want make your daily efforts work for you (and if we do it pre 30 June we might be able to get some money back into your pocket from this year’s tax return).
These are the most common problems, frustrations or causes for loss of sleep - I solve for clients:
1. Cash flow strapped - home lopping you from being able to get ahead and invest or your investments are straining your cash flow
2. Not enough super to retire - if you have a combined balance of $100,000 you need to book an appointment, if you are young and not interested I will show you how “super” this tax system is to accelerate our investment portfolio
3. Paying too much tax - want to reduce it without effecting cash flow or lifestyle - most of the investors I work with are not paying tax
4. Scared investing will hampen your lifestyle now
The RBA’s decision yesterday is the 6th increase in the last 8 months based on a strengthening economy locally and globally. The cash rate has moved from 4.25% to 4.5% this moves it closer to the target average rate. NAB, CBA and Westpac have already based on the full increase.
Economists are still tipping for more rate rises this year with the two contributing factors being growth in the Property sector and Resource sector. Both have had air play this week - Bureau of Statistics released the property growth statistics and the Mining Sector is at the focal point of the proposed tax changes from the Henry Tax Reform.
Property statistics released this week from the Bureau of Statistics show a rise of almost 5 per cent for the quarter, and 20 per cent for the year. It is the largest annual increase since the series began in the March quarter of 2002.
Melbourne led gains with quarterly prices rising 6.7 per cent and annual prices up 27.7 per cent.
The strongest growth came from established houses with relatively high prices.
Over the quarter the other capitals also experienced positive contributions: Sydney up 5.3 per cent, Perth 3.5 per cent, Brisbane 2 per cent, Adelaide 2.7 per cent, Canberra 5.4 per cent, Hobart 4.2 per cent and Darwin 3.6 per cent.
Annually, house prices rose in Melbourne 27.7 per cent, Sydney 21 per cent, Canberra 20.6 per cent, Darwin 17.5 per cent, Perth 15 per cent, Hobart 14.1 per cent, Brisbane 12.1 per cent and Adelaide 10.8 per cent.
But not everyone is convinced the figures give a true picture of the broader housing market. Senior economist with BIS Shrapnel, Jason Anderson, shared his caution on Monday despite the positive market indicators.
“I think we’ve got a view though that rates will head up and need to go higher, but it’s really not until they get above say 8 per cent, towards 8.5 per cent historically, that we’ve seen a really rapid and sharp slowdown in the property markets,”
George Tharenou economist for UBS says the reason for such big increases is plain.
“I think there’s clearly a structural under-supply of housing. We expect the supply of housing to improve over the next year but it’s just not enough to meet the sharply increasing population.”
Major tax changes proposed from Henry Tax Reform
- Lifing the superannuation contribution from 9% to 12% by 2020
- More Government payments for low-income workers into their superannuation
- Compulsory super payments for those over 70 and concessions on contributions for those over 50
- A reduction in company tax from 30% to 28% by 2015
- Small business to benefit from company tax cut from 2012
- Other write off concessions for small business
- Miners to be hit with a 40% tax on above normal profits
- An infrastructure fund to be paid to the states each year to start at $700 million in 2012
We work with clients to create simple plans, that are robust and enable them to invest with confidence in a rising or stagnate property market. If you have been wondering how others invest. Make an appointment and find out:
1. Get the tax you pay working for you to fund a property portfolio for the future
2. Work out how much income you will need to stop working
3. Find out how you can do it without hampering your lifestyle now - our clients still drink wine, have great holidays,
invest, save tax and sleep easy
Contact Emma on 1300 792 561 or email emma@platinumfinancing.com.au
Read Vendi! Online
The latest edition of the All Brisbane Realty Property Mag ‘Vendi!’ has arrived.
To read online click here
To receive your copy email info@allbrisbanerealty.com.au
Market Low Down
PROPERTIES UNDER $600,000 ARE HOT PROPERTY AT THE MOMENT IN AND AROUND THE NEW FARM AREA.
INCREASED BUYER ENQUIRY
There has been an influx of enquiry for properties in the sub $600,000 price range and I have had great success in selling properties of this type in recent weeks.
RETURN TO FIRST HOME BUYER AND INVESTOR CONFIDENCE
Confidence is once again returning to the property market resulting in two key groups,
- Investors
- First Home Buyers
actively property searching, and ready to make an immediate purchase decision.
Apartments in the inner city fringe are highly desirable for property investors due to the high rental returns and low vacancy rates that exist.
First home buyers and outer suburban buyers looking to upgrade into the entry level inner-city fringe property market are again buoyed by the return of 95% lenders that will provide finance on a lower ‘deposit to property purchase price’ ratio. For you, this means that the market has opened up to many buyers who, due to the effects of the Global Financial Crisis, were previously unable to obtain finance for their purchase.
SALES RESULTS
Last week I listed a property for a list price of $570,000 in Teneriffe. Within 24 hours of the property appearing on the internet, I had taken a prospective Buyer through and was presenting an unconditional offer to the client.
This property sold for $560,000 - unconditional, settling in 30 days.
While buyer enquiry is high, the negotiation skills of your agent will be most important in obtaining not only a buyer, but the best price, the best conditions and the quickest settlement timeframe.
Please give me a call on 0407 489 992 or email jason@allbrisbanerealty.com.au if you would like an obligation free appraisal on your property.
SELL OR RETAIN FOR INVESTMENT?
I can also be of assistance in the decision process of whether to sell your property or keep as an investment. I have a highly expert and skilled property management team that can provide superior property management services should you be interested.
Jason Bond
DIRECTOR/PRINCIPAL
All Brisbane Realty, New Farm
All Brisbane Realty is a boutique agency specialising in residential sales and property management. Based in the heart of New Farm, we pride ourselves on our extensive local and real estate market knowledge as well as our flexibility to move with the ever-changing pace of the real estate industry. We truly understand the need to deliver superior sales and property management service to our clients.
Agent Selection Research
All Brisbane Realty understands the magnitude selling your property may be.
It is potentially one of the biggest personal and financial decisions you make in your life time.
It may seem obvious, however it is vital that you choose an agent who has your best interests at heart – not their own.
It may be argued that anyone can sell Real Estate and this may very well be true. Why then, do you ask, do you need a Real Estate Professional to take care of the selling process of your property?
There are 2 main reasons to engage a Real Estate professional:
1. Negotiation Skills
2. Time frame
Negotiating is a skill. A lawyer will argue your case in court, an accountant will take care of your tax requirements, a doctor will diagnosis an illness. Real Estate agents are paid commission for their negotiating skills. This could mean the difference between achieving a sale price of $700,000 opposed to $770,000. The $70,000 difference is the expertise that you obtain from a GREAT agent.
It is essential that your agent be a well trained negotiator.
Selling time frame. A Real Estate Professional works full time within the Real Estate market. This means they have a current database of active Buyers, their ear to the ground on latest sales, current market conditions and real, qualified information about the local area. They are committed to the industry. Whilst many individuals have a keen interest in the real estate market, 100% of focus is not dedicated to the all round sale of your individual property. You would be selling yourself short of Buyers and therefore, potentially selling yourself short of the best possible sales price in opting for a private sale.
The Real Estate professionals at All Brisbane Realty pride themselves on excelling in the necessary skills to achieve the highest price possible in the shortest possible time frame.
All Brisbane Realty is at the cutting edge of the Real Estate industry, consistently evolving with the latest trends and pioneering new ways to approach selling properties.
All Brisbane Realty’s Selling Tips:
1. Choose your agent wisely and be very discerning. Make sure your agent is
- A GREAT negotiator
- Enthusiastic and motivated
- Experienced in selling SIMILAR properties to yours
- Honest and tells you the TRUTH, not just what you want to hear (Be cautious with over promising and under delivering – sometimes, although you may not want to hear that your expectation on price is unrealistic, the agent that gives you an accurate appraisal of your property’s worth is more credible than one who agrees with an unrealistic expectation to ‘win’ your business.)
2. Presentation. Always present your property with Buyers in mind. Your taste may differ from general consensus! An uncluttered space will present far more appealing to a wider buying market. Consider hiring a storage cage to achieve a cleaner, neater, minimalist appearance – which may also have the added benefit of making your property look bigger. For the small outlay of around $40-$50/week this could make a substantial difference to your ultimate sales price
3. Professional Photography. An enormously high percentage of properties in Brisbane sell from the internet. First impressions are essential. For a cost of $150-$200 a professional photographer will be able to achieve BRILLIANT images for use on the internet. They have all of the professional equipment and know the best angles to take the photos that will highlight your property’s best attributes.
4. Stick to your price. Once you have decided to sell and have committed to a list price, don’t be thrown by an offer in the first week close to your asking price. It is not unusual to receive the best offer quickly. It can be very tempting to think you might get a better price if you hold off. However, the marketing campaign will have its strongest affect in the first week and hence attract the best quality enquiry. Holding out, can result in a stale property left sitting on the market too long amongst newer, fresher listings.
Auction Sales Success
A fantastic auction result was achieved on Saturday January 30th by All Brisbane Realty’s Jason Bond. The landmark Teneriffe property at 4 Hastings Street, New Farm sold on auction day for $2.42million much to the owners’ delight.
To give you a bit of a background, the Georgian manor style property, which was exclusively marketed and auctioned by All Brisbane Realty, attracted a strong crowd and several keen bidders on auction day. While bidding stopped at $2.3 million and the property was passed in, negotiations post auction achieved an unconditional sales result on the same afternoon.
The iconic six-bedroom home sits majestically atop an elevated 908 square metre homesite and enjoys magnificent panoramic views from every aspect of the property. Recognisable by its wrap around verandahs, it also boasts a luxurious swimming pool and landscaped gardens.
The result also proves that auctions are an extremely effective way to sell in the current market.
Another factor that makes auction ideal for this sort of market, one that is so rapidly changing and very much based on volatile global economic conditions, is that it is currently very difficult for a real estate agent to give an accurate appraisal as to what a home on the market might achieve, simply because figures of homes selling in a market that changes almost weekly are not available. An intensive high-profile auction marketing programme and a sense of urgency that is created on the day, all help achieve the best price the market is willing to pay.
Auction also finds the true cash buyer, by effectively filtering those out who cannot realistically make a cash purchase decision. This is because a sale under the hammer requires a deposit of 10% payable on the day, offering peace of mind to the seller that the contract will hold.
In coming weeks, I will also describe a private treaty sale and an exclusive listing and how they both differ to selling by auction.
Who has sold and bought by auction and what has your experience been?
Hollywood Glam Xmas Party
The culmination of a great year.
Time to let our hair down.
Our opportunity to cut loose - drink responsibly - dance erratically - dress eccentrically
All Brisbane Realty has begun to forge a reputation for throwing a good party - and the Hollywood Glamour Christmas party was no exception.
Shoes were off early in the night as we danced to the mixes of DJ Todd resounding within the walls of Joshua Levi Gallery at Wooloongabba.
Cocktails flowed, food was in abundance and the air of celebration amongst the staff and their partners was palatable.
And what a year 2009 has been - a hugely successful, rewarding and enjoyable year was achieved and most importantly a fantastic team was established.
There were a few special mentions awarded to certain staff members on the night - most notably::
‘True Blue Award’:: Michelle Beilken, for coming to work with blue hair after refusing to wear a swimming cap in a chlorinated pool
‘Young Diva Award’:: Manuela Mattiuzzi, pipping Ann-Maree Bond from the post (only just!)
‘Employee of the Year’:: Alysha Aufderheide, took out the coveted prize for her genuinely outstanding performance throughout the year
Jason and I sincerely thank our wonderful team for a brilliant year - great results and great fun while getting them
Here’s to an even more exciting 2010!!!!
Merry Christmas and have a fabulously prosporous New Year
Sustainability Checklist
Nothing the government does surprises me anymore, but recently hearing about a new legislation that has recently been passed through parliament actually managed to! As of 1 January 2010, all sellers of houses, townhouses and units will need to complete a compulsory checklist that is designed to inform buyers about the sustainability features of a property and increase community awareness of the value of these features.
Four key areas of each dwelling are covered, including energy, water, access and safety. More specifically, owners are asked to identify features such as solar power, air conditioning, rainwater tanks, garden irrigation, and smoke alarms on the document.
The declaration does not form part of the contract of sale, however if the declaration is not completed or made available to buyers, there are substantial fines for both sellers and agents. Sellers can complete the declaration themselves, which is a simple two page document, or they can source a sustainability consultant to look after it for them.
We support the State Government’s desire to raise awareness of sustainability features. It is true that homes with sustainability features have lower energy and water costs and generate fewer greenhouse gas emissions. The government is hoping to encourage the community to make informed choices about protecting the environment against climate change.
Admittedly, however, it is less than ideal that the legislation was passed so quickly and will come into effect more or less immediately. There has not been a great deal of information made available to real estate agents or home owners, which is a shame, because sellers face inconvenient delays on the marketing of their property if the form is not completed accordingly.
We encourage any home owners thinking about selling their home to contact us for more information on the declaration, as well as their obligations as sellers. We can’t control decisions made by the government, but we can help our sellers avoid a fine!
Local School Initiative 2010
I strongly believe that the work Jason and I do provides a really worthwhile service within the community, and it is this belief that makes me adore my job, and justifies our hectic lives running a business. I would definitely say that making people’s dreams come true by helping them find their perfect home, or sell their property so they can move onto the next stage of their lives is incredibly rewarding.
However, there are sometimes really special opportunities to contribute to the community and it is moments like these that we live for. We are passionate about giving something back to the community that so generously supports us, and have therefore recently made a commitment to support the local Holy Spirit Primary school by way of sizeable practical donations to the school community.
Holy Spirit is a New Farm Catholic co-educational primary school catering for children from Prep to Year 7. They are a registered International School with a wide-ranging cultural mix of national cultures represented and celebrated.
Basically, this is how it will work. Every time the home of a parent from the school community is sold by All Brisbane Realty, or purchased by a parent, $1000 is donated back to the school in the form of an item or equipment needed by the school. This could be computers, sporting equipment, stationary, gift vouchers, uniforms, anything really.
Some of us in the office have school-aged children in the family who attend local schools, and understand just how much the schools rely on the support of local businesses in the community to fund their leading education and sporting initiatives. We really value the contribution Holy Spirit makes to the growth and education of our local children, and would like to give something back.
So, starting immediately, we are proud and honoured to be apart of the Holy Spirit school community and hopefully All Brisbane Realty will leave a very special legacy by way of valuable and much-needed donations to the school.
EM Exhibition Fri 13th
We are very excited to be attending Emma Sheldrake’s solo exhibition this coming Friday night (November 13th) at Joshua Levi Gallery, Wooloongabba.
EM’s artwork is particularly special to Jason and I as we purchased a stunning piece from her very first show. This was our ‘wedding gift’ to each other in September 2006. Our beautiful Sheldrake hangs proudly in our living room and is the envy of many of our friends!
IF YOU WOULD LIKE A PREVIEW BROCHURE SENT OUT TO YOU, EMAIL EMMA@EMMASHELDRAKE.COM WITH YOUR POSTAL DETAILS
New Farm Life Cycle
As seen in the Village News, November 2nd 2009
Residents of New Farm appreciate the trendy, inner-city suburb so much that they can’t bring themselves to leave the area.
New Farm is the Australian flagship for urban renewal, transformed into a bustling arts, dining and entertainment precinct, and, being just 2 kilometres from the CBD, New Farm is home to young professionals and empty-nesters alike. All Brisbane Realty receives a great deal of enquiries from individuals, couples and families already living within the area but looking for another property that suits their changing needs.
Just recently, All Brisbane Realty sold a local property that perfectly demonstrates the typical New Farm buying and selling cycle.
Jane Walker is an empty-nester who has recently completed renovations on her Kingsholme Street home, and put it on the market so she could buy another home to renovate.
“This is the third home in New Farm that I renovated, and am now looking forward to my next challenge,” Ms Walker said.
Ms Walker has been living in New Farm for six years and says she loves the area’s sense of community.
“It’s like living in a little country town. People are happy to talk to one another, and there is also a great dog park community that I enjoy.”
Her home has recently been bought by a professional couple, who in turn sold their New Farm home to a young local renter, keen to buy in the area.
Contemporary apartments are the predominant housing style in New Farm, but there’s are also a smattering of beautiful art deco homes and classic Queenslanders as you move away from the river.
The majority of households here consist of couples without children – over 60% - and nearly 75% of dwellings in the area are units.
6/1 Julius St SOLD!
ART DECO WITH BALCONY & VIEWS:: SOLD $665,000 under the hammer, October 31st 2009
The balmy summer’s afternoon proved the perfect tonic for a buying frenzy in New Farm last Saturday! The highly sought after Art Deco property on Julius St just off well known Moray St was inundated with bidders and researchers alike! The entire length of the ‘eurpoean-esque’ cul-de-sac enclave was bustling with punters sweltering in the 31 degree heat.
Auctioneer Dane Atherton took command early with none of the registered bidders willing to take the courageous step of setting the first bid! Once they got going bidding was fierce with one eager buyer laying down a $50,000 incremental bid - bless his confident cotton socks!
The property sold for a staggering $665,000 - a record for the building, to a local New Farm resident.
SOLD BY JASON BOND 0407 489 992
___________________________________________________
If you are looking for an art deco penthouse with a balcony and amazing views then look no further.
Originating from the roaring twenties, this art deco building was built as a building of the future: sleek, geometric, dramatic, with cubic forms and zigzag design. Streamlined styling was the modern technology of the age, and was combined with patterns and icons taken from the Far East, ancient Greece and Rome amongst other places.
Featuring 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom and 1 secure car park, this property is one you must inspect! This is one of the very rare art deco buildings in New Farm with a sizable balcony that looks out onto AMAZING river and city views. Very livable now, there is even further potential to capitalize on this gem. Add a second bathroom, or perhaps a walk in robe, polish the floorboards… the potential is endless to make it your own!
Don’t miss your opportunity to secure this rare New Farm gem!
This property features:
· 2 large bedrooms
· 1 bathroom
· 1 large sunroom/dining room with amazing views
· 1 office/walk in robe
· Soaring ornate high ceilings
· Polished floorboards in the kitchen and hall ways, carpet to the remainder but with solid timber underneath waiting for you to polish
· Neat and very functional kitchen
· Ducted air conditioning
· Huge balcony with great views
· Top floor apartment, very private
· Building recently renovated and in great condition
· Intercom security
Call Jason Bond today on 0407489992 to arrange a private viewing otherwise see you at the open home this Saturday!
Try & Fail. Fail To Try?
Who remembers the Cabbage Patch Kids? For those of us who weren’t a child of the 80’s, here is a quick history lesson about the phenomena that swept the world and dominated many a list to Santa!
In 1976, the young art student Xavier Roberts began crafting fabric sculptures based on the 19th-century German technique known as “needle molding.”
Two years later, Roberts got some friends together to renovate a turn-of-the-century medical facility and start the BabyLand General Hospital in Cleveland, Georgia, where people could “adopt” one of his so-called Little People. These handmade dolls had soft faces (as opposed to the hard plastic ones that would be sold on the mass market) and were sold with birth certificates, unique names and certificates of adoption.
By 1981, the growing success of Babyland General Hospital had been documented by national publications including Newsweek and The Wall Street Journal. The following year, Roberts’s company, Original Appalachian Artworks, Inc., agreed to let a major toy manufacturer, Coleco, reproduce a version of the handmade soft sculpture. The result was a smaller doll with a vinyl head, and an “adoption fee” of around $30. Now known as Cabbage Patch Kids, these dolls soon became a legend.
By the end of 1983, close to 3 million had been sold and demand was outstripping supply. The dolls graced the cover of Newsweek, after becoming the most successful new doll introduction in the history of the toy industry. Sales of the dolls and of Cabbage Patch Kids-related merchandise–including diapers, clothing and cereal–topped $2 billion in 1984 alone.
As a little girl, my sister and I also were “mothers” to a Cabbage Patch doll each, except we always felt somewhat cheated as ours weren’t the authentic Cabbage Patch kids – they didn’t come with the signature on the bottom.
To make things worse for me, and it’s really amazing I turned out okay despite all these challenges in my childhood, my sister had the gorgeous kid with the red hair, and I had another not so desirable one. Talk about upsetting!
So, how does this all relate to the real estate market and industry? Well, it doesn’t, but I have this week, bid for and WON (I am still amused by this ‘won’ terminology because I’ve never had to ‘pay’ for anything I’ve ‘won’ before!) Authentic, vintage Cabbage Patch Kid circa 1982 in MINT condition on e-bay (this was in fact my first foray in to the ‘world of ebay’ but more about that some other post!). She has beautiful brown hair and she has been named ‘Annabella’ or ‘Bella’ as Milla likes to call her. Of course, Milla, has laid claim on her though she does know that it is ‘mummy’s dolly’!!! I am VERY impressed with this $32 purchase and feel like I have finally set the record straight from when I was young with my fake undesirable doll!
And, maybe there is a message in that.
You can achieve what you set out to, and rectify the wrongs or misfortune of the past. One bad property investment of either your own or a friend/family member of yours, does not necessarily mean that all the rest will be too. Its just about knowing what you want, knowing where to look for it, and then making it happen!
What it also suggests to me, as a business woman, is that from little things, big things grow. The most difficult and challenging thing to do in starting out in business or attempting to break ground in your industry is to actually take the first step. Who knows, maybe one day down the track I will look back on these early days of All Brisbane Realty and think to myself ‘wow, who would have thought we would come this far’, though what ever the outcome, there sure is truth in the saying that ‘It is better to try and fail than to not have tried at all. But if you DO fail, try, try and try again’. I’m sure Xavier Roberts of BabyLand General Hospital, Giorgia fame would certainly agree with this!
Interest Rates…Interesting?
I have noticed that whenever there is a change in interest rates, it’s all anyone can talk about. Its in the media, on TV, talk-back shows, and morning radio. You can also tell by the sheer volume of news stories and conversation around the proverbial office photocopier whether rates have increased or decreased – there is somehow always more to discuss when interest rates increase!
I know I work in the real estate industry and therefore its almost obligatory that I have something to say about it, but you know what? I am going to pass this time around. Interest rates increase, they decrease, life goes on, people move and buy and sell homes. The world doesn’t stop turning. The simple fact is, interest rates are still the lowest they have been in years, and most people won’t use a small interest rate increase as an excuse to put their plans to invest or buy a new home on hold.
So, if I am not going to discuss interest rates, what is the topic of my blog going to be this week? In the world of All Brisbane Realty, and the Bond family, its been another hectic week and not without its mishaps. I somehow contracted a stomach bug and was forced to work from home for the first part of the week. And I can tell you that two-year-olds don’t always appreciate when Mummy is not feeling well and can’t play games that involve a lot of running around.
In addition to the stress associated with a sore stomach and a hyper little girl sneaking mouthfuls of designer jelly beans in the pantry, Jason got thrown in the pool over the weekend with his mobile in his pocket. Handy! The Bond family learned that iphones don’t tolerate getting wet very well. In fact, they refuse to work at all. So, he promptly took my phone and I was left with no form of communication, except email and facebook, for a few days. At home. With a sore stomach.
But, as they say, every cloud has a silver lining, and in every stressful situation, something can be learned. In addition to our learnings about iphones, I was reminded, again, what a brilliant team we have at All Brisbane Realty. Scary to say this, but it appears we are not even needed there at all to ensure things run smoothly. Our team handled all enquiries professionally and quickly, worked exceptionally well with buyers and sellers, ensured all admin was completed accordingly, and property management was running like a dream as usual.
So, while the rest of Australia and the industry continue to sweat about interest rates, I am thanking my lucky stars for our talented, passionate and dedicated team… and also that Jason now has a new phone so I have mine back, thank you very much!
Bonds on Break
During my years of involvement in the real estate industry, I have noticed that the market has a very funny way of turning around so rapidly that we all don’t even notice it until, often, it’s too late to make the most of any opportunity it presents. Or, in the best case scenario, we are scrambling around frantically trying to make up for lost ground. Even those of us for whom it’s our job to stay tuned to the market so that we can advise our clients find it challenging to predict what is going to happen.
In August, the Bond family – that is, (husband) Jason Bond, high profile New Farm real estate sales professional, myself, and two-year-old Milla, took off for a little break to one of our favourite chill-out destinations, the Gold Coast. We felt it was a well-earned break, having reached and celebrated All Brisbane Realty’s two year anniversary in style with our Bond themed party, and managing to successfully grow our business in size and profit despite a global economic downturn.
The initial plan was to stay for a week. We took all the essentials for a great holiday – swimmers, sunblock, hat, reading material, toys for Milla, laptop and iphones. Answering queries from the office by the pool and putting together contracts on the beach came so naturally to us that we decided to extend our holiday another week. Luckily the resort didn’t need our room for other holiday-makers. And, to be honest, at that stage, the three of us were prepared to camp out on the beach – who needs a room anyway when you are having such a great time?
Coming back from our holiday, I felt entirely rested and ready for what the rest of the year would bring. And I would say this was the exact moment the proverbial snowball rolling down the hill started to pick up speed. Suddenly, almost overnight it seemed, we started to receive an unexpectedly high level of enquiry and activity across all brackets. It would seem that, when it become apparent that the effects of the Global Financial Crisis were not as severe locally as elsewhere in the world, confidence lifted across many sectors, particularly the local housing market.
Local families decided at this moment to take advantage of what was a lull in activity due to a lack of confidence around the time of the Global Financial Crisis. Activity levels from buyers jumped dramatically over the weeks that followed and, more recently, many New Farm properties our office had listed were receiving multiple offers and some were selling over the asking price.
However, it seems that unfortunately many sellers have missed the boat, so to speak. There is not a lot of New Farm stock available, because most home owners have been holding onto their homes to ride out the quieter market. This creates a highly competitive real estate environment among buyers and at the same time, ideal selling conditions for vendors. But this window won’t stay open for long, so our advice to sellers is to get busy now!
$23,150 to DA (Qld)
As seen in the ‘Village News’ August 2009
All Brisbane Realty is proud to announce that its Diabetes Australia (Qld) campaign, and the ‘James Bond Themed Charity Gala’ held last Thursday, July 9th at the QA Hotel in New Farm succesfully raised $23,150!!!!!! Led by a gun wielding ‘Agent 008′ Ann-Maree Bond and the very dapper ‘Agent 007′ Jason Bond, the team of All Brisbane Realty ‘agents’ hosted the evenings festivities in authentic James Bond style.
The party certainly lived up to its promises of being New Farm’s ‘Night Of Nights’ - guests were not disappointed with the ‘Bond’ theme carrying through to the smallest of details - we even had what we here refer to as ‘randoms’ who travelled far and wide, simply to be a part of ‘James Bond’ (especially you Mr Ben McKinnie of the Sunshine Coast who has so far dominated the Sunday Mail and Monday Courier Mail social pages!!! Thanks for that …. we will know who to turn to next time we have a party and we want to make sure we get press!!!)
For those of you who didn’t meet Ben (and there probably weren’t many of you!) he was the DIE HARD James Bond fan who traveled down to Brisbane in his ‘Finalist, Best Dressed’ Get Up i.e. slick white James Bond Tux with his lovely accomplice i.e ‘Agent Joanna’ expecting fellow ‘Die Hards’ to rival his 007 compulsion, but instead found a friendly bunch of New Farm locals and stylishly clad ‘All Brisbane Realty’ team who certainly made him very welcome - Note to Ben:: Next time, don’t come so well dressed and steal all our press!!!! (joking!! It was great to have you)
The All Brisbane Realty team have 3 additional new ‘besties’ to add to our good friend ‘Random Ben’ - the lovely Miss Emily Williams, her charming Manager Shane Tyler Greaves and her handsome and cheeky backing singer Turanga Merito were certainly in for a treat when they agreed to join us at the ‘James Bond Charity Gala’. Newly appointed National Ambassador for Diabetes Australia and Ex Young Diva, Emily was an absolute treasure to have in attendance. Emily, Shane and Turanga partied with us until the wee hours and we were so lucky to hear the live performance of ‘Lady Marmalade’ and a few impromptu numbers as the night wore on. What a fabulous Performer! A huge thank you certainly goes out to Emily who was positively a STAR - though wrapped up in a lovely, unpretentious individual who should be very proud of her achievements. Many thanks to Emily xx
The brilliance of his auctioneers skills were certainly on display when award winning auctioneer, Dane Atherton, took front of stage to conduct the live charity auctions. Dane commanded the 150 strong crowd and dozens of bidders vying for various auction items - there was pushing, there was shoving, there was hollering - all in the name of charity - and of course to take home some fabulous prizes all donated by business owners. To name a few - Camp Eden Health Retreat, Brisbane Mini Garage, Artwork by Matt Stewart, Anthony Jiggalin, Tracey Keller and Kieran McMaster generously donated by Joshua Levi Galleries, and the Corporate Lounge State of Origin Tickets donated by our good friend Nick from Corporate Sports Management.
The Emma Sheldrake artwork proved to be one of our most sought after prizes - the raffle was drawn on the night to a very excited Adrian Hegarty who has since reported that the piece entitled, ‘You Know You Can’t Resist is already hanging proudly in his living room. He also advised that he has turned down monetary bribes from several guests not as lucky to have their names pulled out of the hat!
The hosts for the evening’s ’soiree’ were certainly up for the ‘assignment’. Richard ‘Champs’ Champion never faulted from his suave, James Bond persona that sure impressed the ladies, and for the boys, the breathtakingly GORGEOUS Brooke Lowther ensured that there were a few jaws that needed picking up off the floor throughout the night!! Ann-Maree, sorry - Agent 008!! - is still fielding calls even days after the event for requests to pass on her number or to ‘hook me up’!!! Nice try boys but I think you may have been pipped at the post!
The best dressed award was taken out by a ’smokin’, Kate Clarke, in her vampy black cat suit number. A close second went to the uber sexy Jacqueline Mattiuzzi. The finalists were in their finest James Bond attire (including our good friend Ben from the Sunshine Coast!!). And were all treated to an entertaining performance by Aaron Smith on the ‘Best Dressed, Finalists Podium’ (from ‘The Trainstation’ Training Studio) in his efforts to take out the crown.
And for the highlight of the evening, who could deny that the ‘All Brisbane Realty ‘Bond’ Movie’ was the icing on the cake in the ‘theming’ department. Who would have thought the team would be SUCH great actors!!! Keep your ears to the ground (or atleast on Facebook) in the coming weeks to see if the IT department can work out how to post a link of the video WITH AUDIO!!!!!
Thanks to Kelly and Lisa at KAW agency for their wonderful work in assisting us to create the spectacular event that the ‘James Bond Themed Charity Gala’ lived up to be.
On behalf of Agent 007, Jason Bond and his accomplice Agent 008, Ann-Maree Bond we would like to sincerely thank all those who supported, attended, danced and drank with us. It was a pleasure to have each and every one of you in our company to celebrate our 2nd birthday. We hope to have you back to celebrate bigger and better years - until next time……
AND FOR THE SOCIALS…….
ABR Turns 2!
A private little celebration was held in our ‘office quarters’ on Brunswick St on July 2nd to mark the official 2nd birthday of New Farm’s All Brisbane Realty.
Ann-Maree and Jason proudly cut the Turkish Delight cheesecake in honour of the important day! Staff were treated to delicious sweets from Jocelyn’s provisions on James St. YUM!
Finalists!!!
All Brisbane Realty have been named as a Finalist in the 2009 Business Achievers Awards.
Winners to be announced Thursday 3rd September at a Gala party.
We will be certain to keep you posted with results!
Embracing Technology - A Case Study
As featured in Sold! The Magazine For Real Estate Professionals
By KERRY MCDULING, March 25,2009
Technology has enabled businesses to operate 24/7 and consumers to obtain support and make purchases from anywhere in the world, around the clock. At the same time, community has never been more important, and personal contact holds far greater value over a general computerised response. The trick is finding the perfect balance, and using the right mix of ‘high tech’ and ‘high touch’.
Jason and Ann-Maree Bond are the owners and directors of a boutique Brisbane inner-city real estate agency, All Brisbane Realty, a small but dynamic agency that is making waves in the industry. Jason, Ann-Maree and their team are one of the very first real estate agencies nationally to use a number of technologies within their business, to keep in touch with their contact database and also to ensure maximum visibility for their business and their listings.
“There is no question that technologies such as Facebook and YouTube are a big part of Generation X and Generation Y ‘s daily lives, so if we want to speak to our clients in these age categories, we have to speak the same language and use the same channels they do,” Jason said.
Fans of Facebook
Many people use Facebook as a business networking tool, rather than simply a way of sharing photos. As community is becoming increasingly important in this high tech age, it is a well known fact that people would rather do business with people they consider friends, than with strangers. Hence the rise of Facebook’s popularity.
With this in mind, Jason and Ann-Maree have created a Facebook page for All Brisbane Realty, with a link from their website. Facebook users can elect to become a fan on the page and, in turn, invite their Facebook friends.
“We update this page with new listings, and fans of this page are notified on their home page the next time they log in to Facebook,” Jason explained.
Jason and Ann-Maree feel strongly about creating discussion about the market among their contacts, so regularly Jason will ask a question or make a comment via the online Facebook forum on the page, and a discussion will result.
He said that this creates a sense of community and also keeps the page dynamic and interesting, therefore encouraging fans to invite others to join and, also, to keep them visiting the page on a regular basis to see what’s new. Jason also said that having the Facebook page assisted them greatly with their Google rankings.
e-marketing is no myth
E-marketing is another important part of All Brisbane Realty’s business. Their contacts receive a weekly newsletter via email that includes recently sold and recently listed property, referral marketing programmes, as well as property management updates and what’s new within the business.
Buyers who have indicated that they would like to receive news about new listings on the market automatically receive email notification as soon as the property is listed, with details about the property and the asking price.
“We are also very excited about our e-mag that we are launching in a few weeks’ time for our client database, to be be sent in addition to the weekly newsletter,” Jason added.
Film stars
One of All Brisbane Realty’s point of difference is that they film each new listing in the form of a mini feature film, starring Jason as host and narrator. More appealing than the typical virtual tour used by many real estate agencies today, the DVDs are given to buyers in addition to a printed brochure.
“Not only do they present very well, in a DVD case with an image on front, and are interesting to watch, but they are actually more cost effective to produce than a typical printed brochure,” Jason said.
The DVDs also play a role in another popular medium that All Brisbane Realty use to communicate with their target market. You Tube is a video sharing website, a technology that allows users to upload, view and share video clips. YouTube was created in February 2005 by three former PayPal employees, and shortly thereafter, in November 2006, YouTube was bought by Google Inc. for $1.65 billion.
While anyone has access to view the videos, only registered users can upload their own content. According to YouTube, hundreds of millions of people watch videos on YouTube everyday – more than any other TV network combined.
“We have a You Tube account and upload the listing DVDs on here for the world to see. This technology also tells us how many views a DVD has had, great feedback for the seller,” Jason said.
Visitors to the office can immediately see the team’s commitment to using technology in their day-to-day business. Three 46 inch LCD plasma screens adorn the external walls of the office, displaying listings, rentals and other information.
Where did they come from?
All Brisbane Realty can trace its beginnings back to 2003 when Jason entered the real estate industry. He quickly rose through the ranks, progressing from sales cadet to salesperson, and then from leading salesperson to sales manager.
“Of course, that was at a time when I was still learning the ropes and working for someone else,” Jason said.“I had a vision for my own real estate company that would focus not only on high quality service for our clients, but on a superior level of service than was then available. I could see it focusing on strong brand awareness and brand integrity, and providing innovative and modern approaches to selling and managing real estate with high class service and results to match.”
Ann-Maree explained, “Jason and I believed we had a great complement of skills and experience to offer – Jason’s highly regarded sales reputation and my background in marketing and project management seemed like the perfect combination to provide the market with a high quality service offering.”
This view, together with their innovative approach to using new technology, has ensured the office is a stand-out performer on the local real estate scene and done much to ensure their agency has become one of the fastest growing real estate agencies in Brisbane.
Check them out…
www.allbrisbanerealty.com.au
www.facebook.com/home.php?#/pages/Brisbane-Australia/All-Brisbane-Realty/113054470572
