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In a competitive market one of the questions we most encounter from homeowners is should we buy or sell first? Harcourts New Zealand CEO, Chris Kennedy shares his thoughts on the matter. It comes up because in a tightly competitive market homeowners are often worried they’ll miss out on a rare dream home if they waitRead more

When it comes to buying investment property, is rental yield the iron-clad indicator you can take to the bank? Or is it another statistic that can mislead or misrepresent the potential of a property? If you’re looking for investment property, consider rental yield as one tool in your kit, albeit an important tool. It indicatesRead more

So you’re ready to start looking for a new home in earnest? Congratulations! Inspecting potential properties can be both fun and at times draining. Before you begin inspecting property at open homes, the best thing to do is to have a list of features in mind. These would be your must-have features, nice-to-have features andRead more

What is rateable value, capital value, government value and market value? A question frequently asked and confused by many. In Australia and New Zealand the rateable value (RV) is the value set by the local authority or council in order to determine rates for a property. The RV is also known as the capital valueRead more

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An open home is one of the most effective ways of marketing a property and attracting interest from a wide variety of buyers. Some of the many advantages are: You have plenty of time to ensure your property is tidy and ready for inspections You can control the viewing times Open homes can create plentyRead more

When preparing for an open home, it’s true what they say, first impressions really do count. That’s why it’s so important that your home make a positive first impression on every potential buyer that inspects your home. Simple measures like small, cosmetic changes to the interior of your home, moderate landscaping, repairs and de-cluttering canRead more

So you’ve found your dream home and it’s going to auction this weekend? Auctions can be very exciting and whilst you may be relying on your loan approval and good old fashioned luck, there are a few strategies that you can employ to help you win at auction. To win at auction: Bid confidently AccordingRead more

The standard response when you’re thinking about selling your home but are not sure when, is “sell in spring”. And there’s plenty of truth in that as warmer, drier weather and post-winter itchy feet drive potential buyers out to open homes. But life doesn’t stop for winter. People still need to move, whether it beRead more

Here are some tips to help you prepare for the long, cold wet winter and reduce the risk of damage some storms can make: Inside • Head to your local curtain store and purchase some heavier curtains for the winter season to prevent losing up to 40 per cent of the household heat through uncoveredRead more