Thursday, June 25, 2009

Latest Property News from Ted Hanson


Priorities

A philosophy professor stood before his class and had some items in front of him. When class began, wordlessly he picked up a large empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with rocks right to the top, rocks about 2" diameter.

He then asked the students if the jar was full? They agreed that it was.
So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them in to the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles, of course, rolled into the open areas between the rocks. The students laughed.
He asked his students again if the jar was full? They agreed that yes, it was.

The professor then picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else.
"Now," said the professor, "I want you to recognize that this is your life. The rocks are the important things - your family, your partner, your health, your children - anything that is so important to you that if it were lost, you would be nearly destroyed.

The pebbles are the other things in life that matter, but on a smaller scale. The pebbles represent things like your job, your house, your car.
The sand is everything else. The small stuff.

If you put the sand or the pebbles into the jar first, there is no room for the rocks. The same goes for your life. If you spend all your energy and time on the small stuff, material things, you will never have room for the things that are truly most important.

Pay attention to the things that are critical in your life. Play with your children. Take your partner out dancing There will always be time to go to work, clean the house, give a dinner party and fix the disposal." Take care of the rocks first - the things that really matter.

1.
End in sight for low starts

The building industry seems unperturbed by the latest data showing weak housing starts in the March quarter of 2009.

The figures, released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, show housing starts fell by 4 per cent in the March quarter, to be 22.5 per cent lower than just 12 months ago.

The building industry seems unperturbed by the latest data showing weak housing starts in the March quarter of 2009.

The figures, released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, show housing starts fell by 4 per cent in the March quarter, to be 22.5 per cent lower than just 12 months ago.

Detached house starts fell by 4.2 per cent to 21,757 in the March 2009 quarter. Multi-unit starts dropped by 3.4 per cent to 9,192.

Residential building association HIA believes the low number of starts in the March quarter will prove to be the bottom of the housing cycle.

HIA Senior Economist Ben Phillips said that the March quarter result continued to be plagued by the issues of 2008: high interest rates, credit constraints and a weak property market.
"The environment has changed in 2009", Phillips said.

"Building approvals, housing finance and first home buyer grant numbers have already turned the corner and are growing strongly early in 2009 in response to government action.

"This good news will flow into starts over the remainder of 2009 and HIA forecasts a 15 per cent boost to starts by the December quarter", he added.

The number of housing starts in the March 2009 quarter fell by 7.2 per cent in New South Wales, 6 per cent in Queensland, 16 per cent in Tasmania, 0.9 per cent in the Australian Capital Territory and 46.3 per cent in the Northern Territory.

Starts increased by 3.5 per cent in South Australia, 5.8 per cent in Western Australia, and 0.1 per cent in Victoria.

2.
Urban design open for entries

Nominations close this week for the Australia Award for Urban Design.

Created by the Urban Design Taskforce to recognise and encourage excellence in urban design in cities, towns and emerging settlements of all sizes, the award was won last year by the City of Bendigo.

Nominations close this week for the Australia Award for Urban Design.

Created by the Urban Design Taskforce to recognise and encourage excellence in urban design in cities, towns and emerging settlements of all sizes, the award was won last year by the City of Bendigo.

The Australia Award for Urban Design is given to new Australian urban design initiatives, projects, developments and significant publications that:

* connect to contemporary and historic settings
* help restore ecological health
* make a significant cultural contribution
* are purposeful and innovative
* are open to change and adaptation
* are ecologically sound, and
* are no more than 3 years old.

The Australia Award for Urban Design is hosted by the Planning Institute of Australia, with support from the Australian Institute of Architects, Property Council of Australia, Green Building Council of Australia, Association of Consulting Engineers Australia and the Urban
Design Forum. The Prime Minister, The Hon. Kevin Rudd, is patron of the Award.

The AAUD will be announced and awarded at a dinner in Canberra on Tuesday 11 August.

3.
Budget offers further boost

Queensland's home buyers received yet another incentive in their state's Budget this week, with the announcement that the threshold for stamp duty on vacant land is to be almost doubled.

Treasurer Andrew Fraser said the move would save first-home buyers up to $5,675 on the purchase of vacant land, with transfer duty abolished for blocks of land worth up to $250,000.
The previous threshold was $150,000.

Queensland's home buyers received yet another incentive in their state's Budget this week, with the announcement that the threshold for stamp duty on vacant land is to be almost doubled.

Treasurer Andrew Fraser said the move would save first-home buyers up to $5,675 on the purchase of vacant land, with transfer duty abolished for blocks of land worth up to $250,000.
The previous threshold was $150,000.

The Budget also outlined a record $18.2 billion building program for 2009-10.

Building on last year's incentives, Mr Fraser said the transfer duty concession would be provided in addition to the grants available to first-home buyers.

"This initiative will not only make vacant land more affordable for first-home buyers to build on, it will also stimulate the building industry, which is a vital part of the Queensland economy," Mr Fraser said.

"For first-home buyers who purchase vacant land, the prospect of saving up to $5,675 on a $250,000 block is very real and very immediate."

Mr Fraser said he would also extend the phase-out concession from $300,000 to $400,000.

4.
Bedding customers sleep better everyday

A $100 gift voucher has been made available to a number of customers of a national bedding and furniture retailer, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) announced this week.

A $100 gift voucher has been made available to a number of customers of a national bedding and furniture retailer, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) announced this week.

Furniture and Bedding Concepts Ltd, which owns and operates 107 retail stores under the Sleep City and Everyday Living brands, has offered the voucher to those customers who were likely to have been misled by comparison pricing claims that appeared in its Spring '08 catalogue.

During August and September 2008, Sleep City and Everyday Living published a Spring '08 catalogue, promoting a range of bedding and furniture products using price comparisons in the form of 'Now $X, Save $Y'.

The 'save' amounts in the catalogue were determined by reference to Sleep City and Everyday Living's own internally-set recommended retail prices, not the prices at which the products were offered, or sold, for a reasonable time immediately before the sale.

Customers who consider that they may be eligible to receive a gift voucher but have not heard from Sleep City and Everyday Living by 8 July 2009 are invited to contact them on (03) 8761 2200 with their inquiries.

5.
Demolition ball to the wrong wall

Ever been misguided by a GPS navigation system? With all the technological advancements at our fingertips, in our homes and cars, we sometimes lose sight of the margin for error. A prime example was seen in the news recently when a demolition firm followed their GPS coordinates and wrecked the wrong house.

Reuters reports when the owner confronted the demolition crew, they insisted they had paperwork for the job, revealing GPS coordinates that led them to the address and a description that matched the house.

It is believed a house across the street was the intended target.

6.
A breath of fresh air

Spring is notorious for flooding nasal passages with pollen and causing pets to moult, but that doesn't mean that Winter is entirely guilt-free of causing breathing problems, asthma attacks and other health hazards.

The chilly air means that we are less inclined to open doors and windows, in the hope of avoiding draughts and saving on heating bills, yet without frequent circulation, the air inside the home can become stale and unhealthy.

Of course, the best thing to do is throw your house open on the warmer days. But if you have no desire to let in the cold fresh air, or your house is damp and a breeding ground for mould, it may be time to consider using an air purifier to ensure your family's health doesn't suffer through winter.

There are some excellent air purifiers available, many of which are energy friendly and won't break the budget. Some simply purify the air, while others act as dehumidifers and ionisers; but most will remove problems such as dust, pollen, cigarette smoke, mould spores and other allergens from your home.

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Latest Property News from Ted Hanson

Short but funny.

There was a flood, and an old woman watched as the water came closer to her house. A man in a boat came by and offered her to help her.

"Thank you," she said, smiling, "but the lord will save me."

The water rose higher, and she had to go to the second floor. Another boat came by, and the people in the boat went to the window to rescue her.

"I'm okay," she told them. "I have faith in the lord. He'll save me." The boat left without her.

She was on the roof finally, with the water swirling around her feet, and a helicopter came. She refused their help too, telling them that she had faith and the lord would save her. Soon afterwards, the water took her away and she drowned.

When the woman arrived in heaven, she stepped before God and, crying, asked him, "Why didn't you help me? I had faith in you!"

"Not help you!" God replied. "What do you mean? I sent you two boats and a helicopter!"

1.
NSW carves up stamp duty on new homes

People buying newly-constructed properties will get a 50 per cent stamp duty cut in a massive stimulus boost to the state's housing sector announced in this week's NSW Budget.

The stamp duty cut is worth up to $11,245 per dwelling as the NSW Government targets a housing stimulus to people outside the first home buyer market, including investors, to stimulate the construction and purchase of new properties.

People buying newly-constructed properties will get a 50 per cent stamp duty cut in a massive stimulus boost to the state's housing sector announced in this week's NSW Budget.

The stamp duty cut is worth up to $11,245 per dwelling as the NSW Government targets a housing stimulus to people outside the first home buyer market, including investors, to stimulate the construction and purchase of new properties.

State Treasurer Eric Roozendaal said the NSW Housing Construction Acceleration Plan comes into force from July 1, 2009 and will run for at least six months, to be reviewed on December 31, 2009.

Under the bold initiative, stamp duty will be cut by 50 per cent per dwelling for people buying newly-constructed properties worth up to $600,000 - including property investors.

The saving is worth up to $11,245 a property.

It will not apply to first home buyers because they already pay no stamp duty on purchases up to $500,000 and a reduced rate between $500,000 and $600,000.

The Government also announced it will extend the $3000 first home buyer supplement for newly-constructed homes, announced last November, until at least the end of June 2010.

NSW first home buyers currently receive up to $41,990 in grants and stamp duty cuts - among the most generous in Australia.

"This is an investment in NSW jobs," Mr Roozendaal said.

"This initiative will stimulate the NSW housing market and the property development industry by encouraging people buying property to consider buying a newly constructed property.

"This program will include house and land packages, as well as recently-constructed homes, where the transaction is the first sale of that home since its construction.

"This program provides a strong incentive for property buyers to consider buying a new property, with more than 80 per cent of NSW home sales under $600,000."

Mr Roozendaal said the initiative puts the NSW property market on the path to recovery from the global recession.

In 2007-08, almost $80 billion worth of residential property was bought and sold in NSW by families, first home buyers, investors and companies.

In 2007-08, more than 30,000 new homes were approved.

But in 2008-09 this number has dropped to an average of under 2000 new dwellings being approved each month, as high interest rates and then the global recession hit the NSW property
market.

Investors will also be able to take advantage of the stamp duty cut in a move that will make investing in a new property development a more lucrative investment option.

Since the introduction of first home buyer grants in July 2000, more than 400,000 first home buyers in NSW have received grants and stamp duty exemptions worth over $5.7 billion.

March, April and May this year saw consecutive records for the number of first home buyers receiving grants with a total of 20,603 first home buyers receiving more than $500 million in grants and stamp duty concession in those three months alone from both the NSW Government and the Commonwealth.

2.
Investors step up

Demand for home loans continued to rise in April, particularly for investors and owner-occupiers, according to figures released this week by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

First home buyer numbers dipped to 16,651 in April from 17,652 in March; however, this is still almost double the 8,818 who entered the mortgage market in August 2008, before the First Home Owner Boost was introduced and cash rate cuts began.

Demand for home loans continued to rise in April, particularly for investors and owner-occupiers, according to figures released this week by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

First home buyer numbers dipped to 16,651 in April from 17,652 in March; however, this is still almost double the 8,818 who entered the mortgage market in August 2008, before the First Home Owner Boost was introduced and cash rate cuts began.

The overall value of housing finance commitments for all dwellings rose for the fifth month in a row, by 3.6 per cent. This compared with a 6.7 per cent rise in March and a 1.3 per cent rise in February.

Investor-fixed loans and owner occupied housing finance demand increased notably, by 8.9 per cent and 1.9 per cent respectively.

The value of new housing loans across all categories - first homebuyers, owner-occupiers and investor fixed loans - all rose significantly. In fact, first homebuyers as a total of the value of commitments hit a record 28 per cent, from 27.3 per cent in March 2009.

Mortgage Choice CEO, Michael Russell said that the drop in loans for first homeowners could be due to the tightening of credit.

"All potential property market purchasers need to understand new lending restrictions coming into play," Mr Russell said.

"For example, most lenders now want to see at least a 5-10 per cent deposit built over at least three months from genuine savings.

"Self-education is key to becoming a successful property market entrant," he added.

3.
Profiting from your property investment

As a difficult financial year draws rapidly to a close, it is time to take stock and look for any tax advantages we can find.

Yet many property owners are losing potential tax credits by failing to take full advantage of a property's tax depreciation potential, according to quantity surveyors BMT.

As a difficult financial year draws rapidly to a close, it is time to take stock and look for any tax advantages we can find.

Yet many property owners are losing potential tax credits by failing to take full advantage of a property's tax depreciation potential, according to quantity surveyors BMT.

BMT Director Bradley Beer says that it is common for owners to miss out on obtaining tax credits, simply because they do not know what they can claim.

"Property tax depreciation is available to any property owner who obtains assessable income by way of rent or operates a business from a property," Beer says.

Some key points regarding depreciation of investment properties include:

  • Any building irrespective of age will attract some claim for depreciation with respect to the plant and equipment items contained within the property including air conditioning, carpets, light fittings, etc;
  • As a general rule any property constructed after 17 July 1985 (residential) and 19 July 1982 (non-residential) is eligible for the construction write-off allowance;
  • Any property having had additions or refurbishments undertaken after 17 July 1985 (residential) and 19 July 1982 (non-residential) may be eligible for a construction write off allowance;
  • All external works including fencing, paving, pergolas, garden sheds etc constructed after 26 February 1992 will attract the building write off allowance;
  • Depreciation and capital allowances can be backdated/amended for up to two years if previously unclaimed or not maximised.

The depreciation potential of an individual building will differ greatly depending on its age, use and original construction cost, Beer says.

"The maximisation of a depreciation claim on any building requires a unique combination of construction costing skills and experience combined with an intimate knowledge of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997."

Beer suggests it can be worthwhile to engage a specialist to maximise depreciation at a number of stages in the property life cycle including:

  • purchase of an existing building;
  • completion of a new building; and
  • professional assessment of currently-held property.

BMT Tax Depreciation are Quantity Surveyors recognised by the Australian Tax Office under TR 97/25 as appropriately qualified to estimate construction costs of a building for tax purposes.

4.
Rug up your home

Winter has set in well and truly this month and has been making its presence felt since, with rain, snow and chilly winds.

Do you find that no matter how well you heat your house, an icy blast blows in every time someone opens a door? Just as we rug ourselves up in warm protective clothing to beat the cold when venturing outside, we can wrap our homes with windcheaters to ward off those chill winds.

Winter has set in well and truly this month and has been making its presence felt since, with rain, snow and chilly winds.

Do you find that no matter how well you heat your house, an icy blast blows in every time someone opens a door? Just as we rug ourselves up in warm protective clothing to beat the cold when venturing outside, we can wrap our homes with windcheaters to ward off those chill winds.

Possibly the most effective way to deflect winter winds is to plant a barrier along the side of the house where they are most prevalent. A hedge or a row of evergreens such as yew or box - or if you prefer natives, wattle, banksias or bottlebrushes. An added bonus of the living windbreak is that it will also provide protection for the garden and warm spots for you to sit on a sunny winter day.

As a short-term solution, erect a trellis or bamboo screen in the garden so that it breaks the flow of wind into your house.

There are also things you can do inside the house to deflect the chilly winds of winter. If external doors open directly into an open room such as the living room, try placing a barrier such as a bookcase or screen just inside the entrance. Again, plants will absorb the flow and `mute' it before it reaches into the room.

If your builder's hands are stronger than your green thumbs, you may consider putting up walls
around a patio making it a porch, creating a wind break for the front or back door. Using fibreglass or strong structural glass can insulate the area while still letting the light in.

Even running a simple wooden screen a few metres from the house will form a windbreak in areas that are most exposed and affected by the wind.

Basically, any type of windbreak will work to lower the wind chill near your home, which occurs when wind speed lowers the outside temperature. For example, if the outside temperature is -12°C and the wind speed is 32 kilometres per hour, the wind chill is -31°C. A windbreak will reduce wind speed for a distance of as much as 30 times the windbreak's height.

For maximum protection, plant your windbreak at a distance from your home of two to five times the mature height of the trees, so if there's ever any high winds strong enough to uproot them, you have a buffer zone.

The best windbreaks block wind close to the ground by using trees and shrubs that have low crowns. If snow tends to drift in your area, plant low shrubs on the windward side of your windbreak. The shrubs will trap snow before it blows next to your home.

In addition to more distant windbreaks, planting shrubs, bushes, and vines next to your house creates dead air spaces that insulate your home in both winter and summer. When planting, leave at least 30 centimetres of space between full-grown plants and the nearest wall.

5.
$10 ticket to multimillion-dollar luxury home

What do you do when a tumultuous market leaves your multimillion-dollar home practically unsaleable?

While it may not be a problem all of us will face, one US couple may have found a way to move the house and get the money they wanted for it, one US$10 raffle ticket at a time.

The Brannans decided that raffling their 6,000 sq. ft. Florida home was much more likely to attract interest than just another luxury home with a price tag that exceeds the current climate's viability. Aiming to sell 300,000 tickets to meet the asking price, the couple have also committed a portion of the proceeds to their local church. Pictures of the home that offers 6 bedrooms, 6.5 baths, a theatre room, winding staircase, 4 car garage and 100ft deep ocean water front access can be seen at floridaluxuryauctions.com, along with a bidding option in case you're feeling lucky.

6.
Switch to safe storage

Frequently when a house is robbed, the intruders will be in and out in well under 10 minutes.

While it's a good idea to install a security system and have strong locks put in by a trusted locksmith, keeping your valuables hidden somewhere obscure and secure will keep their discovery well outside the scope of the average opportunistic thief's 10-minute scramble.

The Hidden Wall Safe is an innovative take on household safes, as the entrance to it is a high-impact plastic and metal cover that looks just like a power socket. Once installed, the safe pivots out to reveal the secret hiding place, perfect for storing money, jewelry and other small but priceless items.

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Latest Property News from Ted Hanson

The Present

Imagine there was a bank that credited your very own account each morning with a large sum of money. But, it carried over no balance from day to day. Every evening it deleted whatever part of the balance you failed to use during the day. What would you do? Draw out all of it, of course!

Each of us has such a bank. Its name is - Time. Every morning, it credits you with 86,400 seconds. Every night it writes off, as lost, whatever of this you have failed to invest to good purpose. It carries over no balance. It allows no overdraft.

Each day it makes a new deposit for you. Each night it burns the remains of the day. If you fail to use the day's deposits, the loss is yours. There is no going back. There is no drawing against the "tomorrow." You must live in the present on today's deposits. Invest it so as to get from it the utmost in health, happiness, and success!

The clock is running. Make the most of today. And remember that time waits for no one. Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. But today is a gift. That's why it's called The Present!



1.
Households stung for $1 billion in fees

Australian households have been charged almost a billion dollars in unfair bank penalty fees in the past year, according to consumer advocate group Choice, which is calling on the government to do something about it.

New data released by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) shows the total fees paid by households to banks in 2008 is up by 8 per cent to $4.845 billion. These figures have been broken down for the first time to reveal that 20 per cent of bank fees paid by households in 2008 came from unfair bank penalty fees.

Australian households have been charged almost a billion dollars in unfair bank penalty fees in the past year, according to consumer advocate group Choice, which is calling on the government to do something about it.

New data released by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) shows the total fees paid by households to banks in 2008 is up by 8 per cent to $4.845 billion. These figures have been broken down for the first time to reveal that 20 per cent of bank fees paid by households in 2008 came from unfair bank penalty fees.

"These are the figures the banks didn't want you to see and they're much worse than even we expected," said CHOICE spokesman Christopher Zinn.

"Consumers will be furious to learn that they were stung with almost $1 billion in unfair bank penalty fees last year."

CHOICE says this figure is too high and must be halved by this time next year. The consumer group says banks need to act to:

  • Get rid of overlimit fees on credit cards.
  • Ensure no account can be overdrawn without customer authorisation.
  • Review every penalty fee and make sure it reflects the true cost incurred by the bank.

CHOICE says if banks choose not to bring these fees down and limit the circumstances in which they can be charged then the government will need to act.

"The growing market dominance of the Big Four as a result of recent bank mergers means banks have customers over a barrel. This is an unacceptable situation," Zinn says.

"As a result of CHOICE's campaign against unfair bank penalty fees the banks have already made some improvements in this area but this alarming figure shows there is a long way yet to go."

2.
Incentives and renos build future

There are already strong signs of a recovery for the housing industry over the next financial year, according to a new report.

Commenting on the release of the March 2009 quarter HIA National Outlook publication, HIA Chief Economist, Dr Harley Dale, said this week that substantial fiscal stimulus and large interest rate reductions will see new home building grind out a recovery from mid 2009.

There are already strong signs of a recovery for the housing industry over the next financial year, according to a new report.

Commenting on the release of the March 2009 quarter HIA National Outlook publication, HIA Chief Economist, Dr Harley Dale, said this week that substantial fiscal stimulus and large interest rate reductions will see new home building grind out a recovery from mid 2009.

The number of housing starts was forecast to fall by 17 per cent in 2008/09 to a level of 132,000 before growing by 11 per cent over the subsequent two years.

The report shows that the renovations sector, which accounts for 47 cents in every dollar spent in the housing industry, is holding up well.

"Following a steady 2008/09 we are forecasting an increase in total renovations investment of 6 per cent over 2009/10 - 2010/11," Dale said.

"Renovations activity hit a record worth of nearly $31 billion in 2007/08 and our forecast is for the value to be well on the way to $33 billion in 2010/11."

3.
WA to change transfer duties

The Western Australian Government has announced a series of planned changes which will allow homebuyers to pay transfer duty as part of the settlement process.

Treasurer Troy Buswell said the combination of duty laws, banking practice and contract conditions all currently contributed to a requirement to produce a stamped transfer document at the time of settlement.

The Western Australian Government has announced a series of planned changes which will allow homebuyers to pay transfer duty as part of the settlement process.

Treasurer Troy Buswell said the combination of duty laws, banking practice and contract conditions all currently contributed to a requirement to produce a stamped transfer document at the time of settlement.

"In the past few years, one of the most common complaints by home buyers has been the need for them to pay transfer duty before settlement takes place," Mr Buswell said.

"As a result, many buyers are inconvenienced by having to pay the duty from their own funds or arrange for their bank to pre-release a portion of the loan to facilitate the early payment of duty.

The Treasurer said that the planned solution was multi-faceted, involving legislative change, significant computer system enhancements and the use of the Office of State Revenue's electronic assessment system by settlement agents.

"Significant industry consultation, including with the Australian Institute of Conveyancers (WA), has taken place on the design of the new arrangements," he said.

Mr Buswell said he intends to introduce legislation into State Parliament in the second half of 2009 and hopes the computer system developments would be completed in time for the new arrangements to commence by the start of the 2010-11 financial year.

4.
Plant your trees while the sun don't shine

Last Friday was World Environment Day, but don't fret if you didn't get involved in the day's festivities and tree planting sessions, you still have plenty of chances.

Last Friday was World Environment Day, but don't fret if you didn't get involved in the day's festivities and tree planting sessions, you still have plenty of chances.

Planting trees tops the United Nations list of Things People Can Do to green their lives, as it helps to maintain and enhance biodiversity, and to preserve native plants, birds, fish and insects as well as their support systems and food supplies - forest, streams, wetlands, and seas.

Many local councils support and organise planting days during `tree planting season' - basically winter, from May to August. During this time, volunteers join regional parks' staff to plant trees, helping to restore habitats and revegetate parks, as well as other local sites that could afford to show a little more green.

The UN promotes tree planting on and around World Environment Day because trees can be planted during June on every continent, and every new tree contributes to its target of seven billion planted by the end of the year. You can follow the tree campaign's progress on Twitter.

5.
Greening the golden oldies

Heritage buildings in the UK are to be given a green makeover, according to a recent report in Country Life magazine.

The magazine reports that the National Trust plans to renovate 5000 buildings over the next five years to meet a minimum set of environmental standards, including the installation of loft insulation and water saving devices.

Castle Drogo in Devon, for instance, will have recycled glass flooring in the entry, rainwater supplying its lavatories and recycled newspaper installed as insulation in the roof. It is also upgrading its heating, from oil boilers to a biomass version fuelled by local woodchips.

6.
Multitasking mirrors

There have been some bizarre developments recently in the design of bathroom mirrors, many of which seem to stem from a love of multi-tasking. But hey, if you're going to spend time in front of one, why not get the most out of the experience?

In the past we've seen an LCD TV built into a mirror, created by a stock exchange agent with a desire to keep an eye on the market at all times and the Who Tall Are You mirror, that charts your height and matches it to a famous celebrity of the same stature.

Now there's the Maitre bathroom mirror, living up to its name with a touch screen console that activates an integrated radio, clock, barometer and mp3 player, while a sensor activates a demister so you won't get cold waiting for the fog to clear.

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Latest Property News from Ted Hanson



Friday 05 June 2009
Two Choices

Thomas is the kind of guy you love to hate. He's always in a good mood, and always has something positive to say.

Whenever someone asked him how he was, He'd answer: "If I'd be any better I'd be twins!"

I was curious about this, and one day I went up to Thomas and asked: "How do you do it?"

Thomas answered: "Every morning I wake up I tell myself: you have two choices today. You can choose to be in a good mood or in a bad mood. I choose to be in a good mood. Every time something bad happens I can choose to be a victim or learn from it. Every time someone complains to me I can choose to accept their complaint or I can choose to focus on the positive sides to life. I choose the positive sides of life."

"Sure - but it's not all that simple" I protested.
"It is" said Thomas, "Life is about choices. When you cut away the crap, every situation is a choice. You choose how to react on the situations. You choose how people affect your mood. It is you who choose if you want to be in a good mood or a bad mood. In the end it is your choice how you live your life."

I thought about what Thomas had told me. Shortly after I left the firm to start a new business. We lost touch, but I often thought of him whenever I took a choice concerning my life instead of just reacting to it.

Many years later I heard that Thomas was involved in a serious accident with a fall of over 20meters from a radio sender. After 18 hours of surgery and weeks in the recovery room Thomas was released from hospital with support along his spine.

I met him about 6 weeks after the accident. When I asked him how he felt he answered: "If I'd be any better I'd be twins! do you want to see my scars?"
I turned down the offer of seeing the scars, but asked him what he thought during the accident.

The first thing I thought was the welfare of my daughter" Thomas answered. "So while I lay on the ground I remembered I had two choices. I could choose to live or I could choose to die. I chose to live."

"Weren't you scared? Did you lose consciousness?" I asked.

"The ambulance people were amazing. They kept saying everything will be fine. but when they rolled me into intensive care and I saw the looks of the doctors and nurses there I got terrified. Their eyes had written "He's a dead man" in them. I knew then I had to do something." Thomas said.

"What did you do?" I asked.

"Well - there was this big brutish kind of nurse yelling questions at me. and she asked me if I was allergic to something. I answered "yes". The doctors and nurses stopped while waiting for my answer. I took a deep breath and said: "Gravity"
Through their laughter I told them: "I choose to live. Operate on me as if I am living, not dying"

Thomas survived because of the doctor's competence, but also because of his amazing attitude. From him I learned that every day we can choose to live fully. Attitude is, after all, EVERYTHING.

1.
Bank keeps interest rates in reserve

The Reserve Bank has taken a `wait and see' attitude to the Australian economy again this month, when it decided on Tuesday to leave the official Cash rate unchanged at 3.0 per cent.

In a statement announcing the Bank's decision, Governor Glenn Stevens said that while the global economy is stabilising due to "considerable economic policy stimulus in train in most countries", much of the effect of these changes is yet to be observed, although Australia is starting to show definite strength.

The Reserve Bank has taken a `wait and see' attitude to the Australian economy again this month, when it decided on Tuesday to leave the official Cash rate unchanged at 3.0 per cent.

In a statement announcing the Bank's decision, Governor Glenn Stevens said that while the global economy is stabilising due to "considerable economic policy stimulus in train in most countries", much of the effect of these changes is yet to be observed, although Australia is starting to show definite strength.

"A pick-up in housing credit demand suggests stronger dwelling activity is likely later in the year", Governor Stevens said.

He added that since monetary policy has been eased significantly, market and mortgage rates are at very low levels by historical standards, but this will be monitored closely in case there is need for further reduction.

"Nonetheless, the prospect of inflation declining over the medium term suggests that scope remains for some further easing of monetary policy, if needed", he said.

2.
Rosy future in building approvals

The building industry took heart this week from another solid increase in approvals for both new dwellings and renovations.

Figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics show that the total number of dwelling units approved, seasonally adjusted, rose by 5.1 per cent to 11,402 in April, to be 16.1 per cent lower than the same month in the previous year.

The building industry took heart this week from another solid increase in approvals for both new dwellings and renovations.

Figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics show that the total number of dwelling units approved, seasonally adjusted, rose by 5.1 per cent to 11,402 in April, to be 16.1 per cent lower than the same month in the previous year.

The seasonally adjusted estimates for the value of new residential building and alterations and additions approved rose 1.7 per cent and 9.2 per cent respectively.

In seasonally adjusted terms the estimate for the number of private sector other dwellings approved fell 1.4%.

Private sector house approvals rose by 7.2 per cent to 8,014 to be down 8.5 per cent on the same month last year.

The more volatile private sector `other dwellings' (apartments and townhouses), fell by 1.4 per cent to 2,987 dwellings following increases in the two previous months in April.

Peter Jones, Chief Economist, Master Builders Australia remarked that the continued increase in dwelling approvals is further evidence that stimulus measures are working to spark a housing recovery.

"Later this year the recovery in dwelling approvals will translate into increased commencements and ultimately lead to an improvement in residential building activity next year", Jones said.

"With momentum in the housing sector so vital to Australia's economic prospects, signs of a pick up in approvals -- particularly in NSW -- are a cause for optimism."

"Given the level of underbuilding, a recovery is well and truly overdue, with only 130,000 dwelling starts expected in 2008/09 -- a 17 per cent decline on the previous year."

3.
First Green Star Residential rating awarded

A residential apartment development in Western Australia has been awarded Australia's first ever Green Star residential rating from the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA).

"The Summer" has been awarded a 4 Star Green Star - Multi Unit Residential PILOT certified rating, following its participation as a national pilot project.

A residential apartment development in Western Australia has been awarded Australia's first ever Green Star residential rating from the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA).

"The Summer" has been awarded a 4 Star Green Star - Multi Unit Residential PILOT certified rating, following its participation as a national pilot project.

According to the Chief Executive of the GBCA, Romilly Madew, residential buildings in Australia are responsible for 13 per cent of the nation's greenhouse gas emissions.

"While Australia's level of greenhouse gas emissions per home is one of the largest in the world, buildings also offer one of the cheapest and easiest opportunities for greenhouse gas abatement", Ms Madew said.

"We are delighted to recognise and reward this landmark residential development for its sustainable design features."

The GBCA's Green Star Executive Director, Robin Mellon, said that The Summer demonstrates that residential developments can go 'above and beyond' minimum requirements and reach best practice outcomes by focusing on good passive design principles such as orientation, shading and natural ventilation.

"It's also great to see best practice in sustainability go hand-in-hand with good design aesthetics - a clear signal to the industry that 'green' and 'good architecture' are compatible," Mr Mellon added.

The Green Star environmental rating system for buildings evaluates the green attributes of building projects based on nine criteria, including energy and water efficiency, indoor environment quality and resource conservation.

The Green Star - Multi Unit Residential PILOT rating tool was created to enable building owners and developers to minimise the environmental impacts of their developments, capitalise on the environmental benefits of their initiatives, and receive recognition for more
environmentally sustainable design.

The accreditation process included a rigorous assessment of the proposed apartment design, which was developed with an objective to reduce environmental impact and increase occupancy comfort levels.

The Summer was developed by boutique company Match in partnership with investment giant, Hawaiian. The property was designed by renowned architect Professor Geoffrey Warn of Donaldson Warn Architects, with environmental design assistance from building services consultants Lincolne Scott.

Located on South Beach Esplanade in South Fremantle, The Summer will incorporate an extensive range of environmental design techniques to effectively re-use around 80 per cent of the site waste, provide over 90 per cent of apartments with dual aspect to allow natural ventilation, introduce moveable screens on balconies to provide solar shading.

The property will include energy efficient appliances, rainwater storage and significantly reduce operating costs by implementing energy conservation principles, rather than those of a conventional base building.

4.
Solar energy offer

Homeowners who want to install solar panels but cannot afford to do so right now could be interested in a scheme being offered this month by mortgage broker Mortgage Choice in partnership with Diamond Energy.

The offer, available only until 25 June 2009, enables Australian homeowners who meet the eligibility criteria to have top-of-the-range solar panels (photovoltaic cells) installed at no cost to them.

Homeowners who want to install solar panels but cannot afford to do so right now could be interested in a scheme being offered this month by mortgage broker Mortgage Choice in partnership with Diamond Energy.

The offer, available only until 25 June 2009, enables Australian homeowners who meet the eligibility criteria to have top-of-the-range solar panels (photovoltaic cells) installed at no cost to them.

The solar cells packages have a retail value of up to $10,000 and can add significant capital value to the home going forward.

To take advantage of the offer, homeowners new or old must contact their local Mortgage Choice office. They do not need to have a loan through Mortgage Choice or commit to anything other than the solar energy offer.

To be eligible, they must own their own roof and have a combined household income less than $100,000 p.a. for the 07/08 financial year. Those with solar panels already fitted to their home's roof are not eligible.

Mortgage Choice senior corporate affairs manager, Kristy Sheppard says there is no catch.

"Diamond Energy makes $8,000 back from each installation and approximately $1,000 from program participants signing over their renewable energy certificates, thanks to the Federal Government's `Solar Homes and Communities Plan' cash rebate for grid connect solar power", she says.

We do suggest, however, that before signing up for this scheme, you research and review it in order to ensure you fully understand the implications therein.

5.
Take it in your stride

What's a name worth? Apparently, $6 million in damages - that's the amount two US realtors are suing the producer of a television show for, after he allegedly used their names and likenesses to portray sexually deviant characters.

The LA Times reports that Scott and Melinda Tamkin read about an episode of "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" that featured dirty-dealing, S&M-loving real estate agents named Scott and Melinda Tamkin. Following up with some quick detective work of their own they found the producer and co-writer had history with them - a house sale that had fallen apart four years prior.

It seems revenge is a dish best not served at all.

6.
Slipper solution for drip retribution

Unless you can reach a towel while you're still in the shower, chances are you're going to end up with water on the floor. A few drops here and there isn't much between friends, but puddles can spell trouble in the form of slips, spills and soaked socks.

Bathmats have their place, but who really wants to touch one with their hands to mop up the water that falls outside its jurisdiction?

The Mat Walk bathmat has your feet covered, literally, with slippers integrated into the mat, allowing you to walk it around the bathroom mopping up the floor.