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Oct 9, 2022
Historical downturns in the property market - what can we learn
It is no secret that the present is a challenging time for the real estate market with six consecutive monthly rate increases this year, and the rate currently being at a 9 year high. History shows the real estate market ebbs and flows with booms and downturns. While now might be a tough time, it is not like we haven't lived it before. With talk of more interest rate increases, and quickly, to curb increasing inflation, the talk among experts has been of a steep and lasting decline in house prices. So, what can history teach us? Watch the video as Joanne Danckwardt of One Agency JD Property Agents talks about historical downturns in the Australian property market, and why housing downturns in Australia are not exactly new. [siteloft_youtube video_id="9luIoKgrPM8" autoplay="1" suggestions="1"] If you're ready to discover the secrets to being ready to sell your home, download our free insider secrets to being ready to sell checklist. YES, DOWNLOAD MY CHECKLIST As rates have risen, property price growth has slowed, with prices falling in some regions. Many buyers can no longer borrow the same amount as this time last year, and as rates continue to climb, borrowing capacities with be further impacted. Prospective buyers face higher borrowing costs, and also uncertainty of future repayment costs. All this is being reflected in the housing market, with demand declining as buyers try to wrap their heads around the fast increases. This, along with the constant negative news, has dulled buyer and seller confidence and we have moved into the next stage of the cycle – an adjustment cycle, after the extraordinary growth over the past two years – an amazing 34% increase cumulatively since the start of the pandemic in February 2020. What happened during previous property market downturns? Since 1990, there have been only five periods when year-ended property price growth has been negative. These declines have never been greater than 10% in year ended terms, with the following upturn being larger than the downturn. According to PropTrack’s Home Price Index, in recent history, Australia-wide downturns have lasted an average of between nine months and ten months. In 2008/2009, the Global Financial Crisis impacted the Australia real estate market with a decrease of approximately 8.5%, while in 2011, property prices dropped due to global economic uncertainty and concerns. In 2018/2019, Sydney property prices fell by 11.4% over 22 months. Interest rates were not rising, but this decrease was due to credit changes, when banking and borrowing measures were put in place. With unemployment currently being at its lowest since 1974, and stronger wages growth, this could offset the increasing interest rates. Consideration should be given as household budgets are put under pressure with the increasing cost of living, coupled with rising interest rates. Household spending stability, wage growth, inflation, and interest rates are all factors that have an impact on property prices, along with the speed and depth of price decreases. While property price cycles are nothing new, it is understandable why people feel nervous about the current price slowdown. Like many property owners, you may be wondering what is the right thing to do at this present time. Should you buy? Should you sell? Or should you wait? Can you really predict the market? At One Agency JD Property Agents, we can provide you with advice, guidance, and results. We can help build a plan with you to overcome any fear, achieve sales results for you, assist with finding your next property to buy, and provide you with a range of strategic tailored real estate advice, and our rental services can help you to maximise your property returns. If you're ready to discover the secrets to being ready to sell your home, download our free insider secrets to being ready to sell checklist. YES, DOWNLOAD MY CHECKLIST If you feel you could benefit from our experience with buying and selling, we’d love to hear from you. Simply reach out. We hope that has helped you today. If you have any questions, or you know of anyone who may benefit from our real estate services, we’d love to chat. Our number is 0426 264 771. We look forward to talking to you soon.
Sep 5, 2022
Local person: martial arts instructor Mark Walker
Martial arts instructor Mark Walker is selling his beautifully renovated 1860s terrace on 56 Campbell St, Wollongong. He renovated the property to honour his late wife, who had a vision to see the property restored in a manner that celebrated opulence and its period charm. Here’s how the man, who trained under the legendary Bruce Lee’s trainer, carried out the project… You’re selling 56 Campbell St, Wollongong. Why did you buy the house? I’d been living interstate for a number of years, and I came back to Wollongong, because this is where my family was. This is where I met my future wife. She’s since passed away. So we fell in love with the house. We got gazumped three times, so we always knew it was a popular little place. What’s the history behind the house? Over the years, I've heard some differing accounts, all of which sound plausible. Firstly, we were told it was built in the 1860s, but subsequent information suggests it was built in 1881. The gentleman who built the terraces, built this one as the larger and premium one. This is the one that he and his family lived in. And over the following 20 years, he built all of the others. My grandmother, when she was a young child, lived in one on the other end. I didn't find that out until after I bought it. What have you done to the house in that time? We tried to retain the original colonial or period character. Everything that we've done or changed has always been with a view of keeping it as heritage looking as possible, or of a glamour feel that suited the style. We’d build luxury when we could. So we were always mindful of the fact that we had this dream that we wanted to be as sympathetic to that as possible. It's like a sanctuary and an oasis. It’s truly beautiful. We’ve gone to no end of trouble to keep to certain themes. It’s opulence and period friendly. Why have you decided to sell it? We were forced to close our (martial arts) business (during COVID). So at that point, my wife had only just recently passed away. That's when I devoted much of my time and effort to finish off the renovations to this terrace as a little bit of an honour to my wife who passed away. She really wanted to be the driving force behind it, but she died of leukaemia. And the last few years of life were pretty horrific. I wanted to honour her by finishing the project in the way she would have wanted. She was a style guru. She was always in the fashion industry. So I did my level best to do her proud. You have martial arts artefacts throughout the house. When and how did you get involved in martial arts? Yeah, I started martial arts back in 1964. So it’s always been a part of my life. And the business that I lost was a very successful school here in Wollongong. It was started at the same time coincidentally as buying this terrace. In the future we plan to make an online martial arts business. You’re an instructor in different martial arts disciplines? What are those? I have the style that, after so many years, I founded myself. I trained directly under the founder of one style called Hapkido, and he was actually one of Bruce Lee's instructors. So I now have my own style which is called Zen Dan Kwan. My school was called Zen Dan Swan School of Martial Arts. Then there’s Hapkido, Judo, plus Japanese sword which is called Kenjutsu. When I was younger, I did karate and I started off doing judo from the age of five to 20.There’s a lot of martial arts there (laughs). What is your greatest achievement in regards to martial arts? Well, we've had so many students and we've graduated some of the most incredible young people. We've helped people become black belts and we've seen people grow from little children into highly successful young adults. I’m still in contact with many of them. They’re like my grandchildren. What’s next for you after 56 Campbell St? Well, my new partner, Maggie and I have decided it's time for a tree change. We want to be able to plant some trees and have some birds and a couple of dogs. And we look forward to having the grandkids visit. To talk to Joanne about listing and selling your property, phone (02) 4285 7400. Or learn more about 56 Campbell St Wollongong. Are you or a loved one moving into aged care? Register for our free short course and learn how to right size your home when moving into aged care.
Aug 30, 2022
Local event: UCI Road World Championships 2022
Not sure how the UCI Road World Championships 2022 in Wollongong will impact you? We’ve put together a guide to help you best navigate Fairy Meadow, Balgownie, Mount Ousley and Mount Pleasant during the major international cycling event from September 17 to 25. While for some residents it will mean front row seats to the 1000 international cyclists competing for a gold medal, for others it will mean major road closures without access to work, businesses being shut and schools undertaking remote learning. Some of the hardest hit streets will be Foothills Road, Balgownie Cabbage Tree Lane, Fairy Meadow Ramah Avenue, Mount Pleasant. These roads are on the main race course and will be closed for at least a part of each day from September 17 to 25, and up to 11 hours on major race days. Here is your guide to one of the top five sporting events in the world that’s expected to bring in $95 million to the region. Which roads will be impacted during the UCI Road World Championships 2022? Different roads at different times will be impacted. It’s a good idea to work out what roads will impact you. From the Wollongong 2022 website, we’ve collated the details of the immediate roads impacted in the area. Transport for NSW and Wollongong City Council will be managing traffic flow on open streets to ease congestion. Major roads The M1, Memorial Drive and the Princes Highway (except for a section in Fairy Meadow) will operate as usual throughout the week. Towradgi Road and Balgownie Road will be permanently open and serve as connectors to the suburbs of Mt Ousley, Fairy Meadow, Towradgi and Balgownie. Other road closures Saturday, September 17 from 7.30am to 12pm (Fairy Meadow and Mount Ousley) Squires Way Carters Lane Elliotts Rd (Carters Lane to Grafton St) Clifford StDaisy St (Elliotts Rd to Lila Ave) Bourke St Princes Highway (Bourke St to Cabbage Tree Lane. Access maintained to Leisure Coast Fruit Market via Fairy Ave. Exit via Princes Hwy northbound only) Cabbage Tree Lane (Princes Hwy to Ocean View Parade) Foothills Rd Dumfries Ave (Bellebrae Ave to Strone Ave) Strone Ave Mount Ousley Road (Gaynor Ave to Princes Hwy) Princes Highway (Mount Ousley to Lysaght St. Northbound closed. Two-way traffic maintained via southbound lanes) Sunday, September 18 from 8am to 6pm Squires Way Carters Lane Elliotts Rd (Carters Lane to Grafton St) Clifford St Daisy St (Elliotts Rd to Lila Ave) Bourke St Princes Highway (Bourke St to Cabbage Tree Lane. Access maintained to Leisure Coast Fruit Market via Fairy Ave. Exit via Princes Hwy northbound only) Cabbage Tree Lane (Princes Hwy to Ocean View Parade) Foothills Rd Dumfries Ave (Bellebrae Ave to Strone Ave) Strone Ave Mount Ousley Road (Gaynor Ave to Princes Hwy) Princes Highway (Mount Ousley to Lysaght St. Northbound closed. Two-way traffic maintained via southbound lanes) Monday, September 19 from 11.30am to 6pm Squires Way Elliotts Rd (Carters Lane to Grafton St) Clifford St Daisy St (Elliotts Rd to Lila Ave) Bourke St Princes Highway (Bourke St to Cabbage Tree Lane. Access maintained to Leisure Coast Fruit Market via Fairy Ave. Exit via Princes Hwy northbound only) Cabbage Tree Lane (Princes Hwy to Ocean View Parade) Foothills Rd Dumfries Ave (Bellebrae Ave to Strone Ave) Strone Ave Mount Ousley Road (Gaynor Ave to Princes Hwy) Princes Highway (Mount Ousley to Lysaght St. Northbound closed. Two-way traffic maintained via southbound lanes) Tuesday, September 20 from 8am to 6pm Squires Way Elliotts Rd (Carters Lane to Grafton St) Clifford St Daisy St (Elliotts Rd to Lila Ave) Bourke St Princes Highway (Bourke St to Cabbage Tree Lane. Access maintained to Leisure Coast Fruit Market via Fairy Ave. Exit via Princes Hwy northbound only) Cabbage Tree Lane (Princes Hwy to Ocean View Parade) Foothills Rd Dumfries Ave (Bellebrae Ave to Strone Ave) Strone Ave Mount Ousley Road (Gaynor Ave to Princes Hwy) Princes Highway (Mount Ousley to Lysaght St. Northbound closed. Two-way traffic maintained via southbound lanes) Wednesday, September 21 from 12.30pm to 6pm Squires Way Elliotts Rd (Carters Lane to Grafton St) Clifford St Daisy St (Elliotts Rd to Lila Ave) Bourke St Princes Highway (Bourke St to Cabbage Tree Lane. Access maintained to Leisure Coast Fruit Market via Fairy Ave. Exit via Princes Hwy northbound only) Cabbage Tree Lane (Princes Hwy to Ocean View Parade) Foothills Rd Dumfries Ave (Bellebrae Ave to Strone Ave) Strone Ave Mount Ousley Road (Gaynor Ave to Princes Hwy) Princes Highway (Mount Ousley to Lysaght St. Northbound closed. Two-way traffic maintained via southbound lanes) Thursday, September 22 from 8am to 1.30pm Squires Way Elliotts Rd (Carters Lane to Grafton St) Clifford St Daisy St (Elliotts Rd to Lila Ave) Bourke St Princes Highway (Bourke St to Cabbage Tree Lane. Access maintained to Leisure Coast Fruit Market via Fairy Ave. Exit via Princes Hwy northbound only) Cabbage Tree Lane (Princes Hwy to Ocean View Parade) Dymock St Ryan St (from Dymock St to Barker St) New Mount Pleasant Rd (from Ryan St to Rose Parade) Brokers Rd (The Parkway to Ramah Ave) Ramah Ave Foothills Rd Dumfries Ave (Bellebrae Ave to Strone Ave) Strone Ave Mount Ousley Road (Gaynor Ave to Princes Hwy) Princes Highway (Mount Ousley to Lysaght St. Northbound closed. Two-way traffic maintained via southbound lanes) Friday, September 23 from 7am to 6pm Squires Way Elliotts Rd (Carters Lane to Grafton St) Clifford St Daisy St (Elliotts Rd to Lila Ave) Bourke St Princes Highway (Bourke St to Cabbage Tree Lane. Access maintained to Leisure Coast Fruit Market via Fairy Ave. Exit via Princes Hwy northbound only) Cabbage Tree Lane (Princes Hwy to Ocean View Parade. Managed local resident access only both directions on Cabbage Tree Lane between Foothills Rd and Vereker St available from 11.35am to 12.50pm) Dymock St Ryan St (from Dymock St to Barker St) New Mount Pleasant Rd (from Ryan St to Rose Parade) Brokers Rd (The Parkway to Ramah Ave) Ramah Ave (Managed local resident access only Ramah Ave at Ocean View Parade for access to Cabbage Tree Lane available from 11.30am to 12.50pm) Foothills Rd Dumfries Ave (Bellebrae Ave to Strone Ave) Strone Ave Mount Ousley Road (Gaynor Ave to Princes Hwy) Princes Highway (Mount Ousley to Lysaght St. Northbound closed. Two-way traffic maintained via southbound lanes) Saturday, September 24 from 6.45am to 6pm, unless otherwise stated below. Squires Way Carters Lane (11.30am to 2.30pm) Elliotts Rd (Carters Lane to Grafton St) Clifford St Daisy St (Elliotts Rd to Lila Ave) Bourke St Princes Highway (Bourke St to Cabbage Tree Lane. Access maintained to Leisure Coast Fruit Market via Fairy Ave. Exit via Princes Hwy northbound only) Cabbage Tree Lane (Princes Hwy to Ocean View Parade. Managed local resident access only both directions on Cabbage Tree Lane between Foothills Rd and Vereker St available from 9.50am to 1pm) Dymock St Ryan St (from Dymock St to Barker St) New Mount Pleasant Rd (from Ryan St to Rose Parade) Brokers Rd (The Parkway to Ramah Ave) Ramah Ave (Managed local resident access only Ramah Ave at Ocean View Parade for access to Cabbage Tree Lane available from 9.50am to 1pm) Foothills Rd Dumfries Ave (Bellebrae Ave to Strone Ave) Strone Ave Mount Ousley Road (Gaynor Ave to Princes Hwy) Princes Highway (Mount Ousley to Lysaght St. Northbound closed. Two-way traffic maintained via southbound lanes) Sunday, September 25 from 9.15am to 6pm (unless otherwise stated below) Squires Way Carters Lane (9.15am to 12.15pm) Elliotts Rd (Carters Lane to Grafton St) Clifford St Daisy St (Elliotts Rd to Lila Ave) Bourke St Princes Highway (Bourke St to Cabbage Tree Lane. Access maintained to Leisure Coast Fruit Market via Fairy Ave. Exit via Princes Hwy northbound only) Cabbage Tree Lane (Princes Hwy to Ocean View Parade. Managed local resident access only both directions on Cabbage Tree Lane between Foothills Rd and Vereker St available from 9.50am to 1pm) Dymock St Ryan St (from Dymock St to Barker St) New Mount Pleasant Rd (from Ryan St to Rose Parade) Brokers Rd (The Parkway to Ramah Ave) Ramah Ave (Managed local resident access only Ramah Ave at Ocean View Parade for access to Cabbage Tree Lane available from 9.50am to 1pm) Foothills Rd Dumfries Ave (Bellebrae Ave to Strone Ave) Strone Ave Mount Ousley Road (Gaynor Ave to Princes Hwy) Princes Highway (Mount Ousley to Lysaght St. Northbound closed. Two-way traffic maintained via southbound lanes) See UCI Road World Championships 2022 interactive maps for more information or a visual view. What will happen to the public transport around the Fairy Meadow area? The Wollongong shuttle bus from Fairy Meadow to Wollongong will have alterations to the routes, including the stops and schedules. During the event there will be 3 free shuttle services replacing the Free Gong Shuttle 55A and 55B, from 17 to 25 September. However, there will be no extra bus routes as part of the event. Spectators are encouraged to use these free shuttle buses. Details and route maps will be available on transportnsw.info and wollongong2022.com.au. Additional train services with extra seats and stops will be running every 30 minutes on the Illawarra and South Coast Line during event times. Updated train timetables will be available on Trip Planner. People are also encouraged to walk and ride where possible. Pedestrian crossing points will be around the course. Where are the pedestrian crossing points? Crossings will only be facilitated between races at the times specified, or during road races (in addition) if course management confirms it is safe. They are also subject to change. However, for now, local resident traffic crossing points in the area are: Friday, September 23 (11.35am to 12.50pm) and Saturday, September 24 (9.50am to 1pm) FAIRY MEADOW: Cabbage Tree Ln – east west access on Cabbage Tree Lane between Foothills Rd and Vereker St MOUNT PLEASANT: Crossing Ramah Ave at Ocean View Pde to join Cabbage Tree Lane What businesses will have changed operating hours? We have put a message on our Facebook page encouraging businesses which will be modifying or closing operations during the race, or who have access arrangements, to share with us. If you’d like to be part of the list, please include your details here or via our contact form. We'll then add them below. Allure Beauty, Fairy Meadow - Closed Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday afternoon, Thursday morning, Friday and Saturday. Which schools will be remote learning? Students and parents impacted by school closings and a return to remote learning have been advised. The public schools in the area that will be impacted include: Mount Ousley Pleasant Heights Public School Wollongong High School of the Performing Arts Good Samaritan Catholic Primary School For more information, visit https://wollongong2022.com.au/
Aug 19, 2022
How to submit a successful rental application
Your rental application is one of the things the real estate agent, property manager and landlord will look at to determine if you’re the right tenant for the property. It is important that your application is correct and stands out from the crowd in order to get it approved. If you understand what property managers and landlords are looking for, and you are willing to take care during the application process, you will be surprised by what you can secure. Applying for a rental property can be overwhelming and intimidating. You want to be able to give yourself the best chance of being successful, and competition is strong. In this video, we provide a guide that helps you submit a successful tenancy application and ultimately secure a rental property. [siteloft_youtube video_id="SoUHmCWXYhw" autoplay="1" suggestions="1"] If you're ready to discover how you can rent out your property with confidence, download our free Step By Step Checklist to Renting Your Property with Confidence. YES, DOWNLOAD MY CHECKLIST First Impressions Count Being on time to inspections and is common courtesy. As is being reasonable and pleasant at the inspection to the property manager. Make a good impression at the rental inspection by looking presentable – it shows you are keen to secure the property and you take the application process seriously. Being presentable gives an impression of responsibility, with is important in the eyes of any landlord. Provide a Complete Application with All Supporting Documents You will be provided with a list of documents that you are required to submit in conjunction with your application. In most instances, you’ll need the completed application form, photo ID, payslips or proof of employment or bank statements, references; pet references and a cover letter. Ensure you hall ALL documents ready for submission. There is no point in submitting an application without all the required supporting documents as it won’t be processed. If you are applying for a property with other people, ensure that they have done the same and supplied a fully completed application and supplied all supporting documents, otherwise you may miss out. The reason is because property manager and landlord will need to consider every single person who wishes to rent the place and determine if they’re suitable tenants. Having a completed set of documentation for all applicants/housemates will increase your chances of getting to the top of the pile and securing the property. Apply straight after the inspection and make sure you complete as much of the application as you can. If there are any sections you are unable to complete, explain why. Don’t submit a rushed or incomplete application if you really want that property. Be honest about all relevant details, including disclosing how many people will live at the property and your previous rental history. This will show that you are keen to get the property and it makes it much easier to mark you as a potential candidate. A well-thought-out tenancy application is more likely to get you the property as it shows you are transparent, organised, honest and reliable. Photo Identification Photo identification is an important part of the legal requirement to prove your identity. To apply for a property, you’ll need to provide 100 points of ID, so have these items ready to provide copies of when asked. Photo identification documents can include Driver’s licence, Passport, Official proof of age card. Employment and Income It’s important that you show that you will be able to pay the rent. This can be evidenced by your rental history along with your employment history, current payslips, and bank statements. Showing you have stable work history may be of benefit, and indicate that you are able to hold down a job, therefore deemed a low risk of not being able to pay the rent on time. Bear in mind that the property manager is likely to contact your employer to confirm your employment, so it is advisable to let them know they may receive a call. If your work history is not stable, you can prove you can pay the rent by showing you have good savings in your bank account, which will help make your application more robust. This will show that you have adequate funds to pay the rent, despite not having a regular income in the lead up to applying for the property. Rental History Your rental history is important. The stronger picture you can provide of your rental history, the more favourable your application will be. The key qualities a property manager will look for is that the rent was paid on time, the property was looked after, and the relationship with the previous agent was polite and positive, with matters such as repairs or routine inspections being dealt with co-operatively and easily. The property manager will want to know details such as the address of the previous rented property, the lease start and end dates, the amount of rent and details of the agency or property manager. It is also advisable to have a rental ledger and a rental reference from the outgoing property manager to attach to your application. You should know what your rental is history is like, so that you are not faced with any surprises, so find out your history in advance and clear up any negative issues or rental discrepancies before applying, to improve your chances. If you’ve had a past court order to vacate due to a breach of your lease, or have left a property owing more than the bond, you may be flagged on a tenancy database. When property managers see this, they will not recommend you, so avoid being listed at all costs. If you are new to renting then providing references from your current and previous employers as well as character references from people who are not relatives will also help. You may want to try a joint tenancy with a friend who has a previous positive rental history or ask a relative, who can act as a financial guarantor, to jointly take out the lease with you. References Any evidence from past landlords, an employer, or personal/character references that indicate you are trustworthy are suitable and provide additional weight to your application. With good recommendations from your references, you can prove to the real estate agent/property manager that you are reliable, will pay the rent on time and take good care of the property. When choosing referees, ask referees for permission before listing them. Let them know that are looking to list their details on your application and once you get their approval, ask them to send a reference letter and/or their contact details. Ask your previous landlord or real estate agent if they can provide you with a reference. The written reference should include details such as whether they recommend you as a tenant, was the rent paid in full and time, and was the property maintained and left in good condition. Personal/Character References are helpful as they show what type of person you are, and will assist the property manager and landlord with deciding if you are the right fit for the property. Someone with a respectful and good all-round character is more likely to look after a property and treat it as if it were their own. A personal or character reference might be provided by your manager or work colleague, or someone you know outside of your family. Ideally, you will have known that person for at least 12 months. A personal reference should include the relationship the referee has with the tenant and if applicable how they know you, how long they have known you, your personal qualities, and their contact information. Personal/Character references do not have to be long, but they do need to be positive, relevant and come from credible sources. Pet friendly rentals are competitive so it is worthwhile obtaining pet reference from your previous property manager. Cover Letter First impressions matter and including a cover letter to your application could be the added detail that puts you ahead of the competition. It should be formal but let some of your personality shine through. Write about who you are, what do you do for a living, the reason for your move, and when you are available to move in. Give a brief overview of your rental history and make mention of any special circumstances such as pets. List everyone who will be living at the property, detailing who you are and why you are the best candidates. Include photos of any pets that will be residing at the property and detail if they will be living inside or outside the rental. Follow Up Once you submit your application, it will generally take between 24 – 48 hours to process. They will check your previous rent history, verify employment and affordability of the rent, speak with your references/referees, check the application again national tenancy database, and converse with the landlord about the application. If you are approved for the property, the property manager will contact you immediately to share the good news, and then arrange for a deposit to be paid and the lease signed. After you have submitted your application, if you not heard anything after 48 hours, politely follow up with the property manager for an update, letting them know are interested in the property and you are happy to provide any additional information or references they might need or answer any additional questions. If you're ready to discover how you can rent out your property with confidence, download our free Step By Step Checklist to Renting Your Property with Confidence. YES, DOWNLOAD MY CHECKLIST In summary, having the above areas covered when submitting a tenancy application will encourage the best outcome! The property manager is predominantly concerned if the applicant can afford to pay the rent, and that they are reliable and will look after the property. Rental applications shouldn’t be too intimidating if you understand the process. At One Agency JD property Agents, we care about providing tenants with a home and efficient application process. We value our tenants and we’re here to help. Our current properties for lease are always being updated, so we encourage you keep an eye on our listings. We hope these tips have been helpful. If you feel you could benefit from our experience with property management, we’d love to hear from you. Simply reach out. We hope that has helped you today. If you have any questions, we’d love to talk to you. Our number is 0426 264 771 or 0455 147 755. We look forward to talking to you soon.
Aug 5, 2022
Local people: former One Agency Fairy Meadow owner Sally Absalom
This month, One Agency is celebrating 10 years in Fairy Meadow. The business was started by Sally Absalom in the current Shop 3/19-21 Princes Highway, Fairy Meadow location. Sally and current owner Joanne Danckwardt talk about the early days of real estate, how the industry has changed, and where they see things moving in the future. [siteloft_youtube video_id="/watch?v=RL8JmIj9cz0" autoplay="1" suggestions="1"] What made you want to get into real estate in the first place? Sally: It was a significant life event change. So I moved back to Wollongong from Tasmania and I decided to apply for a job in real estate. Joanne: I had been in sales for a long time, but I had sold things like I worked for Peters Ice Cream, so I sold ice cream and then I went into Kambrook and so I was selling electrical appliances and vacuum cleaners. I thought, 'I can do sales. What more could I sell?' I thought, well, I don’t mind houses (laughs). But I thought, no, I’d like to sell bigger ticket items. So that’s how I got into it. When I started, it was almost 30 years ago and I was employed to help buyers. So I was actually a buyer’s agent. How did you come to start up the Fairy Meadow branch of One Agency? What appealed to you about Fairy Meadow? Sally: The real estate industry has an annual conference called AREC (Australian Real Estate Conference). It was on the Gold Coast and I was talking to a girl there who talked me into it basically. There was a lot more freedom to what you could do. Why did you choose this particular location and building? Sally: With One Agency, you get a postcode. So I thought that's where I was pretty well known and I wanted the location of the highway. For the both of you, it was rare in the early days for females to be real estate agents. What was that time like for both of you? Joanne: It was really good for females to come into the industry. But I think it took the guys aback. I don't know about the office that you were in, but I was with three male directors and they hadn't had females in the office. Sally: I remember putting my photo on my business card and the guys were like "what are you doing that for?" Joanne: It was tough. I was four months pregnant before I told my directors that I was pregnant with my son because I was really worried about what they would do. And they employed another person within one week, because they all said their wives had terrible pregnancies and they judged me on that. And I never had any time off during my whole pregnancy. I worked right up to probably a week or two weeks before he was due. How did clients react to having a female agent back then? Sally: They liked it. I think we listened better. The vendor would just finish telling the story of the house and they’d (male colleague) ask a question about the thing they’ve just finished telling them about. They weren’t listening. Joanne: I found it really easy to relate to both parties. Did you find that? And I think I understood both parties. All the men cared about was garaging, the yard and how much is it going to cost me. That's really the only questions they were concerned about. But women, they wanted to see where the kitchen was and could they look into the backyard from the kitchen. Where are the bedrooms located? Is the master near the other bedrooms for the children. How many bathrooms? Completely different idea on what was important to them. Sally: The people selling, they’ve always got a story about the house. There’s that emotion. What about house prices and interest rates, which are hot topics at the moment. What do you remember of those early days? Joanne: Do you remember the 19% interest rate? Sally: Yeah, I had one (laughs). Joanne: Today is nothing compared to what it was like back then. Sally: And prices are different now. It’s always been peaks and troughs. And as they always say, never buy in a boom. You two worked together, when you Sally owned the business. What memories do you have of that time? Sally: There was a lot of debriefing. Joanne: Yes, it’s true. Because nobody understands it. Sally: You need to talk to somebody who understands it, and someone aside from your partner. Their eyes glaze over (laughs). Joanne: It's a high stress environment. There's a lot that goes on, there's a lot of pressure to get it right, to please people. You want to get it right, you want to do your best and you want to get the best result you can. And so there's pressure and you need to be able to talk things through. Sally: We had some fantastic auctions too. We’d come from a company that taught us really all about the auction process and we continued in that same vein. Joanne: The other thing, talking about AREC, I think we embraced a lot of things as well from AREC. So that was a really great educational environment, but it also exposes you to all the things that are coming. And if you're an early adopter, and I like to be an early adopter, then you reap the benefits Speaking of changes, what have been some of those changes in the industry that you've seen? Sally: The marketing is really important and so having the internet and videos of properties, there’s so much more effort goes into videos and styling properties. Joanne: It’s a lot different to what it was. Sally: The presentation is so important. People make a decision within a few minutes. If you don’t get that right, you’re doing a disservice to the property. Joanne: It wasn’t just the internet, but having computers too. I worked in other sales industries which had computers in the business. I came into real estate and I felt like I'd gone back 10 years because they had no computers. So I had the little box. Sally: Yes, the card system. Joanne: So when a new property came on, you’d get your little cards out and you’d look through all your notes and you give them a call and then you pop them in your car. But I love those days because you really got to know the client. Sally: In Wollongong, there used to be a very strong Estate Agents Co’op. We used to get together every Wednesday - all the agents. We’d get on a bus and we’d go out and look at every listing. Then there’d be a fight to get back to ring everybody to get that person there first. Joanne: One of the biggest changes, I feel, is we had all the knowledge. That’s shifted now because of the internet. Now, everybody has the knowledge with what’s going on. So you’re not employing an agent for their past knowledge on sales, you’re employing them for other reasons - like their negotiation skills, marketing. Sally: It’s being able to give the vendors the right advice. Especially being able to prepare their property for sale. What would you like to see happen in real estate in the future? Sally: I guess you’d want to see people trust you. Getting clients to trust you is very important. If you don’t have that, it’s too hard. Joanne: I think that everybody talks about technology and technology has been fantastic and we're really benefiting from it. However, my belief is it’ll never replace the agent because it's such a personal thing buying a house. You go through a lot of emotions and I don't think that a computer or an iPad or a virtual tour or anything like that can replace the actual agent and that interaction. And even if people can do a lot of things themselves, buyers don't like dealing directly with the seller. So I think we will always have a place. To talk to Joanne about any of the topics from within the interview with Sally Absalom - whether buying or selling - phone (02) 4285 7400. Are you or a loved one moving into aged care? Register for our free short course and learn how to right size your home when moving into aged care.
Jul 15, 2022
Why selling your home in Spring starts in Winter
When it comes to selling your home, the conventional wisdom is that spring is an ideal time. The extra sunshine can make homes look brighter and gardens more blooming, and the warmer weather is more conducive to bringing buyers out. Great presentation is crucial to the selling process. A well-presented home is more likely to sell in a shorter timeframe and for a better price. Buyers are inspired by beautiful presentation. It gives them confidence in the quality of your home and helps them fall in love with it. Preparing your property, and putting effort into its presentation, will allow for its greatest features to be highlighted, and any negatives minimised. It also let’s buyers know that you are serious about selling. Beautiful presentation also means attractive photos. This is crucial because buyers will decide whether to inspect your property based on how good your home looks in the advertising. Buyers tend to stay longer at opens if a property is meticulously presented. This point is important because in order for a buyer to truly engage with your property, they need time to imagine themselves living there. Selling your home or investment property in Spring doesn’t need to be stressful. With the right advice and good planning, you can take control of getting your house ‘sale ready’. But preparing your home for a spring sale, means starting in winter, so that you are ready for action in September. [siteloft_youtube video_id="JtIYt5tGG2E" autoplay="1" suggestions="1"] If you're ready to discover the secrets to being ready to sell your home, download our free insider secrets to being ready to sell checklist. YES, DOWNLOAD MY CHECKLIST You’ll be happy to know that it doesn’t need to cost a fortune or take loads of time to spruce up your home for sale. Read our top 22 tips to help you prepare your property for sale. Remove the clutter Patch and paint the walls Give the property a heavy-duty clean Steam clean or replace carpets Maintenance and repairs Don’t forget outside Neutral colour scheme Upgrade your door handles Make each room look its best Consistent colour scheme throughout Define each room Add some fresh flowers and plants Professionally stage your property Fresh, new, clean towels Neatly pile kid’s toys Keep your private’s private Keep your cupboards and drawers clean Crisp bedsheets Pre-Inspection cleaning Keep curtains and blinds open Make sure all of your lights work Make your home smell nice As you can see, there's quite a bit of work that's involved in getting a property ready for market, and it can take time to prepare your property. We have a list of service providers should you like to discuss any aspects of preparing your property for sale. If you're ready to discover the secrets to being ready to sell your home, download our free insider secrets to being ready to sell checklist. YES, DOWNLOAD MY CHECKLIST For a detailed and comprehensive list outlining what you should do in winter to be ready to sell in Spring, contact our office on 4285 7400 or jdpropertyadmin@oneagency.com.au. If you feel you could benefit from our experience with buying and selling, we’d love to hear from you. Simply reach out or request an appraisal. We hope that has helped you today. If you have any questions, we’d love to talk to you. Our number is 0426 264 771. We look forward to talking to you soon.
Jul 1, 2022
Local places: Balgownie community garden Bally's Patch
Known as Bally’s Patch, the Balgownie Community Garden has gone through its fair share of challenges over the past two years. It not only lost members due to COVID and was affected by vandalism, but also battled weather extremes, such as drought, floods and high winds. However, garden coordinator Georgia McKeon said the Bally's Patch garden members remained positive about its future and impact on the community. Here’s the story of the Lot 21, Church St, Balgownie garden. When and how did the Balgownie Community Garden start? It's been around for a good 10 years. It was the brainchild of a lady named Rebecca Schafer who’s one of the neighbours to the garden. She went to the council and got the various approvals to let us use the land as a garden. Who's responsible for Bally’s Patch? We've got a committee of people who hold positions - although there’s not huge competition for those. (laughs). But yes, it's a committee. We have an annual general meeting. We're officially listed as a charity. Rebecca is the president of that and we make decisions collectively, but also with a certain amount of freedom. So I don't go to the committee when I think we should plant peas, for example. You've had quite a few challenges the past few years. What sort of things have you had to face with the garden? This year’s been particularly challenging. With the COVID lockdowns we weren't able to hold meetups for a few periods there. And also quite a few of our members are older, so even when we were allowed to get together in groups again, a lot of people were not super comfortable coming back to the garden. We have lost members over the past couple of years, which is a shame. I understand though, that it’s been two years of interrupted meetups and planning and all those things. It’s not easy. So at the end of 2020, we were coming to the end of the big bad drought. So that was a pretty rough time. The garden was quite affected by that. It's really hard to grow things when there's no water in the soil. Weather did get better after that, but then we had all the COVID lockdowns, which was really hard. And then this year, as you know, we have a bit of a deer problem on the escarpment. I was going to say friendly local deer, but I'm not sure they're particularly friendly. We've got local deer who wander around the streets through there. There was one deer there that kept pushing through our hedge. It never stole food from the garden, but there was a tree there that it particularly liked to rub itself up against. We also had a bit of an issue with vandalism earlier this year, which was super disappointing. That was the first time we’ve had a problem with vandalism in the garden. They came through one night and just deliberately attacked the best maintained plots. They went after the nicest ones and ripped out a whole heap of plants and threw them around. We've got a container of fertilisers and potting soil and manure and whatnot. They ripped open the bags and poured them all over the place, which was both messy and expensive. And yes, we've also had issues with the rain this year. The area is a bit of a drainage channel. During severe water weather, water does come across the site, so it ripped out one of our paths about three times. This water goes just right in this one spot and just ripped out this path. We kept putting it back together. The last time it rained, it wasn't so bad. We managed to get a sand bag from the SES and divert the impact a little bit. Honestly, we’re just hoping it doesn't rain like that again because when it rains like that, there's not really a lot you can do. And also when it's that wet, it's actually really hard to do any gardening work because if you walk on the soil, it compresses it, and it's not good for it. Plus, when it rains, plants can drown. Which isn't something I knew until last year. It kind of hurts your feelings to go through all that hard work to put things in plans, to take care of them, and then they just get rained to death. Those are the challenges. How are you all fairing then, after all of that? It was pretty rushed for a while there. I think the third time I put the path back in, I cried. But since things have gotten drier and we've had more people who are comfortable coming back to the garden now with COVID changes, we’ve been able to have some extra meetups in the last few months. We’ve done repair workshops as well as a planting one, and it's actually looking pretty good at the moment. The garden looks like someone loves it again. We’ve got quite a few crops in the ground. Not really much that's ready to get eaten, but it’s starting to look like it's going to be ready in six or eight weeks, maybe. We've got a few brassicas, we've got little cauliflower and broccoli plants. We've just put in some garlic, we've got a few ancient greens and broad beans someone donated recently. Basically, the only thing that's ready to eat are chilis. But we've got living plants again. We've got very young beetroot and silverbeet. It's just great to see things growing again. What does the Balgownie Community Garden mean to the local community? And why is this project so important? It's really important to me because I'm an environmental scientist and a geographer, so I look at how people interact with the environment. It's really good for people to have a direct connection to their environment and have an area they have some control over and influence. As well as people bringing fresh veggies to their homes, it's also really good for them to have that connection to their local environment. I can also tell you that the patch gets treated kind of like this informal meeting spot by the locals. If you go there and poke around for a half hour, the chances are pretty good that someone else is going to rock up and check on their veggie patch or go pick some mulberries or just hang out. There are a lot of school groups that wander through there sometimes. I've seen them bring kids through just to have a bit of interaction with the natural world and plants. That's really nice. I've seen people do yoga there. I meditate there sometimes. I've seen the neighbours hang around and have a drink. There’s a little street library there, which my friend Erin maintains with a few books. It’s a tiny little library. You can change your books, see your mates and yeah, experience that social meetup, I think a lot of people just come along to socialise. It's probably really useful to a lot of people in the community, to have somewhere to meet up that isn't focused around alcohol or having to spend money. So obviously you're looking for volunteers and members. How can people get involved and why would you encourage them to get involved? Yes, volunteers or they can become members. If you become a member, it's about $20 a year. It's not a big deal, but we do have the monthly meetup. We've got an annual Christmas party, which is really nice, and people get to hang out with other members in the community, meet other nice people in a chill setting. You can learn a lot about gardening and herbaculture and composting. There are people there who are very passionate and knowledgeable. If it's not your thing, you can come along for a day, just hang out, have a cup of tea and go about your business and still probably make some friends. What plans do you have for the place now? Well, we're planning on a bit more of a summer crop this year after how the last summer fared. Then in general, we'd like to expand. We want to get some more fruit trees into the area and Rebecca has some plans that she's been working on. We're hoping to find a grant or two and see if we can put in a retaining wall, a bit more of a kids area on the back and more seating areas for people to make it an even more appealing place too. To learn more about the Balgownie Community Garden Bally's Patch or to become a member, visit the website. Are you ready to discuss buying, selling or leasing a home in Balgownie, Fairy Meadow or surrounding suburbs? Contact Joanne on (02) 4285 7400. Considering how you can Right Size Your Home As You Move Into Aged Care? Register for this short course and learn how to best right size your home when moving into aged care.
Jun 17, 2022
How to bid successfully at an auction
The property you love is going to auction! You’ve inspected it, done your due diligence, and have your finances in order. Auction day sees you energised and confident, and then you arrive to find a long line of bidders. What do you do now? At an auction, the property will be sold to the buyer who offers the last bid above the seller’s reserve price. To provide you with the best opportunity to be successful with your bidding on auction day, it is important to have a bidding strategy and be prepared. Learn more in the video, where Joanne Danckwardt of One Agency JD Property Agents provides tips on how to be the successful bidder on auction day and provides some strategies on how you can win that property at the auction. [siteloft_youtube video_id="qONcgi2rw9Y" autoplay="1" suggestions="1"] If you are looking for a property to buy, request to be added to our open home alert YES, ADD ME TO YOUR OPEN HOME ALERT Set a budget and stick to it Set a maximum price that you can afford to pay and stick to it. As much as you may fall in love with the property, and as close as you might think you are to winning the bidding, you never go beyond your predetermined budget. Aim slightly above round numbers. If you decide your budget is $750,000, then you may be able to go to $753,000, but it is a decision you need to make before you start to bid. Position Arrive early to choose the best vantage point, and determine how many bidders are registered. Ensure you in are in a good line of sight of the auctioneer. It is important that you be able to see them, and for them to be able to see you and know you are there. Having an ideal visual presence will allow you to also you to be able to see what is going on around you, so be in a position where you can see the crowd but also the auctioneer very clearly. When the auction starts, it is best to have a great position and make yourself heard. Ensure the auctioneer knows you’re a real contender in the sale and you’re there to win! Talk with the agent, and don’t be afraid to introduce yourself to the auctioneer prior to bidding. It is important that they know you are a serious bidder. The agent will be able to guide you through the process. Be the first bidder Pick up your paddle and show it to the auctioneer every time you bid, and be the first one to bid. Whilst this can be difficult, the auctioneer with love you for it, and will always come back to you to give you every opportunity with the home. Making yourself known with a strong opening bid can also shake up your competition and wipe some of them out early. Bid quickly Once someone else has offered above you, come back quickly and confidently. This will let others know that you are serious, and puts pressure on them. It doesn’t need to be a huge jump in price each time, but making a quick decision leaves other buyers feeling under siege. Momentum plays a big role in determining the outcome of an auction. Bid in increments that you want to bid in. The auctioneer may ask for bids of say $10,000, but you can offer them $5,000 or $13,000. Offering odd numbers can force the auctioneer and other bidders to slow down and rethink due to unexpected numbers. Be the highest bidder You must be the highest bidder when the auctioneer’s hammer comes down. The auctioneer will usually call the sale three times before the hammer comes down to indicate the sale if final. Calling the sale for the third time could mean that the property is above the seller’s reserve, so you need to be at that highest level in order for the property to be sold to you. If the property gets passed in, as the highest bidder, you will be the first person that the agent will negotiate with to try and sell after the auction. If you are looking for a property to buy, request to be added to our open home alert YES, ADD ME TO YOUR OPEN HOME ALERT I hope that helps with your buying journey. If you want to know a little more or gain some advice on how you can be the winner at your next buying auction, please get in contact with One Agency JD Property Agents in Fairy Meadow. We would love to talk to you and can be contacted on 0426 264 771. We are here to help.