How to keep your pets cool this Summer

Summer 2017 has been an absolute scorcher with the mercury hitting above 45 degrees across the Macarthur most days. At this time of year it is important to remember our furry and feathered friends!

What you should know about heat stress/heat stroke?

Heat stress and heat stroke can be life threatening to your furry friends and it can strike quickly in the right conditions. Personally, a friend of mine recently lost one of her beloved pooches to heat stroke when he got lost on their property and could not find his way back to shelter and fresh water. This is a sad reality so please be mindful that because dogs only perspire from around their nose and paws they are susceptible to overheating.

It is also important to understand that just because your pet has fur doesn’t mean they don’t burn. Providing adequate shade and shelter for your pet is vital. Ensure to also apply sunscreen regularly to dogs with white fur as they are vulnerable to melanoma cancer through excessive sunlight on their skin.

Other ways to reduce your pet’s risk of heat stroke is by making sure they have access to:

• Good ventilation so they don’t overheat (i.e. cool floors and an overhead fan),
• Plenty of fresh, cool water to drink so they stay hydrated. Make sure to put out more than one bowl in case they get knocked over,
• Avoid physical activities like games and walks around 12.00pm as this is the hottest part of the day- take a stroll in the early morning or late afternoon instead, and
• Never...I mean NEVER leave your pet in a confined space like a kennel or car on a hot day.

Pool Safety Matters

Pool safety is not a joke when it comes to your pets safety in your backyard. Be wary of any potential dangers and ensure that your pool fence meets Australian standards as dogs can drown if they fall into a swimming pool and can’t find their way out.

It’s not just our beloved canines we have to think about, but also our feline friends.

Cats feel the heat too so please keep your cat indoors during the day when you know it is going to be hot and draw the blinds and shut all the windows to keep out the heat.

Lastly...don’t forget about your pet’s health

With Summer at it’s peak more and more insects are out and about. This means you should ensure your pet’s flea and fly treatments are up to date.

Ticks are a life-threatening danger to both cats and dogs and their favourite season is summer so make sure to treat your pets for ticks and check your animals daily for any signs of them.

The deadly parvovirus ‘parvo’ is more common in summer, so make sure your dog (particularly if you own a Staffy) up to date with their vaccinations.

Investment in your pet’s health now can save a lot of heartbreak down the track!

11 Tips that will help you SAVE in your 20s from a 20-something year old

Saving in your 20s while surrounded by ongoing social events, work commitments and the pressures of try to adult and hopefully move out from under mum and dad’s roof is a challenge - but this doesn’t mean it can’t be done. With good planning and dedicated saving habits your future will look a lot brighter!

So here are some tips from a 20- something year old who is currently saving for the deposit for my first home and a Euro trip…(one day!)

1 Stop relying on the bank of ‘Mum & Dad’

NEWSFLASH - your Mum and Dad are not your personal loan advisers.

Constantly loaning money from your parents will stop you from learning how to save on your own and it can create some quite awkward family situations...especially when your parents bring it up 2 years later at a family dinner about that one time you didn’t have enough money to pay your car rego.

Get out of the habit of asking or expecting your parents to fit the bill - TODAY!

This is the first step to your financial independence.

2 Budget - Plan for short-term and long-term goals

Saving for a long-term goal can be boring - set savings milestones with short-term goals or mix it up with both a short-term goal e.g. weekend away and a long-term goal e.g. overseas holiday.

3 Save your change - every dollar counts!

Set up an empty coffee jar and write your savings goal on the front in sharpie. Not only will this focus you towards saving your change, you can watch your savings grow dollar by dollar!

4 Make regular, set contributions to your savings account - and don’t touch it

Open a bank account that rewards you with added interest for not touching it.  I personal have opened up two Goal Saver accounts with Commbank for my 2017 saving goals and have not looked back. By setting a weekly amount from my pay to contribute to the account (10% of my wage) I am able to plan my budget until next payday and still make bank with a  deposit into my savings account and doesn’t it feel good!

5 If you don’t NEED it - don’t BUY it

Avoid unnecessary trips to the shops and avoid Kmart at all cost! If you don’t need it - don’t buy it. Prioritise what you need right now in your life and remove any unused subscriptions, memberships or direct deposit payments that are quietly siphoning your savings account.

6 Become friends with the idea of accepting hand-me-downs

Hand-me-downs are friends not foe! You may be surprised about what your friends and family have that they want to get rid of. It comes in handy when facing the prospect of moving out of home and researching the cost of furniture and appliances. Ask you family and friends first. There are even Facebook pages dedicated to local buy and sell groups and garage sales in the local area.

7 Do your research- find better value alternatives

Don’t settle for the first option. Do your research and get the best deal possible.

For example, it may seem out of place however if you negotiate with someone on the price of say a new TV they are more likely to give you the best price they can do to make a profit and keep your sale. My advice: play hard to get.

Also swap out unnecessary costs for cheaper alternatives such as swapping cafe lattes to instant coffee. With a standard cup of coffee now costing $3-$4 dollars, that’s a saving of $15.00- $20.00 per week!

8 Create an emergency fund

Budget in a buffer amount into your weekly spending. By including this buffer you will prevent your accounts from being overdraw (eekk!) and it will provide you with an emergency fund that can build over time.

9 Use a shopping list...and NEVER shop when you are hungry

Science has found that you are likely to spend  % more grocery shopping if you are hungry while at the local store. So make sure to have a meal before parading the aisles for tasty treats!

Shop smart by create a list at home before going to the store - I find it easier to use a mini whiteboard on my fridge and simply take a photo of it at the end of the week. Filter out the things that can wait until the next shopping trip and focus on buying ingredients that are long-life and fit into your meal plan for the week e.g. a large piece of pumpkin can be used for a soup throughout the week and roasted for Sunday’s roast.

10 Build your credit history

Black marks on your credit history can prevent you from getting a mortgage on your dream home after saving for the deposit on your first investment or home.

Get your credit history in check - pay any outstanding debts and don’t sign up to payments you cannot meet e.g. personal loans, mobile phone plans etc. Now focus on building your credit history. Sign up for payment schemes in your name i.e. loans, finance etc.

How to be a GREAT tenant

The rental market is very competitive right now. This has been caused in part by rising local house prices which have forced some tenants out of the market; tenants who would otherwise buy a home. This means there are a stack of fantastic, long-term tenants out there looking to rent a property and they are competing with you. How do you beat them to the best rental properties?

Here are my 5 tips (as a first-time renter myself) on how to be a great tenant:

Pay your rent on time

It may seem like a no-brainer but this is one of the biggest grievances with Property Managers and landlords. Prioritising the payment of your rent each week will allow you to avoid eviction and to keep you out of tribunal and your agency’s bad books when it comes to arrears. Get your weekly budget sorted and rent will never be a problem!

Take pride in your property

As a tenant you are required by law to appropriately maintain the property. From mowing lawns and weeding gardens to ensuring the home is clean and tidy, a little bit of effort goes a long way.

Impress your Property Manager by investing in the ongoing maintenance of your rental property and you will have no problems extending your lease.

Make nice with the neighbours

Although the neighbour’s dog may bark at your bedroom window at 3am every night (insert internal scream) it is best to get along with your neighbours as much as possible.

Introduce yourself to your surrounding neighbours and say ‘hello’ when you see them out and about. The less disturbance you make the less complaints your neighbours will have about you during your tenancy.

Tell your Property Manager immediately about any required repairs

Be upfront. If a repair is required lodge a repair request with your Property Manager to ensure it is fixed before your routine inspection rolls around.

Instead of living uncomfortably with a broken tap for example, it is best to tell your Property Manager and save you the worry (regardless of the cost).

Understand your lease and the costs involved with leasing the property

Ask as many questions about the property as possible before signing the lease. A few examples include;

• Does the property run on electricity or gas bottles?
• Is the internet coverage good? Do the current tenants have any issues with getting ADSL or NBN broadband connections?
• How are utility bills processed? Are the utility bills split with another property or group of properties?
• Can I keep a pet at the property? If so what type of pet?

By asking your Property Manager about such issues you will better understand the ongoing costs you face entering the lease.

It is important to read over your lease agreement and keep a copy on hand so you understand the full extent of your rights as a tenant and the rights of the agency on the landlord’s behalf.

Leave the property in a better condition than when you moved in

Ensure that you leave the property clean, in full working order and with all rubbish removed. This will not only save you money being taken out of your bond for cleaning and rubbish removal, it will also ensure you have a smooth transition from one property to the next.

What can I claim as a reduction when renovating my investment property?

Looking to revamp or renovate your investment property? We break down the difference between a ‘repair’ and ‘maintenance’ to simplify tax time.

As an investor it is crucial to understand the difference between repairs, maintenance and improvements because the Australian Tax Office pays particular attention to these types of deductions on your annual tax return.

To help you understand the difference here is how to define the difference between a repair, maintenance and capital improvement;

• Repairs are considered work undertaken to fix damage or deterioration of a property, for example replacing a broken fence panel or broken front porch light fitting.

• Maintenance is considered any work completed to prevent deterioration. For example oiling a deck, sealing a driveway etc. Any costs incurred to repair or maintain a rental property can be claimed as an immediate 100 percent deduction in the year of the expense!

• A capital improvement is classified as work completed to enhance the condition or value of an item beyond its original condition at the time of purchase. This type of work must then be classed as either a capital works deduction  and depreciated over time or as plant or equipment depreciation. An example of a capital works deduction could be replacing the taps in the bathroom sink to chrome fixtures or updating the kitchen cupboards and door handles. On the other hand, an example of a capital improvement is when an item is removed or replaced for example an old in-wall air conditioning unit and replaced with a split-system unit.

If you would like further advice on what renovations you should undertake at your property to get the best return on investment, contact Nick Giles today on (02) 4628 0033. He would love to help you!

High auction clearance rates spell a strong property market this Spring!

The Sydney property market ‘boom’ wrapped up earlier this year leaving buyers and sellers alike wondering what was in store for their local marketplace. 12 months on from the peak of the boom, the market remains strong and competitive as shown through the 80% auction clearance rate achieved in Sydney over the weekend.

Smashing the clearance rate from this time last year by 6.9%, the auction clearance rate has jumped to it’s highest in 14 months. Driven by low borrowing costs and a low level of properties available on the market, this is great news for owners looking to sell.

With a competitive spring market expected, now is the perfect time to consider selling your property. As the weather warms up we have seen greater numbers of quality buyers at open homes, cashed up with finance aided by the historically-low 1.5% interest rate and ready to purchase your home!

There is no indication the growth in auction clearance rates across Sydney will stall with the RBA now looking to APRA for regulator controls on investor finance to manage the growth.

If you would like obligation-free advice on the local market place and the value of your home please contact our office today. We’d love to help you!

Should I spend money on my property before I sell?

Stop! Put down the brochure for a brand-new kitchen installation and read this article.

Over the years we have run into many property sellers who have literally spent fortunes adding to and improving their property.

When it comes time to sell their property, these same owners make the mistake of adding up all the money they have spent on improvements over the years and expect their agent to achieve a sale price that reflects a return on their investment. This is not always the case.

Such large scale improvements can simply “over-capitalise” a property. For example installing marble tiles in a typical home in Campbelltown with a cost in excess of $10,000 would not be a smart investment. In reality buyers would not be prepared to pay extra for this improvement when a similar home in the same area offers similar tiles for much less.

It is important to remember that all potential buyers are looking to secure a bargain. As such your aging property could net you a greater sale price from a buyer looking to renovate, than investing in the renovation of your property before putting the property on the market. Why? Well you have to remember that a renovator’s dream will appeal to renovators, a booming trend with the popularity of such TV programmes as ‘The Block’ and ‘House Rules’. Also to some buyers, freshly renovated properties can be a real turn-off because they will feel that the seller is presenting the property in search of maximum profits.

Our advice is to stick to small investment, large impact projects such as new carpet, repainting and updating fittings. This will give your property a fresh appearance whilst not hurting your back pocket when it comes to your return on investment.

Before you pick up a paint brush contact us offices today to speak with one of our sales agents. We can provide you with advice on what projects to invest in and whether to invest in a professional tradesman to complete such work. Remember, that although DIY can save you money up-front if you don’t have the know-how to complete the renovation with a great finish, it can cost you thousands extra for a professional to fix it.

How to secure the best tenant to take care of your investment property?

Making the decision to purchase an investment property is a sizable one. Faced with the up-front costs of a mortgage, taxes, insurances, property management service fees and repairs, it is important to attract the best tenants to lease your home and keep it in a great condition.

So how do you ensure a great tenant leases your property?

Other than employing the services of an experienced local real estate agency to manage your property, a clean, tidy and well-maintained property priced at a reasonable rent will appeal to great quality tenants.

As a general standard here at Prudential Real Estate we advise our landlords to present their property in the best manner possible to attract the right tenant. Poorly presented properties run the risk of failing to attract good tenants, leaving only less qualified tenants to apply.

Here is a quick checklist to help you present your property at it’s best:

• Spruce up all around the home. Keep lawns and shrubbery trimmed and free of clutter. Keep the garden beds weeded and mulched.
• Fill potholes in your driveway and tidy up walkways
• Clean off your outdoor entertaining areas
• Clear everything out of the garage (and we mean everything!)
• Straighten gutters, the mailbox, the fence and other things that sag
• Fix doorbells, tighten loose doorknobs, and oil squeaking hinges
• Repair broken/cracked windows and shutters
• Clean everything in and out of sight. Shampoo carpets and rugs and wax floors. Wash or brush walls.Wash windows and clean blinds/draperies. Remember the ‘white glove’ test.
• Bathrooms are very important. These should be in sparkling condition including walls, floors, sinks etc. Check the shower recess is free of soap scum and have a look at your vanity; repair doors, knobs and water damaged sections.
• In the kitchen clean up your countertops and cupboards, fix doors, handles and knobs, scrub out the “under sink” area and inside drawers.
• Completely degrease the oven. Let the kitchen smell fresh and fragrant
• Remove debris (dust, flies, moths etc.) from all light fixtures
• Get rid of all stains and install new washers and dripping taps  
• Repaint where needed. Freshly painted properties rent faster and to better tenants for more money.
• Fill any ‘holes’ in your gardens with new plants
• Check every light switch and bulb to ensure they all work correctly

The cleaner and better presented you make the property, the more likely you are to find a great tenant who will maintain the condition of the home.