Not only can the median give you a good idea of the price of real estate in a certain area, it can also give you a feeling for how an area has been performing over recent months, years or decades.

Like most facts and figures, median prices need to be considered against what else may be happening in an area to get an accurate and complete picture. And remember, the median price may not necessarily give you an accurate assumption of market trends for a certain area.

However, before getting into the complexities of median house or unit prices, we need to understand exactly what the term means.

The median house price is the midway point of all the houses/units sold at market price (or sold amount) over a set period (monthly, yearly, quarterly, etc.). That is, if there were 101 houses sold during the month, the median house price would be the house price in the middle i.e., that has 50 house prices above it and 50 house prices below it.

This differs to the mean price, which equates to the average price—adding the sold prices together and then dividing this by the number of sales.

The reason the median price is used rather than the mean is mainly because it is a more accurate indicator of the market, as it reflects the sample size being used.

One of the problems with using the median, however, is that it reflects if there has been a large amount of more expensive or less expensive homes sold in any given period. In these circumstances, you can often notice large differences in the median price of a certain area from month to month.

For this reason, it is often better to view median prices over periods of time and monitor the trends, rather than looking at one month’s figures in isolation.

realestate.com.au has the median house prices for most areas in its suburb profiles. These median prices cover a 10-year period and the graph, as well as table display of results, makes it easy to spot trends.

Benefits of using median

- It gives buyers and sellers a better indication of market trends, consumer sentiment and market conditions.

- It is widely used to estimate the listing price of a property.

- If you are new to an area, the median price could give you an indication if the suburb is in your price range.

What to watch for when using medians for buying and selling

- The median is only one factor that sellers and buyers should consider. All properties are different so it is important to talk to your real estate agent and find out comparable sales in your area.

- Watch that the figures represent an accurate account due. There can be rogue months due to the limited numbers of properties sold, making medians either oddly high or low.

- Setting accurate sales prices is difficult, discuss with your agent options for selling including, tender, listing price, auction

- Median house prices include houses, apartments and townhouses (these are properties with dwellings that are detached)

- Most data providers have different methods to calculate median prices. Make sure that you use the same supplier’s information if you are monitoring trends.

- Some properties could be well above the median for a number of reasons, including block size, dwelling size, water views, location.

Reasons why mean or average prices aren’t used

- An average can be skewed by a large number in the high or low range

- Houses aren’t all the same and are unique to time, location and house features. Averages don’t allow for this.

To read more about this article click here

Peter’s past clients and purchasers reckon Peter is a bit of a rock star of real estate, affectionately known as ‘the Agent in the pink shirt’ Peter has recently joined Calibre Real Estate’s growing

team of very professional sales consultants.

Peter asserts himself as a true professional with a solid background in Real Estate, having been successfully selling properties for the past ten years.

Previous roles have armed Peter with a varied appreciation and wide variety of property and sales experience including traditional residential sales, land sales, house and land sales, business broking and project sales. Applying this extensive level of knowledge to the sale of your property, you can be certain that Peter will provide the highest level of service and attention to detail in the selling of your property.

With an exceptionally strong work ethic, Peter not only believes in his own ability to provide his clients with the highest level of service and the best opportunity to achieve their ultimate sales goals, but maintains a staunch loyalty and sense of overall duty to his clients.

Strong negotiation skills and a proven salestrack record, together with Pet

er’s natural ability to think strategically and creatively and find solutions to any type of challenge, place him in the best possible position to achieve your desired results. Operating to the very highest of standards, Peter has always enjoyed excellent relationships with previous clients largely due to his insistence on maintaining open and honest communication channels and conducting himself with absolute integrity throughout the entire sales process – from listing through to settlement.

Assertive and to the pointby nature, Peter couples sincerity and a genuine concern for the ultimate outcomes of his clients in achieving his goal – to sell your property at the highest possible price, in the shortest possible time frame and see you deliriously happy with the level of service and communication that you receive throughout the journey.

Bringing a fresh, modern approach to conducting real estate along with traditional values and the highest level of ethical standards, you can be confident in your choice of agent when dealing with Peter

If you want to speak to a property professional about any aspect of Real Estate, whether it being where to buy an investment property, how to start getting your property ready for the market, or generally what to expect from your property experience (buying or selling), or just request details of what has sold and is selling in your street, then give Peter a call. 0414 235719

And look out for ‘the agent in the pink shirt’ on a sold sign near you!

Calibre Real Estate was wondering why the speed limit had changed from 60km/hr down to 40km/hr inbound, and found this article explaining works under the bridge.

“Brisbane City Council wishes to advise that there will be a load limit on the city-bound lanes of Walton Bridge on Waterworks Rd, The Gap.
There is now a load limit of 4.5 tonnes for vehicles travelling in the right-hand lane and a load limit of 20 tonnes for vehicles in the left-hand lane. The speed limit will also be reduced to 40km/h. These load limits and speed restrictions do not apply to vehicles heading away from the city.
The load limits have been introduced as a precaution following a routine check of the bridge.
Drivers of vehicles with loads which weigh more than these limits are advised to detour via Settlement Road and onto Samford Road.
The load limits will allow structural strengthening work to be undertaken and investigations into a long-term solution which will see the load limits removed.
For more information please contact the project information line during business hours on 1800 884 681 or Council’s 24-hour Contact Centre on (07) 3403 8888.

Property presentation to maximise the sale price of your home is about removing any excuse for a buyer to ask for a price reduction.

If you follow and apply the 5 steps below, you’ll dramatically reduce the chance of “leaving money on the table” when you sell.

Property Presentation Tip #1:

Clean your house from top to bottom, inside and out

And then do your best to keep it clean and tidy until sold.

Cleaning costs nothing but if the carpets and curtains could do with a professional “deep clean”, it’s well worth the money.

Cleaning your house is possibly the biggest chore you’ll face when selling, lots of people do it half-heartedly – all the better for you! Eliminating bad odours is part of this process. We won’t go on about this but:

• Cooking
• Smoking
• Pets
• Damp
• Blocked drains

All produce odours that turn-off buyers – get rid of them. Make sure you clean all your blinds too.

If your house stands head and shoulders above your competition, you’ll be the first to sell.

Property Presentation Tip #2:

De-Clutter and Depersonalise

Get rid of the clutter and your house will look bigger. It will feel to buyers like a tidy, well-ordered place to live – just what they want!

What’s more, de-cluttering your house is a cathartic experience; it’s also the best way to mentally prepare for your move.

The act of de-cluttering helps you to:

1. Start looking at your house as a commodity for sale (essential if you are to make sound, business-like decisions).
2. Manage the emotional bond with your house that in extreme cases can cloud one’s judgment and stop you from selling.
3. Focus on the new life you’ll create when you move.

Unless experienced first hand, this emotional side of selling is easy to underestimate.

Don’t be surprised if at first you find de-cluttering tough.

We would urge you to persevere because you’ll be rewarded with more money in your pocket and less worry on your mind.

Throw away (or donate) as much as possible and then throw away some more.

After this, look again at your cupboards and other storage areas – are they full to bursting?

If they are you need to consider thinning down your house further (possibly even consider renting a personal self-storage unit).

Ideally, cupboards and storage areas should not be more than 75% full.

Serious buyers will look inside your cupboards. If there isn’t enough storage for you, they’ll assume there isn’t enough for them.

Depersonalising is just as vital. Buyers will fall in love with your house when they can imagine themselves living there (when they can imagine your house as their own).

It can’t be done with evidence of you or your family everywhere.

That’s why show homes are always anonymous. You’ll never see a family portrait or anything personal.

Here’s what you do to make your house look lived-in without looking like anyone actually lives there – pack away into storage:

• All family photos
• Holiday souvenirs
• Trophies & certificates
• Collectible items
• Children’s artwork

Buyers do not want to buy your home – they want to buy your house and then make it their home!

Property Presentation Tip #3:

1^st impressions count and catch-up on routine maintenance

It’s never too early to start making a good impression.

Your house may be stunning inside but if the outside doesn’t look great you’ll immediately put your buyer into price reduction mode.

Look at your property from the road. How does it compare to other houses in your street?

As you walk from the footpath to your front door, does every element of your property look cared for and well maintained?

A well maintained house screams out that it’s “well cared for” (a desirable attribute that buyers will pick-up on).

Property Presentation Tip #4:

Go neutral!

This continues the idea of “depersonalising” your house. It’s key to pulling off a quick sale! Colour is a personal thing – one person’s harmonious colour scheme is another’s crime against humanity.

Don’t let differences in personal taste affect your sale price. Take colour out of the equation all together. It’s cheap to do, just paint your walls a neutral colour (something like “Antique White” from Dulux works well).

Repainting boldly coloured or highly individualised interiors to something blander is the most cost-effective way to add value to your property. Rooms will immediately appear bigger and brighter (major selling points). You’ll also create a blank canvas. This helps buyers to project positive visions of what their life could be like in the house – part of the process of “falling for” a property.

Property Presentation Tip #5:

Define the use of each room!

While living in a house the use of certain rooms can become blurred over time, for example:

• The lounge becomes part office.
• The spare bedroom becomes a storage room.
• The dining room becomes the kids play area.

If this has happened in your house, think about converting these rooms back to their original use.

This makes sound financial sense and helps you sell for more because certain rooms hold a greater perceived value than others, for example:

• Buyers perceive bedrooms to be worth more than offices.

This is now also a good opportunity to make your house look bigger.

Remove all the furniture etc, that isn’t essential to the function of the room. This will free up a lot of space.

You’ll see for yourself the minimum amount of furniture needed to define the use of a room and achieve a maximum sale price for your property.

Aim for this because at the end of the day, space sells.

Conclusion

The 5 steps above make sure your house is saleable however, if you want to go further and get creative, you need to understand an important concept:

“Buyers are not looking to buy property! What they’re really looking to buy is a better life (property just happens to be the way they’ll get it).”

For the presentation of your house to really attract buyers (and the highest offers) you need to make buyers want what you’ve got – give them a glimpse of a better life and you’ll guarantee the maximum sale price for your home.

Whenever homeowners are considering selling their home, one of the first questions they often ask themselves is should they try to go down the path of ‘for sale by owner’ instead of listing with a real estate agent.

It’s a fair question to ask and many homeowners think they can manage the process on their own while saving commission to an agent.

It seems like saving an agent’s fee is a win-win situation for buyers and sellers – or is it?

The ones who do go down this path quickly become disenchanted with the process and all that’s involved in trying to sell a home, especially when they realise they can’t list on Australia’s number 1 real estate site – realestate.com.au.

Most agents aren’t worried about competition from homeowners who want to sell on their own; they’re more concerned about them unwittingly putting themselves in financial risk by doing so.

One of the main reasons buyers benefit from a ‘sale by owner’ is because there’s a pre-conceived notion that the vendor is in financial trouble in the first place because of their choice to sell their own home, and expect a large windfall favour by purchasing from a ‘sale by owner’ vendor.

HOT OFF THE PRESS FROM REAL ESTATE BUSINESS MAGAZINE:

“The founder of a website that urges home owners to sell their property without an agent has been forced to give up trying to sell his own home and call in a professional.

Former CEO of ForSalebyOwner.com, Colby Sambrotto, listed his New York condominium through online classified ads and FSBO sites last year. Six months on, however, he opted to hire New York agent Jesse Buckler.

Mr Buckler immediately advised a price change as the listing was not attracting the right buyer.

After giving up on the DIY route, Sambrotto’s decision to hire an agent led to the property attracting multiple offers, closing for $150,000 over the original asking price.”

If you’re thinking about upgrading, down-sizing or relocating, we should talk.

Calibre Real Estate, your Brisbane Real Estate Agents, has a team of experts that can help you achieve your goals, call us on 3367 3411.

Wedges and peplum tops may be on the way out, but low maintenance living spaces and multi-purpose rooms are still all the rage.

Renovation trends typically stick around for much longer than looks in fashion, so it’s not surprising that we’re seeing similar things to last year.

So what’s hot right now in home décor?

In 2012 we saw more of a focus on functionality rather than showy upgrades and this trend has rolled into this year.

Although homeowners are always striving to improve style, they’re spending their money on smarter, more practical elements to enhance and more effectively utilise their existing space.

That’s not to say aesthetics have been completely neglected.

1. Multi-purpose rooms

The varying needs of family members means that homeowners are wary of giving spare rooms a “fixed” purpose.

It may suit them to use a space as a home office now and be after a carpenter to build a timber desk, but later down the track want to turn the room into a craft space or guest bedroom.

Homeowners increasingly want flexible designs that are adaptable for their changing needs.

2. Sprucing gardens  

We saw a 24% increase in gardening jobs, year-on-year, and this trend has continued this month.

People aren’t landscaping vast open spaces, but smaller courtyards that go hand-in-hand with urban dwelling.

Homeowners are opting for cheap, low-maintenance exteriors and lawn alternatives such as pavers and concrete to keep yard work to a minimum.

3. Modernising outdated kitchens

This trend has been around for a few years now, and it’s not going anywhere soon. It’s no secret that kitchen remodels have one of the highest returns on investment.

Small enhancements can make a big difference to the look and value of your kitchen. New cupboard handles, light fittings and a lick of paint can do wonders for updating a tried cooking space.

4. Adding colour & prints

Patterns and prints are no longer exclusively for dinnerware and bakeware, you can now have some fun with your home’s interior too.

Although a neutral colour palette is a safer bet when considering a home’s resale value, according to our interior designers, beige walls are out and colour blocking is in!

This doesn’t mean feature walls are on trend again, but you can experiment with “pops” of colour – whether that’s a bright splashback in the kitchen or nostalgic wallpaper in the bedroom.

Gingham patterns, cottage florals and polka dots are all popular patterns that can drastically improve the look of a space.

That’s where we’re headed so far with renovation trends in 2013, but it’ll be interesting to see if any of these trends are seasonal and what the winter months will bring.

Calibre Real Estate offers pre-sales and pre-leasing advice and we have a team of contractors that we can recommend for your renovations! Please contact us on 3367 3411 to arrange a consultation.

Along with your Calibre Real Estate Agent, these 10 Feng Shui tips will make your home more desirable!

1. Make sure the clutter is cleared out of your entire home. Most homes can benefit from removing about ¼ of the furniture and belongings. Create a home that feels spacious. Open up the floor space.

2. Remove extra decorations on table tops, shelves, etc. Give a spacious feel to all horizontal surfaces.

3. Give the home the most complete clean it has ever had, inside and out. Include: cleaning carpets, blinds, curtains, cleaning inside cupboards, drawers – nothing can be ignored.

4. Make sure the entrance is especially attractive. This is their first impression of the house and it gives prospective buyers an indication of the condition of the rest of the house. Trim back bushes along the front path. Remove all weeds. Keep it immaculate, with lights turned on, a new doormat, and have something flanking either side of the front door, such as two pots of lush, healthy plants and flowers.

5. Make sure that you and everyone in the family wants to sell the house. If anyone in the family is anti-selling, it will affect your ability to attract the right buyer.

6. (This is a bit woo-woo) Write a letter to your house thanking it for being a wonderful home for your family and your willingness to now let another family benefit from it. Gather the family together and read it out loud to your house.

7. In the kitchen insist on clear counters, a clean organised pantry, and bins and knives out of sight. Place a small, lush plant and jar full of home-made biscuits or a bowl of fresh fruit on the bench top, make the kitchen smell and look good. Do not use those cheap plug-in deodorisers from the supermarket.

8. Create a spa feel in the bathroom by hiding all your personal items, buyers do not need to know which toothpaste brand you prefer. Toilet lids should remain down. Repair dripping taps and showerheads. Buy showy new white towels for the bathroom, to be brought out only when prospective buyers are on the way.

9. Make all necessary repairs.

10. Create a pleasant fragrance by cooking ¼ cup of cinnamon with 1 cup of water in a frying pan 30 minutes before you show your home, until the aroma drifts throughout the house. The cinnamony fragrance will trail throughout your home, like you just baked a wonderful dessert and will suggest a comfortable, at-home feeling to potential buyers.

For a pre-selling appointment, please contact your team at Calibre Real Estate, agents in Brisbane and Ipswich areas, on 07 3367 3411.

DARK and dim or light and bright? Most would agree that a home that is illuminated with light is far more appealing than one that is dull and gloomy.

For this reason, it’s important to consider the lighting in your home before presenting it for sale.

Like colour, lighting can have a strong effect on human psychology. Those entering your home for the first time will be impacted on an emotional level by the amount of light present.

It’s often advised to turn every light in your home on during inspections, even in the middle of the day, and that does have some merit, however the point is to create a welcoming, happy house, not one that looks brighter than a tree at Christmas and costs you a fortune in electricity.

Contemplate the best areas of your home to light think about which rooms seem cold or uninviting. Generally the main areas of your home including the living space, kitchen and bedrooms should be considered first.

Differing types of light can have varied aesthetic effects and can come from many sources, here are some to consider for your home

Natural daylight enters your home through windows, glass doors or skylights. An abundance of natural light is appealing to the eye and creates a fresh & open atmosphere.

Artificial light from light fixtures such as downlights or lamps can be fantastic to enhance the ambience of your home if it is lacking in natural light.

You should also consider the colour temperature of the bulbs you use in artificial light sources. A cool blue light is best to avoid, instead opt for bulbs that have a warm glow. If your home decor is not quite as new and attractive as you would like it to be, soft and warm artificial light can be more forgiving than harsh blue simulated light. Most energy efficient bulbs are now available with a warm ray.

Accent lighting is specifically for showing off the design elements of your home, and is a fantastic way to highlight any artworks or decor that you want to feature. This can be easily achieved with directional downlights or uplights. 
Lampshades on pendant lights, side lamps or standard lamps are a fun and affordable way to put a stamp on your interior decor as they are easy to update with modern patterns and fabrics. Anyone can change a lampshade, and modern versions are readily available.

To read more of this story sourced by Calibre Real Estate’s blog, please click here

A house that’s been languishing on the market is unlikely to fetch a premium price.

Here are 4 mistakes many vendors make when listing their home for sale.

1. Setting your price on your needs and emotions rather than the actual selling value. Many sellers decide on ‘subjective’ rather than ‘objective’ value for their home. And some agents know all too well how to play that game to win a listing.
2. Neglecting to ‘present’ the house. A property that’s not spick-and-span often indicates concealed flaws that increase the total cost of ownership. Your potential buyer will allow themselves greater room for error for the price of repairs, reducing their offer.
3. This is one that many home owners fail to realise – taking the first offer they receive seriously. A lot of sellers consider that the first offer received will be among many to come, and therefore they have time to stand their ground for a higher price. This often happens if an offer comes in shortly after the home’s been listed. Often the first offer ends up being the best buyer, and the vendors lose by having to take less money much later on in the selling process.
4. Attempting to sell your home on your own. Less than 10% of self-sellers actually sell their home and nearly all of them end up hiring an agent after much wasted time and a lot of advertising dollars spent.

We hope this has been helpful. If you’re considering a move any time soon, we should talk, please visit http://www.calibrerealestate.com.au/about/meet-our-team/.

Calibre Real Estate has found 10 style secrets for a successful sale, with the help of this post by celebrity interior designer, Shaynna Blaze-Vaughan helps you prepare your home for its open for inspection. Lights, curtains, art! These are just some of the simple ways you can refresh your home.

Secret 1. Paint adds life
As the weather warms up, natural light becomes brighter, highlighting imperfections on your walls. Adding a fresh coat of paint is the easiest way to change the look of a room. And if you’re prepared to do the work (invest in good quality paint), it can be cheap too. Golden rule: keep colours neutral (off white is perfect) otherwise you could limit your market potential.

Secret 2. Curtains create drama
Patterns, textures, colours: stunning fabrics create visual impact when they’re made into cushions, throws, divider screens and wall hangings.

Secret 3. Maintain the essentials
What needs to be done around the place? Make a list. Buyers will turn on taps, open cupboard doors and check windows, so make sure they’re all in tip top shape. The little details can make all the difference.

Secret 4. Lighting brings it to life
Subtle lighting creates ambience in an interior scheme. Soften a dark corner with a simple lamp and look at other subtle ways to introduce light such as back lighting a statue or plant. An interesting lamp makes a great room feature.

Secret 5. Declutter your decorations
Spring cleaning is a must when you’re preparing to sell. Buyers have no emotional attachment to your stuff, so if it’s gathering dust and doesn’t add to your interior, pack it away. It’s also a good time to decide what’s necessary and what’s not for your next home.

Secret 6. The art gallery effect
Move your artwork around; it’ll create a whole new feel costing you absolutely zilch!

Secret 7. Say it with flowers
Fresh flowers are a great way of highlighting a room and add a welcome fragrance for open inspections. Coordinate them with cushions and curtains for added impact.

Secret 8. Lay of the lounge
Can you be more space savvy with your furniture? Take out all the pieces in the room then bring them back, one by one. Start with a major piece, like your sofa, then add rugs, lamps and the rest of the furniture. If you like this newfound space, take some pieces to another room.

Secret 9. A little spending can mean a better sale
Big budget areas like the bathroom and kitchen need careful planning. If major appliances and structure are in good condition, consider a ‘freshen up’ with new tiling, taps and accessories. Often simple changes are all it takes to give your room a new lease of life and add value.

Secret 10. Look good from the ground up
Threadbare carpets and traffic patterns on your flooring can be red-alerts to buyers. Rather than replacing flooring throughout the whole house, focus on high traffic areas like entryways, kitchen and lounge. Sometimes a pretty rug will do the trick.

Read more