Every once in a while, you may want to spritz up your home. But renovating can be a time-intensive and expensive process. Here are four renovating mistakes you can avoid.
4 Mistakes to Avoid when Renovating for the First Time
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1. First Things First – Finance
Renovating your home for the first time is expensive. You need to be prepared for expected as well as unexpected expenses. Which is why it is always advised to add 20 percent to your budget as a precaution.
If you are still paying your mortgage, this article guides you on how to use your mortgage to finance your renovations, along with your savings.
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2. Approval from Council
You may not know this when you’re renovating for the first time. Any kind of renovation work, even if it’s just painting the outside of the house, you need to sign a contract that gives you approval from the council to start your renovation work. This article from Allianz gives you all the details for contracts that need to be signed.
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3. Do It Yourself?
This is usually not recommended. A lot of DIY stuff is not covered by your home insurance. Be sure to check your policies before starting the job yourself. By doing it yourself, you may be making a big renovating mistake.
It can be risky and time-consuming. It does give you flexibility and full control over the project, but doing it with contractors, designers or architects would prove beneficial in the long run. And you will still have control over the project, but with advice from experts who know what they’re doing.
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4. Hire a Professional!
Ninety-five percent of homeowners cannot imagine what their furniture would like in their homes. Which is why getting advice from an expert is worth every penny. You get the right colors, the right shades along with the safest ways to complete renovations in your home.
- Architects give the best advice for extensions in your home or any related big projects.
- Contractors take control of the project. They give you quotes on expenses and oversee activities.
- Designers work on the aesthetic of your place.
They work side by side to turn your dream home into reality while avoiding the possibility of making renovating mistakes.
For more detailed information, view this guide on Home renovation in Queensland.
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Property specialist for Brisbane’s Outer North, Erica Swannell, shares with us her expert advice on the best suburbs to buy in Brisbane’s Outer North. Erica grew up on the northside and still lives in the area with her husband and young family. She believes there is no better place to live, being close to the foreshore, yet within easy reach of city services. So here they are, Erica’s expert tips on the best suburbs to buy in Brisbane’s Outer North.
Top 5 Suburbs to Buy in Brisbane’s Outer North
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Best Suburb #5 : Griffin
As a relatively new suburb, Griffin is popular with young families looking to buy the ‘Great Australian Dream’. Many of the homes are low-set brick with 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a 2 car garage. Featuring plenty of leafy parks nearby with cycle/walkways, swings and play equipment for the kids, barbecue facilities and a dog park. Griffin Medical Centre opened its doors in 2017, along with the new Café 63, Pizzeria, Gym and 7-Eleven service centre. Public transport now connects Griffin’s bus stops direct to the train stations (for an easy commute to the city) and North Lakes Bus Terminal, for those commuting to the local Westfield North Lakes complex.
At just 24km from the CBD, Griffin is also popular with investors looking for low maintenance, brick properties. We find many tenants who work at the airport, love the lifestyle in Griffin, along with its easy access to the freeway, for a fast commute to the airport. We’ve assisted many tenants renting in Griffin, to then buy in the area. The majority of low-set, brick properties in Griffin fall into the $400,000-$500,000 price bracket, so it’s very popular with first home buyers and investors alike.
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Best Suburb #4 : Kallangur
My fourth pick for great places to invest in Brisbane’s outer north would definitely be Kallangur! Kallangur’s just 26km north of the Brisbane CBD and has great access to the freeway. Whether you’re travelling south to the city and airport, or north to the beautiful beaches of the Sunshine Coast, savvy buyers can still pick up homes for $350,000. Kallangur is just 5mins drive from Westfield North Lakes, plus you’ll also find IKEA, Costco and the North Lakes Golf Club are all just a stone’s throw away. Being an older suburb, many of the blocks in Kallangur are 607sqm+.
With Kallangur having such close proximity to the upcoming University of the Sunshine Coast (Petrie campus), we’re finding many investors are looking to buy here now, whilst it’s still affordable. The USC Petrie campus is due to open in 2020. The new campus will offer a full range of undergraduate and postgraduate programs, and projected numbers are set to grow to 10,000 students in its first decade. All of these students, plus the teachers, professors and administrative staff will all need accommodation close to the university. Given that Kallangur is just 5mins drive from Petrie, I’d recommend crunching the numbers to invest in this great area now.
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Best Suburb #3 : Bracken Ridge
Families, couples, singles and investors will all find suitable properties in Bracken Ridge. Many of the larger brick homes on large blocks, with swimming pools, will be popular for families. Whilst the array of low-set, brick and tile 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 2 car homes available, are popular with investors. These properties rent well, are low maintenance and offer good rental yields.
Bracken Ridge also boasts both primary and high schools, Bracken Ridge TAFE and the Emily Seebohm Aquatic Centre (which offers great learn to swim classes for babies and youngsters alike). At just 20km north of the CBD, Bracken Ridge is still very affordable. The latest data shows the median house price in Bracken Ridge sitting at $500,000. Bracken Ridge, Sandgate and Deagon will all benefit from the current Telegraph Road and Deagon Deviation upgrade. The roads project is expected to be completed in late 2018.
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Best Suburb #2 : Deagon
If you’re looking for a more affordable option, Deagon would be an excellent choice. Sitting just 5mins drive from the foreshore, Deagon is directly south-west of Sandgate. Deagon also lies just 16km north of the CBD and boasts its own racecourse. Although horse racing ceased in 1941, the racecourse remains a first-class training establishment. Throughout Deagon, you’ll notice stables, 1950’s post-war cottages, old Queenslanders and new builds popping up on recently sub-divided blocks.
With the median price of houses currently sitting at $467,000, properties in Deagon don’t sit on the market for long. There are many original old homes still available in Deagon. There’s also a large number of bigger blocks with sub-division potential, so there’s something here for everyone! Whether you’re looking to buy and hold, complete a sub-division, or just looking for a nice family home to call your own, you can’t go past the value you’ll find in Deagon!
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Best Suburb #1 : Sandgate
The delightful suburb of Sandgate, situated on Brisbane’s northern bayside, is undoubtedly one of our best kept secrets. With its leafy parklands, historic town centre, beautiful old Queenslanders, trawlers, fresh seafood, markets, live music and wonderful village atmosphere – all positioned right on the foreshore overlooking Moreton Bay – why would you want to live anywhere else! Commuters can reach the city in just 30mins, direct from Sandgate train station, whilst Brisbane airport is just 20mins drive away.
Many of the old Queenslanders in Sandgate are undergoing renovations, whilst new builds are also popping up throughout the area. Sandgate offers a great lifestyle package for all, with many cafés, restaurants and pubs dotted through the main street and along the foreshore. The Full Moon Hotel offers great meals, lazy Sunday acoustic tunes and sits high atop Eagle Terrace with splendid water views out over the ocean. The median price of houses in Sandgate currently sits at $625,000 and is on the rise. With that in mind, it would be wise to snap up your piece of coastal paradise whilst you still can!
If you’d like some more info about buying in Brisbane, check out our other articles:
Quote provided by Calibre Real Estate’s Residential Property Specialist –
Erica Swannell
Calibre Real Estate Sales Consultant
0407 471 529
erica.swannell@calibrerealestate.com.au
To speak to a real estate agent about buying or selling property, contact Erica Swannell on 0407 471 529 or to search properties currently for sale, visit the Search Properties page on our website.
Interior designing for small spaces does come with its challenges. With a few clever tricks, however, you can easily transform what was once a ‘difficult’ area into a usable and attractive space.
Calibre Sales Agent, Erica Swannell has shared with us a few of her smart design ideas for small spaces. Erica tells us that “small spaces aren’t necessarily problem spaces, they just take a bit of extra planning and styling. There are a few great ideas that you can use to ensure you are getting the most out of your small space.”
6 Smart Design Ideas for Small Spaces
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1. Complement Natural Light
When styling a small space, the key is to make the room feel bright and open. By ensuring your space complements natural light, it will make your space feel larger. Avoid using darker hues wherever possible. Clean, crisp white lines in your furniture and styling will once again make your room feel lighter and complement the natural light.
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2. Choose smart, multi-purpose furniture
Be selective with the furniture you are using. Sleek, furniture that fits the space nicely will assist in making the room feel more inviting and less crowded.
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3. Be Clutter-free
Clutter in a small space is a big no-no. The less clutter, the better! Choose wisely about the items that you do have on display, ones that complement the look and feel of your room. These carefully chosen items should assist in styling your space.
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4. Storage – everyone LOVES storage!!
A great way to ensure your space is free from clutter is to make sure there is plenty of storage available. Clever storage that is neatly tucked away behind closed doors will tidy up any room in a matter of minutes.
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5. Greenery
Greenery adds life and warmth to a space. You don’t need to go overboard, just one or two feature pots here & there will really vamp up your space. If you’re not much of a green thumb, then perhaps have a flick through some home magazines to get an idea of which plants you like & why.
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6. Glass & mirrors
Glass furniture pieces and mirrors are awesome in space spaces. They reflect the natural light that you’ve already emphasised in your room ensuring your space looks even bigger (and cleaner!!) than it did before.
These 6 ideas should help get you started. If you’d like some more ideas on sprucing up your place, check out our other articles:
If you would like to know all of the tenants’ rights when a property is listed for sale, then you have come to the right place. In this article, we answer the top three questions most tenants ask when they receive notice that their home is on the market.
Erica Swannell is one of Calibre Real Estate’s newest team members. As an experienced Real Estate Sales Agent, Erica has had numerous dealings with tenants when selling real estate. “It’s important to remember that whilst the property is on the market, it is still the tenants’ home. So being respectful of their time and personal possessions is essential. I always try to work together with a tenant when planning Open Homes, to find a mutually convenient time-slot. For example, if they take their son to sport on Saturday mornings, we’ll schedule the Open Home then. I just treat people the way that I would like to be treated.”
When the property sells, your tenancy agreement doesn’t automatically end. The purchaser takes on any agreement in place prior to taking ownership.
We reveal the 3 Tenants’ Rights You Need To Know When Your Landlord Is Selling
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1.Tenants’ rights while the property is for sale
- The property manager/owner must give the tenant a Notice of lessor’s intention to sell premises (Form 10), which includes how they plan to market the property
- If the selling agent is different from the property manager, the selling agent must give the property manager a copy of each Entry notice before entering the property
- An open house or on-site auction can only be held if the tenant agrees in writing
- The property manager/owner must ensure the tenant has quiet enjoyment of the property
If the property is advertised for sale or the property manager/owner enters to show the property to a prospective buyer during the first 2 months of an agreement (including a new agreement), and the tenant was not given written notice of the proposed sale before entering into the agreement, the tenant can end the agreement by giving a Notice of intention to leave (Form 13) with 2 weeks’ notice. The tenant must give the property manager/owner the notice within 2 months and 2 weeks of the start of the tenancy.
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Open homes occur when a property is on the market. Whether it be for sale, or rent it allows prospective buyers/tenants to view the property during a specific advertised period. Tenants need to agree, in writing, in order for an open home to occur. Some tenants may agree to an open house to avoid multiple individual entries. Photos used to market the property (e.g. on the ‘for sale/rent’ signs or the internet) should not show the tenant’s possessions unless they agree in writing.If the tenant agrees to an open house, the property manager/owner should negotiate a suitable time. The property manager/owner should try to minimise any disruption to the tenant’s quiet enjoyment of the property.
Entry must be at a reasonable time and, unless the tenant agrees, must not be on:
- Sundays or public holidays
- any other day before 8am or after 6pm
The property manager/owner must also give the tenant an Entry notice (Form 9) giving at least 24 hours’ notice of the open house. A reasonable time must have passed before another open house can be held. For all other viewings, an entry notice must be given for each entry. Entry must be at a reasonable time and, unless the tenant agrees, must not be on Sundays or public holidays, or any other day before 8am or after 6pm.
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3.When the Property Sells, Here Are The Tenants’ Rights
When the property sells, a letter must be given to the tenant advising them of the new property owner. The letter should include the new owner’s details and instructions on where to pay rent. A Change of property manager/owner (Form 5) is given to the RTA for the bond.
When the property sells, these are the Tenants’ rights when on a fixed term agreement.
The property manager/owner cannot make them leave because they decide to sell. The tenant can stay until the end of their fixed term, and the new owner will become their property owner. Sometimes a property manager/owner will negotiate with a tenant to end the agreement early and offer some form of compensation.
When the property sells, these are the Tenants’ rights when on a periodic agreement.
If the tenant is on a periodic agreement and the purchaser does not want to continue renting the property (i.e. they want vacant possession of the property), the property manager/owner must give the tenant a Notice to leave (Form 12) or Notice to leave (Form R12) for rooming accommodation, that must allow at least 4 weeks’ notice after the contract of sale is signed.
Thanks to Erica for her expert knowledge. If you have a property you are considering putting on the market, please feel free to contact Erica for her professional advice.
Erica Swannell
Calibre Real Estate Sales Consultant
0407 471 529
erica.swannell@calibrerealestate.com.au
For other tips about renting and buying real estate, check out :
If you have a property in South East QLD that you would like to discuss with one of the team members at Calibre, then please feel free to call our office at (07) 3367 3411 or to search properties currently for sale then visit the Search Properties page on our website.
