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It might be rising, but it’s not a bubble…

This week in the news, another boost in home lending; home values continue to rise; economists review our flourishing housing market; and for Valentine’s Day, we look at houseplants with heart-shaped leaves…
 
Everywhere we look at the moment, the media is reporting that Brisbane property prices are on the rise. The data matches our own experience. Units and houses are selling within days of being listed and often attracting multiple offers. Four of our recent listings were snapped up by overseas investors or buyer's agents with large databases of people keen to move to Brisbane or invest here.
 
If you are a buyer, you need to have decided upon your list of essential and desirable features for your home and preferred suburbs and have done a lot of online research so that when a property matching your criteria does come up, you can make an informed and fast decision without losing out to another buyer. You can set up alerts in www.realestate.com.au for new listings in your chosen suburb so you are emailed as soon as they come onto the market. You can obtain free suburb profiles from http://www.realestate.com.au/neighbourhoods/ to find out the median house price for an area, the supply of properties versus the demand, the demographics of the population and the number of properties sold in the last six months.
 
If you are a potential seller, you can obtain a comparative market analysis by emailing me at adam.nobel@spaceproperty.com.au. You will receive a report of sales in your street, current comparable listings in your suburb, and an idea of what your home is worth in this rising market. For a more accurate equity analysis, you can request an onsite visit simply by calling 0417 007 001.
 
Tomorrow morning we have our first Saturday open for inspection at 64 Brook St, Windsor and expect to have it under contract by the end of the day. We have also listed four brilliant properties this week (photos coming soon): 
  1. 15/10 Lower River Terrace, South Brisbane. A stunning river and city view apartment with 2 bed, 2 bath, 2 car. 
  2. 1/126 Gainsborough street, Moorooka. A 3 bed, 2.5 bath, 1 car townhouse less than 5 kms from the city. 
  3. 26 Brydon Street, Highgate Hill. A contemporary 5 bed, 3 bath, 2 car home in the Brisbane State High Catchment area. 
  4. 19 Bilyana street, Balmoral. A gorgeous 3 bed, 2 bath family home with flat fully-fenced yard. Walk to Oxford Street Bulimba in under 5 minutes. 
Why not beat the hordes and make an offer on one of these great value properties BEFORE they go online? Call me to arrange a private viewing. 

Yours in property

Adam Nobel

Housing’s lifting, but it’s no bubble

We can expect prices to lift even further, but Australia is not in a housing bubble, according to a new report released by the Committee for Economic Development of Australia (CEDA).

In fact, the report suggests that housing will be the ‘key to a smooth transition to non-mining sectors for our economy in 2014’...

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Houseplants with heart-shaped leaves

Just in case you have forgotten (or missed all the signs!), this Friday is Valentine’s Day. So we have decided to take a look at houseplants with heart-shaped leaves – a last-minute shopping list for the perfect gift for your loved one.

Possibly the most romantic is the Anthurium, which not only has heart-shaped leaves, but takes it up a notch by producing heart-shaped flowers in pinks and reds.

Other houseplants with heart-shaped foliage include the delicate Cyclamen or the more robust English Ivy, Hemionitis (‘the Heart Fern’) and Monstera Deliciosa. With a little care and water, any of these will be a lasting reminder of your devotion - Happy Valentine's Day!

Values keep going up

Dwelling values continued to trend upwards in January, according to the latest figures released by RP Data showing a rise of 1.2 per cent in capital city dwelling values over January.

Capital city values have increased by 13.2 per cent since the beginning of the current growth cycle in June 2012 and are now 4.8 per cent higher than their previous peak in October 2010.

But this is a mixed bag and it's affecting yields, says RP Data research director Tim Lawless...

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Buying property with friends

Two out of three Australian homebuyers are likely to purchase a property with someone else, such as a partner, spouse, family member or friend, according to a recent survey.

It makes sense – pooling deposits or sharing the expenses and repayments with someone else can make property ownership more affordable. Then again, it is important to have clear understanding and documentation between all parties.

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Home lending rises: December figures

Home lending rose again in December, according to data released this week by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

The figures show that the total value of dwelling finance commitments excluding alterations and additions rose 1.8 per cent, in trend terms.

Loans for owner-occupied housing rose 1.0 per cent, while investor loans rose 3 per cent.

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Household furniture works a new angle

For furniture to stand out, it has to have a degree of difference. A new line of tables and chairs from XYZ Integrated Architecture has hit the mark, it would seem, by using a difference of degree. 60 degrees, at that.

While maintaining their fixed horizontal surfaces, the supporting legs of the entire range are tilted to one side at 60 degree angles. The ’60 red chair’ and ’60 blue table’ are constructed of steel, while the ’60 Console & Chair’ are made of upholstered mahogany.

If nothing else, it's sure to put a slant on conversation when visitors drop by.