EXPLORE all the trends – from styling to sell, the importance of art, the latest design trends, the iconic feature wall and many other ideas including what’s the latest out there…. This section will help you dress your home, throw new ideas at you and inspire you to experiment with “tried and tested” guidelines that I’m sure will arm you with the best advice to sell your property and enjoy life.
Splashbacks |
09.02.16 |
Keeping up with kitchen trends can be confusing. It seems that every year there are new styles in vogue, the latest must-needed gadgets and materials that range from the most luxurious to the sober.
Over the last 10 years, the focus on splashbacks has really exploded. Trends have swayed from the uber modern to vintage and everything in between. We take a look at what trends that will be making a ‘splash’ in 2016.
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2015 saw the rise in popularity in glass tiles. As these come in a range of colours and sizes, there is a wide scope to play with. It looks as if this trend will continue this year, but the focus will be on bold primary and metallic colours. What I love about glass tiles is the three-dimensional shimmering quality of them.
Nothing says luxe like marble, and using this gorgeous natural material for a splashback will take your kitchen to the next level.
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Splashbacks and benches need to complement each other, so the trick with matching these to your accessories is to not go overboard with the metallic trend or else it will look hideous. Trends this year will see the use of warm metals and metallic such as brushed steel, copper, perforated, hammered and shiny metals. Be mindful of the impact of the over bling and the atmosphere you want to create. Darker kitchens can be offset beautifully with a metallic splashback, bringing a contemporary feel to your room.
Acrylic splashbacks have made their way into designer kitchens due to the wide range of colours available. They are less expensive than other materials.
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This year, subdued tones will infiltrate kitchens, so whatever splashback you choose, be careful it doesn’t date too soon. 2016 will see warmer shades of grey and cooler browns emerge. Crisp white never goes out of fashion.
Of course at the end of the day my favourite, tried and tested splashback, is the mirror. It makes the space look bigger, never dates and works with any style of kitchen. You can tint the mirror to work better with a darker kitchen as well.
Darlinghurst – Live, Love, Sell |
08.02.16 |
Like so many of Sydney’s inner city suburbs, Darlinghurst’s gentrification just seems to continue. Bordering the south west of the CBD, it’s one of Sydney’s most renowned entertainment hubs, with lower Oxford Street and the bustling Taylor’s Square home to countless bars and clubs.
The cosmopolitan café strip of Victoria Street is feted for its coffee, served with love at local favourites like Bar Coluzzi and Tropicana, the original home of the Tropfest short film festival. Travel further down Victoria Street and you’ll get to the iconic Coke sign and the neon lights of Kings Cross.
The Darlinghurst precinct known as East Sydney or ‘Little Italy’ is home to Stanley Street’s cheap and cheerful Italian diner Bill & Tony’s, a Sydney institution where the basic menu and old-school decore have changed little over the years.
Darlinghurst’s quaint streets are lined with Victorian terraces which are being renovated to reflect the area’s increasing affluence. Art Deco apartment buildings sit side by side with a host of revered contemporary developments, including Harry Seidler’s tower The Horizon, Allen Jack + Cottier’s Republic 1 and 2 and Top of the Town. Local landmarks include St Vincents Hospital and the National Art School in the grounds of the old Darlinghurst jail.
Real estate terms – Do you really know what they mean? |
02.02.16 |
Every industry has its own vernacular, a language that is specific for their needs. Often, we become so accustomed to seeing a word, we assume we know the meaning. Other times, we might be too embarrassed to ask. Well, let me help clear up those real estate terms that you might have seen hundreds of times, but possibly a little unsure of the full meaning.
If real estate is not your profession, understanding the terminology can be tricky. But, don’t feel disheartened, you aren’t expected to know it all! Conveyancers and property lawyers usually take care of all the paperwork, but if you want to know more, just ask. I believe in full transparency and would prefer my clients were comfortable with asking me all the questions they need when making property decisions.
For those who think they’re a wiz at real estate terms, why not test yourself and see if you can blitz the real estate glossary test?
N.B This is only an abridged list of the most common terms used.
A lot or block subdivided from a larger portion of land.
The number of years it will take to repay a home loan completely. Maximum amortisation period is usually 25 years.
A short-term loan, usually at a higher rate of interest, taken out by those who have bought a house while waiting for theirs to be sold, or when a normal mortgage and their savings fall below the asking price.
Represents a property buyer in negotiations with a vendor or his/her agent. The buyer’s agent is paid by the buyer. Buyer’s agents should be licensed and certified to act as a buyer’s agent.
Is the tax based on the difference between the purchase and selling price, less inflation, applied upon the sale of an investment property.
Is a document any person with a legal interest in a property can lodge with the Titles Office to ensure the property is not sold without their knowledge.
Latin for ‘Let the Buyer Beware.’ This puts the burden onto the buyer to be satisfied with the item before purchasing a property.
A document stating who owns the property, the size of the land and whether there are any limitations on the title such as mortgages, easements or encumbrances.
Chattels are personal property. There are two types. Real chattels are buildings and fixtures. Personal chattels are clothes, furniture, etc.
Each Cluster Title holder has a Certificate of Title which specifies ownership in terms of a particular area for which the owner is responsible and defines the common property. Unlike a Strata Title, it does not subdivide ‘airspace.’
The first document signed on buying a house is sometimes a Contract Note, instead of a Contract of Sale. This document when signed by both parties is a legally binding as a Contract of Sale and the buyer and seller should treat it with the same importance. It must be accompanied by a Vendor Statement.
A period of time during which a buyer can withdraw from the sale of a home (if not purchased at auction). Duration varies from state to state. The duration must be outlined in the Agreement of Sale.
Conditions affecting the use of land or property written into the title.
Charges payable to solicitors or conveyancers such as postage, phone calls, stamp duty, registration fees and government charges.
A right held by someone to use land belonging to someone else for a specific purpose. Mains, drains and water pipes are usually covered by an easement.
An easement, mortgage, or other liability on a property which impedes its use or transfer.
An owner’s interest in land where the property and the land on which it stands both belong to their owner indefinitely.
If someone has agreed to sell you a property and then sells it to someone else for a higher price, you have been gazumped!
Old, complicated form of land ownership in form of chain of documents. Can be more than 100 years old and of historic interest.
Form or Torrens Title that applies to a property before it has been adequately surveyed.
The last day of the term of the home loan agreement. The home loan must then be paid in full or the home loan agreement renewed.
Is the income on your property less certain expenses such as rates, insurance, maintenance and body corporate levies.
Usually 1% of price, is payable and forfeited if buyer does not go through with the transaction.
Applies to some Old System Titles converted to Torrens Title that may not have been fully investigated.
A seller’s minimum sale price for property sale. It may be recorded on the authority to sell.
This clause would be contained in a building contract. It provides for an upward or downward contract price dependant on movement of prices, wages or other factors specified.
Applies to more than one property on a single piece of land, such as an apartment block. Each unit will have a separate strata title, organised under a ‘strata plan’.
Property free of covenants or other restrictions.
The permissible uses of an area of land as defined by a council.
SELLING homes is not just a career; it is an art form – one that is carefully honed over years of life experience and knowledge. And, I can proudly say, that I still absolutely love what I do – day in, day out.
For over 30 years, I have immersed myself in real estate and have built an untarnished reputation in the eastern suburbs of Sydney, among my peers and with my clients – many of who are my friends. People say I exude positivity, and I accept this as the highest compliment.
