Top Tips for Bidding on Auction Day

25.05.22

Bidding can be exciting but stressful. To help you through it, here are our top bidding tips:

1. Come to the auction with a positive attitude. Even if you would have preferred not to compete at auction, look on the bright side. Unlike private treaty negotiations, you will know exactly what price your competitors are offering and once the hammer falls, the sale is final
2. Bring some photo ID. This is required for you to register to bid. Your ID must be issued by a government or financial institution and show your name and address. Examples include a driver’s licence or a council rates notice
3. Bring your cheque book – you have to sign the contract and pay the deposit immediately after the auction
4. If you are among several registered bidders, be glad. Take comfort that other people also think this is a great property! If you are the sole registered buyer, don’t assume you’re the only interested buyer. Other buyers might not be able to compete on the day due to delays with finance or their own homes not selling. Their circumstances could change within days!
5. Arrive with plenty of time to spare. Being rushed will make you more stressed. Go to the registration desk as soon as you arrive to register and receive your bidder’s card. If you like, you can pre-register with us before auction day
6. The auctioneer is entitled to make one bid on behalf of the seller. This is called a ‘vendor bid’. It is often used to start an auction if no one bids, or to raise the bidding to a level that is closer to the reserve price set by the seller
7. Show confidence. Bid in a loud, clear voice and be mindful of your body language and raise your bidder’s card high!
8. If you are going to make the first bid, be realistic. The auctioneer has the right to refuse any bid that is not in the vendors’ interests
9. If the property is going to pass in, make sure you are the highest or last bidder. The highest bidder is offered the first right to negotiate immediately after the auction. If no one bids, five other people could approach us immediately afterwards and you will end up in a quasi auction anyway!

Kitchen Styling – 4 things to do before you sell

18.04.22

As they say… kitchens sell houses! As a space that brings family and friends together, it’s high on the list of any potential buyer so you need to ensure yours looks it’s absolute best before listing your home. Here’s a few tips that can be applied to any kitchen, whatever it’s shape or size. 

1. Clear your bench tops: Before doing anything else, declutter. Remove everything from the benchtops. Put small and large appliances in cupboards or storage. A clutter free kitchen will look more spacious and allow you to give it a good clean – which is also essential. Scrub every surface, including your oven and built in appliances. A clean kitchen will give the impression of a well-maintained home.

2. Make small repairs: Kitchen renovations can be expensive and take time, but some minor repairs will go a long way. Replace damaged hardware, fix leaking taps, if your cabinets are in bad condition or very dated, you may consider painting them. Likewise, a new benchtop can give your entire kitchen a new look. Don’t go overboard but make sure what you’ve got is in the best condition possible. 

3. Organise your cupboards: You also need to give attention to what’s inside your cupboards and drawers. Remove everything and cull what you no longer use or need. Replace everything neatly. Organised cupboards give the impression of ample storage space. 

4. Simple styling: With kitchen styling, less is more. Choose a few simple accessories such as a beautiful serving dish or tray, layered with utensils or napery. Play with different materials and textures to create different looks. We especially love adding greenery or a floral arrangement and if there’s wall space, an artwork in a kitchen is an unexpected and lovely point of interest. 

Article by Spatial Property Styling. For more detailed and bespoke advice regarding your property, contact one of their Senior Stylists on 9417 7193.

My Favourite Australian Artists

21.03.22

Thinking about how to decorate the walls in your home but not sure where to start? Or maybe you just need some freshening up on one or two walls and want something up and coming!

There’s no shortage of incredible talent when it comes to artists in Australia. Here’s a few of my favourites!

ZOE YOUNG

Fascinated by the simple beauty of the everyday, Zoe Young works between still life, portraiture and abstraction to capture her delight in life’s fleeting moments, turning them into something intimate, revelatory and long-lasting. The distillation of experiences and sensations is at the heart of Young’s practice. Originally trained in sculpture, her boldly feminine works are underpinned by a solid foundation of modernist theory and considered technical approaches to colour, composition and mark making.

To view more of her work click here

JANE GUTHLEBEN

Painter Jane Guthleben grew up on a Victorian sheep farm and now lives in Sydney close to the bush. Through her intimate paintings of domestic interiors, flora and kitsch, Guthleben brings the landscape in, emphasising its untamabilty, coarseness and defiant character that are at odds with the order and comfort of home. Prickly foliage, bulbous nuts and Australiana contrast with drapery and domesticity in unlikely combinations that are as familiar as they are strange

She recently launched a fantastic exhibition with MContemporary which we loved. To view more of her work click here

PETER HICKEY

Peter Hickey is a contemporary Australian artist who’s work reflects a love of nature in all its forms. Integral to Peter Hickey’s art is drawing – whether it be in a landscape etching, a still life monotype or a painting of an animal. The underlying drawing gives his work its sincerity and reflects Peter’s love of nature in all its forms. His work is included in the following collections: Gold Coast Regional Gallery, National Gallery of Australia, State Gallery of Tasmania, Art Gallery of NSW, Qantas Collection
Microsoft (Australia), Armidale Regional Gallery, Australia, ANZ Bank, Australia, Britiish, Printmakers Council, London, U.K, Kala Institute, Berkeley, California U.S.A, & Museums and Collections Worldwide.

Click here to view his works

DAN KYLE

The lyrical splendour of the Australian bush is captured in Dan Kyle’s painterly mark. Hovering somewhere between figuration and abstraction, his landscapes play with surface and texture to recreate the majesty and intrigue of the dense scrub that surrounds his Blue Mountains studio.

To view more of his work click here

I am also always on the lookout for up-and-coming young Australian artists. From abstract landscapes to detailed portraits, here is a great article on a few artists to start collecting right now!

And if you are looking to get out and about and check out some of the best public art in Sydney, take a look at this list.

Recipe of the Month: Coriander spiced lamb cutlets with freekeh and herb salad

29.01.22

Its the perfect time of the year for this recipe..though really anytime is a good time for lamb cutlets!! Enjoy!

 

Coriander spiced lamb cutlets with freekeh and herb salad

2 teaspoons coriander seeds

sea salt and cracked black pepper

8 lamb cutlets

2 tablespoons olive oil, extra to drizzle

1 cup freekeh (or cous cous as an alternative)

1 cup frozen peas, blanched

½ cup parsley leaves, roughly chopped

¼ cup dill leaves

1 tablespoon lemon juice

zucchini tzatziki

1 zucchini, trimmed and grated

1 cup Greek yoghurt

2 tablespoons chopped mint leaves

1 tablespoon chopped dill leaves

1 small garlic clove, crushed

 

Combine the coriander seeds, salt and pepper in a bowl. Add the cutlets and 1 tablespoon of olive oil and toss to coat. Set aside at room temperature.

Place 2 ½ cups of water and the freekeh in a small saucepan over high heat and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low-medium and simmer for 15 minutes or until tender and the water has been absorbed. Set aside to cool.

To make the zucchini tzatziki, combine all ingredients in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat, cook the lamb cutlets for 2-3 minutes each side until medium or cooked to your liking. Remove from the pan and cover. Combine the freekeh, peas, parsley, dill, lemon juice and remaining oil. Season with salt and pepper. Serve the freekeh salad topped with the lamb cutlets and the zucchini tzatziki and drizzle with extra oil.

 

Serves 4.

Image and Styling: Kirsten Jenkins