Archive for August, 2010
Out in the country and over the hill, I went to find her a wild daffodil, yes daffodil’s are in flower so Spring is on its way. Good bye to winter hooray!! Warmer days and longer nights……..so exciting!
Hope you have all been out and supported Daffodil day, cancer is such a horrible disease and needs all the research available to try and find a cure.
Meanwhile the old real estate market is a wee bit like weather – needs to pick up. There has been the odd sale sneaking through but they are very hard to get together. We are also finding it difficult in getting good or fresh stock on the books, we have buyers but they are very weary and very verse with the market, pricing and expectations. It is still very much a buyers market so to get your property sold – Pricing it right is the key factor.
In this regards I have had a couple of vendors reappraise the value of their property and have adjusted the pricing accordingly……..these are featured in this weeks listings.
I have also viewed an amazing bach at Otama Beach this week. Enjoying amazing views of this special beach this property makes the most of the location. A funky 2 bedroom bach which could be yours for Christmas…..just waiting for the listing to be signed. This bach typifies what we all love and cherish about “The Coromandel”. This will be one of those well worth consideration properties which will provide your family and friends a bolt hole away from recession depression and the hassles of being stuck in traffic somewhere! Beam me there Scottie!!!!
At the moment the country appears to be in a stand still. Developers are there in the wings and according to a friend of mine in the finance industry money is available however every hoop needs to be jumped to get the cash. Accountancy firms are half the problem as they are providing cautious advice to their clients, however with the lack of development we will find shortly there will be a shortage of available stock and there will be a mad scramble to get things done….results prices will sky rocket again out of control. A developer with balls bringing on a steady supply of stock will be the winner, as long as they have the ability to weather the current drought.
Our current downturn is seeing builders out of work and this just filters down through all the trades, retail merchants etc. This whole area needs stimulation to get the economy back on track. The first task is to get rid of the layers and layers of BS the local authorities are imposing on the developers……over 50% of the cost of developing a section (excluding land costs) goes to council in some sort of contributions. Then off course the same local bodies start imposing further layers on the builders etc. Local Authorities and Government officials don’t care less their jobs are safe. Half the BS imposed doesn’t have any measurable outcomes the bottom line is half the legislation imposed is not sustainable. No wonder sections values are so bloody expensive compounded with the high building costs prices need to come down as current levels are not sustainable.
You currently have a window of opportunity to make a difference – Local body elections are upon us. MAKE YOUR VOTE COUNT! As a nation we can not continue with the level of consent imposed – time to give a clear message is upon us!!!!! What a shame I didn’t stand for council! They all need to live in the real world!
Meanwhile now I’ve vented its back on the bike clocking up the k’s. In fact just come back from a ride in the hills through the forestry, fresh air, steep hills, dripping sweat, wind in the hair and the fat guts rapidly disappearing……… now that’s heaven.
August 26 2010 | Weekly Newsletters | No Comments »
Its here again – Whitianga Scallop Feast your opportunity to enjoy Whitianga and get a great feed of Scallops whilst enjoying some of New Zealand’s best entertainers.
There are still plenty of tickets available and I’m sure there will be gate sales if you haven’t secured yours yet.
The festival web site is certainly worth a viewing as it details all what’s happening during the event…….
www.scallopfestival.co.nz.
The Saturdays activities are full of cooking demonstrations, stalls, locals demonstrating there companies cooking skills, sea food of all description (not only scallops) and the normal array of entertainment sites, stall holders and activities……..all designed to make your day perfect.
Entertainment Acts include – The Rooftop Collective, Dylan Wade and Sarah Spicer, The Mullet Man, The Con-rays, Ulcumainia, Dreamgun and Konkoxion.
Whitianga business district will be ready for the onslaught of visitors with all the shops, restaurants and watering holes ready to serve and ensure the weekend is perfect.
On Sunday luxuriate at The Lost Spring taking in the atmosphere and soothing heat from the hot pools. Hot Waves Café in Hot Water Beach also has a lunch time special to relax you before you cruise back to Hamilton, Auckland or where ever.
During the weekend call in and see us at Bayleys for the latest list of properties available – as we have some auctions programs currently in place pick up an info pack. We also have a few open homes programmed for the weekend so make time and have a look.
So Saturday the 28th August will be all go…..the gates open at 9:00 am with “Shamus – the ultimate danger show” underway to entertain and thrill you the moment you come through the gate.
House of Creations have a stand at the festival so call in say hi to Jill and Kathy……..buy something special for that special person in your life and most of all ENJOY!!!!!
May all your scallops be fat ones and may all your fat ones be scallops not trollops!!!!
August 26 2010 | Uncategorized | No Comments »
All too often I hear people say it’s absolutely beautiful here but what can you do? Obviously there is the boating, fishing, beaches but that is not all. Having lived on the Coromandel now for over 28 years I still haven’t even scratched the surface on activities. So over the ensuring months as part of my Coromandelpropertyinsider website I will describe an activity on the Coromandel that you could try…..bit of a travel info thingee really. So hears a taste of what to expect……this week New Chums Beach
Wainuiototo has been described by Lonely Planet guide as one of the worlds top 20 beaches……currently there is a lot of debate over a proposed development there but I’m not going to debate the pro’s and con’s of that development.
To get to New Chums (Wainuiototo) is approximately a half hour scramble across rocks. Park your car at the end of Mangakahia Drive – Whangapoua Beach and walk to the western end of the beach. At high tide the lagoon will need to be crossed – if the local children aren’t charging you $2 to get rowed across your only other option is to get wet. Low tide it’s a lot easier and drier.
Once across the lagoon rock hop over the boulders that make the coastline home until you see the track in the bush on the foreshore. Once you are on the track it is easy going. You will notice the track will veer left with a short climb over the saddle and down into New Chums. The track over the saddle can be quite slippery in the winter months so exercise care. The approaches to the beach is through an amazing groove of Nikau palms, huge Pohutukawa down onto the golden sands of what is a n amazing beach.
Swim with care on the eastern side of the beach as the surf dumps hard and the beach drops away quite quickly. More gentle swimming and snorkeling is available on the far end of the beach…….takes about 15 to 20 minute to walk to the end.
This is a great place to explore and discover, all my children have camped there over the years and we all have very fond memories of New Chums.
Make sure to bring a picnic, togs towel, sunscreen, hat and decent walking shoes.
Your can get to New Chums by boat (not as much fun) and there are some great fishing holes off the beach and near by islands.
Yes this is paradise…………
August 20 2010 | Uncategorized | 4 Comments »
Brendon’s (Westpac’s chief economist) positive comments last week have started to rub off as we have all been busier this week……..things are tough but maybe starting to soften – he says hopefully.
All the auctions the office currently has running are gathering great interest; this proves that properties with solid marketing programs behind them are getting interest. This is encouraging as all too often properties are just sitting on the market with no urgency to achieve a sale. As agents we can only do the best with the tools provided. The internet is a very valuable tool however is over stated when in reality the best way to sell is to advertise and get on the phone and talk to any body and every body.
I’m guilty of hiding behind the computer screen creating my blogs newsletters etc. Old fashion leg work, finger on the dial and talking is still the main way of achieving results………………the internet is a great way to present properties and most purchasers are well researched when making a buying decisions however the market segment that is currently buying properties is the baby boomers – most of these people are used to actually talking to people not txt’s not email’s not blogs just a simple phone call. I’m not saying the rest isn’t important it is profile building etc. but old fashion getting out being seen talking the talk is also vital. Real estate selling is all about a balance, creating habits (like this newsletter) and working hard.
It is interesting also in these tough times different agencies are working closer together, as agents we are showing prospective purchasers all listing from every company not just our own stock. This is easier for the buyers as they only need to work with one agent and also great for our vendors as they have a bigger work force behind the scenes getting the property sold.
What remains as the most important ingredient in getting property sold is price……..price it right at the start, price it too sell don’t think there will be someone prepared to pay over the odds. Presentation…….make sure your property is well presented to the market as first impressions do make the difference. Promotion…….don’t be scared to promote your property, all too often we see vendors drop 1000’s off there price but not prepared to spend anything on marketing the property and exposing it to the wider market audience which may achieve a higher sale value. The 3 “P’s” Price, Presentation and Promotion get these elements right and get it “SOLD” agents are not magicians but they can work magic with all the 3 “P’s” in place!!
The whole process sounds simple but all to often we make things difficult, the principals are the same in any selling whether we look at the supermarket shelves, electrical retailers, or the local dairy…….the goods that sell the best are the ones that are priced sharply, packaged well, and have strong advertising behind them……..why should selling a house be any different?
Meanwhile the weather has been a tad nasty lately keeping me off the bike, so this weekend we went for a great walk through the Waitaia DOC bush track instead. We used to take the kids here all the time to pick blackberries in the day. The blackberries have gone replaced by an amazing groove of Kauri and the walking track is awesome. I have decided to post on my http://coromandelpropertyinsider.com web site a weekly post of different activities you can do on “The Mandel” and I promise none will involve play stations, computer games or such like.
So it’s back on the bike to train hard if I’m to complete the Lake Taupo circumnavigation (160 ks) in November………so “On Ya Bike Mike” until next week.
August 20 2010 | Uncategorized | No Comments »
Bayleys have also launched there own site which feature “Green Homes” sustainable technology.
“Green Homes” are not only rammed earth or way out alternative properties (you know what I mean). They are houses that incorporate sustainable features that will help save the planet. Built from plantation renewable forests (not rain forests that are clear felled), alternative electric systems, recycled materials, incorporate low energy appliances, double glazed, built to ensure natural sunlight not only lights but warms the home etc. The bottom line is a home that’s low cost to run saving you energy dollars saving the demand on the earth’s resources.
This can be achieved on all new builds and there are dozens of web sites and advisers out there to help make it a reality. Check out Bayleys site and you can also follow progress on Face book.
www.bayleysgreenhomes.co.nz.
Face book followers: Green Homes NZ
You can also follow me on Face book: coromandelpropertyinsider. It’s a blast – yeah right!
As more homes are built incorporating Green sustainable features they will be sort after by consumers and no doubt hold there value better than conventional homes. We are already experiencing people categorizing homes whether they incorporate double glazing, It’s only a matter of time that consumers become aware of green features and start insisting homes incorporate these features. Many features can be retrofitted into existing homes and well worth considering with any renovations you are addressing.
We all look for energy efficient vehicles lets also make our houses energy efficient – well worth the effort.
August 14 2010 | Uncategorized | No Comments »
Welcome to Friday the 13th I hope it’s not a nightmare just another day in paradise.
These days one is always searching for good news so when Bev brought in a cutting from the Waikato Times on Thursday I thought I should share it with you.
“NZ outlook brighter, says economist” reading the head line certain drew my attention……Westpac’s chief economist Brendon O’Donovan told a group of Hamilton exporters – “The seemingly slow pace of the recovery is actually business as usual on the upside of a recession”
The article goes on to report that NZ is well positioned to make the most of a continued boom in developing countries such as China, India and Brazil which were already driving wood and diary prices and exports. He reminded the meeting that “Recoveries don’t happen evenly across an economy and the ones that are hurt the most are the ones that are recovering the fastest.” The comment that will please people the most was consumers are still cautious about debt but they will eventually begin spending and the credit crunch will be forgotten. All I can say is bring it on………thank goodness some positive comments for once as this constant negativity just drags us all down.
It is a tough environment out there and we all need to make a living…. Real estate has been further complicated by the REAA 2008 act. Keeping the industry clean from dishonest agents. However this has brought a new breed of lawyers looking for any excess to save clients money and earning a little extra along the way. So all transactions now will be laboured as the agent will ensure every last bit of paper work, leaflets etc. will be done to the letter closing any loop hole a lawyer may perceive. Typically 20% stuff it for the rest – that’s progress that’s the real estate industry. So buying or selling is a complex transaction so please be patient and ensure everything is in order prior to putting your signature to any agreement.
This week with the commencement of the auction programs as earlier described we are starting to receive more enquiries through the office. Even the odd contract floating around. This is very encouraging and hopefully comments like Brendon’s are starting to filter out there into the world of house buyers.
I have also listed a great little life style block on the 309 – details are across the page. I’ve already had some positive interest on this listing as the property is immaculately presented with all the hard work done. Now it’s simply a matter of tending to the live stock, mowing the orchard, picking the fruit (selling surplus at the gate) and play farmer.
24 Captain Wood is also a great little property – what an earner every time we arrange to do an open home it’s booked out. Now booked solid until the end of August. Check it out on www.bayleys.co.nz/261827. Our rental division has also been flat out looking for permanent rentals plus holiday lets. Obviously with Coro Gold casual holiday rentals are at a premium so if your house is empty and you want to booster the bank balance give Geraldine a call on 07 8660098. I’ll take 10% referral fee………yeah right!!
For further details on local properties check out the following web sites or give me a call and we can forward out details on any listing. www.mikeharper.bayleys.co.nz http://coromandelpropertyinsider.com. Or http://unconditional.co.nz/mikeharper.
Mean while preparation is well underway for the upcoming K1 and Lake Taupo cycle challenges. I’m on me bike doing the K’s trying my hardest to keep up with Ian – now he’s a machine! So on ya bike and until next week.
August 14 2010 | Uncategorized | No Comments »
Did You know…
In America there’s an increasing number of home lending authorities offering ‘green home’ loans, or ‘energy efficiency’ loans. If a home has energy efficiency features it can be assessed and this will qualify the homeowner to reduced mortgage interest rates.
August 06 2010 | Uncategorized | No Comments »
Oxford University researchers have discovered the heaviest element yet known to science.
The new element, Governmentium (symbol=Gv) has one neutron, 25 assistant neutrons, 88 deputy neutrons, and 198 assistant deputy neutrons, giving it an atomic mass of 312.
These 312 particles are held together by forces called morons, which are surrounded by vast quantities of lepton-like particles called pillocks.
Since Governmentium has no electrons, it is inert. However, it can be detected because it impedes every reaction with which it
comes into contact.
A tiny amount of Governmentium can cause a reaction that would normally take less than a second, to take from 4 days to 4 years to complete.
Govermentium has a normal half-life of 2 to 6 years. It does not decay, but instead undergoes a reorganization in which a portion of the assistant neutrons and deputy neutrons exchange places.
In fact, Governmentium’s mass will actually increase over time, since each reorganization will cause more morons to become neutrons, forming isodopes. This characteristic of moron promotion leads some scientists to believe that Governmentium is formed whenever morons reach a critical concentration. This hypothetical quantity is referred to as critical morass.
When catalyzed with money, Governmentium becomes Administratium (symbol=Ad), an element that radiates just as much energy as Governmentium, since it has half as many pillocks but twice as many morons.
This is the most logical explanation I have discovered which explains the elements of Central and Local Governments. I though it was worth sharing so we can all gain an understanding of how it all works.
August 06 2010 | Uncategorized | No Comments »
What a hard week! Not because of the schizophrenic market purely because it was my 55th birthday this week and the old boy partied hard with my friends (I know you didn’t think I had any!!). So things are a little slow this week. Chris thought the scotch must have been off as he felt sick all the next day!!!!! – Yeah right!!!!!
I use the term schizophrenic as I saw the phrase quoted by an ANZ economist this week…. “We continue to portray a schizophrenic recovery process”. I actually think this describes what we are experiencing in the Coromandel property market extremely well – a mixture of the good with the bad. For every bad piece of news or statistic I see, I see an equally compelling positive statistic or sale. I have the answer – we’re having a schizophrenic episode!!
One of my hobby horses is the constant bombardment of compliance issues we, no matter the industry are faced with. All this compliance not producing anything except frustrations and costs. I received a letter this week from an English client. It is very interesting to note the new English Prime Minister is scrapping all sorts of compliance in an effort to getting the country back on its feet. Dump the PC and start producing again. I posted this letter on my Coromandelpropertyinsider web site. Well worth a read – hopefully our government will take note and we too can shed the BS and gain some traction.
Mean while we are still working hard behind the scenes in getting some fresh direction for Matarangi Beach Estates. I have said on numerous occasions this development needs an injection of fresh ideas and direction……..so stay tuned you’ll hear it first from me if we can get it all together.
When we take a hard look at the current market in Whitianga one can only assume the market still has some correction to take place. This is not good news if you have too sell however the reality is the market got over cooked in the mid 2000’s and unfortunately it was not sustainable in the long term. The global recession, banks lending criteria changes, finance company collapses have all contributed, the challenge we all have is how to holt this correction and maintain some value for our vendors.
The best start is to ensure your property is well priced, well presented and stands out in the market place. Promoted on the net, the papers make it the talk of the town…..did you know that xxxx is on the market and what a get buy at xxxx have a look? We have some great marketing options for you to consider ensuring your property gains some traction.
Bike training was on hold for the old 55th on Tuesday night, it was wet any way and if I get wet we’re likely to melt. So we are back into training again for the weekend getting match fit for the upcoming cycling events. So if you’re on the roads this weekend take care as the idiot on the road could be me……..take care and drive safe.
August 06 2010 | Weekly Newsletters | 1 Comment »