Considering a scouting trip to Nelson for Real Estate – make sure you book one of these Sunset Cruises in advance to truly appreciate what we have here. (Summer Months for the Sunset Cruise obviously)
Out celebrating an anniversary on a fantastic harbour cruise last night in Nelson, out through the Haven and out into Tasman Bay, and the weather held………..
……but as we leaving the inner Haven …….came across this interesting sight…..
She, actually she is Drumbeat….(ex Salperton) at the time she was built by Alloy Yachts back in the early 2000s one the biggest NZ had ever made….
PHOTO CREDIT – http://www.salpertonyacht.com
was hidden around the corner in a back berth at Port Nelson.
Turns out she was in NZ for some regular maintenance and while here also competed in the New Zealand Marine Cup: Kiwi Kawau Challenge, coming third.
As we came back about 2.5hrs later I asked our boats Captain about the two flashing red lights on top of the masts.
Turns out that because they are so high, way over 100ft in old terms, they need them for aircraft navigation purposes/warnings.
Kiwis really are spoilt when it comes to indulging in seaside and on-sea experiences. One of the staff members on board Yonder Star last night commented that they used to live in England and that the life they have here in Nelson now is like living a dream. New Zealands isolation and low population density sure assist with that.
And being down in the Southern Ocean sure gives us the raw material / power required from nature that sees a Kiwi sailors experience, so highly regarded around the world.
Wikipedia have the 53m Drumbeat at number 24 on this list.
According to a Victoria University study published yesterday;
“Kiwi expatriates living overseas who plan to return home will do so because of New Zealand’s lifestyle.”
Utilizing data collected by the expatriate network KEA, and by analyzing a sample group of 13,000+ Kiwis residing living overseas, Dr Lindy Fursman of Victoria University’s Institute of Policy Studies wanted to explore how many Kiwi ex-pats may decide to come home, and why.
It’s interesting to note a couple of points of the study Dr Fursman discovered.
-> 57% planned a return to New Zealand in the future
-> those with higher qualifications were more likely to be planning to live overseas indefinitely
-> women were more likely to be planning to return than men
I say interesting, keeping in mind the original reason why so many (and by so many I refer to the fact that we Kiwis are the country with the 2nd highest percentage of our resident population overseas at any one time – just pipped by Ireland) Kiwis travel overseas is in usually in search of more favourable/greater work opportunities, generally with associated higher remuneration………..in all offering them ultimately a “perceived” better lifestyle.
In fact the Dr even touched on this point by mentioning;
While previous research has shown that expatriates move because of jobs and opportunities for greater incomes, New Zealand expatriates in Dr Fursman’s study planned to return to take advantage of New Zealand’s “enhanced lifestyle and culture.” Few respondents cited job, economic or income prospects as the reason or driver for coming home.
She concludes the report by making a call that further research needs to be done to ascertain what she calls “ a new measures of lifestyle.”
To explain what it is she means Dr Fursman reinforces her comment by stating;
“Current measures don’t accurately capture the factors that are important to daily living for families with children, for whom lifestyle is the primary driver bringing them home,” says Dr Fursman.
“Given that New Zealand’s competitive advantage internationally is lifestyle, we need to know how we are doing compared with other countries that New Zealand expatriates, and other migrants, favour.”
Is this type of research / info important?
Yes, most definitely.
From a Real Estate perspective I have many times in past posts reiterated my thoughts that two of the biggest primary drivers for the NZ market are Immigration & Unemployment, so no doubt then that this type of research makes a lot of sense.
Sub-Heading: “Don ‘t show / tell them too much” that way they’ll have to phone
Got into quite a discussion with another agent re the age old debate that crops up when you talk about listings & # of photos on the internet.
Things like;
-> Only show a few photos, or even one like the $2.5m home above? so a buyer has to phone
-> Don’t publish the address, so a buyer has to phone
-> Don’t tell them the price, so a buyer has to phone
-> Use weird terms like Deadline Sale, because the general public usually don’t know what you mean, & they will call, etc, etc
This outdated mode of operation seems to be more about teasing potential buyers and they will phone, well come – maybe like in the Field of Dreams.
However I advanced that just like the Field of Dreams, Acre of Diamond, call it what you will, ………..that once you have it built, in todays crowded marketplace, you have to shout from the treetops and direct everyone to somewhere from whence they can view, at least initially, at their own time and place.
Following on from proven overseas experience it certainly seems that the richer any visually exciting photo experience is, home shoppers will be encouraged to view more details.
Crickey according to this March 2010 post on Larry’s blog, the listing agent stated this photo sold his San Clemente listing in 30 minutes, and in interesting circumstances because the buyer had already visited the property prior to seeing the photo!
In the mix it helps not to forget that your intended buyer is many times one half of a couple, and it definitely takes 2 to tango when it comes to buying a house. One buyer may be analytically inclined, whilst their partner may make most of their decisions based on initial visual inclinations. Visual always wins usually.
How can you possibly hope to excite both partners if you have only shown a couple of photos that “you thought” showed the home in its best light.
Worse still, what options are available to you to possibly refresh a listing that’s had little buyer enquiry for a couple weeks?
Take for example the new lifestyle property listing here, it has 20 photos on realestate.co.nz and also as you can see here, another 36 odd at Open2view – all up 56 photos.
Only built in 2008, on 19.9ha, its in a lifestyle rural location, so it needs to assist folk to find it, view it, and then decide. Crucial when you’re not just around the corner.
Eagle eyed readers will note a point of difference in the Open2view photos is the inclusion of a floorplan.
At this stage the representation on realestate.co.nz just depicts that, the actual floorplan.
However if you log onto Open2view and then have a look at the floorplan here, you’ll notice a substantial difference.
Not only the locations inside and outside from where each photo was taken and the corresponding image, but also the position from where the Quicktime Virtual 360° Tours were taken – and by clicking on those icons you’ll be taken to each correspondingly relevant tour.
Tell me that this sort of visually impressive info wouldn’t be compelling to a buyer from out of town or overseas, or a UK returning ex-pat who wants to live in another part of NZ.
Quite frankly a very likely scenario for our region, as we constant get buyers locally who originally grew up in areas further south. In many cases, the big OE “drifted” into a prolonged period outside NZ (remember my earlier stats on this) however ultimately they come back. And in just as many cases because they always dreamed of wanting to live/bring up a family in the Nelson / Marlborough, “the Top of the South” they show interest in that, certainly from an initial online property search perspective.
Now the old timer though this floorplan thingie actually wasn’t a bad idea after all!
Makes you wonder where in their own mind “do they draw the line?” between this new media and what used to be the priority just 10 short years ago.
And what point is there if your potential buyer is in London, or Dubai viewing the property online at a time when you are probably asleep & your mobile turned off.
You mo as well place a banner on the add that says “Overseas Buyers – Email only.”
So at the end of the day we begged to differ in our own opinions…..and it was a river I couldn’t bridge.
New Zealands Department of Internal Affairs has over the weekend placed public notice advertisements in NZ metropolitan dailies to alert recent immigrants to this significant update. (below is from The Press)
From 21 April 2010 the requirements for obtaining a New Zealand citizenship by grant will change, essentially where as you had only to wait three years before applying, after April 21 you will then have to wait 5 years.
If you are an affected person then you have to lodge your application before April 21, otherwise you will miss out.
Here’s the words straight from the relevant page on the Departments website……….;
At the moment, if you received permanent residence or had a successful application accepted by Immigration New Zealand before 21 April 2005, you could be eligible for a grant of citizenship after living in New Zealand for three years.
If you applied for and received permanent residence on or after 21 April 2005, you have to be resident in New Zealand for five years before becoming eligible for a grant of citizenship.
However, from 21 April 2010, everyone will have to be resident for five years before becoming eligible for a grant of citizenship, no matter when they applied for and obtained permanent residence.
That means that if you meet the three-year requirement and don’t lodge an application before 21 April 2010, you will not be eligible until you have lived in New Zealand for five years, not three years.
Also as a handy helper to ascertain whether you are eligible for citizenship, the department offer their Citizenship Online Calculation Tool.
Local residents discover after residing locally for a period that they indeed take a more personal interest in the area, and no where is that more apparent that in wanting to recognise our surroundings. In Nelsons particular our case, that means a lot of hills and mountains.
After all the region is world renown for its 3 main National Parks, and many accessible peaks.
One of my colleagues at work has recently taken a local helicopter tour, well 6 folk all up it was, and one of the standouts for them was landing up on Mt Starveall.
Even the chopper pilot commented that he hadn’t experienced a better weather day to land up there than that.
While checking out some photography on Mt Starveall, like the example of the view above, I came across a website run by Markus Baumann, a local graphic designer and nature & landscape stock photographer. Markus it seems likes panoramas.
Mt Starveall is not on the range just behind Nelson in an easterly direction, its actually on the next mountain range over. That’s what helps to explains the elevation you can see in the above photo.
In fact that range thats directly behind Nelson, thats those hills with the dark green patches about centre of the above pic is the Barnicoat one.
CREDIT – Markus Baumann – Skylark.co.nz
Hmmm lets clear this up – the range directly behind Nelson (in an Easterly direction) is called the Barnicoat range and as another of his photos, above shows, it too is completely accessible as this mountain biker illustrates. He is looking out over Stoke/Tahunanui to Rabbit Island and onwards to Tasman Bay.
CREDIT – Markus Baumann – Skylark.co.nz (image size is 7200 x 585px)
So if you were curious about those peaks out there across the bay, here’s Markus detailed photo…..you’ll have to click the above photo to get it.
According to his site, www.skylark.co.nz, the mountain panorama’s viewing angle stretches roughly over 100°, from the Lookout Range in Kahurangi National Park all the way to Abel Tasman National Park, with Tasman Bay in the foreground.
Here is the another panorama taken from 1528m Mt Starveall showing and noting the other peaks up there. (you’ll need to click on it to see the full panoramic image)
Thanks again Markus for allowing me to show these photos here.
When the Nelson Mail published this photo in October 2007, many folk probably went “sigh”……….
…….and anyone that didn’t live here…..well it wouldn’t surprise me to believe they quite swiftly concluded it was a Photo-shopped image.
The reality was quite the opposite – in fact it was true, here we had someone locally following in the great tradition of Russian flying boats “Ekranoplan’s” ……..and doing it locally, and for a dollar budget, considerably short, seriously short, of those folks investment.
The above video comes from Youtube user nixontankgirl who commented -- I was sitting on my yacht anchored in Nelson, NZ one morning. In the far distance I was vaguely aware of some type of boat racing up and down. I could hear the engine scream…
I’ve posed the question before is there something in the water.
And even though you have most certainly heard that ubiquitous statement before……..
………..there are undeniable grounds for asking that question, and making that statement.
Less than 65kms from Stoke, Nelson is the “Guinness Book of World Records” qualified (and scientifically backed up) the fact that locally we have the clearest fresh water in the world, yes the whole planet. That other place in Antarctica doesn’t really count though.
As the below graphic illustrates, its currently the most popular “clickable auction” on NZ’s most popular auction site, Trademe.
Can’t help but mention here tonight another World First from NZ’s South Island, the Martin Jetpack, has recently secured some serious international funding, and is about to enter commercial production.
The good news according to some Radio Station Jocks on drive tonight was that at this stage, there is no law in New Zealand to ban you from texting while flying one of these apparatus’s.
Hmmm …..does NZ’s South Island – Middle Earth of NZ -- have any other aviation links?
PHOTO -- wikipedia.com
Well glad you asked, because the biggest one, and the subject of immense and intense debate is that we here, down under were actually the first in the world to fly…
PHOTO -- wikipedia.com
……….and near Temuka, just a dozen km’s from where I was born in fact.
A chap by the name of Richard Pearce achieved that feat back in 1903.
I’ve been asked all month about the rising levels of inventory, its been commented on it many places this past month too, however from a Nelson perspective it was definitely not that noticeable on the ground.
And when I chart the individual Feb 2010 figures, the reason why becomes abundantly clear.
The numbers on the chart equal the “Number of Weeks of UnSold Housing Stock” that was on the market in February.
The Inventory metric will always be heavily influenced by the percentage of sales that takes place in that locality, but nevertheless it is good guidance.
And why is it important.
Well the volume of competition you have makes a huge difference in achieving or bettering asking prices.
Its that demand and supply equation I’ve talked about before.
Most sellers I’ve ever talked to want their own property to stand out from the rest.
To my way of thinking, that time to sell could be maximised when you have less competition, and not when you will have 4 homes in the neighbourhood of exactly the same age, similar style, size of section, etc.
Yet the other school of thought suggests that because their are more competitors on the market, then it brings out more buyers…..think the typical stereotype of the “spring market” here.
However I suggest that a close eye kept on inventory levels in your own region can’t but help in the long run.
If you were not aware, the Australian Govt has been quite generous over recent years in assisting folk, predominantly younger ones, into their first home.
Their main vehicle has been the “First Home Owner Grant” which provides for a lump sum, oftentimes a very decent lump sum of dollars………….indeed a good chunk of the deposit, towards the purchase of same.
In more recent times, this grant accelerated quite considerably if your purchase was a brand new home under the proviso that you were that homes first owner.
Over the last decade there has been some lobbying for the NZ Govt. to adopt a similar stance. (similar to the USA last year their $15,000 helper, stimulus, etc …..well they call it a tax credit when I discussed it here a year ago)
However in sobering news this week from Aussie Home Loans main man, and reported as such by News Corps’ “Herald Sun” yesterday, is the claim that courtesy of this grant, Aussie John is of the opinion that first home buyers may have spent up to $50,000 more than they would ordinarily have done so.
Aussie John should know, after starting out in the 90’s and then riding a couple of cyclical waves, hes in the enviable position that he is still successful** and hasn’t succumbed like many of the so called “successful high fliers” of this past decade.
And just as puzzling and attractive as a hole in the head, you can imagine how happy Aussies & Kiwis are to hear about things that make them pay more for a home…………..especially their first one?
Unfortunately for the doubters, I think Aussie John is on to something, and justifiable in his way of thinking.
There was a monster fear from the Real Estate community in OZ that once the grant ended, a detrimental effect would take place on property prices in its lieu.
However this was an Australian expressed opinion.
Serendipitous is definitely what I’d call it.
CREDIT ABOVE GRAPHIC – Australian Financial Review (AFR)
I think this weeks headline sort of hints about the OZ situation.
History, as far as the “numbers” are concerned, may prove me wrong………..but there are 2 major reasons why particularly in Australia’s case, it may probably do just that.
1] the fact that Australia has recently emerged as one of the world’s strongest economies
AND…………
2] the fact is the stuff that they have……..is the stuff that the rest of the world wants now…..…and is still prepared to pay top dollar for it now in 2010 dollars for future use…….is just so great that it will surely maintain a growth pattern that many other world players would dream of……and in their wildest dreams too.
So it will be interesting to see if, in some pockets of the country, this thus transpires…..but I can just about guarantee you, that any reduction in property prices won’t happen quickly in places like Kalgoorlie, Port Hedland, Weipa or similar industry location towns. My advice……..buy any bargains you see in those same towns……………TOMORROW!
** – successful – hmmm….well he still has that Aussie dream – the multi-million dollar McMansion to call home.
Just in case you missed it a few weeks back, at this months TED2010, in a demo that according to reports, drew gasps from the audience, and afforded the presenter a standing ovation afterwards, Blaise Aguera y Arcas, from Microsoft, demonstrated new augmented-reality mapping technology from his company.
Augmented Reality is very relevant to the future of Real Estate Marketing, I spoke about it here last June as a primer for readers.
Who is Blaise, well he just happens to be the architect of Bing Maps at Microsoft, and is working to build augmented reality into searchable maps.
Watch this and see if you don’t agree.
Certainly is a forerunner of what the agent in 2015 may be showing on his own website, perhaps broadcasting from his Open Day?
Or imagine a setup like this for an on-site auction, would it be helpful if out of town/overseas telephone buyers could see the other bidders?
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