Archive for April, 2009
Following the methods outlined the bestselling author Gary Keller’s book “The Millionaire Real Estate Agent”, a Realtor (US speak for a Real Estate Agent) is looking to achieve an audacious goal. By using his methods and following the plan Sarah Bandy hopes to generate one million dollars of revenue in a 52-week time span.
A particularly interesting component in this quest is her take on taking advantage of Web 2.0 methods.
From her web site….
Each week viewers will be able to tune in at www.SarahBandy.com to learn her methods, celebrate her successes, and follow every step of the way on her daring and exciting new journey.
Sarah has said she will be incorporating and using “Web 2.0″ methods, encompassing Youtube, Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites to promote her show and help to accomplish her goal.
SOURCE www.sellius.com
April 30 2009 | Buyers and General and Sellers and US Market | No Comments »
As some of you readers are aware I am quite a fan of developing technology and apps in the “location awareness” field.
Check out this video which typifies what we should soon start seeing, once obviously adapted to local conditions, using real time GPS co-ords to pinpoint a users whereabouts while you are walking or driving through an area.
How easy could this application/phone combo be to use?
How about looking at this exact application running on an iphone through the eyes of a 4year old.
I can imagine quite a few scenerios where this combo would be very insightful and useful.
With the Palm Pre presently being advertised as on the Worlds First 4th Generation Wireless Network run by Sprint in the States, Australia going full bore with Telstras “Next-G”, and locally Telecom about to roll out
their new high speed network, applications such as this iPhone one will definitely provide information overload to users. (Even the original Pre might not be around for long if this TechCrunch article becomes reality)
SOURCE – www.textually.org
April 30 2009 | General and Technology | No Comments »
Just sliced $50 million off the asking price of your home?
No I didn’t think so either.
Thats the sum that has been slashed off Leona Helmsleys estate property in Greenwich.
Originally listed on the market for USD$125m, and after a drop to USD$95m last October, is it now available for the bargain price of USD$75m.
But at least Trouble is ok, don’t forget he got USD$12m in Leona Helmsleys will.
In slightly related older news, this price drop follows on from The Donalds slight price reduction on his old Palm Beach, Florida mansion where against an asking price of USD$125m he got USD$95m from a Russian billionaire. (On Forbes Billionaire list, the new owner, Ryolovev is #59 with estimated worth of USD$12billion)
IMAGE 1 -NewsTimes.com 21-04-09
IMAGE 2 – New York Times 23-04-09
IMAGE 3 – www.forbes.com
April 30 2009 | General and US Market | No Comments »
there is such a difference between us in mortgage rates from the banks?
We are talking near on 2% even though both countries claim a 3% official rate.
Any banker tell me what is happening here.
April 26 2009 | Mortgages Finance Money | No Comments »
A sign of for the times I mentioned a while back when I wrote here about maturing technology, QR Codes is getting closer to mainstream in this part of the globe especially if yesterdays Real Estate section in The Courier Mail (snapshot sent to me) is anything to go by. Its been practically of mainstream in places like the states for a few years or so now. (click on above photo for higher resolution image)
If you look closer in the bottom right hand corner of the above advertisement you’ll notice the QR Code.
Only need to take a photo of it with your mobile phone camera, and then through associated software it will allow you to link automatically to the relevant site. Saves having to find a pad & pen when you find an interesting site. Maybe we will soon see them on For Sale signs like in the USA.
Or another example here…….
Can’t help but think it would be fantastic for competitions in newspapers too. (click on above photo for higher resolution image)
imagine if you will
a QR code to snap with your cell phone
OR….remember this
www.foodcompany.co.nz/competitions/april2009/week3/nz/regional/southisland/win200dollarpetrol/
or on supermarket shelves so buyers could check everything about the product (too much info to fit on the bottle or packaging.)
April 25 2009 | New Zealand and Technology and photography | No Comments »
Well just in case you had forgotten, remember that feeling you had from your Air New Zealand window seat, as you glimpsed your first sight again of the NZ coastline on a return flight after an extended time away.
That’s the feeling I’m talking about, however I suppose being born here and traveling around everything looks kinda normal to us as its all we’ve been used to.
Its really only once you travel overseas that you have a standard from which to base your thoughts and feelings on.
For the last 4 years an index of many worldwide countries has been published annually by FutureBrand. The results pictured above have been from the 2007 survey.
Those from here on down are from the 2008 study.
It is complied from the results taken as such….
Almost 2,700 respondents from nine countries including the US, UK, China, Australia, Japan, Brazil, UAE, Germany and Russia participated in a travel survey. Participants were screened to include frequent international travelers (who travel internationally more than once a year) between the ages of 21 and 65, with a balanced split between men and women. Business and leisure travelers were both included.
Not relying just on this, they say
FutureBrand has developed a three-tiered evaluation system for ranking country brands. This Index incorporates global quantitative research, expert opinions, and references relevant statistics that link brand equity to assets, growth and expansion. The result is a unique evaluation system that provides the basis of our rankings.
You’ll notice re the Natural Beauty category we have won two years running.
Interestingly the survey takes into account a brands positioning, as in a persons expectation before they arrive at their destination, and further……also that persons thoughts and feelings in comparison, after they leave.
If you were to download the survey (through a confirmation email exchange system) you can read the whole methodology of the survey/study.
Although published and released back in November 2008 it makes for interesting reading for those who did not see it.
And although we don’t score number 1 or 2 on everyone of the 30 odd sectors surveyed……
… it is apparent to see that on some of the “lifestyle” issues we fared pretty well.
And for many we are on the rise over the 2007-2008 period too, something that might not be lost on future immigrants.
The one that stunned me was the last one, that puts us up there in some pretty illustrious company I’d say.
And frankly if you’re an Australian who hasn’t visited us yet, get in quick to take advantage of Air New Zealands “BIG SHOUT” that enables you to buy just a trans tasman airfare and get a free domestic flight, so you could fly Sydney to Christchurch, then free up to Nelson to check out the local real estate, then a free trip back to Wellington before another trans tasman flight back home.
Most of us know how lucky we are here in Aotearoa, but it doesn’t help sometimes to get an outside opinion either.
SOURCE – www.countrybrandindex.com
April 22 2009 | New Zealand | No Comments »
I’ve had many experiences locally of buyers from other parts of the world whom have visited resettlement experts in their home country with a view to moving to NZ, well the Nelson region specifically.
The amount of money that is spent with these advisors in many cases does not appear to bear resemblance to the work required, or in quite a few cases has come with little concrete evidence of progress, or in some cases little guarantee.
So it is with a positive breath of fresh air we see some addressing of the issue from government.
Here’s what they say…
From 4 May 2009, the Immigration Advisers Licensing Act 2007 requires that anyone who provides immigration advice in New Zealand must have a licence from the Immigration Advisers Authority, unless they are exempt from the requirement to hold a licence. From 4 May 2009, Immigration New Zealand will refuse to accept applications from unlicensed onshore advisers. From 4 May 2010, offshore advisers giving advice to people seeking visas or permits will also have to be licensed.
Bit late for some though, the worst story I’ve been told personally was involving a $14,000 sum spent in blimey, then once here in NZ, the advisor then asking for some more thousands to expedite the granting of a residency.
In the end that buyer ended up working with a local lawyer/solicitor who was much more cognizant of the ramifications locally. They were successful in the end (although nearly got tripped up by OIO) by using the local Nelson person, but it was a drain on them, both mentally and in dollars spent with nothing to really show for it.
So as well as Kiwi based advisors the ACT attempts to also tidy up the situation with off-shore based advisors, as in…
From 4 May 2009, Immigration New Zealand will refuse to accept applications from unlicensed onshore advisers. If an onshore adviser acting on behalf of an immigration client is not on the Register of licensed advisers (or not exempt), their application will be returned failed lodgement, and we will advise the Registrar of the Immigration Advisers Authority. Advisers who are awaiting a licensing decision from the Registrar are considered unlicensed.
Questions & Answers here, and go here for related forms, as many of these have been updated or changed in 2009.
Lets hope this ensures a cleaner and more transparent confidence inspiring process.
April 21 2009 | Buyers and Nelson and New Zealand | No Comments »
Anyone who brought the Sunday Times yesterday would have surely read the business page cover story, under the heading “The True cost of the Slump.”
After all property watching is our 2nd most popular spectator sport.
In normal newspaper fashion their story went on to detail the price differences between the “height of the property boom” (their comment) and compared it to last months figures.
(larger version here if you can’t get any closer to the screen)
You would have noticed that most of NZ had a lot of red ink still drying. And you will recall that I have said in many posts that locally our peak was back in the 2003-04 time frame. The reason we too had another mini-boom period over the 2005-2007 period because of a ripple effect throughout NZ, most notably for us those from other South Island locations, whom, courtesy of their increased property prices, could now afford to move to the Nelson region.
However when you looked at the South Island chart……..
( larger version here )
…you may have noticed something. Look at the first line, the chart is obviously laid out in a respective geographical order, still sticking out like these guys, is the fact that Nelson barely moved.
In fact there’s actually a modest improvement. If you’re unsure of why this is, then you haven’t read many of my past posts have you?
CHART SOURCE – SUNDAY STAR TIMES (Business Section) April 19, 2009
April 20 2009 | Nelson and New Zealand and Stats / Sales Data and The Market | No Comments »
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