News and Blog

News and Blog

Six Ways to Fund a Renovation

Jun 28th, 2018 • Industry News

Six Ways to Fund a Renovation

Finance Broker or Bank?

Apr 30th, 2018

Finance Broker or Bank?

6 Ways to Increase your Home’s Selling Price

Apr 9th, 2018 • Industry News • Home Loans

Curb Appeal

First impressions are everything. When it comes to renovating with resale in mind, you want your home to have that ‘wow’ factor as soon as buyers see it. Consider the view from the street – the front façade, fence, garden, windows, roof and driveway. Spruce them up and make them work together to add charm.

Kitchen

Renovating the kitchen is one of the most effective ways to add value to a property. Many buyers like the idea of having the kitchen done for them, so that they can just move in and enjoy it. If you have a larger budget, you might like to opt for a custom-made kitchen that’s made-to-order to suit the home. Alternatively, there are some great modular kitchens available at reasonable prices. New cabinetry, appliances, benchtops, and a striking splashback will do wonders for your home’s sale price.

Bathroom

Renovating bathrooms with modern fixtures and fittings can also drive up the value of a property. If your bathroom is passable but just needs some love, you could simply respray the tiles, fixtures and fittings, rather than redoing the whole lot. Another idea is to redo the tiling yourself, and update only the fixtures that need replacing, whether it’s the bathtub and vanity, or basins and shower screen. If you only have one bathroom, consider adding extra bathrooms to your property, as this can boost a property’s value.

Flooring

Installing new flooring can make a big difference to the appeal of your home, and therefore its value. There are plenty of great budget flooring options out there that look attractive. Vinyl planks and laminate flooring for example, are both popular, durable, budget-friendly products that you can install yourself. When choosing your flooring, remember your target audience. If your market is a family or property investor, wall-to-wall carpets may not be the best option. Remember the golden rule, minimal expenditure, maximum return.

Paint

It’s amazing what a fresh coat of paint can do to transform a property! A 1960’s home with retro mustard wallpaper can look instantly modernised and refreshed with a new lick of paint. Best of all, a paint job can be relatively inexpensive, particularly if you do the painting yourself. If you want to give your property a lift and appeal to the majority of buyers, be sure to go for a neutral colour scheme that won’t date quickly.

Additional bedrooms

If the space allows, adding more bedrooms to your property is another way to increase its value. While you may be up for a sizeable outlay in the tens of thousands, the financial rewards come sale time can also be big (in some cases, several hundreds of thousands). Remember, properties are typically valued based on land size and the number of bedrooms – the first, you can’t change, but the second you can. If you need help with finance for major structural renovations, speak to us about your options.

If you’re looking to renovate to boost your property’s value, remember - careful budgeting and planning is key. We’re here to help with that, as well as to help you work out the right option to finance your renovations. You may be able to refinance your home loan to access equity to complete the project. Alternatively, we can walk you through the other finance options available to you, depending on your financial circumstances and goals. Please get in touch and we’ll help you get the transformation under way!

This article provides general information and has been prepared without taking into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. We recommend that you consider whether it is appropriate for your circumstances. Your full financial situation will need to be reviewed prior to acceptance of any offer or loan product. It does not constitute legal, tax or financial advice and you should always seek professional advice in relation to your individual circumstances. All loan applications are subject to lenders’ terms and conditions, and eligibility criteria. Lender fees and charges will apply.

Rates On Hold 1.5%

Apr 3rd, 2018 • Industry News

At its meeting today, the Board decided to leave the cash rate unchanged at 1.50 per cent.

How to sell your home above market value

Mar 14th, 2017

Here are some pointers to help improve your chances of selling above market value, whilst not overpricing your property. And remember, when you do decide to move on and buy your next property, we can help you find the right home loan to meet your current and future financial needs.

7 Top Home Renovation and Décor Ideas for 2017

Jan 13th, 2017

Whether you’re ready for a complete home renovation or simply want to bring your house up-to-date with a few cosmetic changes, you’ll want to get on top of the latest trends so you can make some wise choices on where to invest your budget. Here are 7 top renovation and décor ideas that could help you make sure your money is well spent.
  1. Get eco-friendly.
    People want more sustainable homes and as eco-friendly renovations genuinely help to make older homes more sustainable, they’re on trend in 2017. Essential considerations are sustainably produced ceiling and wall insulation, the general use of sustainable building materials, built-in waste management systems, rainwater tanks and water recycling systems, solar energy panels, green walls and leafy facades. Roof gardens and passive design elements that provide natural light and reduce heating and cooling costs are also popular. You probably won’t want to go as far as foregoing the dishwasher or air conditioner entirely, but you should invest in energy saving appliances wherever possible.
     
  2. Create more space and make it more interesting.
    More spacious homes (or homes that appear to be more spacious) are ever popular with home buyers today, so renovations that include extending or adding extra rooms to your home are still great ways to add value in 2017. However, rather than just focusing on knocking all the smaller rooms into one big open plan communal space, the new trend is to also provide options for privacy, with spaces that offer interesting nooks and crannies where people can escape with their personal technological devices and do their own thing.

    Roof rooms and attic renovations are going to be popular in 2017, because they provide opportunities to add a point of interest and difference. The open, spacious look is still the fashion, however finding ways to add character and uniqueness are trendy too. 
     
  3. More efficient storage spaces.
    Investing in upgrading your laundry to create and maximise storage space was a very popular option for home renovations last year, and this is all set to continue into 2017. Maximising your storage areas means you can keep all of your untidy clutter out of sight, which will make your home appear much more spacious and help you keep the look up-to-date, with clean crisp lines. Adding clever storage that utilises any dead space in your home is an easy way to add value, particularly important if your property is a family home.
     
  4. Terracotta Tiles.
    If you’ve been around long enough to have survived the ‘80’s, you may be very surprised to learn that terracotta is back in fashion for home renovations in 2017. Interior trends are now moving away from the cool tones that have been popular for the last decade and designers are returning to warm colours and natural materials that add character.

    Today’s fashion in terracotta calls for a smooth matte finish with crisp edges and a more finished look. The idea is to add warmth and depth with natural colours and materials, so consider using your terracotta tiles on feature walls or for cladding fireplaces.
     
  5. Darker Wood Tones.
    If you are tired of the blonde wood look of the world’s recent ‘Scandi’ obsession, you’ll be happy to know that darker wood tones are finally back for homes in 2017. Remembering the current trend is for warm, natural materials that add character, you can now go ahead and use darker wood and natural timbers as feature walls and flooring. Consider adding texture by using it in herringbone tiling on floors, or by choosing interesting darker wood furniture pieces as focal items.
     
  6. Go natural in the bathroom.
    Updating the kitchen and bathroom in your home is one of the tried and tested ways of adding value and is one of the main motivations for choosing to renovate for many home owners. Bathroom makeovers in 2017 will also follow the new interior design trend that combines modern, clean lines with natural materials and organic warmth. Functionality is also an important consideration to home buyers today, so try and choose materials that are easy to clean and maintain to generate the most value.

    Remember that sinks and baths with classic, elegant, clean lines are always timeless favourites. Add that natural touch by using wood in warm tones for accents and furniture or accessories. Don’t forget the terracotta in the bathroom too – add some extra organic depth with a fern in a terracotta pot or consider a small terracotta sculpture.
     
  7. Create more curb appeal.
    A garden makeover that creates more curb appeal for your home is still one of the best investments you can make in terms of adding value this year. Garden design is now moving away from that harsh, minimalistic look that has been popular of late and following the new interior design trend of a warmer, more welcoming look that incorporates natural materials.

    Create a more natural style by staying away from geometric design layouts. You can achieve a more authentic, organic feeling in your garden by using recycled materials, free-form decks, stepping stones or meandering pebble paths. Locally sourced is the buzz word of the year, with native plants and shrubs planted in abundance adding charm.