Sure, you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but a scrappy yard can be an instant turn-off to potential home buyers, even if the house is a dream on the inside. We’ve pulled together some savvy landscaping tips to make sure your home is picture perfect for when you’re ready to sell. The first thing to keep in mind when revamping your garden is that it has to appear well presented and easy to maintain. People want to enjoy the outdoor space, not feel like it’s a burden. Freshen up If your garden is in reasonable shape but just needs a little spruce up, start with the basics. Mow the lawn and trim the edges, or even lay new lawn if necessary. Get rid of any dead plants, and throw out those s
Your home’s driveway and pathways can create a great first impression. They can also crack, and change the whole look and feel of your house. Whether you’re seeing big or little cracks in your concrete, this article contains handy tips for assessing the severity of concrete cracking, and offers some best-practice fixes to get your driveway and paths looking great. Causes and culprits of concrete cracks Tree roots, water erosion, impacts and overloads can all cause your driveways and paths to have a crack-up. But the most common culprit is the humble puddle. Standing water can seep into porous concrete, then contract and expand with temperature variations. This is more critical in regions tha
When your investment property lies vacant for even a short time, your earnings can take a big hit. So how do you get the best out of your property in a competitive market? Here are some tips to make your property stand out from the pack. What tenants want Property managers and agents know that many tenants judge properties based on the property size, the state of the kitchen, air conditioning, and storage options. It’s possible to add or fix some of these things by renovating, but beware of over-capitalising. Don’t spend more on improvements than you can realistically recoup by asking a higher rental price. Maximise your floor plan Obviously the number of bedrooms in a rental property is imp
Upgrading your property so it’s energy-efficient is not only good for the environment, it can also benefit your bottom line. Australia’s federal and state governments offer a number of rebates and incentives to investors and home owners who include eco-friendly features on their properties. Renewable energy systems Your property can generate its own power if you install renewable energy systems such as solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, solar water heaters or air source heat pumps. The federal government’s Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme offers an incentive to install eligible systems. Once the system is in place, you may be entitled to small-scale technology certificates (STCs). When your
When it’s time to deck out your new home, make sure your laptop’s fully charged and you’re ready for some high-powered online shopping. You could bag a bargain, and maybe even get some design ideas in the process. Here are some of our favourite online retailers. Big-name bricks-and-mortar stores like Myer, David Jones, Ikea and JB Hi-Fi have large online stores (especially worth remembering at stocktake sale time). If you’re looking to save cash by buying second-hand, browse other people’s unwanted items on classifieds site Gumtree and auction platform eBay. But it’s not just the big-name retailers offering great products. Here are five of our favourite online stores selling products to make
