Can you believe this year is almost over?

There’s only 7 weeks left until Christmas as we count down to the end of 2017 – and what a rollercoaster year it’s been!

The Reserve Bank met in the first week of the month and official rates are currently sitting unchanged at 1.50 per cent.

With the spring auction season now firmly underway, this month I thought I’d take a look at the best tips for vendors selling at auction. For those considering a bathroom revamp while the weather’s warming up, make sure you don’t commit the 5 key renovation faux pas before taking a sledgehammer to the smallest room in the house.

Interest rates can’t stay this low forever. If you’re yet to take advantage of the low rates, talk to me now – I’ll give you great advice and steer you in the right direction.

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3 top tips for selling at auction                 

GOING, going, gone — Spring is traditionally the most popular time of year for auctions. If you’re putting your home under the hammer, here’s some top tips to make sure you get the best price possible.     

1. Build those emotions. Emotionally charged buyers in a competitive auction are a winning formula for achieving a premium price. Choosing to auction your home rather than simply stating an asking price removes price as a barrier, increasing the number of potential buyers and driving up competition.

2. Getting a great auctioneer is the best call. Better than a brochure, a good auctioneer can take the edginess of naturally stressful auctions, putting people at ease so they feel more comfortable bidding higher. They won’t slow down momentum, building a rapport with bidders and encouraging them to participate.

3. Stay calm. Uncertainty breeds anxiety, so familiarise yourself completely with the auction process so you know exactly what to expect come the day. For instance, find out what it means if you have no registered bidders, learn what happens when you don’t reach your asking price, ask the auctioneer about his or her strategy and then sit back and relax. Your job is done for now.

Is it time to upgrade to your forever home? Find out how much you can spend the easy way – call me to crunch the numbers today.

Are you guilty of the 5 most common bathroom renovation mistakes?

With the weather really warming up and holidays on the horizon, many of us naturally start thinking about renovations.

One of the most popular renovations is in the bathroom – and more often than not homeowners will attempt an upgrade themselves. But before you take the sledgehammer to that decrepit vanity or broken shower, read this.     

1. Spatial planning. Some of the worst bathroom renovation mistakes are the result of lack of planning. You use this room on a daily basis, so it’s vital to plan out the space to suit your needs exactly. Think about how you use the room and what elements you’ll need easy access to (e.g. putting the heated towel rack near the shower so you don’t have to cross a cold winter bathroom dripping wet). It might be your dream to have a spa bath, but will it really fit into your en-suite?

2. Unskilled DIY. It’s tempting to have a crack at the plumbing or tiling yourself but this is one room you should always call in the professionals for. There’s a lot that can go wrong and it’s pricey to redo if your bath starts leaking or the tiles won’t stay put. Plus, this is a wet area, so issues can crop up with bad plumbing that might take a fortune to fix. Play it safe and call in an expert.

3. Bad lighting. Getting the balance of lighting is important. For make-up application, you’ll want to ensure no shadow lines are being generated near mirrors, for instance. LED lights particularly can change the colour of make-up easily. Also consider different parts of the bathroom – atmospheric lighting over the bath makes for a more relaxing soak. Inadequate ventilation. By law you need to at least have a window, but anyone who’s dealt with creeping mould due to a poorly vented bathroom will tell you that it pays to add extra ventilation that can vent the damp air quickly.

4. Inadequate storage. Storage is often last thing on your list or missed entirely when you’re renovating a bathroom. But you’ll really notice it once it comes time to use the bathroom every day. Think carefully where you’re going to keep loo paper, make-up, cleaning products and dirty laundry. And go as far as checking with the bottles and containers can easily fit in your cupboards.

It’s time to do a spring clean of your current mortgage options. Is yours still offering you a great deal? I can help – let’s have a quick chat now.