Jeff Jones Real Estate News Feed

10 Frequently Asked Questions By Property Investors

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 10:00:00 GMT

Frequently Asked Questions By Property Investors

Jeff Jones Real Estate supporting the Smith Family Toy & Book Appeal

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 10:00:00 GMT

This year with our help, The Smith Family aim to deliver more than 16,000 Christmas packs to disadvantaged children around Australia. Your support will make a big difference to a child on Christmas morning. � Jeff Jones Real Estate is supporting The Smith Family�s Toy & Book Appeal this year, and we�d like to invite you to join in! Did you know that one in seven Aussie kids live in a household where no parent is employed? Sadly, many of these disadvantaged kids go without a present on Christmas morning because their families can�t afford it. Bring a smile to a child�s face on Christmas morning. HOW TO HELP Place a new toy or book under our Christmas tree before 12 December. Remember. new toys and books only, nothing bigger than a school backpack, no wrapping and there is currently a shortage of toys and books for 6 - 12 year olds.

Jeff Jones Real Estate announced as REIQ Awards finalist

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 10:00:00 GMT

Exciting news at Jeff Jones Real Estate last week when we received confirmation we are a finalist in the 2012 REIQ Awards for Excellence Large Residential Agency category. The annual REIQ Awards for Excellence are the most prestigious event on the industry's calendar, recognising outstanding achievement and commitment to integrity in the profession. The awards aim to encourage, recognise and promote excellence and best practice in real estate. Winners will be announced at a gala dinner on 10 February 2012. Plenty of time for the judges to make the right decision! Congratulations to the whole team for an outstanding effort!

Brisbane tower set to be third tallest in Australia

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 10:00:00 GMT

The skyline of Brisbane could reach new heights with a 90-storey CBD tower approved by the council and set for 2015 completion. Developer Billbergia intends to build the 274-metre tower named 111+222 on the site of an abandoned Vision project bounded by Mary and Margaret streets. It will stand 31 metres above Harry Triguboff�s Meriton Soleil tower, which was officially opened two weeks ago. Billbergia bought the site for $40 million in 2010 in a liquidation sale of Austcorp�s failed $1 billion tower, which had been due for May 2012 completion before it went nowhere during the global financial crisis, leaving a water-logged eight-storey pit. The site previously sold for $24 million in 2004. Billbergia has secured funding from AMP Capital. The Bates Smart-designed development proposal was for two towers: a 36-level, 45,000-square-metre commercial office building at 111 Mary Street and a 92-level, 297-metre, 112,900-square-metre tower at 222 Margaret Street. But aviation issues prompted Brisbane City Council to seek a cut in the height by 23 metres to 274 metres given concerns it would block radar signals from Brisbane Airport. Billbergia spokesman Rick Graf said the company would appeal the decision to cut 23 metres. The council approved the plans for the floor space. read more at propertyobserver.com.au

Price Reduction :: This Seller Means Business

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 10:00:00 GMT

The sellers of 179 Juliette Street, Greenslopes have slashed the asking price on their 3 bedroom house. This inner city property really is a set and forget investment. The property has been well maintained and in this location you are assured high rental demand. The current tenants are paying $450 per week until January 2012. There is outstanding value here at just $479,000. http://www.jeffjones.com.au/default.asp?contentID=174&type=sale#/property/112552

Brisbane market saturated with apartments

Wed, 29 Jun 2011 10:00:00 GMT

The Brisbane market has become saturated with high-rise apartments, with aggregate stock levels sitting at 1,683 apartments, or more than two years’ worth of supply. At current clearance rates it will take 26 months to sell the current stock of apartments, according to the latest Midwood Investment report for the May 2011 quarter. New projects added to the Brisbane stock count include the “ultra-high rise” 289 Infinity apartments being developed by Meriton on George Street in the Brisbane CBD, 77 apartments in Capitol on Peel Street, South Brisbane, Madison Heights and 286 apartments in the Madison Heights development in Bowen Hills. The highest stock levels are in Fortitude Valley (381 apartments for sale) – where Alex Perry Residential is marketing the first of its apartment blocks – followed by the Brisbane CBD (348) and Bowen Hills (325 apartments). The stock built up comes as Queensland lost its crown as the population growth capital of Australia for the first time in nine years, attracting 89,083 new residents in the year to June 2010, compared with 105,421 new residents in NSW. Read more at propertyobserver.com.au

Housing finance falls to 10-year low

Wed, 18 May 2011 10:00:00 GMT

The number of home loans approved in March fell to a 10-year low, dragged down by the Queensland floods and by the November rate hike. The number of home loans approved in March fell 1.5 per cent, to a seasonally adjusted 44,968, its lowest level since February 2001.�Economists' forecasts had centred on a 2 per cent rise in housing finance commitments for the month.�The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) said total housing finance by value fell 0.1 per cent in March, seasonally adjusted, to $19.300 billion.�JP Morgan economist Ben Jarman said the number was soft and the housing sector was weak throughout the March quarter.�"There were a couple of things going on that we can obviously point to in Queensland, so the numbers are fairly soft," he said.�"In January, we had the Queensland floods and pushed down approvals nearly 15 per cent and the numbers have failed to come back from that. Read more at news.com.au

Brisbane homes given go-ahead to be raised above floodwaters

Wed, 18 May 2011 10:00:00 GMT

About 160 Brisbane families have asked if they can raise their homes in the wake of January's devastating floods. The applications come as the Brisbane City Counci will be allowed to raise their homes 9.5 metres above the ground. The guidelines set a new flood level for the city and give residents the right to raise the level of their buildings one metre higher than the previous maximum height in inundated areas. Neighbourhood planning chair Amanda Cooper said the interim guidelines would ensure flood victims were able to get started with the reconstruction process while the State Government carried on its flood inquiry, which is expected to take a year or more to deliver its final outcomes. “We cannot stand by in good conscience and leave the flood level as it is after seeing how high the flood waters got in January,” Cr Cooper said. “This is as much about better protecting homes against future flooding as it is about giving flood victims the certainty they need to start rebuilding again.” Read more at couriermail.com.au

Now the time for first property investment?

Mon, 18 Apr 2011 10:00:00 GMT

For those who purchased their first home in recent years, it could be a case of 'no better time than now' to consider taking their first steps into property investment. According to Smartline Personal Mortgage Advisers, many who bought into the property market in the past five years or so and have built up substantial equity in their home may now be well placed to purchase a second property. This – coupled with flat property prices, a buyers market nationally and increasing rental returns – could put many people in the 'box seat', according to Smartline managing director Chris Acret. "It could be that the first homebuyers of recent years are now well placed to become the first investment property buyers of 2011," he says. "These are the people that bought within their means, have been working hard to pay down their mortgage and who have benefitted from steady increases in property values over the ensuing years and, as a result, now have access to significant equity." As an example, a property purchased for $300,000 five years ago would conservatively be worth around $400,000 now (assuming an annual increase in value of five to seven per cent). The couple that bought this property paid a 10 per cent deposit and took out a home loan for $270,000. After five years of repayments, the loan balance is now $245,000. With their lender allowing them to borrow up to 90 per cent of their property's value, they now have access to over $100,000 of equity. They decide to purchase a second property – their first investment property – worth $400,000. They add approximately 7 per cent of the home's value to fund fees and charges meaning they require $428,000 to fund the purchase. Assuming they take out a loan for 90 per cent of the property's value, the loan amount will be $360,000 requiring them to fund the shortfall of $68,000 against the available equity of $100,000 in their home, which they can do comfortably. Read more at apimagazine.com.au

Tips to keep tenants happy and add value to your property

Mon, 18 Apr 2011 10:00:00 GMT

We've heard about adding value to an investment property, but have you ever considered a cool and cheap way to do it? Air conditioning is relatively cheap and will keep the tenants happy. It will also add a bit of value to your investment property. Air conditioning installer Jeff Cox says the first thing to consider is whether or not you want to put it in the lounge or bedroom. "Work out how many square metres the room is," he says. "You need to know whether it's back to back on the wall, and where the circuit will go." Read more at apimagazine.com.au

'Worst ever' property dive after disasters

Tue, 01 Mar 2011 10:00:00 GMT

Homebuyers are deserting the property market in the wake of recent natural disasters with latest figures showing the biggest monthly slide on record. The weather crises in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria in December and January have kept home buyers sidelined, with property values slipping across the nation. The RP Data-Rismark Home Value Index for capital city dwellings dropped 1.6 per cent (seasonally adjusted) in January, while regional residences lost 1.2 per cent of their value. It's the biggest monthly slide in Australian property sales ever, according to RP Data. Read more at couriermail.com.au

Plan puts pall on Coorparoo farmer's market

Tue, 01 Mar 2011 10:00:00 GMT

The developer of an inner-city market designed to give shoppers an alternative to conglomerates Coles and Woolworths says the concept is being undermined by a push to transform the building into a transit centre, complete with housing, shops and offices. Coorparoo Markets owner Frank Dragani opened the farmer's market three months ago and only just managed to stay afloat in the face of Brisbane's flooding event. After investing heavily to bring the old Myer building on the corner of Old Cleveland Rd and Cavendish Rd up to scratch, he said the project was being sidelined by a State Government and Brisbane City Council decision to transform it into a transit-oriented development. Expressions of interest were called on the development, which would combine affordable housing, shops, offices and other facilities, and would tie-in with the planned construction of the Coorparoo Junction Busway Station. The expressions of interest, calling on construction, design and development organisations to partner up and develop the site, close on March 18. Mr Dragani said it had a destabilising effect on the new market concept. Although there are 270 market spots available, Mr Dragani said the complex was now only half full. Read more at couriermail.com.au

Loan Landscape Is Being Redrawn As CBA Ups Ante

Sun, 26 Feb 2011 10:00:00 GMT

The Commonwealth Bank has launched a cut-price home loan without fees in a bombshell for Australia's banking sector as the mortgage wars boil over. In the biggest salvo yet to be fired in the bitter stoush, the CBA has unveiled the loan vowing to charge "no bank fees at all" including the controversial exit fees soon to be outlawed. With an interest rate of 7.24 per cent, the home loan is priced significantly below the standard variable rates offered by all the other majors. The bank, Australia's biggest home lender with a $290 billion mortgage book, said the product was unheralded in Australia and intensified competition in an "already competitive" market. Industry experts said it was the most tangible sign yet that competitive tensions were stretching to breaking point and that the banks were moving beyond promotional gimmicks in their battle for custom. One industry source said it signalled that the CBA was not prepared to surrender any more market share to smaller rivals National Australia Bank and ANZ. "The empire strikes back," he said. NAB unleashed the war two weeks ago with an offer to pay the exit fees for home loan customers who switched from Westpac and the CBA. A week later, Westpac retaliated with an offer to pay switching fees for any business customers that joined the bank, while the CBA waved $1200 cash in front of NAB customers willing to jump ship. Among the major banks, NAB is market leader for traditional standard-variable home loans with an interest rate of 7.67 per cent, while Westpac is the most expensive at 7.86 per cent. ANZ charges 7.8 per cent, while the CBA's traditional loan is priced at 7.81 per cent. But the new CBA home loan threatens to redraw the competitive landscape. It has no monthly or annual fees and no late payment charges, but customers cannot split the loan locking in part of the loaned amount at a separate rate for a fixed term. Read more at couriermail.com.au

Sneak Peek :: 3 Bedroom Character Home In Greenslopes

Thu, 17 Feb 2011 10:00:00 GMT

57 Peach Street Street, Greenslopes $625,000 It's almost ready to hit the market but here is your first chance to see this great Greenslopes home. The house has a great feel with a formal lounge, separate dining area all leading out to a fabulous, private rear deck. The last cottage we had for sale around the corner (123 Ridge Street) was highly sought after and this one is even better! I strongly recommend an inspection this Saturday, 19 February from 2:40-3. Matt Jones 0424 149 026