Pilot Estate Agents - Mornington Peninsula

Quarterly Market Report - Mornington Units

2013-04-10T21:08:00.001-07:00

Our latest quarterly market report is available (Mornington Units edition)

Click on the link below to read the report - http://issuu.com/thepilots/docs/unitsmorningtonq42012

Best time to sell? click here for the answer

2012-06-13T22:09:00.002-07:00

10,000 hits per month on our website

2012-05-17T20:51:00.004-07:00

Since January 2012, we are now getting over 10,000 hits to our website, www.thepilots.com.au each month.

PILOT Estate Agents can offer you maximum internet exposure when you are selling your home.

Melbourne price growth over 5 years

2012-04-13T16:26:00.000-07:00

The Real Estate Institute of Victoria (REIV) has released statistics on Melbournes median house and unit price growth over the past five years.

Strong growth has been achieved for houses with units/apartments now also picking up strong price growth momentum.

New Mornington & Frankston buyers agent service

2012-02-19T19:41:00.001-08:00

Give yourself an unfair advantage advantage when you are buying your next property with our 'insider' market knowledge. Available on the Mornington Peninsula & Frankston.

Read more here

Buyers have to cool off

2012-02-13T18:39:00.001-08:00

From the 1st of March this year purchasers will no longer be able to waive the cooling-off period by obtaining independent advice from a legal practitioner prior to signing a land sale contract. Purchases at an auction or within three clear business days of the auction are still not subject to cooling off.

PILOT advertises to China on Juwai.com

2011-12-20T16:41:00.000-08:00

We're advertising on Juwai.com

Juwai is the first independent and truly international property portal catering to the needs of the world’s Chinese (Mandarin) speaking population

China has 960,000 millionaires with a personal wealth of 10 million yuan ($2 million) or more.

PILOT is now advertising all properties for sale on more than 20 websites.

View our properties at www.juwai.com

PILOT launches new Youtube channel

2011-12-15T20:19:00.000-08:00

PILOT Estate Agents have created our own channel on Youtube.

You can view our exclusive property videos and content here www.youtube.com/pilotrealestate

Outer suburbs record higher capital growth

2011-10-14T18:37:00.000-07:00

The REIV has released it's a five year history of Melbourne house price growth.

Population growth between 2005 and 2010 have driven prices up in the affordable outer suburbs. The additional demand for houses in these areas have led to higher capital growth than inner city suburbs.

PILOT Estate Agents say the popularity of outer suburbs is not just affordability. Housing prices in these areas are also driven by location amenities and lifestyle factors.

Location amenities include schools, universities & TAFE's, hospitals, transport links (road & rail), sporting facilities and community centres.

Lifestyle factors such as beaches, shops, cafes & restaurants, parks and swimming pools will determine the lasting popularity of a suburb.

Old vs new property?

2011-09-21T17:17:00.000-07:00

Is it smarter to buy an old or a new property?

Read our comments about Old Vs New property in Your Mortgage Magazine.

The article is available here (pdf)

Interest rates on hold in September

2011-09-05T21:43:00.000-07:00

The Reserve Bank of Australia has decided to keep interest rates on hold this month.

Read more about their decision on the RBA website

Changes to Residential Tenancies Act

2011-08-31T21:40:00.000-07:00

Changes to the Residential Tenancies Act 1997 take effect today 1 September 2011.

The changes concern agency practice and the use of Tenancy databases like NTD and TICA.

They also include a change to the maximum amount for urgent repairs that a landlord will have to reimburse to a tenant who pays for urgent repairs.

Pilot Estate Agents have implemented all changes required under this new act.

If you have any questions about how this affects your rental property, please contact Pilot Estate Agents Mornington

Call 03 5976 1273
Visit www.thepilots.com.au

Mornington Peninsula - Budget Highlights 2011-12

2011-08-22T17:31:00.000-07:00

The Mornington Peninsula Shire Council has released the 2011-12 Budget - called the Livability Budget.

The Mornington Peninsula Shire Council rates are sixth lowest in the state.

Snapshot how $1000 of rates is spent

$30 Aged & Disability services
$8 Arts
$34 Child, Youth & Family
$108 Community buildings
$9 Community grants
$17 Customer service
$54 Debt repayment
$75 Drainage
$13 Economic development
$7 Events & Festivals
$15 Fire prevention
$37 Governance
$16 Information technology
$27 Land use & conservation planning
$14 Leisure facilities
$43 Libraries
$110 Parks & reserves
$28 Rangers/Environmental protection
$16 Renewable resources
$252 Roads & footpaths
$7 School crossings
$7 Social planning
$73 Waste & recycling

New Body Corp. fact sheets

2011-08-11T22:30:00.000-07:00

We've added more fact sheets to our Owners Corporations series.

New sheets include information on:

How to charge Penalty Interest on Money Owed
Recovering Money Owed (debts)

Our information sheets have been produced as a guide for Owners Corporations Lot Owners in Victoria, Australia.

Check them out here

Choosing the right agent - Your Mortgage Magazine

2011-07-31T18:55:00.000-07:00

Pilot's Luke Woollard has featured in a recent article by Your Mortgage Magazine.

Read the article here

First home buyer info. sheet

2011-06-30T23:50:00.000-07:00

As of 1^st July 2011

First home owner grant

The First Home Owner Grant provides eligible first home buyers with a $7000 grant. This grant is not means-tested nor is it restricted by the price of the property unless the purchase price is above $750,000

Additional - First home bonus - for new homes only

If you are eligible to receive the Grant, you may also be entitled to receive an additional payment of $13,000 (for new homes only), known as the First Home Bonus (the Bonus). To be eligible to receive the Bonus, the purchase price of the property must not exceed $600,000.

Eligibility requirements for first home buyers

You must not have received a grant before in any state or territory
You must be 18 years of age or older and an Australian citizen
You and your spouse/partner must not have owned a property before in Australia (either jointly or separately) before 1 July 2000
Residency requirement: You (or at least one applicant) must occupy the home as your/their principal place of residence for a continuous period of at least 6 months, commencing within 12 months of either settlement or completion of construction (the residency requirement).

What types of homes are eligible for this grant?
Each applicant must have:

entered into a contract of sale or agreement for the purchase of a new, established, or off the plan home in Victoria; or
entered into a contract to build a home on their land in Victoria; or
in the case of owner builders, commenced construction (laying of foundations) of a home on their land in Victoria.

Reduced land transfer duty for first home buyers

For dutiable transactions with a settlement date on or after 1 July 2011, land transfer duty will be reduced for eligible first home buyers purchasing a principal place of residence (PPR) valued up to $600,000.

Eligibility requirements for reduced land transfer duty.

For dutiable transactions with a settlement date on or after 1 July 2011, the purchaser may be entitled to the reduction of duty if they have received or are entitled to the First Home Owner Grant for the purchase of the property reside in the property as their PPR for a continuous period of at least 12 months commencing within 12 months of becoming entitled to possession of the property (which usually occurs at settlement).

Where there are two or more purchasers, at least one of them must satisfy the above residency requirement. However, it is not necessary for the same purchaser to occupy the home for the whole 12 months.

If these requirements are not met, duty may be assessed at the standard rate.

What if I buy a property with a non-first home buyer?

Than you are not eligible for the grant or the reduced land transfer duty.

Body Corporate Management

2011-06-26T21:42:00.000-07:00

We've just launched our efficient, value for money Body Corporate Mangement service.

We're here to answer any of your questions about Body Corporate Management including:

Setting up a body corporate / owners corporation
Procedures with Annual General Meetings
How to get levies paid on time, everytime
Financial management of the Body Corporate
How to extend or renovate your lot

Visit our new Body Corporate website http://www.pilotbodycorporate.com.au/

Earn some cold hard!

2011-05-17T16:37:00.000-07:00

Refer a friend or family member to our property management department and receive a $100 Coles/Myer voucher for every successful property that is managed by Pilot.
Contact Luke Woollard
Mobile: 0433 694 994 Office: 03 5976 1273

Recently leased by Pilot.

* Mornington - $420 /week LEASED
* Somerville - $310 /week LEASED

We urgently need more rental properties. We have tenants waiting for rental houses and units in Mornington, Somerville, Frankston and surrounding areas.

First home buyer purchasing example

2011-05-15T23:33:00.000-07:00

Recently a lot of first home buyers have been contacting Pilot. As a useful guide, we produced this information sheet for the extra costs when you purchase an established property for $350,000

Costs
Purchase price $350,000
Stamp duty on purchase $11,096*
Conveyancing $500
Building inspection $300
Pest inspection $300
Land titles office registration $1000
TOTAL: $363,196

Add back
First home owner grant $7000**

Grand total: $356,196
Read more about buying your 1st property in the Pilot ultimate first home buyers guide

* Calculated as if settlement date is after 1 July 2011 as a 20% reduction of stamp duty applies
** Available for eligible first home purchasers

Victorian Budget Highlights

2011-05-05T16:26:00.000-07:00

FIRST HOME BONUS & FIRST HOME OWNER GRANT
The Victorian Government has extended the First Home Bonus until 30 June 2012.
The $13 000 First Home Bonus is available for the purchase by first home buyers of newly constructed homes in metropolitan Melbourne.

This is in addition to the First Home Owner Grant of $7000

The availability of the Bonus has been extended from contracts entered into on or before 30 June 2011 to contracts entered into on or before 30 June 2012.

FIRST HOME BUYERS TO GET LOWER STAMP DUTY
Stamp Duty rates will be reduced for eligible first home buyers where the purchase price is up to $600,000 and the property is to be used as the principal place of residence.

The Stamp Duty cut is 20 per cent on 1 July 2011, followed by additional 10 per cent cuts on 1 January 2013, 1 January 2014 and 1 September 2014, totalling a cumulative 50 per cent reduction by 2014-15.

PENSIONERS TO RECEIVE FULL STAMP DUTY EXEMPTION
Eligible pensioners and concession card holders will continue to receive a full stamp duty exemption for residential properties (where the purchase price is up to $330 000). The property must be used as the principal place of residence.

Stamp duty will continue to be a reduced rate for properties where the purchase price is between $440 000 to $750 000 from 1 July 2011.

Self funded retirees who hold a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card will also be eligible for the concession.

Local house prices rising

2011-04-11T23:46:00.000-07:00

Insights from the Real Estate Institute of Victoria.

The most recent property update magazine from Real Estate Institute of Victoria (REIV) has revealed some interesting facts about the property markets in Mornington and Frankston.

Frankston made the top 10 list of most affordable suburbs yet house prices still grew over 15% during the 12 months to December 2010. Frankston has a very affordable median price of $360,000 as at December 2010
Frankston South house prices performed strongly with an annual growth of 18.4% during the 12 months to December 2010
Mornington house prices grew an astonishing 17.7% over the 12 months to December 2010

NEW! The ultimate first home buyers guide

2011-04-06T20:37:00.000-07:00

We've just published the ultimate first home buyers guide for Victorians.

Find out how it's done by someone who's done it many times.

visit http://www.thepilots.com.au/first-home-buyers-guide.html

Seniors Card is welcome here

2011-04-05T17:28:00.000-07:00

Did you know Pilot Estate Agents offer a 10% discount to all Seniors Card holders?

Read more about our great value Seniors Card discount offer on our website.

Visit http://www.thepilots.com.au/

Registration of blog on Technorati

2011-04-04T20:27:00.001-07:00

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We're Hiring - residential sales professional!

2011-03-22T20:00:00.001-07:00

Read the employment offer here: http://www.thepilots.com.au/jobs.html