The option of selling it myself did not really tempt me as my focus is always on my work and my clients. Getting my house ready to sell would take up enough of my minimal spare time. This is certainly not a bad option for people, especially with the internet and sites like forsalebyowner.com.au. You can have your house listed on realestate.com.au and domain through sites such as these for a one off fee of $699, a bargain. I have had clients that have used this with success.

I had purchased my family home back in 2009. The agent that I had purchased through I had a certain connection with and a friendship slowly blossomed over time. I did some market research before I contacted her with the decision that I would be selling. The current market conditions were strong in my area but it was still difficult to see what price I would be able to obtain. My property is an acreage property, these vary greatly, in terms of land use and demand. This makes this type of property a lot harder to determine a price guide than a standard residential home.

Rhonda, my lovely local real estate and friend was my first choice for the sale. She ticked all of my boxes. What are my boxes when it comes to picking an agent for your sale –

• Do some research on the local agents in the area, who is selling the most properties, who has a large volume of listings. Who is selling homes similar to yours? An agent who has had similar listings to your home recently may still have buyers on their books who have missed out on a previous property that they can contact.
• Read the profiles of agents on the website. If they have no profile then give the office a call and have a chat to one or two of your choosing. Drop by local agents and have a chat. I personally wouldn’t give out too many details until you have narrowed down who you would like to get out to do a market appraisal.
• Select three agents to give you a market appraisal. Discuss the costs and commission, advertising campaign and style of selling. Taking notice through this journey of the agents who are communicating well and meeting your personal expectations.
• Understand how long their agency agreement is and if there is any way that you can cancel it in case you change your mind during the process.
• Take a leap of faith and engage the one that you believe will do the best job for you.

I personally respect Rhonda as a real estate agent because she is extremely hard working, has more than 12 years’ experience in my local area and is honest. Honesty is the most important part to me. Her price guide is honest and her work ethic meets my needs.

I negotiated the commissions with Rhonda and she was hired. Selling my house just became real.

The post Engaging a Real Estate Agent for a Property Sale first appeared on Financing hope.

Apparently it is much easier to give advice to others and share their journey, when selling became a desire of mine, I instantly realised how difficult a decision this really was. What were my reasons to sell I asked myself. I had taken over my marital home in my separation settlement. There were many good and not so good memories filled in each room of the house and around the property. At times they spoke to me. Especially when I was at home alone, without my boys, due to shared custody. The echoes of conversations with my ex-husband were not haunting me, but they were certainly reminding me of a door that was now closed in my life a little too often.

My reason to sell was certainly emotional, so the accountant in me set out to work on numbers, forecasts and scenarios in order to make this a factual decision. Where would I move to next? What would I sell for? How would my boys react? How would my ex react? Were all questions spiralling through my mind. The decision was clear to me. I needed to sell. Take a leap of faith and put myself in the hands of a real estate agent and for once become the vendor and not the purchaser.

Next step chat to a real estate agent

The post To sell or stay first appeared on Financing hope.

I have decided that I would like to share my personal journey with my clients and general public in a more formal way. My journal will be honest, open and hopefully relevant to whomever chooses to read.

I am about to embark on my first property journey as a single woman, since the separation of my 15 year relationship in 2013. Maybe this has sparked my need to share. It is certainly a different prospect acting solely in my interests, when I was so accustomed to acting in a partnership.

The start of my journey is the sale journey. Something that I have never previously been part of, although I have shared the sale journey with many clients. My story is now to unfold through this journal and hopefully will inspire and assist others in their journey.

Let the story begin to a new destination and home for myself and my two gorgeous sons

The post It’s time to share first appeared on Financing hope.

On the 12^th March 2014 the changes to privacy laws will have the following impacts on credit reporting. More detailed information will be able to be placed on your credit reports held by Veda. The most significant changes for individuals include –

1. Detailed information on the current credit that is held by an individual
2. The day that the finance is taken out and when it is closed
3. Repayment history – details on late and early payments

Your credit file has never been more important and protecting it vital

I encourage all of my clients to pay a visit to http://www.veda.com.au/ and read up on the latest ways to monitor your credit file, it is quite costly to repair, once the damage has been done.

The post Changes to Credit Reporting – Protect your credit score and credit file first appeared on Financing hope.

Fortunately for me a small number of close family and friends helped me to get through this time, which I am still going through, and keep me focused on what was important. One of the great blessings that I had at this difficult time in my life was my wonderful business Financing Hope. Feeling needed when your personal life had been torn apart was so important. So many of my clients don’t know how greatly they helped me through such a trying year.

Being a personalised service I go on a journey with all of my clients, some I am proud to say are very good friends. Many plans, events, including the office opening, were all put on hold, even my web blog went on hold due to the emotional turmoil that I was battling behind closed doors.

I have helped separated people with their home refinances and settlements before, now I can say that I have the greatest appreciation and understanding for what my clients have been going through. I hope that my personal experience can be used to help many more people that are going through this situation to educate and to make it as pain free as possible.

As 2013 draws to a close I want to extend a huge thank you to so many of my clients, some that knew of my situation and were extra patient with me and even comforted me through my tears, others who had no idea of my private battle and gave me a reason. I am so fortunate to be able to work in a business that I love and to deal with so many clients who’s lives I share moments with.

In market news….It was a great year for buyers and sellers. With historically low interest rates, there were many opportunities for those wanting to make a change and take advantage. Rates are still at record lows and it will be with great intrigue that we watch to see what the housing market does when it awakens in 2014. It certainly closed the year on a great high.

I look forward to 2014 and will be keeping all of my clients and interested readers updated on the market, Financing Hope events and life in general in 2014.

I wish you and your families an amazing 2014, may it bring you all you need.

The post 2013 – A year of Change first appeared on Financing hope.

The official cash rate began the year at 4.25%. Rates remained unchanged in February, March and April.

In May 2012 the Cash rate was dropped by 50 basis points, followed by a further 25 basis points in June.

July,  August & September rates remained unchanged. October saw a cut of 25 basis points. November no change and a final cut of 25 basis points in December 2012 just in time for Christmas.

The official cash rate closed the year at 3.0%

If we take a glimpse back to 2008 the year started with a cash rate of 7%.

History is certainly something we should learn from. Rates are historically low and mortgage holders need to be reviewing their current offering. Questions you should be asking yourself at the start of 2013 –

1. Do I know what interest rate I am currently paying?
2. Do interest rates fluctuations have a significant impact on my household budget?
3. Do I have significant personal debt that I am paying high interest rates on that could consolidate into my home loan
4. How long is it going to take to pay my home loan off?
5. What are the current fees that I am paying?

A concerning trend from lenders is the lack of consistency in rate decreases in line with the RBA.  Lenders are dropping rates less than the RBA and are taking longer and longer to pass on the cuts. The only power that consumers have to change this is to reject loyality and seek the best option for you.  Your mortgage should be reviewed in general every 3 years.

Take control of your financial situation in 2013 – A prosperous year to all.

The post 2012 Interest Rates in Review first appeared on Financing hope.

After reading the minutes from the last meeting of the RBA it is clear that the Australian economy as well as the world economy are currently in a sensitive state.

Key economic indicators are being closely monitored to ensure the effective management of interest rate decisions.

Inflationary pressures are stable and world economic indicators have shown slight improvements in the previous months.

http://www.rba.gov.au/monetary-policy/rba-board-minutes/2012/06112012.html

There is a growing pressure on the RBA to decrease interest rates today in the lead up to Christmas. It is my birthday today, as a mortgage holder and wanting a decrease for my clients I am going to predict a rate cut. The retail sector would also kindly enjoy this news.

The post Interest Rate Watch first appeared on Financing hope.

This is a little nostalgic for myself. I was actually the third person, along with my now husband, to apply for the First Home Owners grant in NSW back in 2000. I have since that time helped many first home buyers, some of my favourite and most memorable clients buy their first homes.

The First Home Owners Grant ( new homes ) replaces the previous scheme. This is only for eligible first home buyers who buy or build a brand new home. The grant is $15,000 and will reduce to $10,000 from the 1st January 2014.

For first home buyers who are not buying a brand new home the road to home ownership will require dedicated savings over a longer term.

Savings does require discipline. Motivation can greatly help to keep you on track. Looking at prospective properties to get a greater idea on your price range and the costs involved can help you reach your targets.

Applying for a finance pre-approval during your savings process is a great way to get a better understanding of your  capacity and exactly how much you will need to save.

Saving is preparing you for the commitment that is home ownership. Set yourself short, medium and long term goals and you will reach your dream of home ownership.

The post First Home Buyers – A New Era first appeared on Financing hope.

When a client is buying a property, apart from fulfilling the finance needs of the client my role is across the whole transaction. I field many questions from clients regarding pest and building reports, time lines, where to find certain information, chasing up information from solicitors and relaying it in plain english to clients and much more.

I always tell my clients to contact me anytime they have a question. This is a genuine statement. As this is the best way that I can help my clients to achieve the best and smoothest end result. I love hearing from my clients.

Would you like a personal finance c0-oridinator who is always available. Consider giving a Financing Hope a try for your next transaction.

The post Role of a Mortgage Broker first appeared on Financing hope.

Interest rates are something that most people will be interested in during their lifetime. As a mortgage holder we are always wanting the lowest rate and as a retiree or investor we are wanting the highest interest rate.

Interest rates play an important role in the monetary policy controls that help to stabalise the economy.

In reading the RBA minutes, although a little long for most people, they are a great summary and insight into the economic conditions that are affecting Australia. They consider both the domestic environment and importantly at the present time the stability of overseas markets.

Europe continues to be on red alert and is far from stability at the moment. America is showing signs of recovery, with house prices recently increasing for the first time in 2 years.

Australia’s economy is quite stable at present. There is certainly economic adjustments going on between different industries, as noted with mass redundancies and restructuring. As harsh as these are they are also a part of the beast that is the economy. Unemployment remains stable, as does economic growth and inflation.

With these things considered it is apparent that rates will more than likely be on hold for the next few months, most certainly at the September RBA meeting. Especially given that we are heading into the “Silly Season” for consumers.

As a mortgage holder you need to weigh up your own personal household circumstances to decide what product and structure is best suited to your needs. Factors such as your job stability, family expenses and unforeseen changes should all be considered.

The post Mortgage Interest Rate Update first appeared on Financing hope.