SkyFive Properties Blog

When it comes to finding housing, there are certain considerations we have all come to understand over recent years. Although we may not have put them all together, we are certainly aware of their implications.

For one example, it is now clear that if you want a new home it is cheaper to build a new one than to buy one. For another, you can benefit from lower bills and expenses going forward – and from grants upfront in some areas – if you choose to build green.

It is to a combination of these two points, then, that we will turn in giving our advice today. With an uncertain economic picture on the horizon, nobody wants to spend more money than is strictly necessary.

Equally, we could all do with contributing to the improvement of our environmental picture, so let’s look at the affordable ways you can make your new build as green as possible – while also sticking to a budget.

Build up, not out

Instinctively, you might think that keeping a new build all on one level was more environmentally beneficial, but this is not the case.

Yes, it can block out a bit of natural light, which isn’t ideal, but it also affects the ground soil much less as you won’t be digging into it in so many places to lay ground wires and plumbing.

Also, due to their smaller footprint, taller houses cool down quicker in summer and heat up faster in winter. So more stories will always be the better choice – and will save you on your energy bills in the future.

Simplicity is a virtue

When a house takes almost as long to draw up as it does to build, you can be sure that there are countless extraneous features. Quite simply, the more complicated the exterior or interior of a home gets, the more effort it will take to build and the more materials it will use.

Not only that, but a house with more visual features can become a headache to live in and a nightmare to clean. Keeping clean lines and tasteful decor will use fewer materials, cost less money, and take less out of the planet. Better yet, experienced custom home builders will be able to turn it around in a much shorter time period. This means you can get on with living there sooner!

Make use of renewables where possible

Where you live will always affect what you can do with a home. For example, there is little point in having a house with plenty of outdoor sitting space if the weather is always rainy. From a practical and green point of view, your situation is also worth taking account of.

Do you live somewhere sunny? If so, then solar panels will supply a lot of your energy. You can also look into geothermal heating for both your water and the wider house. You’ll then be burning fewer fossil fuels, and less money, than most houses in your neighborhood.

Following these three simple tips can ensure you get more for less when building a green home – and there’s much more you can do, too.

So, you’ve begun the moving process and you’re realizing how quickly expenses build up. It’s an expensive process! In fact, moving is one of the top three most stressful events in a person’s life.

Thankfully, you can reduce some of the financial stress without reducing the quality of your move. With some thoughtful procedures, you’ll be able to save money and focus on transitioning to your new home no matter if you’re moving across town or moving all the way across the country.

Here’s how:

Declutter

This can be one of the toughest parts of the process depending on what kind of person you are. If you’re particularly sentimental, getting rid of things can be very difficult because they hold emotional value. We discuss decluttering your closet in more detail here.

When you’re moving an entire home, you have to be even more honest with yourself in your decision-making. What can you seriously afford to store in your new space?

Hold onto things that are seriously irreplaceable, but re-evaluate when that list becomes wider than your storage unit.

Plan

After you’ve made a clear inventory of what you’re moving, it’s time to plan how to do it. This includes making a detailed budget for movers, and other materials.

You should never need to spend money on boxes. These are some of the easiest moving resources to access. Offices usually have them at their disposal. It’s worth it to check in with your social network to see who has what available for you.

Create a to-do list that’s broken down into simple steps so you don’t get overwhelmed. This can help you plan financially by indicating when money needs to be spent with the amount you anticipate spending.

Research

Whether you’re hiring movers to help, or doing the whole thing yourself, it’s important to do excessive research to understand all of your options.

Moving companies usually charge flat rates. This is helpful in comparing them for their financial value. However, you don’t want to sacrifice quality service for the initial price when you’re trying to do a budget-friendly move.

Replacing damaged property will cost you more in the long run.

Therefore, checking reviews on the movers’ websites and Yelp leaves less room for costly errors. Compare the flat rate AND the amount of 5-star reviews on the companies you’re considering.

Can You Do It Yourself?

Think about it: do you have the capacity to do the heavy-lifting? This is dependent on a lot of things, including your own physical capabilities.

However, if you can access a moving truck and a handful of helpers, you can drastically save money on your move by doing the hard stuff yourself.

We get it– it’s not ideal! It’s a sweaty process that takes energy and time.

But if you have those two resources, this could save you hundreds on your move. Compare the rates of the moving companies as mentioned above with a rental truck. See if a few of your closest friends or relatives can help.

It is important to note that this method may increase the number of trips that you need to make between your old and new home, leaving you with a period of time where you might not have a normal bed at your new place. We recommend using a raised air mattress in this instance.

These portable beds are convenient to set up and take down while you transport your bed. They’re also typically very affordable.

Be Timely

One of the most overlooked ways to save money in a move is planning according to the seasons. This becomes a little trickier depending on the climate that you’re moving to. If you’re in an area with harsher winters, for example, it’s difficult to move with snow and ice as a factor.

However, if you can avoid moving in the summer, it is advised that you do so.

The moving process is difficult for everybody. However, it shouldn’t cost you a fortune! Careful planning can drastically reduce moving costs. If you’re moving on a budget, ease some of your stress by considering these factors ahead of time.

As the new year quickly approaches, many of us will be looking to sink our time into various home improvement projects. With 2020 being the year that the COVID-19 pandemic forced people to retreat into their homes under government-imposed lockdown orders, people started to appreciate their gardens and outdoor spaces, as these often became an escape from being confined indoors. As such, more homeowners than ever before are seeing the value of investing in their outdoor spaces. While there are some of us that are blessed with green fingers, there are many more that would prefer to leave the job of designing and implementing that dream garden to professionals.

If you find yourself in the latter group and are thinking of enlisting the services of a landscaping company, here are a few qualities you should look for in a landscape gardener that will deliver on giving you that beautiful outdoor oasis you are striving for:

Reputation and Credentials

You’ll want to hire someone who is suitably qualified for the job and has the practical experience to do it well. Enlisting the services of a reputable landscape design firm such as Malone’s Landscape is a good place to start. It’s also a good idea to talk to those who’ve recently had similar projects completed to get recommendations on service providers. Online forums can also be a great source for honest testimonials.

A Good Listener Who Respects the Client’s Wishes

Having an initial consultation with a landscape gardener is a good way to get a feel for the way they work. It’s important that whoever you choose to work with is a good listener and respects your wishes. While it is fine for a landscaper to offer constructive feedback, tell you what will appeal to potential buyers, and justify why something won’t work for practical reasons, their focus should be on implementing your vision for that outdoor space.

Enthusiasm for the Job

Regardless of the size of your garden or your personal sense of style, a landscaper should show enthusiasm for the project. If they show excitement and a commitment to your vision for the garden, the chances are that will come through in the finished result. Find a landscaper that is enthusiastic and demonstrates a passion for the task at hand.

Attention to Detail

A good landscaping company will provide you an accurate quote for the project. As consultations progress and details are fine-tuned, this quote can be reworked. You don’t want someone to give you a ballpark figure only to find out during the course of renovations that they’ve miscalculated some costs. A landscaper’s quote should give you a clear picture of the services you’ll be provided with for the fee and also allow a little cushioning for any unexpected costs that may arise.

Hiring a professional landscape gardener to transform your space is a wise idea. Although at first many people might think that these sorts of projects can be done without the services of a professional, they are likely to find that there are lots of technical aspects they might not have the experience to contend with. By enlisting the services of a reputable company, you’ll save yourself from coming unstuck. With that being said, however, it is important not just to hire the first person that comes along. Do your research, check references, arrange those initial consultations, and choose the right company to implement your vision.

Buying a home is a very exciting time in anyone’s life. It’s a significant first step for any young Aussie looking to get a toe in the door or the ever-elusive, insanely-competitive Australian property market.

However, buying your first home can also be an overwhelming and stressful time, between saving, budgeting, getting your first home loan, finding the perfect property, and actually buying it – it can be hard to know how to approach it, luckily we’re here for you!

Here’s your definitive guide to buying your first home in Australia.

Saving For Your First Home

Create a Budget

The key to saving for anything is budgeting. No matter what you’re trying to buy, whether it’s a significant purchase like a house or a car or even just a holiday or special occasion it’s important to plan a budget and stick to it. There are plenty of tips, tricks, and ‘hacks’ out there but, realistically, a budget is the best way to save as much money as you can in a short period of time.

Begin by calculating your average expenses for a month and breaking down your spending into categories: food, rent, bills, transportation, entertainment, miscellaneous. Then, once you’ve got an idea of how much you’re spending and where you’re spending it, you’ll be able to identify the areas where you can afford to cut back spending.

Cut Back

Now you have a budget and an idea about how much you’ll need to save in order to afford your first home, you have to start cutting back. Fair warning, this is the hard part. There are some unavoidable expenses but there are a few areas in which you can afford to be frugal, in order to save for something as significant as your dream home. Stop eating out, catch public transport rather than use rideshare apps, you may even consider selling some big-ticket items like a television, expensive clothing, or electronics you no longer use or need.

Talk To A Professional About A Loan

More likely than not, if you’re buying your own home you might not know much about the property market and would benefit from consulting a professional to help you. A skilled financial advisor will help you figure out how much you need to save, how long it will take you to save for it, and how much you can afford to borrow.

An advisor will look at your average monthly income, savings, assets, and the price of the average downpayment on a property in the area you’re looking to buy. A home loan is something that you’ll be paying off over a long period of time, so you need to ask as many questions as possible before you agree to sign a loan.

Online mortgage calculators can also help you to figure out how much you’ll be able to borrow so you can get a sense of what you need to save before you sign your mortgage agreement. If you’re looking for a great and reliable mortgage calculator, check it here.

Choosing Your First Home

Lifestyle & Location

In major Australian cities, real estate prices have gone absolutely through the roof (pun intended) which means it can be hard to find a property that meets your needs in an area you want to live in. If you don’t know which area you want to live in it’s important to think about the lifestyle you want. It’s all about location, location, location.

Ask yourself what sort of life you can see yourself living in this new place? What part of your life will you live in this home? Will this be where you start a family? Where you begin your career? Will you be living with your friends? Roommates? Partner? When you’re buying a house, you have to keep imagining it as a home.

Once you’ve answered these questions you’ll be able to figure out what’s important to you when it comes to choosing a suburb. Do you want to be able to walk to work? Do you want to be near friends? Near the coolest new restaurants or bars? Do you need to be in the catchment zone for a good local public school? Do you want to be near the water so you can surf every day? To help you choose which area you want to buy in check out this website for suburb guides.

Design Your Dream Home

When you’re house hunting it can be hard to get away from preconceived notions of the perfect place, the idea that you’ve been conjuring up in your head since you were very young and you moved your Barbie into her very first dream home.

As hard as it may seem, when it comes time to purchase a home it’s important to push all preconceived notions about what you’re looking for from your mind.

A good way to find a middle ground between your dreams and reality is to make lists with three columns: must-have would be nice to have and deal breakers. Separating the things you can’t live from the things you can’t live without will help you to be practical and organized so that you’ll know the right house when you find it.

Buying Your First Home

Offering and Settling

Once you’ve negotiated a price, made an offer, or gone through the whole drama of an auction then you move into the settlement period. Unfortunately, at the end of the buyer, a settlement means a lot more paperwork and cash.

The settlement period lasts for the first 30 days after the date the property is transferred into your name. During the settlement period, you must pay stamp duty and organize your insurance. If you’re looking for more information on the settlement process, check out this government resource.

It’s going to be a wild ride but well worth it when it leaves you with the home of your dreams!

Are you on the market for a new business property? You can’t rush this decision. There’s a lot of things to keep in mind. Here are the key mistakes you can’t afford to make selecting your business property.

No Goal Orientation

You must consider your business goals when selecting your business property. What do you want to achieve and how could this new building help you do it? Hiring a commissioner is often the best way to ensure this happens. Check out a directory for CXA and you can find out all about commissioning a property and why this is important.

It’s particularly crucial if you’re planning on building it yourself, rather than buying an existing building on the market. With the right commissioning service, you can get exactly what you need from this type of project.

Overlooking Security

There’s a common misconception lurking around online that business property break-ins no longer happen. They’re a problem of the past. This isn’t the case. It’s true that cybercrime has become more of an issue but petty theft hasn’t vanished.

You could still experience a break-in on your business property. They could even still be keen to steal data.

That’s why you need to take security seriously on your property. Look for a business office complex that has the right security features in place. This could include CCTV systems and state of the art alarms to name just a couple.

Forgetting To Be Green

Going green is an essential goal for your business this year and over the next decade. If you are buying a property, you must keep this in mind. Think about whether the building has the right design options for eco-efficiency. Alternatively, make sure you can easily adjust the design. For instance, a flat roof will make it simpler to install solar panels. Solar panels can help you massively cut down your business costs.

You should always check the energy rating of the building before you buy. The potential energy rating is crucial too. It will show you what you could achieve in terms of efficiency with key changes.

Failing To Think About Infrastructure

It’s important to ensure that there is a solid infrastructure in place that you will be able to rely on when you choose to buy a business property. There are a few key examples that you need to think about here. For instance, a property should have fantastic transport links. This will mean that both employees and clients can easily access it. As well as this, you must ensure that it will provide you with high internet speeds. If you don’t get the right speeds on your connection, you will struggle to try to keep up with the competition. Fiberoptic broadband is an absolute must here.

Take this advice and you’ll understand everything you need to keep in mind when buying a new business property. Remember, this is going to be a fundamental element of your brand and a vital asset. You have to make the right choice.

Now more than ever, it is important to ensure we are keeping ourselves and the environment around us clean and hygienic. While most people have been working from home and will continue to do so, there are some out there who will be itching to head back to the office. If you are finding yourself in that position, it is important to make sure the office is sterile. For quick and simple-to-follow measures, read on.

Plan Your Decontamination

The CDC released official guidance for business owner’s country-wide, on how they can make the office environment safe for all. Before jumping in with the disinfectant and other cleaning materials, you must ensure that you have an easy-to-follow plan which is detailed; this is a job you don’t want to skip corners for. Even when you feel like you have finished a detailed plan, go over it again with a fresh pair of eyes, or ask a fellow employee or manager to read over it, to check that nothing has been missed. Every single person has a role in slowing the spread of the virus and making sure that we and others are as protected as they can be.

Clean, Clean, Clean

Using a normal cleaning routine will decrease the spread of the virus from person to person. Washing your hands regularly with soap and water, or hand sanitizer will kill any virus which is on the surface of your skin.

While coronavirus on surfaces generally dies off after a few hours, there are environments where it has the potential to thrive; something we don’t want. Warmer temperatures and exposure to sunlight decreases the time that the virus remains on surfaces. As we head into the colder, more bitter months, it is harder to guarantee the warmer temperatures. Disinfecting the surfaces regularly with disinfectant or a mixture containing bleach will further ensure the safety of yourself, your employees, and your business. It should also be noted that bleach solutions when cleaning are extremely effective; bleach solutions ensure a surface is clean for an average of 24 hours.

Testing Your Environment

If you are faced with the situation where you have had an outbreak of the virus in your business or have found a few employees have become unwell with the virus, it is best to nip it in the bud sooner rather than later. Determining the presence of the virus is essential; you will be able to decide if you need to give your business environment a deep clean. However, before making the jump into shutting your office for a deep clean, you will want to test which surfaces the virus is living on, to determine how best to tackle the situation at hand.

We know the fact that we can now test which surfaces the virus is living on for more accurate cleaning is mesmerizing to us too. Conduct a COVID-19 surface test with professional companies such as Sussex Environmental. Companies like this will conduct analyses of the environment to determine the presence of the virus. Upon completion, you will have a better understanding of where to go from there.

Deep-Cleaning

Upon completion of surface testing, if it is found that the virus is present in your work environment, now is the time to refer to your well-documented and detailed plan of action. While your employees are out of the workspace, now is the time to decontaminate. Knowing exactly where the virus is lingering, will allow your cleaning to be as accurate as possible.

Whether you hire a professional cleaning company to do the job for you, or whether you throw on some protective gear and get to work yourself. Ensuring that the contaminated areas of your workspace are cleaned thoroughly will prevent the spread of the virus even further and reduce the time that you must close your workplace for. After all, the safety of yourself and your employees is paramount in a time like this. Some cleaning practices take hours, whereas some can take a few days – especially if you have a larger office. However, ensuring that the office is clean will deter any future outbreaks from occurring.

Preventative Measures

After you have determined the location of the virus and tackled it in the best way possible, it is time to consider the measures you and your employees can take to prevent this from happening again. Providing sanitization stations throughout the workplace will ensure that hands are kept clean.

Make certain that there are provisions in place for when an employee must self-isolate; allowing employees the opportunity to work from home where necessary will protect the rest of the workforce while allowing an employee to do their job in a safe way. Another great way of preventing further infection is to allow flexible working methods; a mix of working from home and from the office. This will ensure that there is a limit to how many people are in the office at one time, great for those with offices where socially distancing is not possible.

Concrete flooring is well-loved among homes and business properties. Considering sturdiness and aesthetic adaptability, this is the material everyone prefers to install. So, now, everywhere you go, and every step you take, concrete is there for you! Your sturdy companion needs assurance that you give it the best San Jose concrete resurfacing. It is the keystone in maintaining its appeal, giving you superb quality and function.

Concrete lasts for many years. But having it exposed to constant traffic and weathering, its top coatings lose texture and wear down its appearance.

Maintenance and repairs add to your convenience with concrete flooring. You won’t need an exhausting replacement. If you see flaws appearing on the surfaces, a resurfacing will cover up all your flooring worries.

Experts follow specific steps to create a masterfully crafted floor. This blog shows you how the pros do it. Sharing their expertise in this field is epoxylouisville.com. You can check out facts and tips on their website so you can, too, achieve the dream flooring you want!

Ready for resurfacing? Let’s get down to it!

Stage 1: Preparing Your Steps

You can divide the resurfacing procedure into three critical stages. The first stage is the preparation. Giving enough attention during preparation will provide each step to be seamless.

Take note of the essential techniques at this stage:

• Pressure washing the slabs. Pressure wash is essential before you opt to resurface your concrete. This technique is usually performed for regular cleaning and maintenance. But this is especially important for resurfacing.

It washes the concrete clean. The clear surface will reveal if there are faulty signs of damaged concrete. It could be severe or minimal.

Here, you will decide if you need a quick and affordable restoration or refinishing or you need to apply a general repair and replacement.

• Grinding the surface. After clearing out the concrete floors, a primary method necessary for prepping is grinding. A machine called a diamond grinder is specifically used to smoothen out the surface.

Professional flooring contractors handle this part efficiently. So, before you go and decide to take this into your own hands, better to get the expert’s guidance first. Grinding is essential to remove old coatings that can cause a bumpy surface where the final layers are applied.

• Removing pieces of debris. When all prepping has been done, give a final look at the bare, raw cement layer. Make sure that no small particles linger on the steps. Especially if you are resurfacing an outdoor concrete. If you have experts working on the floors, as owners, knowing this essential prepping will completely manage your flooring improvement solutions. If they mess in these parts, double-check on your contractors to fix everything in this process.

Stage 2: Applying Concrete

Now, you reached the main stage. It’s concrete application time! In this part, you need to take careful consideration of creating the right mix.

Ist Step – Get the right Mix

The right consistency of the concrete mix is crucial. Most faulty installation or resurfacing happens because the cement mixture is too pastry or too damp. This gives you now more reason to get experts to refinish the floors you love.

This process will ensure that the mix will adhere correctly to the slabs. You can have various resurfacing methods. You can choose from staining, stamping, or applying acrylic sealers for a glossy effect. Enhancing with a layer of epoxy flooring can also be a suitable solution for you.

All these procedures require creating the proper mixture as the final concrete layers. According to the installers of stainedconcretestlouis.com, concrete floors finished with stain takes accuracy and proficiency. The staining solution creates equally elegant floors if the right cement solution is prepared.

2nd Step- Flawless Work of the Hand

It takes an expert concrete contractor to pour the resurfacing material with proficiency and accuracy. Spreading and base coating needs the quick and accurate hands of professionals. A faulty installation will arise if gaps remain in the surface or patches of the body left uncovered.

This will give the installers and the clients significant issues to face in the future. So, avoid this.

3rd Step- A Second Helping of a Concrete Coating

The secret of durable concrete flooring does not depend on one application alone. A second layer, known as a top coating, will assure the flooring’s superior quality.

This is the layer where you apply your design coat or plan to the floors with stamped designs. Your final coating can be acrylic or epoxy-based sealer. This bonds the layers altogether. If you got stamping or concrete overlays to finish the concrete surface, the sealer would provide perfect bonding or adhesion to the separate layers.

Stage 3 – The Final Stage

Lastly, a protective layer of acrylic sealer will make the concrete floors beautiful as new. This coating product provides resistance from heat, water, and stains. This weather also makes exterior floors glossy even if it is exposed to the outdoor elements.

First impressions matter. And if you’re selling your house, that means your home’s curb appeal makes people want to come through the front door.

The good news is, you can easily improve your front yard and the exterior of your home.

So how do you dress up the house and create that wow factor?

Read on, as today we’re covering the 10 best ways to create instant curb appeal without breaking the bank.

1. Clean Up

Creating curb appeal is as important as staging your home. And it all starts with a little cleanup.

Give your yard a facelift by pulling weeds and adding new mulch in all your garden beds. Trim the bushes and prune trees.

Power wash your driveway and sidewalks for a fresh look. These maintenance chores alone will dramatically improve the overall look of your front yard. You’ll have a clearer and more inspired vision of what needs to be done.

2. Pizzazz the Front Door

From the curb, the focal point of your home is the front entry. A blast of paint on the front door is an inexpensive way to dress up the house. Paint the door a pretty hue that compliments the home’s exterior color.

Make sure the color of the door contrasts the colors on the home. For example, if the home is grey with white shutters, paint the door cherry red.

You could also install a custom wood door. Be sure to clean the door knob and apply metal polish to your door fixtures. Complete the look with a DIY wreath on the door for that personal touch.

3. Paint the Trim and Siding

If the trim on your house is fading or peeling, it will give a negative first impression. A fresh coat of paint will smooth over rough spots and make your home appear newer.

One design secret is to use contrasting colors for trim and siding. Choose colors that work well together to draw attention to the home. For example, complimenting forest green siding with white trim can give the home a traditional color palette.

4. Add Flower Boxes and Containers

Is your house lacking color? If so, consider installing inexpensive flower boxes on the front porch railings and below the windows. Flower boxes are a fantastic way to quickly punch up the look of your home.

Along the same lines, containers deliver quick and affordable results. They give your home a welcoming feel with added color. The best part is you can purchase ready-made containers from most nurseries or you can create your own if you wish.

Stagger your containers in asymmetrical fashion for an unbeatable dynamic setting.

5. Replace Your Old Hardware

How does the hardware look in your front yard and front entry? We’re talking about your address numbers, doorknob or lockset, and light fixtures. If they are old and out of date, you may not be maximizing your home’s curb appeal.

When replacing old hardware, it’s important to stay consistent so the pieces work together cohesively. Consider oiled-bronze finishes for a traditional home and brushed nickel for a contemporary home.

6. Do a Mail Box Makeover

Here’s a quick job that can be done in a couple of hours and really improves the appeal of your home.

Choose a spray paint that compliments the home’s exterior while giving the mailbox a completely different appearance.

You can use any paint finish you like. Or be bold and try new textured paint such as shiny metal. Choose any color you like, such as cherry red or royal blue to give your home its own unique style.

For that final touch, plant a box of colorful flowers around the base of the mailbox post.

7. Replace Old Bushes and Add Trees

For a fresh and new appearance, replace overgrown bushes and trees. Contact a tree removal service to remove old and diseased trees.

Everyone loves trees and planting new ones is one of the best ways to improve curb appeal. Just make sure you allow enough room for the tree to grow without affecting your house. If space allows, frame the house with two trees.

A suitable company such as Austin tree maintenance professionals would be an example of a great hire to get the job done.

8. Add Landscaping Berms

Landscaping berms are a great way to add interest to your front yard. They deliver a raised component to your landscaping and can be decorated with flowers, bushes, and ornamental trees.

Spotlighting the area with outdoor lighting adds warmth and life to your yard.

9. Add Wooden Shutters

DIY wooden shudders can completely transform the exterior of your home for little investment. You can paint the shutters with an attention-grabbing color. Or create warmth with a dark wood stain.

Another design secret is to paint the shutters the same color as the garage door.

10. Add Porch Swing or Furniture

A porch swing adds charm to your space and offers an invitation to sit and relax. Potential home buyers can sit on the swing and envision themselves living in your home.

There are a plethora of different porch swings to match the style of your home. Just be sure to choose one that fits the dimensions of your porch and doesn’t take up all the space.

Porch furniture is another option to add seating space. You can find affordable furniture at antique stores which can easily be painted. Add a fresh set of cushions and it will look brand new.

Final Thoughts on Ways to Dress Up the House

When it comes to the curb appeal of your home, the goal is to create such a strong impression that potential home buyers want to view your entire home.

Luckily, you can dress up the house in a number of ways for very little investment. Start by cleaning your yard and painting the door and house trim. Then look to see how you can punch up the area with colorful flowers, new shrubs, and trees.

Create a welcoming feel with a new porch swing or furniture and compliment your home with a unique mailbox and shutters.

Of course, buyers will also want to see your backyard. Check out our favorite patio decorating ideas to take your yard to the next level.

If you are planning to invest in the Australian property market then it is a great decision because Real estate investments are lucrative in the long run. If you are investing for the first time then you may need a real estate agent’s advice to make the right decision. To make a decision on what to buy and where to buy is just the starting point. The growing trends need to be understood and the market position has to be analyzed for making a profitable property investment. You can make mistakes and here are 5 mistakes that property investors should avoid.

• Not researching properly: Many property investors skimp the research part when it comes to buying a property. This can be disastrous. If you do not study the growth rates, suburb plans, and trends, amenities, locations, etc. then you can make a wrong investment. For example, you plan to invest in the Gold coast area then what you should do?

You need to check the property data online for that and many investors skip to do so. You must ensure what you are intending to purchase is matching your future goals or not. Just sift through the possible information sources and if you get it right from the beginning you can save a hell of a lot of work down the track. In such a scenario taking help from the best real estate agent on the Gold Coast is a wise thing to do if you have doubts or require assistance.

• Buying where you reside: If you are living in a particular area then it doesn’t mean the value of the area will increase in the coming years. Simply thinking that it is convenient to purchase a property nearby where you live and assuming things that the property can be managed more easily and you will get tenants somehow means you are progressing towards investment failure.

Property making decisions should not be based on your emotions or influenced by unnecessary assumptions. It is a serious business and the primary purpose for property investment is profit. So, do not allow your sentiments to rule this.

• Avoiding consulting the right people: Investors who are experienced have firsthand knowledge and when it comes to designing your own investment strategy then you must not overlook speaking to an experienced investor.

If you are looking to invest in Queensland or Mermaid waters then speaking with aspiring investors will give you an understanding of how they execute property matters. Thus, you can be 100 percent confident when you close a sale. You can also hire the real estate agents Mermaid waters to build your investment portfolio because seeking advice is a wise thing to do. How you will purchase will impact your long-term goals so consulting an agent will be beneficial.

• Thinking to manage the property on your own: Whether you are an experienced investor or a first-timer thinking to manage the property on your own is not a good idea. Things can go wrong and if you lack experience and have no idea how property regulations work then things can be challenging.

You will not know what you have to take care of and you may even need to bear the charges of something you missed to take care of. It leads to frustration and daily property management tasks could not be executed properly. This job will eat up your time and it is better to appoint someone for property management.

• Underestimating the cost of ownership: Investors feel they will save a deposit, buy a property and they are all set. Well, there are many alarming surprises that you are not prepared for. Property investment doesn’t happen on end to end money and you must keep some type of buffer.

Unexpected costs can arise anytime and you must be realistic about property investment. Some expenses may be affordable like stamp duty, fees, initial costs, deposit, etc. However, there can be other expenses as well. What about body corporate payments and plumbing issues? Is it ok if you are not able to find the tenants for a month or two?

Conclusion: These are the 5 mistakes that every property investor must avoid and whether you are purchasing a property in posh areas like QLD areas Gold Coast or somewhere else, there are a few investment fundamentals you must keep a check on. You can hire a real estate agent if in doubt or you want to take a long term property investment more professionally. It can help you reap the benefits and avoid many other mistakes related to property investment.