Smart Property Searching

With interest rates remaining low and house prices affordable, more buyers are looking to either get into the property market, upgrade or invest. 

However, before you take the plunge, you should be diligent, do your homework, and be a smart property searcher. 

Online real estate websites have certainly changed the way we search for properties. It is an invaluable resource to efficiently find properties and gain detailed information – all with a few clicks on the mouse! Real estate websites allow you to call up properties for sale in specific price ranges and locations, zoom-in on floor plans and maps, find comparable sold properties, and much more...

Google's Street View and Google Earth is also regularly used to virtually venture up and down streets of interest, viewing properties from different angles.

Given all this, online information is still no replacement for physically inspecting a property, the surrounding area, and the suburb. The Internet is a limited experience, and some visuals and information can be a year or more old! Add to this, your mind can also add to the online visuals and anticipate what is real – and when you visit the property you realise certain aspects are quite different.

Seeing a house for yourself can also tell you all sorts of things the Internet can't. By inspecting the property and its immediate surrounding area you gain an understanding of its vibe, the quality of shopping and dining, neighbours, infrastructure (current and upcoming), the people who live there, and the best and worst streets. None of this can be fully appreciated from the Internet. 

Also, be wary of relying on data gained from the Internet - it is possibly out-of-date or even inaccurate! 

Speaking to a highly experienced real estate agent in the area and gaining accurate and current information is highly important before making property decisions. In addition you can give the agent your specific property requirements that should then be utilised to inform you about relevant properties as they hit the market.

Campbelltown Triumphs at Real Estate Awards

Our team recently attended the Harcourts New South Wales Quarterly Awards to celebrate individual and office real estate achievements for the October – December 2014 quarter. 

We competed against 66 other real estate offices, 150 sales consultants, and over 60 property management professionals across NSW to gain these highly sought-after awards.

Individual Awards Won:

Customer Service Award - Colleen Rapley

Business Development Manager Award - 1st place, Sarena Rowley

Bronze Sales Achievement Award

Gary Ghassibe

Tod Campbell

Silver Sales Achievement Award

Tom Spiljar

Gold Sales Achievement Award

Garth Makowski

Steve Arentz

Sapphire Pin

Steve Arentz

Emerald Pin

Gary Ghassibe

Top 10 Sales Consultants - Income to Office

7th place, Troy Holmes
10th place, Cathy Furness & Shaun Moss

Office Awards Won:

Property Management Office Excellence Award - 1st place

Property Management Business Development Office Award - 1st place 

NSW Top Office (highest gross revenue) - 1st place

Another great result for our team at Harcourts – The Property People. A well deserved win for our hardworking Receptionist and Administrator, Colleen Rapley. Also Sarena Rowley took top honours in property management business development. 

Buying off-the-plan apartments

Buying off-the-plan is an attractive choice for both owner occupiers and investors, however you need to look into the detail to work out if it is the right option for you.

Buying off-the-plan has the advantage of locking in the NOW price (and settling on the property later), as well as a number of tax advantages. Off-the-plan properties are also ideal for investors or buyers who need time to organise their finances. 

There are also Government incentives for all when purchasing a new property. You should contact their Office of State Revenue or visit their website for more information www.osr.nsw.gov.au.

Conversely, buying off-the-plan is not for people who need to relocate or move residence in a short period of time. Off-the-plan apartments can take around 2 years to build before owners are able to move in, which does not suit a lot of people.

Here are a few more items you should consider before buying an off-the-plan apartment.

Do research
Do your research to find out growth and expected yields in that area. Get an estimate of your quarterly strata fees. If you are looking for investment, find out the potential rent return as well as the vacancy in that area. Also, make sure you find out what things are tax deductible for you and their implications, as well as the government incentives mentioned above.

Do register on project agencies’ databases

Sales people will always first speak to the potential buyers who are the easiest to contact. People on development project databases often get the first opportunity on available apartments.

Do act decisively

Usually the first third of the project is sold, not only to members of the agencies databases, but also to buyers who act quickly. Obviously the apartments with the best aspects and most desirable features are sold first.

Do understand the value of time

Generally, property prices increase annually (and occasionally dip in value). Don’t panic – over time your investment will serve you well.

Do buy in the areas people want to live

The top three priorities people have for choosing somewhere to live are proximity to schools, work and transport. Some other things to consider include access to shopping centres, recreation facilities, parks, cafes and restaurants.

Do have your solicitor look at the contract

It’s important to choose a solicitor who understands and is experienced in off-the-plan contracts.

Preparing Your Home for Sale

Every seller wants his or her home to sell at top dollar. And 99% of the time it is not about “good luck” - it’s about careful planning and knowing how to spruce up your home that will send potential buyers scurrying for their cheque books.

Here are some ideas on how turn your property into an irresistible and marketable home.

1. Disassociate yourself with your home

Give your agent the opportunity to do their job, and potential buyers the space they need to be drawn to your property. Sellers that linger during an open inspection, or start telling stories about their property, will turn most buyers off.

2. De-personalise

Pack away personal photos and family heirlooms. Buyers want to be able to imagine their own life in your home.

3. De-clutter

De-clutter systematically, completing one room at a time. 

4. Clean out and organise storage spaces

Buyers love to see what kind of storage space they will have. Imagine if they open a closet and everything falls out! If they open an organised closet, it makes buyers feel your home is easy to live in, and that you have taken good care of it.

5. Rent a storage unit

Almost every home looks better with less furniture. Consider storing items that block walkways or aren’t necessary to keep in the house while you’re trying to sell.

6. Remove or replace favourite items

If the chandelier in the dining room is a family heirloom, take it down. If buyers never see it, they won’t want it to be included with the house.

7. Make minor repairs

Fix things such as cracked tiles, leaky faucets, burnt out light bulbs and doors that won’t close properly.

8. Make the house sparkle

Buyers will not be impressed if they see lots of dust or dirt. Make sure your home sparkles, or hire a professional cleaner if you need some help.

9. Check your street appeal

If a buyer doesn’t like the exterior of your home, you’ll never get them to look inside. Mow the lawn, trim back plants, clean up, and plant flowers to enhance your home’s street appeal. 

It always helps to put yourself in the shoes of the buyer, and by making a few little improvements to your home, you are giving it the best chance to sell at the best price.

2014 Real Estate Year in Review

Happy New Year everyone and welcome to 2015! I hope you’ve had a wonderful break over the holidays and are recharged and ready for an outstanding and successful 2015.

At Harcourts – The Property People, we are excited about the year ahead. We have a huge list of exciting projects and plans to be realised over the next 12 months in both our sales and property management departments.

Looking back, 2014 was a highly successful real estate year. Most suburbs enjoyed excellent median price growth of between 15-19 per cent from 2013, with many suburbs achieving record house sales. 

2014 was another huge and successful year for our auction sales. We conducted 13 in-room auction events over the year, placing 100 local properties to auction. Overall, we achieved a 68 per cent clearance rate at the auction events, with a median of 12 days on the market before selling for the properties that were “passed-in”.

I expect that in 2015, sales will continue to hold strong, however growth be at a steadier rate than that experienced throughout 2014. 

In property management, I expect vacancy rates to remain low and rent prices to remain steady, or perhaps increase a little over the year.

4 Simple Tips to Improve the Appeal of Your Property

So you’ve made the decision to sell your property, the next step is to get your place looking as good as possible before any photos are taken or potential buyer inspection dates.

The good news is, whether your property only needs a little or a lot of attention, you can start to improve the appeal of your property in these four simple and inexpensive steps.

1. De-clutter

Buyers are generally looking for space. The more space you can show, the more attractive your home will be to buyers.

Don’t expect buyers to ignore your accumulated stuff and imagine your house in its clutter-free state. The aim is to make it as easy as possible for potential buyers to imagine themselves and their belongings in the house.

Tips to get you started:

• Be systematic. Do one room at a time and don’t move on to the next room until it is complete.
• Depersonalise. You want your buyers to visualise themselves in your house, not you living in it! Pack away photographs, souvenirs, trophies, medals, certificates, posters, religious items and family heirlooms.
• Restore rooms to their core functions.
• Clear tables, counter tops and all surfaces.
• Consider storing off-site some items of furniture.

2. Clean

Once you have more room to work, undertake a thorough housecleaning. As well as your regular chores, focus on rarely-cleaned areas such as skirting boards and light fittings. Steam clean your carpets, and wash walls and windows. If you don’t have time to do this, there are cleaning companies that can help you.

3. Patch and paint

Add a fresh coat of interior paint. Painting your walls can instantly brighten up your house and make it appear well cared for. First, patch up any holes, no matter how small. Favour white ceilings and off-white or beige walls with white skirting. These colours throw more light around the room and make it appear larger.

4. Garden work

Spruce up your outside area. Get rid of green waste, trim the hedges, weeds, and mulch the flower beds.

The Property People Wins at Real Estate Awards

Our team recently attended the Harcourts New South Wales Quarterly Awards at The Tea Room, QVB, Sydney, to celebrate individual and office real estate achievements for the July – September 2014 quarter. 

We competed against 66 other real estate offices, 150 sales consultants, and over 60 property management professionals across NSW to gain these highly sought-after awards.

Individual Awards Won:

Property Management Business Development Listing Award - 
1st place, Sarena Rowley

Top Lister - 1st place, Garth Makowski

Top Auction Lister - Garth Makowski

Auction Encouragement Award - Shaun Moss

Top Sales Consultant – No of Settled Sales

1st place, Cathy Furness & Shaun Moss

3rd place, Tom Spiljar

Top 10 Sales Consultants - Income to Office

4th place, Cathy Furness & Shaun Moss

7th place, Tom Spiljar

8th place, Troy Holmes

Bronze Sales Achievement Award

Gary Ghassibe

Silver Sales Achievement Award

Garth Makowski

Tod Campbell

Troy Holmes

Gold Sales Achievement Award

Tom Spiljar

Platinum Sales Achievement Award

Cathy Furness/Shaun Moss

Sapphire Pin

Cathy Furness/ Shaun Moss

Diamond Pin

Tom Spiljar

Garth Makowski

Office Awards Won:

Property Management Office Excellence Award - 1st place

Property Management Office Revenue Award - 1st place

Property Management Business Development Office Award - 1st place 

NSW Top Office (highest gross revenue) - 1st place

Top Auction Office for the Quarter - 1st place

I’m so proud of our awesome team! Our Property Management team, led by Sarena Rowley and Laura Makowski, won most of the major awards, testament to their top class service and tireless work ethic. Our Sales Department kicked some great goals too, with four of our agents in the Top 10 in NSW (Tom Spiljar, Troy Holmes, Shaun Moss and Cathy Furness). It is also fantastic to earn back our title as the number 1 auction office in NSW, and retain our title as the number 1 office in NSW.

Renovate your Outdoor Space

Australians love nothing more than outdoor living areas, and with the warmer months ahead, it makes a lot of sense to make the most of your outdoor space. 

If you are looking at selling your home in the future, refining your outdoor living areas doesn’t have to cost a lot, but can greatly increase the appeal and selling price of your home.

Provide outdoor entertaining

A good outdoor entertaining space is highly sought-after by buyers. This could take the form of a deck, a pergola, a retractable sun-shade, or verandah.

Also consider the inclusion of an outdoor barbeque and dining area.

Outdoor lighting

In the evening, a garden or an entrance looks wonderful with good lighting. It can emphasise a feature or hide a blemish. Carefully selected lighting can create a wonderful effect that makes your property very desirable. 

There is a huge range of solar lights available that can achieve a wonderful effect without wiring.

Don’t forget to organise the inspections of your home at a time that shows your lighting off!

Car spaces

Off-street car spaces are worth a lot, both in dollars and convenience. Covered off-street parking such as a carport or a garage is right at the top of the list for many buyers.

Landscaping

Defined landscaped areas can add hugely to the overall presentation and desirability of your home – however it can detract if done badly. Achieve a balance between easy maintenance, water efficiency, and hard and soft surfaces to create a landscape in which your property stands out.

Consider the plants you choose, as some are better at certain times of the year. With a bit of research you can have a garden that changes, having different features for every season.

Choosing the Best Agent to Sell Your Home

Many sellers think that the best real estate agent is the one who gives them the highest "potential" sale price to sell their home, and the lowest commission fee. But does this really represent good value?

When gaining market price appraisals from agents to sell a property, sellers should be wary of those that price their property above the others without comparable sales to substantiate that price estimate.

Unfortunately some agents will overprice properties because they are either not educated in the area, or are simply just trying to win the business. Choosing an agent on price alone can actually cost a lot of money down the track when the property is not selling. An overpriced property that is not selling can put the seller into the unfortunate position of having to sell below market price to gain a quick sale (due to commitments elsewhere).

Incorrectly pricing property targets the wrong buyers.

Additionally, most buyers watch and know when a property has been on the market for a long time. Even if the price is later adjusted to the correct market price, the previous activity tarnishes the property and buyers often think there is something wrong with it! All of this wastes a lot of time and causes the seller a lot of stress. This inactivity also attracts "bargain hunters" trying to secure a property at a rock-bottom price.

It is critical to correctly price a property.

When it comes to real estate agents and their commissions, the ones who are cheap, or cut their fee easily when asked, are not going to be tough, savvy and smart enough to negotiate with buyers. It's these strong negotiation skills that sellers need from their agents to gain the best possible price for their home.

When it comes time to sell, it's important that sellers choose their real estate agent focusing on their reputation, current sales track record, but more importantly their sales skills. This is what will get the best final price!

Getting Started in Property Investment

When it comes to building a retirement nest egg for the future, property is still viewed as one of the safest long-term investments.

While some investors may want to buy and rent it out straight away, others may choose to live in the home while they renovate it.

Investing in bricks and mortar can be a great way to create wealth, but there are a few things to consider before diving into property investment.

Know your budget

It’s essential to have a thorough understanding of your cash flow. You should ask your bank for pre-approval of your investment loan so you know how much you are able to borrow before you start your property hunt.

Don’t underestimate ongoing costs

Make sure your budget allows for extra costs such as insurance, and general maintenance and repairs.

Buy in a growth area

Find a property in an area where there is strong demand for rental properties. Buying close to schools, universities, public transport and shopping centres will make it more appealing to renters.

Be realistic about your investment goals

Are you looking for fast capital growth, or do you want to hold the property long term? During a strong market period, it will be easier to renovate properties and sell them for quick profit. But in slower economic times, it can take years to achieve the same growth.

Look for essential, not extravagance

A rental property only has to be functional and clean. Don’t over capitalise or be persuaded to buy a property simply because it has a stylish interior.

Think carefully before negative gearing

If the rent you receive does not fully cover your loan repayments, your property will be negatively geared. This can have tax advantages, but it will also lead to financial stress if you don’t have the cash flow to cover loan repayments, rates or body corporate fees.

Still paying off your home?

It isn’t necessary to have your home completely paid off before purchasing an investment property, however it is a good idea to have a large portion of your own home paid off along with other debts such as credit cards. 

October Auction Results

Last week we had our in-room auction event for October, held at the Rydges Hotel in Campbelltown.

This auction event gained some outstanding results, selling 6 of the 10 properties submitted to auction – a 60% clearance rate. Here’s the summary:

ST HELENS PARK, 19 Briggs Place - SOLD!

CAMPBELLTOWN, 149 Dumaresq Street – Not yet sold

MINTO, 111 Eagleview Road - SOLD!

EAGLE VALE, 27 Zeolite Place - SOLD!

AMBARVALE, 45 Harthouse Road - SOLD!

AMBARVALE, 49 Georgiana Crescent - SOLD!

BRADBURY, 49A Chisholm Crescent – Not yet sold

CAMPBELLTOWN, 13 Manning Street - SOLD!

GLENFIELD, 7 Stirling Place - Not yet sold

GLEN ALPINE, 71 Mount Huon Circuit - Not yet sold

15th OCTOBER AUCTION EVENT STATISTICS:

• 6 of the 10 properties submitted to auction SOLD – a 60% clearance rate.
• Of the properties SOLD, our team achieved on average $13,666 above our vendors’ reserve selling prices.
• Of the properties SOLD, our team achieved an average of 12 buyer inspections per property during the intensive 21-day marketing campaign leading up to the auction.
• Of the properties SOLD, there was an average of 4.7 bidders vying for each property.

Another great auction night! There was also strong interest in the properties that didn’t sell, and I am confident they will lock down some solid offers in the coming week.

Thanks again to our outstanding Auctioneer, Paul Casarotto, and the wonderful support from Domain, The Macarthur Advertiser and Harcourts NSW.

OUR NEXT IN-ROOM AUCTION EVENT WILL BE HELD ON 11th NOVEMBER 2014. SEE OUR WEBSITE FOR MORE INFORMATION.

September Auction Results

Last week we had our in-room auction event for September, held at the Rydges Hotel in Campbelltown.

This auction campaign gained outstanding results, selling 9 of the 9 properties submitted to auction – an impressive 80% clearance rate. Here’s the summary:

MINTO, 111 Eagleview Road - SOLD!

AMBARVALE, 45 Harthouse Road - SOLD!

BRADBURY, 63 Fern Avenue - SOLD!

GLEN ALPINE, 31 Nepean Towers Avenue - SOLD!

RABY, 25 Spitfire Drive - SOLD!

CAMPBELLTOWN, 22 Megalong Crescent - SOLD!

ROSEMEADOW, 3 Lucius Place - SOLD!

ST HELENS PARK, 1 Mackillop Crescent - SOLD!

BULLI, 9 Sturt Place – SOLD BEFORE AUCTION!

17th SEPTEMBER AUCTION EVENT STATISTICS:

• 9 of the 9 properties submitted to auction SOLD – a 100% clearance rate!
• Of the properties SOLD, our team achieved on average $15,750 above our vendors’ reserve selling prices.
• Of the properties SOLD, our team achieved an average of 21.6 buyer inspections per property during the intensive 21-day marketing campaign leading up to the auction.
• Of the properties SOLD, there was an average of 3 bidders vying for each property.

What a brilliant team effort! Great preparation from both our sellers and agents, lots of hard work, and all of us efficiently working together were all key to the success of the event.

Thanks again to our outstanding Auctioneer, Paul Casarotto, and the wonderful support from Domain, The Macarthur Advertiser and Harcourts NSW.

OUR NEXT IN-ROOM AUCTION EVENT WILL BE HELD ON 15th OCTOBER 2014. SEE OUR WEBSITE FOR MORE INFORMATION.

If you want to know more about the process and the benefits of selling your property by auction, speak to one of our highly experienced Sales Consultants on 4628 7444.

Switching From House to Apartment

Moving into an apartment after living in a house can be a big change. You may be moving out of home as a first home owner, or are looking to simplify and downsize as your children may have moved out and into homes of their own.

In Campbelltown, most apartment living is located closer into the CBD, which is often the goal for people looking to make the switch. One of the most attractive features of living in the CBD is the benefit of having most amenities and services within walking distance - major shopping centres, amenities, restaurants, clubs, theatre etc. There is also less need for a car in the CBD as public transport is excellent.

Then there are the more personal reasons for making the change, such as simplifying your life, having less to look after, which means more time to spend on the things you want to do.

No matter the reason, moving into an apartment after living in a house can be a large adjustment.

There are practical issues such as the size of the apartment, the location of the complex, what furniture you can fit in the new premises and car parking.

And then there's the fact that you'll be living in close proximity to others. You need to be more considerate of others when, for example, it comes to having a party or you wish to play loud music in your apartment.

Then there are the other rules of the complex such as what you can put on your balcony, what pets you're allowed, and what you can and can’t do to your apartment that may impact it externally. You should carefully read the owner’s corporation rules before signing on the dotted line.

You also need to consider the sharing of common facilities such as a swimming pool and barbeque area.

It would also be wise to find out the percentage of owner-occupiers living there. With more owner-occupiers there is generally greater care taken in looking after the facilities and the upkeep of the complex.

And then there’s the “community feel” of the complex. Have a chat with the owner's corporation manager and possible future neighbours to gain a feel for what it's like to live in the complex. Here you can find out a wealth of information and discover the positives and negatives of living there.

Additionally walk around the area and look at the people who reside there. It might be predominately young professionals, retired or semi-retired people, or “empty nesters”. Depending on what you are looking for this might influence your decision.

At Harcourts we currently have many new and existing apartments for sale. In Campbelltown CBD we are selling many new off-the-plan apartments and have some new projects that are launching in the next 12 months.

Auctioning Your Property

The Auction method of selling is highly successful for all types of properties. Executed properly, and particularly in the current market conditions, the Auction method can result in thousands of dollars more for the property.

Why choose the Auction method to sell your property?

1. An Auction removes the biggest obstacle that determines whether or not a buyer will enquire about your property – that’s ‘Price’! Auction allows the natural market forces of supply and demand to determine where your property’s true market value lies.
2. The Auction method of selling is more aggressive when compared to other sale methods like ‘Fixed Price Sale’. Other sale methods can take up to 90 days to get a result, where an Auction takes less than half that amount of time! An Auction sale’s deadline means buyers cannot ‘sit back and wait’. This gives your agent greater control over potential buyers who want your property.
   
3. The Auction method makes your agent move! Your agent should be hands-on every day over the Auction period, working with buyers in preparation for Auction day. Agents who auction typically manage fewer properties; however boast significantly higher sale prices.
4. Did you know that Auctions in the Macarthur area enjoy an impressive 30% higher SOLD rate compared to other sale methods over the same 21 day marketing period? There can only be a few reasons for this: restricted time on sale; more agent input, effort and hours; and superior and more intense marketing campaigns. Put simply, there is more ‘action’ in the Auction selling method.
   
5. Auction is the only method of sale where buyers can negotiate a property in real-time and in a totally transparent environment. There are no behind-doors negotiations!
   
6. An Auction offers you interchangeable selling methods! If your property doesn’t sell at Auction, it can be changed to a Range Sale or Fixed Price Sale.
   
7. Finally, the Auction sale method is the only one to offer you three opportunities to sell – i.e. sale prior to auction, sale at auction, and sale after auction. 

Smart Property Management

Experienced landlords know that successful ownership of residential investment property is all about maximising long-term income, with little (or hopefully no) vacancy. Novice landlords and shortsighted Property Managers often simply focus on the amount of rent being achieved right now.

A vacant property obviously means lost income. Vacancy for just a few weeks can significantly reduce a landlord’s overall investment return, requiring an even higher rent to make up for the loss!

Tenant harmony is a crucial part of the rental income equation. Experienced landlords would agree that having rent set at around 90% of market value usually achieves a higher long-term income, rather than holding out for tenants who will pay the extra 10%. 

Additionally, tenants who pay this extra 10% are more likely to be finicky about little things, and make more demands for repairs and maintenance. Furthermore, top-paying tenants tend to look around to see what else is available for their money, and move if they find better value. This obviously causes interruption to a landlords’ rental income stream. 

Tenants paying 90% of market value know they are getting good value for money and are therefore content. Generally speaking, they demand less, look after the property better, and stay long-term. This regular and predictable income is ideal for landlords. 

Raising the rent

Many novice landlords and inexperienced Property Managers think that the best approach for raising the rent is to make frequent small increases. Tenants see this as “penny pinching”, which leads to disharmony, resulting in higher vacancy over the long term. 

Rent increases should occur when market indicators show that a 5% increase is warranted. Landlords should employ an experienced Property Manager that monitors the market and informs them when it is time to raise the rent. The Property Manager should then notify tenants and explain the reason for the rent increase. This method is most effective in managing the tenancy. 

July Auction Results

Last week we had our second in-room auction event for July, held at the Rydges Hotel in Campbelltown.

This auction campaign gained outstanding results, selling 4 of the 5 properties submitted to auction – an impressive 80% clearance rate. 

Here’s the summary:
CAMPBELLTOWN, 58 Chamberlain Street - SOLD!
ROSEMEADOW, 11 Marian Drive - SOLD!

INGLEBURN, 15 Vauxhall Place - SOLD!
CAMPBELLTOWN, 33/1-5 Parkside Crescent - SOLD!
CAMPBELLTOWN, 32/1-5 Parkside Crescent - PASSED-IN


30th JUNE AUCTION EVENT STATISTICS:

• 4 of the 5 properties submitted to auction SOLD – an 80% clearance rate! 
• Of the properties SOLD, our team achieved on average $23,000 above our vendors’ reserve selling prices.
• Of the properties SOLD, our team achieved an average of 32.75 buyer inspections per property during the intensive 21-day marketing campaign leading up to the auction.
• Of the properties SOLD, there was an average of 5.75 bidders vying for each property.

What a brilliant effort by all! Great preparation from both our vendors and agents, lots of hard work and our team efficiently working together were all key to the success of the event.

Thanks again to our Auctioneer, Paul Casarotto, and the wonderful support from Domain, The Macarthur Advertiser and Harcourts NSW.

OUR NEXT IN-ROOM AUCTION EVENT WILL BE HELD ON 20TH AUGUST 2014. SEE OUR WEBSITE FOR MORE INFORMATION.

Vibrant Winter Gardening

Having an attractive garden all year around, particularly over winter, can be quite simple. It is also a great asset if you are looking to sell your home. Also consider some living plant features inside your home, as they can brighten any space and make everyone feel brighter as well!

In the garden

1. Add colour in your garden by painting old terracotta pots, your boundary fence, or other features in your garden.
2. If you have outdoor furniture, rejuvenate it by covering old cushions with bright new fabric. If you are keen, consider purchasing a second hand garden bench and give it a new life by painting it in a lively colour. It then becomes a feature and also a great place to capture some winter sun.
3. Prune any deciduous plants after their last flowers have dropped. Removing dead or dying branches tidies up your garden and will also improve the health of your plants.
4. Fertilise your lawn to ensure it has plenty of nutrients to survive the winter frosts. 
5. Add 2-3 inches of mulch around plants. This looks great, will prevent moisture loss, and will shield your plants’ roots from the cold.
6. Some flowering plants love the chill of winter. Consider planting Camellias, Proteas, Lavender and Grevilleas to add colourful blooms in your garden.

Inside your home

Many plants from sub-tropical climates are great indoors and are ideal for bringing some colour into your home. Consider the following plants, as they are accustomed to fluctuating temperatures, low light, and occasionally drying out:

Moth Orchid – This beautiful flowering plants needs some warmth and light, so position it next to a window to catch the winter sun.

Madonna Lily – This glossy leafed plant with tall-stemmed flowers is known for its air purifying qualities and requires very little maintenance. The lily likes indirect sunlight in a warm room.

Silver Vase Bromeliad – This stunning bromeliad has silver frosted leaves and a bright pink spikey flower. This plant also prefers indirect sunlight.
These few simple things will enhance your indoor and outdoor living spaces, not to mention adding value to your property.