EARN YOURSELF A $150 DAVID JONES VOUCHER

We’re looking for someone who has recently sold a property to come in and judge our rookie sales reps on their listing skills. 

You’ll have a blast listening to their passionate pitches, get to meet some great people, and receive a HUGE $150 David Jones Voucher for just 2 ½ hours of your time!

You’ll need to be available from 9.30am – 12pm at our Fremantle Office on one or more of the following dates:

• Thursday 19 June
• Thursday 26 June
• Thursday 3 July
• Thursday 10 July
• Thursday 17 July

Note: Participants will receive one voucher per session and can attend MORE than one session.

If you would like to participate, leave us a comment or message on our Facebook page here. Get in quick before all the spots are filled!

BEST IN THE STATE

We’re proud to announce that out two auctioneers took out the top spots in the hotly contended 2014 WA Auctioneering Championships yesterday!

It was spectacular to see the very best in the state battle it out on-stage in a whirlwind of high-energy auctions, and the quality of competition on the day was outstanding.

However, thanks to their truly exceptional performances, it was our auctioneers who rose above the rest, with Rob Mason taking home first place, followed closely by our Fremantle Branch Manager and Licensee Phil Hayes.

This success highlights our ability to supply our sellers with the best auctioneers in the state in order to achieve the best results week in and week out.

In the past week we were one of the few agencies to have success in auctions last weekend, achieving a clearance rate of more than 66%, which is twice as high as the Perth average of 33% as recorded by RP Data.
 

These auctions bring our total sales for the week to 8. In combination with previous week’s sales, this equates to more than a sale per day over the past month for the company.

With 4 premium properties scheduled to go under the hammer this weekend and the auction books filling solidly for August and beyond, we will continue to deliver outstanding results for our clients.

IMPORTANT CHANGES TO STAMP DUTY FOR FIRST HOME BUYERS

As you may already know, the government will be reducing the transfer duty exemption threshold for first home buyers from $500,000 to $430,000 from 1 July 2014.

The concession will then phase out between $430,000 and $530,000, which is down from the current $600,000.

However the good news is that if you sign a contract before the end of this month, you may still be exempt from paying stamp duty on property valued up to $530,000.

For more information about the grants that you may be entitled to, or taxes and duties that may be payable, head on over to the Department of Finance's website here.

If you would like to stay up-to-date with all of the latest market news and view the best properties that Perth has to offer, check out our Facebook page or follow us on Twitter!

WEEKEND WRAP-UP - 24 MAY 2014

SOLD - 44 Hayes terrace, Mosman Park

Last weekend was quite possibly one of the wettest weekends in CY auction history, with many of our auctions beginning outside and ending inside.

But even the pouring rain and bellowing winds couldn't stop crowds of motivated buyers making it to our auctions with hopes of securing the perfect property.

Those who braved the weather were rewarded with a great show from our auctioneers, who sold three properties under the hammer, including a stunning Mosman Park residence that was purchased by a very happy couple after outbidding the previous sellers of the property who were looking to buy it back.

We also saw great success with private treaty sales.

A notable example was a property we sold in Claremont, which had previously been pulled from the market after it was unsuccessful with another agency. Using our local expertise, we identified a hot buyer in the area, and sold the property shortly after showing them through the home before it had hit the market.

The team is clearly in top form as we enter the beginning of winter, selling 11 properties in total this week – just 3 shy of our record of 14 sales in a week.

Additionally, the recent increase in auction clearance rates in Melbourne (95%) will likely provide a further boost to buyer confidence, which is great news for those thinking about selling soon.

If you would like to stay up-to-date with all of the latest market news and view the best properties that Perth has to offer, check out our Facebook page or follow us on Twitter!

40 TREASURED YEARS AT NUMBER 39

For sellers Digby and Libby Knapp, it's the end of a colourful era

They say after a few years pets start to resemble their owners, so too it seems do homes take on the personalities of those who inhabit them.

Situated at the base of pine tree lined Salvado Street in beachside Cottesloe, this original grand old home on a sprawling 889 sqm corner block, is one of a dwindling number of this premier suburb's classic first world war residences to remain intact.

Very much at home among its grand proportions and soaring ceilings, this home has played centre stage to the memories and movements of the Knapps and their children since they first took up residence a year after this married in 1972.

Former radiologist Libby laughs as she recalls discovering her life long home on a break from her work at Sir Charles Gardiner Hospital one day.

Excitedly telling her husband that she had found the home they had to have, she said it was quite a contrast from their former bedsit in South Perth, which was largely unfurnished apart from a collection of books and a double bed.

"I think the lady that lived here before us couldn't believe we had bought this big house and we had absolutely no furniture," recalls Libby fondly.

"She left us a double bed and a book shelf when she left, I think she felt quite sorry for us having nothing to bring with us when we moved in."

"I just fell in love with it the moment I saw it and rang Digby at work and said 'we have to have it'!"

Known for his sense of humour and trademark grin, her well known optometrist husband, Digby, says he wouldn't dream of standing in the way when his wife had a plan and so began a journey that will end when their home goes under the hammer on Saturday May 24th.

The couple remembers fondly the Cottesloe that was when they first moved in, when it was a quiet beachside enclave of holidays homes for local farming families chasing a coastal summer getaway.

Home to children Heidi and Franz through childhood to adulthood, theirs was the sort of home that welcomed friends and family members regardless of the time of day or who was home.

"We've celebrated so many milestones here and entertained generations of family and friends, many of whom are no longer with us, year in and year out," says Libby.

So much so there's been an endless procession of friends and neighbours lining up to say goodbye to a sale that will mark the end of an era for the Knapp family.

Although Digby says he would have happily died in the family home, a need to downsize and divest themselves of at least some of their treasured belongings prompted the decision to put their home on the market and make their next move.

Despite the sadness of family and friends, the couple says they hope another young family feel as at home as they have at number 39.

39 Salvado Street, Cottesloe goes under the hammer onsite Saturday 24 May 2014. We hope to see you there!

If you would like to stay up-to-date with all of the latest market news and view the best properties that Perth has to offer, check out our Facebook page or follow us on Twitter!

2014 REIWA Auctioneering Championships

Rob (left) and Phil (right) in action

We're proud to announce that both of our extremely talented auctioneers, Phil Hayes and Rob Mason, are among the top 5 state finalists for the 2014 REIWA Auctioneering Championships!

If you would like to stay up-to-date with all of the latest market news and view the best properties that Perth has to offer, check out our Facebook page or follow us on Twitter!

3 ADVANTAGES TO SELLING YOUR PROPERTY IN WINTER

24 Daphne Street, North Perth

Against popular opinion, winter may be one of the best times in the year to sell your property, especially based on last year’s auction results.

According to RP Data, winter auction clearance rates across Australia’s capital cities were slightly higher in winter (67.9%) compared to other times of the year (66.6%).

Let’s take a look at 3 advantages to selling your property in winter:

• Fewer options on the market
  
  We typically see the highest volume of sales in the warmer months with market activity reducing over winter. With fewer properties on the market, there is more chance for your property to stand out and attract the right buyer.
  
  
• A warmer welcome
  
  Winter brings out a certain kind of beauty in homes. With all the lights on and rooms nicely heated, your property will feel warm and inviting which may increase buyer interest, potentially maximising the sale price.
  
  
• Motivated buyers
  
  While it is true that there may be fewer buyers in the market during the colder months, the ones that are looking tend to be more motivated as they need to purchase a home as soon as possible.
  
  

We hope you found this article useful! If you would like to stay up-to-date with all of the latest market news and view the best properties that Perth has to offer, check out our Facebook page or follow us on Twitter!

THERE'S PLENTY TO BE CONFIDENT ABOUT

The local market was noticeably quiet over the past week.

Was this just pre-budget jitters or perhaps a seasonal shift in the market?

What’s certain is that the wider trend across the country is that major housing markets, including in Sydney and Melbourne, seem to have cooled.

Although we’re entering a traditionally slower period, the right selling strategy can still produce fantastic results for sellers.

Just recently we set a new record sale price for a particular apartment complex on Canning Highway, after setting the previous record last year.

Time will tell how buyers respond to Tuesday’s federal budget announcement and its raft of spending cuts.

On a positive note for homeowners, buyers and investors, the Government didn’t put the sword to negative gearing or the capital gains tax exception on the family home, as many predicted it would.

These tax incentives seem to be off the table for the time being.

Furthermore, the conservative nature of the budget means that, in all likelihood, interest rates will remain low over the medium term – great news for mortgage holders.

5 MUST-READ TIPS FOR SELLING YOUR HOME IN AUTUMN

Did you know that Autumn may be one of the best times to sell your home? While there are certainly many advantages to selling property in the warmer months, the market can become flooded with listings as vendors seek to take advantage of the good weather.

During Autumn there are generally fewer options on the market to compete against, which may make the selling process easier for vendors.

The other advantage to listing at this time is that there is less disruption from Christmas, school holidays and family trips, freeing up the time people have to look for properties.

Here are 5 simple yet effective tips for selling your home in Autumn:

1.  Add a splash of colour throughout your home with soft furnishings
2.  Plant flowers that bloom in Autumn (click here for a list)
3.  Keep weeds under control – as soon as the first rains occur, weeds can take off 
4. Since the evenings will be darker than other times of the years, ensure your property has bright lighting to create a nice and warm ambiance for buyers
5. If it’s a cold day, take the chill out of rooms by heating up spaces before viewers arrive

We hope you found these tips useful! If you think we may have missed some, feel free to leave a comment here on our blog or over on our Facebook page.

THERE ARE 2 TYPES OF BUYERS

To get the the best possible price, you need a marketing strategy that targets
 both passive and active buyers

To get the highest possible price when selling your home, you need to understand that buyers fall into one of two distinct categories, active buyers or passive buyers.

Active buyers are the people that, at a given time, are actively looking for a property through the available channels. They spend hours browsing property online, checking newspapers and viewing properties on the weekend.

Active buyers typically approach their search in a very logical and methodical fashion, and on average they will view 10-12 properties before deciding on a property.

While active buyers are responsible for around 80% of all purchases, passive buyers are certainly not to be ignored.

Unlike the active variety, passive buyers aren’t necessarily “in the market” for a property when they decide to make a purchase. It’s only after glancing upon a dream property that they decide to make a move.

Passive buyers are important because they typically form a strong emotional connection with the property and are willing to stretch their budget to secure it.

Interestingly, passive buyers may only ever view one property before buying.

To get the best possible price when selling, you need a marketing strategy that targets both active and passive buyers, and Caporn Young has one of the best around. This includes our popular CY Magazine which gets into the hand of nearly 70,000 potential buyers.

While you won’t always attract a passive buyer, when you do the result is often tremendous for both the seller and buyer.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN AN AUCTION ATTRACTS 144 BIDS?

SOLD! 79 Rockingham Beach Road

It has been a monumental week for our hard-working sales team, successfully negotiating contracts on no fewer than 10 properties.

While this is massive feat in itself, the finer details are particularly impressive.

Of the properties sold, 6 went for more than $1 million, 3 of them went for more than $2 million, and 1 went for more $3 million.

With such confidence demonstrated by buyers in the upper end, it’s certainly a special time in the market.

We are routinely receiving multiple offers for our properties and our auctions are attracting large crowds and frantic bidding.

3 properties sold under the hammer over the weekend, and 1 auction in particular stunned onlookers. After a whopping 144 bids (no, not a misprint), 170 Preston Point Road, East Fremantle, sold for $2,052,000. This was more than $400,000 above the reserve price.

Similarly, we also saw strong bidding from three main protagonists at the auction for 30 Kitchener Road in Melville with the hammer falling at $703,000.

After witnessing these results, some auction attendees asked us whether an auction is an expensive option compared to selling via private treaty.

The answer will surprise many. Besides the small additional costs for the services of an expert auctioneer (normally around $600), an auction campaign generally costs virtually the same.

And critically, an auction is designed to truly maximise the sale price, which as we saw on the weekend, may be many thousands of dollars higher than expected.

DO YOU BELIEVE IN LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT?

Call it a feeling or instinct or maybe even love, but sometimes you instantly know when you’ve found the right one. When this special moment occurs, as it did a few days ago, there’s no point in wasting time. Life is just too short.

A buyer entered one of our home opens in Winthrop and was immediately struck by Cupid’s bow. After seeing the property for less than five minutes, this buyer decided to write up an offer on the spot, even before seeing the bedrooms!

It was perhaps the fastest deal we've ever done and one of nine our team negotiated over the past week. 

With strong competition amongst buyers, we’re certainly achieving outstanding results for our clients. Stock levels are now running low, which is creating a real opportunity for potential sellers.

We’re very excited about the week ahead because we’re kicking off our much-anticipated auction season. 

With no fewer than eight Caporn Young auctions scheduled over the next two weeks and a lot of interest from buyers, we expect to see some fireworks. If you’re nearby, why not drop by and sample the excitement.

Who knows, you might even meet your perfect match.

IT'S A GREAT TIME TO UPGRADE YOUR LIFESTYLE

There's never been a better time to upgrade 

Any expectation that we’d see a tentative start to 2014 has been well and truly dashed.

In only the past few days, our sales team has successfully negotiated contracts on another 12 properties.

And it’s not just the volume of property we are selling that’s encouraging, but also the variety. Whether we’re working with a block of land for under $500k or a multi-million dollar home, our strategy is achieving strong results for our sellers.

With prices expected to rise in the coming months, particularly in the premium segment of the market, there is currently an excellent opportunity for trade-up buyers.

If you are looking for a better home, a better location or both, there is value in selling your existing home and upgrading as soon as possible before the “trade-up gap” increases.

Delaying your move could easily cost you tens of thousands of dollars more. In fact, many of the buyers we are working with are already jostling for the best locations in Perth.

And some, it seems, are focused almost entirely on the location, confident that they can improve the property down the track to suit their needs.

 This is a great sign for any potential sellers with well-located properties that are in need of some modernising.