What would you most like to achieve with your property this coming year?

Sell? Invest? Extend? Boost the value or appeal?

If you start making these plans now, you’ll be prepared to put them into action instead of procrastinating.

As your wallet recovers from the holiday season, make it a priority to not just keep up with payments, strive to get as far ahead as possible.

Did you realise that paying on average an extra $1 per day towards your interest and repayments could save you thousands in the long run?

It goes without saying, this will put you much closer to paying off your mortgage, entirely.

As a busy homeowner (and possibly spouse, parent, business owner or employee), you’re tired.

It’s easy to settle for your current situation because it’s there.

But if you promise yourself that you’ll shop around, the savings will be worth every effort.

A loan change or new utility service provider could result in some much needed extra cash.

What you invest in your home now can help you forestall major renovations and repairs. For most of us there’s often jobs around the house that we’re putting off, and there’s always room for improvement!

Could you give the landscaping a boost? Wash windows more often? Check filters in ventilation systems and appliances?

Simply being more aware of these seemingly small details will help increase the value of your property, extend its life and even benefit the health of your family.

Start your spring cleaning now. Getting rid of stuff you don’t need will give you peace of mind. It will also help you take stock of what you have so that you can determine whether or not future purchases are necessary.

We’ve all accidentally ended up with three toasters at some point in our life.

Reduce clutter in your home so that you can keep a better eye on its condition.

You should also resolve to clean your house financially by consolidating debt, closing down unnecessary bank accounts and checking for lost cash.

Turn off those lights when not in use!

Even if you use energy-efficient lighting and heating/cooling systems, you’ll still save more money by just shutting them off when not needed.

As a rule of thumb, try to squirrel away some 1% of your home purchase price every year. In the event that one of those unexpected repairs urgently arises, you’ll have the dedicated funds already there to draw from.

Contact Emnon and tap into our financial knowledge, we’d love to help make your year a fruitful one. We’ll take a look at your situation and show you what changes can help you reach your property goals for 2017.

– Dom Cassisi, Managing Director

One of the most common complaints about landlords is that he or she is slow about making repairs. You don’t want to be one of those landlords! This is your property, as it is, and the faster you take care of maintenance projects, the longer you’ll keep your property in good shape.

It also sets a good example for your tenants. You have a right to expect timely payment if you are also timely about keeping their living space well-maintained.

You can get a generic lease outline anywhere. But if you take the time to edit it to reflect your values, you can avoid a lot of headaches later on. Be very specific about your expectations for tenant behaviour, what pets are allowed and so on.

Tenants appreciate consistency. A well drawn out lease, perhaps with some advice from a lawyer, will help you to respond as consistently as possible in a variety of situations that may arise.

A good landlord doesn’t just sign a lease, toss the keys and disappear. You can set a positive tone for the business relationship by making an effort to welcome new tenants with a personal touch. 

Stock the bathroom with tissues and hand soap on moving-in day. Leave a clearly-written copy of your contact information on the refrigerator. Write a brief scheduling detailing important information like rubbish collection and nearby bus routes. Simple but heart warming touches!

You want to maintain open lines of communication with your tenants. It’s recommended to be available to take their calls right away if they have an issue.

You should exercise compassion with your tenants who deserve to have the rules relaxed on occasion.

But it’s equally important that you respect your tenants’ privacy and maintain a measure of emotional distance. It can be difficult to resolve legal and financial disputes if there is an emotional bias.

This is a business relationship, after all. You don’t need to dress in formal business attire every time you stop by the property, but you want to treat your tenants (customers) with common courtesy at all times.

Starting out with your first investment property? Talk to us about getting the best possible finance deal.

– Dom Cassisi, Managing Director