APARTMENTS

 February has seen that apartments are selling in record time. I am not surprised as the quantity of apartments being made available right now are nowhere near the levels they need to be.

As buyers are being priced out of homes, they have no option but to go towards buying an apartment, it's not a bad thing but when the villas/townhouses/homes have gone up so much that dream is no longer there for them buying a house.

We have been selling some apartments off market (not that many but some sellers are happy with that as they don't pay advertising), if they market the property though there is every chance that they will get more buyers on the property that drives the price up, in some cases by an extra $50k to $100k.

One thing is for sure if you are sitting on the fence because it's not quite right you are certainly going to keep missing out. Nothing is ever perfect you might have to make it perfect for you but you should be seriously going hard at it right now.

MAKE YOUR DECISION AND GIVE IT A REAL GO!!

SELLING MOSMAN PARK & THE WESTERN SUBURBS!!

KEEPING IT REAL IS OUR MOTTO!!

SHORT TERM STAYS OR AIR BNB

 When buying a property either a unit or home you really need to consider a few things:

• Is this property ready to be rented out without too much renovations
• Is this property in the air bnb zone
• If the property is a strata property is there already air bnb's being done
• Call Vivian's for their short term/air bnb they have been doing it for a year now and have got it streamlined
• One or two bedrooms which is better - either both are very popular
• House are they profitable? Depends on how much maintenance keeps appearing and where the home is located, we have found apartments are very popular
• Have a conversation with Trent Vivian not only is he doing it himself he's excellent on the numbers for you
•  Make the property like a hotel room the guests will give you raving reviews
• Do you have a management plan - Vivian's do

There is a lot of things to consider when doing an air bnb / short term stays but they are making such good returns especially those properties that are near the train line and the beach.

Call Vivian's today and have that conversation it could be worth your while if you are wanting a positively geared property.

MAKE YOUR OWN DECISIONS AND GIVE IT A REAL GO!!

SELLING MOSMAN PARK & THE WESTERN SUBURBS!!

KEEPING IT REAL IS OUR MOTTO!! 

PRE-APPROVAL

 You are house hunting trying to find that dream home either on the internet or going to home opens.

Unfortunately, the reality is that most people have budgets and unless you have a very clear outline of what you can actually afford you might find yourself trying to purchase something thats way out of your reach.

This is why you need to have a home loan pre-approved it's so very important that you stay in your lane and do not go to homes that a way out of your budget. It's no good for your mental health when you keep missing out.

Whilst there are plenty of online applications out there offering you instant results, I feel that you need to have contact with a real person and get that exact amount that you can borrow.

We use Brandon Ngadino from Check my rate - an outstanding broker who is available pretty much 24/7 and if he's not available one of his team members will be there for you. His contact details are 0412 270 243 brandon@checkmyrate.au just tell him that Vivians Real Estate recommended him to you. This way you will be at the top of the list when agents/owners are considering offers - when you say you are pre-approved it does matter. 

It's hard enough shopping around without this pre-approval but make sure you are only shopping within your budget very important.

    MAKE YOUR OWN DECISIONS AND GIVE IT A REAL GO!!

SELLING MOSMAN PARK & THE WESTERN SUBURBS!!

KEEPING IT REAL IS OUR MOTTO!!

TAX THAT DIRTY WORD

To be able to claim a deduction for work-related expenses if you a real estate professional

• you must have spent the money yourself and were not reimbursed
• it must be directly related to earning your income
• you must have a record to prove it

You can only claim the work-related part of the expenses.

Gifts

• You can claim a deduction for the cost of gifts - eg alcohol, flowers - bought for work purposes if you are a salesperson or property manager entitled to receive your income from commission or both commission and retainer.
• You can't claim a deduction if you earn a fixed income and you are not entitled to earn a commission.
• You can't claim a deduction for gifts that are in the form of entertainment - eg a live sporting event.

Other common deductible work-related expenses

•  marketing equipment - eg the work-related portion of cameras used for property photos
• decorating properties - eg flowers
• renewing your annual certificate of registration
• union and professional association fees
• technical or professional publications

Home Office Expenses

• You can claim a percentage of the running costs of your home office if you have to work from home, including depreciation of office equipment, work-related phone calls and internet access charges, electricity for heating or cooling as well as the lighting costs.
• If you are required to purchase equipment for your work and it costs more than $300 you can claim a deduction for these costs spread of a number of years (depreciation)
• You generally cannot claim the cost of rats, mortgage interest, rent and insurance.

Travel Expenses

• You can claim a deduction for travel expenses if you have to travel overnight from your usual work location - eg travelling to a remote area to inspect a property - provided the cost was incurred while carrying out your work duties. Travel expenses may include meals and accommodation, fares, petrol and incidentals such as parking fees and tolls.
• Receiving a travel allowance from your employer does not automatically entitle you to a deduction. You still need to show that you were away overnight, you spent the money yourself and the travel was directly related to earning your income eg it was not a personal expense.

Car Expenses

• You can claim a deduction when you drive between separate jobs on the same day - eg travelling from your real estate agency to your second job as a waiter 
• Drive to and from an alternate workplace for the same employer on the same day - eg travelling between two different residential open homes
• If you claim car expenses, you will need to keep a logbook to determine the work-related percentage or be able to demonstrate to the ATO a reasonable calculation if you use the cents per kilometer method to claim.

MAKE YOUR OWN DECISIONS & GIVE IT A REAL GO!!

        SELLING MOSMAN PARK & THE WESTERN SUBURBS!! 

KEEPING IT REAL IS OUR MOTTO!! 

INVESTMENT PROPERTY

 So you have bought yourself an investment property, fantastic!!

The rental market is extremely buoyant today, and the normal rentals are being snapped up without too much trouble, bearing in mind you still have to have them in tip top shape. If you furnish the property, it needs to be modern and minimalistic people don't want Nanna's couch.

Air bnb properties or short stays - Vivian's are now doing these and to be honest the apartments are going gang busters, homes do okay but there is just so much more to go wrong with them than the apartments.  In the future I think I will turn a few of my apartments into short term rentals as the returns are just amazing.

Do not be a scrooge when hiring a property manager, a good property manager or a good company is going to set you back a little bit but in the long run it's well worth it. I would want my property manager going to have a inspection my property every 6-12 months, the final bond inspections also. Good property managers with 5+ years' experience are now on a $100k per year (before you say anything - they are worth it). A good property manager is like hen's teeth in this current industry today, seriously they are so hard to find, people that promote a good culture, knows their legislation (they need to know it to keep me in line).  I really value a good property manager as I would rather stick pins in my eyes than do their job. They get it from all directions from the owners, the tenants and the bosses, but a good one knows how to handle all those situations and comes out still loving her job, I so applaud them, well done is what I say.

Investment properties are generally a long-term thing - sometimes you can buy them just before they start to do a run in their prices, but generally 7-10 years you should be thinking about keeping them, don't sell unless you have to. Keeping all your properties well maintained is a tax deduction so keep it all documented.  

Property is a real passion of mine and through it all I have met some amazing people, learnt a lot from other investors which I have passed on to others.

Keep buying up, do your numbers and keep those wheels turning.

MAKE YOUR OWN DECISIONS AND GIVE IT A REAL GO!!

SELLING MOSMAN PARK & THE WESTERN SUBURBS!!

KEEPING IT REAL IS OUR MOTTO!! 

HAPPY 2026

 With 2025 coming to an end I have to say that it's been a very busy year for us at Vivian's. The housing market has proven to be extremely strong and doesnt matter if it's a unit or a house they are selling for very good prices and the competition is fierce.

What will the market do in 2026 - million dollar question isnt it. My opinion is that we will experience more of the same, but the homes will slow down as the dollar value becomes too high for young couples or singles to be able to purchase their first home (with land) in the Western Suburbs. Apartments will be the next go to and although they have gone up quite significantly also there is still room for movement in their prices.

I say this all the time you will not pick the top or the bottom of the market so if you need to buy just buy - make sure that you have all your ducks in a row, like your pre approval on your finance, know what your limit is, know what the deposit is going to be. Make sure that you have an agent (maybe a buyer's agent) working for you so that you can get the right conditions put on the contract without jeopardising yourself.

There is so much in the balance will the seller accept cash with lots of conditions, or will he/she go for subject to finance with less conditions, it's hard to know but if I were you I would be keeping my contract as clean as I could. 

Stay tuned for all the new listings and explore them make your decision and go for it.

MAKE YOUR OWN DECISIONS AND GIVE IT A REAL GO!!

SELLING MOSMAN PARK & THE WESTERN SUBURBS!!

KEEPING IT REAL IS OUR MOTTO!! 

EFFECTIVELY SELLING YOUR HOME

 Selling your home is one of the most significant financial decisions you can make and doing it effectively requires both strategy and insight. Vivian's are always helping homeowners navigate the property market with confidence, ensuring the best outcomes for every client. 

Western Australia's property market has really had some notable shifts in the recent years, we are always influenced by the economic factors, interest rates and the buyer demand.

The 2025 market has shown strong activity in suburban areas with buyers seeking spacious homes and lifestyle-focused properties. Understanding these trends is crucial for positioning your home effectively and attracting the right buyers.

Some of the key tips for selling your home effectively:

Price - do you set a price or do you go with a no price strategy? Overpricing can deter buyers, while underpricing will obviously leave money on the table. Through an accurate market appraisal we would be able to make sure your property is priced competitively.

Street Appeal - that first impression is so important will entice the buyers or start them on a negative train of thought. Fresh landscaping painted exterior and minor renovations can make such a major difference in buyer perception and increase their interest in the property.

Professional Marketing - we always have professional photos, videos, aerial photo, drone shots, online marketing, home opens, 100 flier drops, local newspaper, all to give the property the top exposure.

Preparation for the home opens - Decluttering is the first major thing, touching up any paint work, replacing old carpets, curtains, bench tops etc. everything so that the buyer has that mental attitude of I don't need to do anything.

Negotiation - having good negotiators on your home is just as important as how your home is presented. Negotiating the price and terms and conditions guiding the clients through the contracts making sure that the Seller get's the best possible outcome. This also ties in with the type of strategy that you choose to sell with.

Vivian's always have treated their clients like family, we treat them with the upmost respect and always achieving the best outcome for them. The main thing is we make the process as smooth and stress free as possible.

We pride ourselves on our honesty and first-class service so if you are looking to sell please do give us a call we would love to chat with you.

MAKE YOUR OWN DECISIONS AND GIVE IT A REAL GO!!

SELLING MOSMAN PARK & THE WESTERN SUBURBS!!

KEEPING IT REAL IS OUR MOTTO!!