Things have been hectic and the weeks have slipped by. I am now on top of things and intend to carry on informing you where I can and keeping your knowledge right up to date.

I know just what it’s like. The Property manager or her assistant rings and says that we have some problems in your rental home.

My reaction is probably a bit like yours – “Don’t bother me with this rubbish – anyway who do the tenants think they are, they rent our home, and why are they being so demanding.”

I assure you our PM has your best interests at heart. A broken veranda board, a slippery driveway, a leaking tap, or a water cylinder that is not functioning,

All of the above and about 100 more things can and will go wrong. I have seen each one of these become an issue, some have ended up in court and locally I have heard of serious claims against the Landlord and the Real Estate Agency.

We are governed in Queensland by PAMDA legislation, which stipulates that if a tenant makes a complaint in writing we must deal with it and satisfy the law. We think that anything serious needs to be referred to you in writing ASAP, and it is you that we are guided by to OK the repairs (Subject to our 20a).

This is sometimes where the system breaks down – We ask for permission and we sometimes don’t get an answer which slows down the process.

In some cases, such as a veranda  becoming  dangerous we act swiftly on your behalf and have a  Gold Card Licenced builder make the place safe immediately or declare it unsafe and take action to prevent the tenant or his guests being injured.

Please read the article. The same things can happen to you and instead of a minor bill for rectification you may be faced with a court action that demands time and money to resolve.

Have a great week,

Cheers Tony Nash

Brought to you by Tony Nash – RE/MAX Property Associates Sunshine Coast
Phone Tony and his team today on  07 5452 4545
www.rentaladvice.com.au

The following is taken from the Governments media release.

The changes announced by the Government include:

• The establishment of a new household Renewable Energy Bonus Scheme to replace the Home Insulation Program and the Solar Hot Water Rebate.
• The changes announced today will ensure the Government continues to help householders and business contribute to Australia’s efforts to transition to a low carbon economy.

The changes announced today put householders back in charge of the environmental products installed in their home. These changes will benefit good green businesses and are bad for the shonky operators who have begun exploiting this market.

A new household Renewable Energy Bonus scheme

A new household Renewable Energy Bonus Scheme will assist households save money on power bills and reduce their carbon emissions.

This new Scheme will replace the Home Insulation Program and the Solar Hot Water Rebate Program both of which have been discontinued as of close of business today. The Government’s focus is on the safety of households and tradespeople who will both benefit from the operation of this new scheme.

Under the household Renewable Energy Bonus scheme households will be able to receive a rebate for the installation of ceiling insulation or a solar hot water system or a heat pump. $1000 rebates will be available for ceiling installation and solar hot water systems and $600 rebates for heat pumps systems. The new rebate for solar hot water systems and heat pumps will be available for systems installed after today.

This scheme will institute several key changes to the delivery of ceiling insulation including:

• Householders – rather than installers – will claim the $1000 rebate directly through the Medicare system.
• Introducing a new registration scheme requiring all installers to reregister, pay a cash bond, show evidence of meeting the training and skills requirements and provide certified quality assurance and occupational health and safety plans.
• Introducing a strengthened compliance regime in concert with State and Territory occupational health and safety and fair trading authorities.

It is intended that the insulation component of the Renewable Energy Bonus scheme will come into operation by 1 June.

The Government’s objective remains to see insulation installed in up to 1.9 million homes, including those already installed under the discontinued Home Insulation Program, to be completed by 2011. The Government will also be commissioning an external assessment of the proposed implementation arrangements for the household Renewable Energy Bonus scheme and will continue to provide oversight to the scheme during its operation. This assessment will consider whether the arrangements and planned timelines proposed for the scheme’s implementation are sufficient to meet the Government’s expectations of safety.

In relation the discontinuation of the Home Insulation Program, installers will have seven days to claim outstanding rebates for work completed prior to close of business today. The Government is prepared to consider appropriate transitional arrangements for legitimate industry participants and a hotline will be available.

The Government attaches particular priority on the impact of this announcement on workers. Workers will have immediate access to assistance under the Government’s Compact for Retrenched Workers, meaning they will get immediate access to high level support, including access to retraining support and help in finding another job as quickly as possible. A hotline will be available for them too.

The Government will continue to roll out an existing electrical safety inspection program of all homes that have had foil insulation installed under the Program. The Government will also be prepared to check as many houses as necessary which have insulation installed under the Home Insulation Program.

The Government will also establish a new Home Insulation Program Review Office to handle all complaints and inquiries and immediately address risks created by unscrupulous operators and will appoint an independent reviewer to conduct a review of the Home Insulation Program design, implementation and delivery.

Brought to you by Tony Nash – RE/MAX Property Associates Sunshine Coast
Phone Tony and his team today on  07 5452 4545
www.rentaladvice.com.au

The onus is on the tenants to ensure day to day water consumption is kept to a minimum. The new laws are limiting water consumption to 200L per person in the household. However, it is the owner’s responsibility to ensure that the properties water fittings are compliant with water consumption and efficiency laws.

To help Landlords get up to date with the ever changing laws there are some fact sheets and information available here. The main points that Landlords will need to focus on are in regards to Pools/Spas, and efficient irrigation.

In regards to pools and spas, there are new laws and rules regarding filling pools with town water and the devices needed to ensure the tenant has other options for filling the pool, and the owners of Pools and spas are also required to have (3) of the following (4) water saving devices on the premises:

• A swimming pool and/or spa cover
• Water efficient showerheads and taps
• Water efficient toilets
• A water efficient washing machine

The new laws surrounding efficient irrigation are quite in depth and will not apply to all landlords, especially those who own units or townhouses, or have very little lawn or garden.

Ensuring the property is compliant is of the upmost importance for owners, as tenants at non compliant properties CANNOT BE CHARGED FOR ANY WATER CONSUMPTION. A water compliant certificate is required in order to charge the tenant for water consumption. Properties must be made compliant by dates specified by the Queensland Water Commission. Compliance date information is available here for those owners not in a position to make immediate upgrades the property’s relevant plumbing.

Landlords should contact their property managers as soon as possible to discuss the best way to get the property compliant with the new laws. For more information please check out the Queensland Water Commission home page.

Brought to you by Tony Nash – RE/MAX Property Associates Sunshine Coast
Phone Tony and his team today on 07 5452 4545
www.rentaladvice.com.au

In its December Rental Report, Australian Property Monitors forecasts rental increases of up to 11% in Perth, 8% in Brisbane, 5-7% in Melbourne and more than 4.4% in Sydney. This could take median house rents in Perth, Brisbane and Melbourne up to around $400 per week while Sydney’s median could hit $500.

To Read the full report by APM Please click here.

This article is courtesy of RFS Finance.

Brought to you by Tony Nash – RE/MAX Property Associates Sunshine Coast
Phone Tony and his team today on  07 5452 4545
www.rentaladvice.com.au

1 Bedroom Apartments

1 bedroom apartments saw a $10 average rise across the Sunshine Coast with the top performing areas including the Caloundra inland region and the Maroochy Coastal Region. The Noosa Coastal Region saw a rather steep fall of $15 this quarter.

• Sunshine Coast Council Area – $240 p/w (up from $230 p/w in the September 08’ Quarter)
• Caloundra Coastal Region – $280 p/w (down from $283 p/w in the September 08’ Quarter)
• Caloundra Inland region – $220 p/w (up from $180 p/w in the September 08’ Quarter)
• Maroochy Coastal Region – $230 p/w (up from $220 p/w in the September 08’ Quarter)
• Noosa Coastal Region – $255 p/w (down from $270 p/w in the September 08’ Quarter)

2 Bedroom Apartments

2 bedroom apartments saw a $5 average rise across the Sunshine Coast. Maroochy and Noosa Coastal regions saw a rise of $5 each and the Caloundra Inland region was the top performer with a $15 rise. The only region that saw a decline here was the Caloundra Coastal Region with a $15 drop.

• Sunshine Coast Council Area – $290 p/w (up from $285 p/w in the September 08’ Quarter)
• Caloundra Coastal Region – $285 p/w (down from $290 p/w in the September 08’ Quarter)
• Caloundra Inland Region - $265 p/w (up from $250 p/w in the September 08’ Quarter)
• Maroochy Coastal Region – $285 p/w (up from $280 p/w in the September 08’ Quarter)
• Noosa Coastal Region – $300 p/w (up from $295 p/w in the September 08’ Quarter)

3 Bedroom Apartments

The Sunshine Coast saw median prices for 3 bedroom prices stay level with the September 08’ figures.  The Noosa Coastal Region did well here seeing a $30 rise in price.

• Sunshine Coast Council Area – $350 p/w (same as the September 08’ Quarter)
• Caloundra Coast Region – $370 p/w (same as the September 08’ Quarter)
• Caloundra Inland Region – $285 p/w (up from $280 p/w in the September 08’ Quarter)
• Maroochy Coastal Region – $340 p/w (down from $350 p/w in the September 08’ Quarter)
• Noosa Coastal Region – $390 p/w (up from $360 p/w in the September 08’ Quarter)

2 Bedroom Houses

2 bedroom houses gained value in the Caloundra Inland, Maroochy Coastal and Noosa Coastal regions facilitating an overall $10 average price rise across the Sunshine Coast. Only the Caloundra Coastal Region moved downwards to the tune of $5 p/w.

• Sunshine Coast Council Area – $300 p/w (up from $290 p/w in the September 08’ Quarter)
• Caloundra Coastal Region – $295 p/w (down from $300 p/w in the September 08’ Quarter)
• Caloundra Inland Region – $280 p/w (up from $275 p/w in the September 08’ Quarter)
• Maroochy Coastal Region – $300 p/w (up from $295 p/w in the September 08’ Quarter)
• Maroochy Inland Region – $300 p/w (same as the September 08’ Quarter)
• Noosa Coastal Region – $300 p/w (up from $275 p/w in the September 08’ Quarter)
• Noosa Inland Region – $280 p/w (same as the September 08’ Quarter)

3 Bedroom Houses

3 Bedroom house average rental prices stayed the same on the Sunshine Coast this Quarter. The big winner was the Noosa Coastal region with a $20 upward move, whereas the Caloundra Coastal Region saw a $10 drop in average rental prices.

• Sunshine Coast Council Area – $350 p/w (same as the September 08’ Quarter)
• Caloundra Coastal Region – $350 p/w (down from $360 p/w in the September 08’ Quarter)
• Caloundra Inland Region – $320 p/w (same as the September 08’ Quarter)
• Maroochy Coastal Region – $350 p/w (same as the September 08’ Quarter)
• Maroochy Inland Region – $350 p/w (same as the September 08’ Quarter)
• Noosa Coastal Region – $380 p/w (up from $360 p/w in the September 08’ Quarter)
• Noosa Inland Region – $330 p/w (up from $320 p/w in the September 08’ Quarter)

4 Bedroom Houses

4 Bedroom houses saw more drops than gains this quarter with the average price dropping by $10 across the Sunshine Coast. The Caloundra Inland, Maroochy Coastal and Noosa Coastal Regions managed to stay level with last quarter, but all other regions saw red. The biggest drop in average price was $30 in the Caloundra Coastal Region.

• Sunshine Coast Council Area – $410 p/w (down from $420 p/w in the September 08’ Quarter)
• Caloundra Coastal Region – $400 p/w (down from $430 p/w in the September 08’ Quarter)
• Caloundra Inland Region – $380 p/w (same as the September 08’ Quarter)
• Maroochy Coastal Region – $420 p/w (same as the September 08’ Quarter)
• Maroochy Inland Region – $440 p/w (down from $450 p/w in the September 08’ Quarter)
• Noosa Coastal Region – $440 p/w (same as the September 08’ Quarter)
• Noosa Inland Region – $360 p/w (down from $370 p/w in the September 08’ Quarter)

Overall the Sunshine Coast is still a great place to invest. Whilst the Australian National Average fell 3.5% from the September last year, average rental prices on the Sunshine Coast have gained 0.77% on last year, despite all the doom and gloom portrayed in the media. Being out of the major cities, the Coast hasn’t been as affected by the Global Financial Crisis as some other areas. On the whole it seems like coastal properties have lost some ground while inland properties gained because of tenants cutting costs by moving away from the more expensive coastal areas, raising the vacancy rates in these areas and forcing prices down. This in turn lowers the vacancy rate in the inland regions forcing rents up slightly.

Brought to you by Tony Nash – RE/MAX Property Associates Sunshine Coast
Phone Tony and his team today on (07) 5452 4545
www.rentaladvice.com.au

“Well, what a roller coaster of a year. We have had ups, and we have had downs. To say the market has been volatile and patchy would be an understatement.

The big winner of the year has certainly been the first home buyer market. This sector has certainly been the main driving force throughout the property industry on the Sunshine Coast. Volumes have been high on the back of increased demand underpinned by the various stimulus packages. As these stimulus packages are winding down, and credit continues to tighten, we have certainly seen a drop-off in demand in this sector, with investors beginning to return.

The prestige property/investment units were predicted to have the rockiest road. This certainly was the case, as we saw values softened significantly. In some areas on the Sunshine Coast the reduction in values from the peaks of 2007 had been in the vicinity of 20%. Over the past month in the Central Sunshine Coast area there has been an increased level of activity for properties in the $1 million vicinity. This has come on the back of the increased level of confidence that is being reported in the media. The sustainability of this ‘run’ is anyone’s guess, but it should continue well into 2010. We also predicted in January that one of the major impacts on the property sector will be unemployment.

Fortunately, this has not had as big an impact, so far. As we move forward into 2010, unemployment, which is a lag indicator of the economic climate, is predicted to increase, and unfortunately the Sunshine Coast has a higher than average share of unemployment. This, and further interest rate increases are likely to have a dampening effect on property. We’ve seen a number of road infrastructures projects come to completion. These projects certainly have improved accesses to various locations on the Coast.

One of the bugbears that continue to hound the region was the postponement of the Sunshine Coast University Hospital. Given the coast’s predicted growth rate and ageing population, we consider that an early the commencement of the hospital is critical for the future of the Sunshine Coast.

All in all, 2009 has been a tough year. There have been reports of increasing levels of confidence, which can only bode well for the future. This confidence is however tempered by the increasing interest rates and the potential increasing unemployment rates. As our Prime Minister has said on numerous occasions, ‘we are not out of the woods yet ‘.

2010 should be a better year for property, though the high price base the coast already has will make spectacular price growth unlikely.”

Brought to you by Tony Nash – RE/MAX Property Associates Sunshine Coast
Phone Tony and his team today on  07 5452 4545
www.rentaladvice.com.au

“On a global scale, Australian real estate provides outstanding value compared to other major international locations. Here you can purchase a waterfront home on Sydney Harbour for under $10 million. In New York and London, and even holiday spots like The Hamptons on Long Island and the Côte d’Azur in the South of France, buyers will routinely pay three times as much.

Today, our property market provides a whole lot more than simply great value – it has also become arguably the safest and best performing residential market in the world.

While other major property markets have suffered significantly due to the GFC, Australian property values lost just 3.8% from peak to trough during the eye of the storm last year. This looks pretty rosy compared to losses of almost 25- 40% in the UK and US and 30-50% across Asia since the sub-prime drama began in 2007.

This year, our market is flying with better than expected gains of 7.9% across the board since January. In August alone, Australian property values rose by almost 2%, the largest monthly rise since the RP Data-Rismark National Home Value Index was launched in January 2005. Melbourne is the stand-out at 11.6%, followed by Darwin 9.7%, Sydney 8.6%, Canberra 6.7%, Brisbane 5.2%, Perth 4.1% and Adelaide 3.1%.

Overseas markets are also recovering, although slowly and in patches. Let’s use the US as an example. Based on the First American House Price Index, house prices fell 23.6% from peak to trough and have since rebounded 5.7%. That’s an improvement, but a small one, and gains are not happening everywhere – it’s the same in the UK.

Take New York – a quintessential finance town just like London, where property values have dropped by as much as 40% in Manhattan with no growth expected for two years. A triplex that could have fetched USD20 million in 2006 is now priced at USD12 million and likely to sell for less.

Asia is doing a little better with up to 10% growth in house prices in the June quarter alone. The markets likely to recover best include Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Hong Kong and Jakarta. Analysts over there say the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis had a much greater impact than the GFC. Buyer confidence in the property sector is improving in line with general consumer confidence as the local regional economy follows the US into recovery.

One of the key differences between Australia’s residential property market and those of other major developed nations is supply and demand. The US has way too much property available to the small number of buyers brave enough to venture back into the market. In Australia, we have a shortage that is now estimated to be around 200,000 homes.

The other differences are the strength of our financial sector and general economy, our record population growth and our better than expected unemployment rates.

And things are only going to get better for us. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) says we’re likely to be the only advanced economy in the world to record real GDP growth this year – around 0.7% and rising to 2% next year. Its average projection for all advanced economies is minus 3.4% in 2009 and 1.5% growth next year.

We’re often referred to as the ‘lucky country’ but there’s a lot more than luck making our property market run hot. As we move towards the end of 2009, my outlook for 2010 remains extremely positive. The most interesting element will be the impact of investors – this important pool of buyers can make the difference between a good market and a booming one…and investors are definitely coming back to real estate.”

RE/MAX Property Associates was lucky enough to have Senior Sales Agent, property expert, and Partner of McGrath Real Estate Agents, Adrian Bo, speak at a recent seminar. Adrian is recognised as one of Australia’s top sales agents and auctioneers, he has received multiple awards within the McGrath Group for customer service and excellent sale results and is a respected real estate speaker, asked to present at the annual Australian Real Estate Conference (AREC) on four occasions.

In order to achieve this, the Queensland Government is implementing a variety of strategies to help current homes reach a suitable energy efficiency level and reduce the impacts of climate change in the state. Through the Queensland Climate Change Fund, the Queensland Government will be investing $430 million to tackle climate change. This figure includes a number of different rebates and initiatives available to help home owners in the QLD reduce their impact on climate change.

Residential ClimateSmart Home Service

The Queensland residential ClimateSmart home service is designed to help people reduce their home’s carbon footprint. It costs $50 and can help households save up to 20.4 tonnes of green house gas and up to $250 on water and energy bills a year.

As part of the service householders receive the following:

• An energy audit by a licensed electrician
• An installed wireless energy monitor
• Up to 15 free energy efficient light globes (CFLs), supplied and installed
• A free water and energy efficient showerhead, supplied and installed
• A customised Energy and Water Efficiency Plan
• My ClimateSmart Home, a customised online resource for more energy and water savings

Visit the Queensland Government website ‘ClimateSmart’ to learn more about the ClimateSmart Home Service.

Solar Hot Water Program

The Queensland State Government has committed to delivering up to 200,000 affordable solar hot water systems to Queensland households over the next 3 years, beginning July 1 2009.Through the Queensland Solar Hot Water Program, eligible participants will have access to a standard installed and warranted, solar or heat pump hot water system for a payment of $100 for eligible pensioners and low-income earners, and $500 for other eligible participants.

Visit the Queensland Government website to learn more about the Solar Hot Water Program.

Residential Gas Installation Rebate Scheme

The Queensland Government is now offering a gas installation rebate of up to $500 to Queensland homeowners installing gas appliances replacing electric, and some non-electric appliances, in existing homes. The rebate promotes gas as an efficient and reliable energy option for Queensland homes. There are two categories of eligible gas appliances.

• Category 1 – gas hot water system, with a minimum 5 star energy efficiency rating.
• Category 2 – gas cooktop (minimum 4 burner); gas oven; gas stove; internal gas space heater with a minimum 4 star energy efficiency rating, which is externally flued and complies with Australian Standard 4553; and gas clothes dryer with external flue.

Visit the Queensland Government website to learn more about the Residential Gas Installation Rebate.

Solar Bonus Scheme

The Queensland Government Solar Bonus Scheme pays households and other small customers for the surplus electricity generated from roof-top solar photovoltaic (PV) panel systems, that is exported to the Queensland electricity grid. The scheme is designed to make solar power more affordable for Queenslanders, stimulate the solar power industry and encourage energy efficiency. The scheme rewards customers whenever they generate more electricity than they are using and is designed to boost the state’s use of renewable energy, encourage energy efficiency and stimulate the solar power industry in Queensland.

Visit the Queensland Government website to learn more about the Solar Bonus Scheme.

Home Insulation Rebate

The Home Insulation Program offers ceiling insulation worth up to $1,200 to owner-occupiers, landlords and tenants.The program targets homes that are currently un-insulated, or have very little ceiling insulation and were built before the mandatory thermal performance requirements under the Building Code of Australia were introduced commencing in 2003. If the total cost of installation is less than $1,200 there will be no more for the householder to pay. This will be the case for most households. If the cost of the insulation is more than $1,200, the householder will ordinarily have to pay the difference or the full amount if they are ineligible.

Note: This rebate is not available in conjunction with the Solar Hot Water rebate. You now must chose one or the other.

Visit the Governments Home Insulation Program website for more information and eligibility requirements.

Free Home EnergyWise Kit

The Home EnergyWise Kit contains energy efficiency information and do-it-yourself auditing tools to help consumers identify energy use patterns in the home, and take positive steps to reduce their energy consumption and lower their energy bills. The kit contains no-cost, low-cost and added-cost energy saving ideas grouped according to how and where energy is used in the home.

The kits are mailed to households free of charge by the Department of Mines and Energy.

Visit the Queensland Government website to learn more about the Free Home EnergyWise Kit.

Brought to you by Tony Nash – RE/MAX Property Associates Sunshine Coast
Phone Tony and his team today on  07 5452 4545
www.rentaladvice.com.au

So what is a sustainability declaration? A sustainability declaration is a compulsory 56 point checklist that must be completed by the seller (vendor) when selling a house, townhouse or unit. It will be required as part of the sale from 1 January 2010.

Properties that have a greater number of sustainability features can have lower operating costs and be more energy and water efficient. They use less energy for heating and cooling, generate fewer greenhouse gas emissions, use less water—and best of all, are more comfortable to live in. Sustainability features such as access and safety also mean that the property will be suitable for owners during their various life stages and will reduce the need for costly future upgrades.

This Declaration aims to increase the awareness and marketability of the dwelling’s sustainable building features and will act as an incentive to improve the sustainability performance of Queensland’s 1.6 million existing homes. For those homeowners who have already taken steps to improve the sustainability of their property, this means that the environmental, social and financial benefits of those features can be recognised when the property is on the market.

The checklist will identify the property’s environmental and social sustainability features in four key areas:

• Energy
• Water
• Safety
• Access

The declaration is designed to be completed by the property owner or a delegated individual and does not require the services of a specialist or professional. If an owner is unable to complete the form, they can seek help from another person to complete it on their behalf as long as the owner signs it.

For more information on the Sustainability Declaration please refer to this Fact Sheet.

For a copy of the Sustainability Declaration click here.

Brought to you by Tony Nash – RE/MAX Property Associates Sunshine Coast
Phone Tony and his team today on  07 5452 4545
www.rentaladvice.com.au

“I have decided to put down my razor for one month (November) and help raise awareness and funds for men’s health – specifically prostate cancer and depression in men.” Tony said. “What many people don’t appreciate is that close to 3,000 men die of prostate cancer each year in Australia and one in eight men will experience depression in their lifetime – many of whom don’t seek help. Facts like these have convinced me I should get involved and I am hoping that you will support me.”

To sponsor Tony’s Mo, you can either:

• Go here and donate online using your credit card or PayPal account
• Write a cheque payable to Movember Foundation, referencing my Registration Number 435276 and mailing it to: Movember Foundation, PO Box 292, Prahran, VIC, 3181

Remember, all donations over $2 are tax deductible.

Movember is now in its sixth year and, to date, has achieved some pretty amazing results by working alongside The Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCFA) and beyondblue: the national depression initiative. Check out further details here.

If you are interested in following the progress of Tony’s Mo, click here. Also, this site has heaps of useful information.

RE/MAX and it’s Directors continue to support various charity’s both locally and nationally and we hope you will get behind this worthy cause.

Brought to you by Tony Nash – RE/MAX Property Associates Sunshine Coast
Phone Tony and his team today on  07 5452 4545
www.rentaladvice.com.au