Cocaine Energy Drink Sponsor NZ Drift Series

Cocaine Energy Drink, a new Energy Drink in New Zealand that has kicked off with a bang and with a lot of controversy is now sponsoring the New Zealand Drift Series in 2009. The massive sponsorship means that the Cocaine Energy Drink will be branded throughout the series, on websites, TV, and throughout the magazine.

The exposure that Cocaine will get from this series will be huge and will have huge beinifits to the company itself and to the people selling the drink around New Zealand. If your wanting to buy the drink in New Plymouth you can buy it from Pack and Save in New Plymouth where they stock the drink.

Round One is at Manfield Radeway Fielding Saturday 16th May 2009 and it will be great to see people there supporting a great event.

Myanmars Cyclone and Chinas Earthquake

Isnt the events happening in these countries right now tragic. There aren’t any words that can explain how it must be over there for the people of these countries. Its sad that both have happened at such a close time frame.

On one scale you have the Total devistation from Chinas 7.8 magnitute quake. This has left buildings crumpled and hundreds and thousands of people homeless. The estimated death toll from this quake is set to be approximately 50,000 people. Can you imagine this, Its almost the same as everyone in my town New Plymouth is dead. Sometimes I feel that having the media as we do plays down the actual realness of the events that are panning out. (From my experiences in afganastan have shown me to appreciate how much we take things for granted.) These are real people like you and me and they are fighting for their lives. Whats amazed me though is Taiwan suspending all their differencies and giving so much humaitarian support. Such a great thing for Taiwan to do (taking in the recent history between China and Taiwan) and is a great credit to their government. Have a look at this youtube clip to see the devistation. and this one MAYNMAR – caution this has graphic images of the actual events unfolding

But on the other end of the scale and which is just as bad if not worse is the Cyclone ravaged areas of Myanmar which is truely a disaster zone. The suffering that is going on in this country is among the worst I have seen ever. The widespread devastation from this power category 3 storm has ripped a deep hole in this country. The official death toll stands at 128,000 people and rising by the day. Can you imagine that. The latest census figures put Tauranga at 112,000 people. Thats alot of people killed in a single event. This toll is set to rise because of the ongoing problem of humanitarian support by the military government and the lack of supplies getting to the people who need it. The latest thing I have read is there is another storm heading towards the area now. I believe that the true impact of this storm hasn’t been bought out yet. The military government are limiting the release of information so who knows what the impact is going to be. Here is a CNN Report of the Devistation.

I truely feel for the people affected by both of the natural disasters. The devastation and loss from both of these are beyond what anyone can imagine. I have been involved in some pretty grim events over the past few years and I understand what they might be going through. But I cannot comprehend the pain and suffering that the people are going through. I think its hard to see how much the devastation is from our TV as we see so much of it in movies and shows these days.

I have donated $1000 to the cyclone relief effort through UNICEF and google is going to match every dollar that is donated by another dollar. Go GOOGLE!! Well done. Here is the link. Its a good cause if you feel you can help in any way. UNICEF CYCLONE RELIEF DONATIONS.

Thanks to everyone who does donate. I seriously am touched by these two events. Unlike war where then you still get innocent people involved this is something that noone could have either preicted or prepared for and in both situations there has been nothing anyone could have done to get away from it.
I am amazed already from the amount of people who have become involved with the relief efforts. The people in these countries must be hurting. Imagine if it happened here, and if you were loosing your friends and family. Please leave a comment for your support for all affected.

Many Thanks

Deon

A Stratergy to the Counter Offer

Negotiations

 

When it comes down to on paper negotiating you will more often than not get a counter offer situation. To what extent purely depends on the negotiating skills of your agent and/or the motivation of the seller and buyer.  The goal, when you’re countering a buyer’s offer, is to get the highest price and best terms possible. Any change to a buyer’s offer is rejection of the entire offer. This change caused the offer to cease to be an offer to you and becomes your offer to the buyer. The buyer can accept, reject or counter your offer to them.

Once you reject the initial offer, you must decide how much to counter. The answer is easy when the market is hot. You can counter at full price or even more. In todays market you may receive offers less than full price for your property. In this case, one strategy would be to set your asking price higher than normal. How much lower than your asking price will you counter-offer?

 

What should I counter at?

 

Setting a firm minimum counter price is a big mistake that some sellers make. Depending on the deal and the buyer your counter offer should be flexible. For example, after investigating the market, you set your asking price at $300,000. Your minimum price may be $275,000. If you are offered your minimum, you sell. If you are offered lower, you don’t sell. It sounds simple. Unfortunately, in this mindset, you box yourself into a limited deal. You want to be flexible when negotiating. Look at this example and see how it can go.

The buyer offers $250,000. The seller rejects and counters with the minimum of $275,000. The buyer counters with $260,000. Where do you go from here?

 You have already offered your lowest minimum counter offer. The only recourse would be to repeat your same offer. One strategy would be to counter lower at $270,000. But what if the buyer is willing to pay more than your minimum? The buyer might be willing to pay $280,000. You will actually have lost money again by countering too low.  But at the end of the day a generally a successful sale is better than no sale.

Sometimes you need to set a minimum price so that you can cover the mortgage, commission, lawyers fees and any other things associated with moving. But if this isn’t the case you should always be lenient and be willing to move on your bottom dollar if the situation arrises.

 

Judge where your buyer is at with your property.

 

Your counteroffer is not the final transaction. It is just one step in the negotiating process. The buyer may counter on your counter offer. You can then counter back if you wish. This process will repeat until the a deal is made. Therefore, your counter offer should not be your best and/or lowest. But one that is fair for the buyer concerned.

The buyer’s first offer is usually a low-ball offer. A seller’s first counter is usually a high-ball offer. Both parties are testing to see how the other will respond. Let the buyer know you are willing to negotiate. You ask $300,000, the buyer offers $250,000. You could counter at $290,000. You must also send the message that you are not willing to drop your price too much. Some buyers will cave and accept the counter offer and others will not.

Anytime you reject and counter, you are opening negotiations but you are also taking the risk of losing the deal. There are some buyers who are just looking for a desperate seller. They make a lot of low-ball offers until they find the property. You are not going to find a good price with that type of buyer. Others will counter with close to what they originally offered, in this case say $255,000 (now you’re still around $30,000 apart).

 

 What should i do if the negotiating is close?

 

After a few counters, you are only a few thousand dollars apart. You countered at $275,000 and the buyer countered back at $270,000. Now you’re only $5000 apart. Should you accept the buyer’s counter? You can simply accept the deal. Another strategy would be to tell the buyer or the agent that you want to

split the difference. They accept. You will then have sold your property at $272,500. Splitting the difference can be an effective way of closing out negotiations to bring about a win-win situation.

 

What should I do if negotiations are still far apart.

You counter at $285,000 and the buyer counters at $255,000. You’re $30,000 apart. That’s serious money. There are only two ways of handling this situation. You could stay with your original counter. The buyer would understand that this is your final offer. This could be a deal breaker. If you are highly motivated to sell, a steep decline of your price would get the ball rolling again. You counter at $270,000 saying this is your best but last offer. This action could spark the buyer’s interest. He/She could accept or at least make a higher counteroffer.

Is There a Time to Walk Away?

There are only two reasons to walk away from negotiations. You are truly angry and will not lower your price. The second is for effect. You are willing to take less, but you want the buyer to think you’ve made your last and best offer. You say, “Take my last offer or leave it. I’ll give you an hour to decide.” As a tactic, walking away can restart negotiations. You could get your price or you could lose the deal. There are no guarantees when negotiating real estate. This is a very staunch way of negotiating and in the current market with alot of choice this may not be the best way o go. As was said earlier you need to gauge the buyer and where they are at with your property. Only use the hard ball tactic if you know for sure that a buyer is very nterested in your property.

 

How Much is it costing you to survive?

How much is it costing you to survive each month?

I earn myself not a bad income. But I do work very hard for it. 7 days a week on the go do drag out sometimes. But I love what I do. But lately I have struck a bit of a snag and I know it’s just not me having this problem.

Over the past few months the cost my cost of living has increased by massive proportions. I can’t give you an average weekly income because I don’t have one but I can tell you how much it’s now costing to survive, now I am not doing anything different in my day to day activities but the cost has gone up hugely. Every month I analyse my spending and my income and work out a plan for the next month, so you could say I am well disciplined when it comes to money and spending. But I’m now struggling.

I will go through some of my monthly spending so you can compare today to yesterday….

Item                             Last year                     This year

Fuel                                        $350                                      $500

Power and Gas                   $120                                      $180

Food                                      $350                                      $500

Work Costs                          $500                                      $750

Mortgage                             $900                                      $1300

Each of these are in proportion and aren’t the actual figures. But I have used the percentages on each to make it easier to read and understand. But if you read this my personal costs that I am paying have gone up 60% in the past year alone. From my reading and understanding most of this is attributed to the rising cost of fuel and rising interest rates to take the fire out of the Real Estate market. As fuel is the main driver of our total economy if that goes up so does our living and transport costs. But at what extent has this had on our pockets and our condition of living in New Zealand.

For myself with the rising costs I have had to get out there and make more money. So I have a lot less time with my family just to keep up with things. But I know I am not the only one in this boat. New Zealanders must be hurting. I know a few of my friends who have good jobs have gone out and got a second job just to stay afloat. The government is telling us that job vacancies are at an all time low, but how many of those jobs are only a second job for someone. What about the people on fixed wages that aren’t going up at the rate of the living costs? Whats happening to them. We are in a bit of a terrible way here; it’s no wonder the latest poll showed that 1 in 10 New Zealanders are considering moving to Australia to live. The cost of living in Australia is more expensive yes but the wages over there are just that so much better that it is so easy to start saving some money.

In the past couple of months I have had former and current colleagues move to Australia to work in the mines. With the promise of jobs offering in excess of over $100,000 AU a year and all living costs included while on the job why wouldn’t you.

Please leave a comment and tell us your situation. I would be very interested to know how other real people like you are fearing with the increasing costs of living.

 

Thanks

 

Deon

Real Estate Market Activity in New Plymouth

Most of us have read, and been alarmed at the recent media coverage of the current and future directions of the housing market. There is the choice of believing that now is a great time to buy and the market is little changed, or that falls of 30% or more will be seen during the next few years. But what do we believe and how do we react to it. The information below will not tell you but should let you in on whats happened in the market to date. The magiority of the media focus on the major markets such as Auckland or Wellington. All in all everyones markets are driven by the same factors but is Taranakis market affected as much as the media are portraying?

In New Zealand between 1999 and mid 2004 the Official Cash Rate ranged between five and six percent, but has then steadily moved upwards to reach 8.25% in March 2008. This has forced floating interest rates to rise and put pressure on fixed rates. In the US, banks and other lenders suffered big losses in 2007 in the so-called ‘sub prime’ market and the implications for that are yet to be felt worldwide..  It is clear that international interest rates are on the increase due to the sub prime debacle, and as New Zealand banks source funds for fixed interest rates from overseas markets the current level of fixed rates is unlikely to reduce in the short term.

HOme affordability over the past decaude has declined as values rose, and more and more of our income has been needed to repay the morgage. This has been accepted by purchasers as long as property prices have continued to increase. The impact of higher mortgage interest rates, tightening lending standards, and higher living costs (particularly food and petrol prices) is affecting some property owners. Job security is currently good and the high levels of employment will help ensure that most New Zealanders are financially secure although some belt tightening may be needed.

But where does this leave the Taranaki  market?

Well simply times are changing. For many years the vendor has been king, but since late 2006 the market has turned in the buyers’ favour. Even though the average price of a home in Taranaki rose by 3.9% over the last year the gap between vendors’ price expectations and that of purchasers has really widened widened.  Many of the national market drivers are having an impact here especially the level of interest rates. We have the benefit of a strong dairy sector plus ongoing energy sector activity which continue to underpin the local economy and help local property markets. On the other side of this our market did not see the highs that the cities such as Auckland saw. This was majorly attributed to population growth. The heat in our market has been at a medium level rather than high, and has not boiled over, resulting in a simmering rather than a cooling. But this does not apply to all properties or locations. International trends show that in a flat or recessionary market buyers become more picky and take longer to make up their minds, while in a booming property market even poor purchasing decisions can seem like good ones. Our residential market is now flat, causing longer selling periods, choosy buyers, bargain hunting, and in some cases reductions in value. Some properties continue to sell well, but others are suffering.

The increasing number of advertised open homes shows the greater choice in our market. It is evident buyers continue to pay good money for the better properties (irrespective of value), but do discount properties with adverse features. Residential investors have backed out of the market at present which could have more of an impact on smaller townships in Taranaki where they have previously had a major influence. In Taranaki there has been not alot of change to the property prices but those people who have bought property in the later part of the housing boom who borrowed at high levels will now be facing the increased repayments on their mortage. This is starting to become more evident from the amount of mortage sales on the market now.

I dont see that the conditions in the market will change during the rest of 2008, and it will be an interesting and testing time for some property owners, but to the advantage of purchasers. In general vendors should expect prices to be flat or softening slightly.  As you see the large number of open homes each weekend dont expect that buyers will not be lining up to buy. Vendors will need to appreciate this, and every offer should be treated seriously even if below the targeted price. Take care to avoid being forced into a situation where you need to sell quickly as this will result in a lower price being achieved. All property owners need to have flexibility in home ownership.  Buyers have more time and should fully research the market and look carefully at each property as a mistake in purchase now may not, at least in the short term, be covered by value growth, as it has in the past.Low to average priced residential properties should remain saleable and hold value, but due to construction of many executive homes in recent years the upper range of the market may well see a softening, particularly if vendors are suffering from increased mortgage rates. Quality will be to the fore and is as least as important as location. We may well see a higher proportion of distressed sales but many vendors will ride conditions until buyers return in numbers. 

The biggest advise i can tell prospective sellers or buyers is not to believe the national doom and gloom, it doesn’t fully apply to Taranaki.  Investigate the market carefully and the property you are considering in particular. In other words look before you leap! When dealing in property it is particularly important at this time to take as much advice as possible.

Sales volumes in New Plymouth are down which is in direct proportion to the average sale time which is now 60 days in New Plymouth. When you are looking at putting the house on the market it is important that you get professional advice from people who are in the market. This includes agents, laywers and property valuers. Remember that we are all in the same situation and if your selling and then buying any disadvantage you may have had is cancelled out.

The most important thing is to price your home right. This is the key to this market. Reduced buyer activity means you need to be competitive. BUt this will come in the next blog edition.

Should I buy or sell first

Whether you’re new to the sales process of you’ve sold many homes, you may find the following questions and answers helpful.

“Should I Buy or Sell First”

There is no straightforward answer. Experience tells most of us to consider the Facts below.

Is my home going to be easy to sell on the present market?

The average time varies from suburb to suburb. But overall in Taranaki at the moment it is 59 days. That’s a whopping two months, and that’s just the average. Your sales consultant that you choose to work with will be able to tell you about the present market conditions and the possible demand there would be on your property. Presenting your home in the best condition you can and using the recommended marketing strategy will be the key factors in selling your home. It’s vital that the first impressions gained by prospective buyers are positive.

What if I sell and don’t find a house?

You need to be certain you want to sell. Once you have sold, you become a cash buyer, and rarely will you be left out. Not only will you be committed to move, but cash speaks volumes in any negotiation and in today’s market it’s the most vital tool you can work with. And on the flip side of this although inconvenient, it is always possible to rent short term.

Help, I’ve found my dream house but I haven’t sold!

You may feel pressure to sign the contract of the home you want to purchase but still need to sell your own property. There are always the points that you may not be able to sell your home in time. This is the hassle which is always avoided if you sell first. This may make you accept less for your property than you might have done had you sold it without being pressured into wanting the other house. A longer settlement date can be helpful in this situation, giving you long enough to sell your home.

How do I make the best decision?

Basically you need to get a professional to look at your home and discuss your plans and the type of home you’re seeking. Your consultant will help you decide the best course of Acton for you with your circumstances. It is important to make clear to the sales consultant your needs and tell them what your options are and then you can make an educated decision for your future.

Property Searching and the Internet

When you go and buy a car do you look on the internet, on websites such as Trademe and do you go to the LTSA website and pull up the history on the car. Well if you don’t you should.

But the same type of actions should be taken when you go to purchase a home. This is even more important at the moment as the market is very unpredictable. Buying a home is often one of the biggest financial commitments that you will ever make in your life. You need to know both what financial implications you will have and also what things will happen when you buy the home. Here are a few things you should do before you look at buying a home. Some of these things can be done before you even leave your home you’re in now. This is the power of the internet.

The first thing you should do is decide where you want to live or buy. This is something that is often taken for granted but you need to stop and think for a second, “why are we moving, where is it we want to go” this will ensure that you’re not waiting your time looking in areas you won’t want to be. The next thing to do is to then write down the features that you’re looking for in your new home. This is probably the key to the whole process but is often overlooked and taken willy nilly. Set down clear guidelines to start with and go with that. Remember as you look you can change these.

The next thing is to start searching. This is where technology and the internet is your best friend. Especially as the price of fuel goes up, it makes it so convenient to just sit at home and browse the internet and then get a feel for what’s out there in your area. Here are some useful websites that may help hugely in the search.

www.realestate.co.nz

www.trademe.co.nz

www.open2view.com

www.taranakiharcourts.co.nz – This is a great website for the local Taranaki market

www.harcourts.co.nz

These are just a few of the many that are out there to look at for property. Make the event a family time. Get everyone involved and participating. Make a list of the ones that fall into or near your criteria and then after you have about 5, 12 or 20 different ones, (it doesn’t really matter) start to compare them. This can be fun. See what each of them can offer and talk about the disadvantages of them as well. This process can be done in the comfort of your home or anywhere there is an internet connection. The great thing as well with doing it this way is if you do have further questions you can email the person connected to the property and get a response.

After this step you will have a great idea of some of the properties that you may want to inspect. But before you do this you should have a look on www.qv.co.nz and you can do a few searches that will give you a greater indication of the area, what prices they have obtained and if you want you can get a total property report on the property that you’re looking at. Some of these services do charge so make sure the properties you’re looking at are the ones you want. The Full property report does include…. (click these links and it will take you to an example of each)

§  Property details

§  Rating valuation

§  Sales history

§  E-Valuer (Estimate of market value) – where available

§  Property trend (graph only)

§  Local sales

§  School zones

§  Demographic Profile (Neighbourhood)

Once this is all done and you have a list of possibles that suit what you’re looking for get out there and have a look at them in the flesh. This has to be done as there are always things that the photos don’t show. 

But in short the internet has opened the doors for possibility in searching for property. It is the best tool to get out there and look at the things you want and do your research without having to really leave the comfort of home.

5 Ways To Beautify The Exterior Of Your Home For The Market

When it becomes time to sell your home you want to try and get the highest possible selling price. And one of the very first things you should pay attention to and address is your home’s curb appeal. It is the first impression a potential buyer will get about your property that will influence their determination as to what they think your home is worth.

Although you may think that if someone does not like something about your home they can just change it themselves, most people have a hard time imagining what certain changes will do to the overall look of a house. So why relinquish that control? Here are the 5 best ways to increase your curb appeal.

1. Mow and edge the lawn, remove weeds from lawn and driveway cracks, and rake the leaves. This will create an overall sense of tidiness and shows pride in ownership. If it looks like you don’t care about the general upkeep of the outside of your home buyers may start to worry about the inside.

2. Trim trees, shrubs and bushes. Overgrown trees and bushes can partially or completely hide a house from the street. If you have gone to the effort of making the exterior if your home look like a million dollars and potential buyers can hardly see it then you have just wasted your money. Trimming trees and shrubs can also make your home look bigger instead of looking lost in a jungle of leaves and twigs.

3. Plant flowers. Planting flowers around the house or using planters will not only add colour and help to brighten up the exterior, but it will also create a feeling of warmth and welcoming. If you are selling your home in the middle of winter, try to find photos of the outside of your house in the summer time. This shows buyers what your home can look like when everything is in full bloom.

4. Paint faded siding and repair exterior brick. If your home has aluminum siding that looks dull or faded, you may not need to replace it. There are products available at your local home improvement store that are specially designed for painting aluminum or vinyl siding. Brick exterior homes can be repointed and minor cracks in concrete can be patched.

5. Add lighting along paths, driveways and porches. Many showings for homes happen in the evenings after sunset so make sure your home looks good even in the dark. Solar powered lighting can easily be installed along driveways and paths and in your front and backyards.

Putting a little effort into the exterior of your house will have a huge effect on not only the buyers first impressions of your property but also help to increase the price your home will end up selling for. Remember not to rely on buyers to imagine all the changes they could make after the purchase. Take control of the buying experience and present your home in the best condition possible and you will see a return in the most important place. Your wallet.

Negotiating the Counter Offer

Whether you are selling or buying a home, the listing price is agonized over from start to finish. Realtors will advise sellers of the comparative market analyses and hopeful “For Sale Buy Owners (FSBO)” will crash open houses trying to set just the right sale price for the home. Buyers will decide what they want and what they can afford; then seek out realtors they believe can find a bargain. But despite all that planning and agonizing, realtors report that a large percentage of offers result in counter-offers. What do you do then?

Rejected? Not Really

Realtors will tell you that some homeowners take a low offer on their house a bit personally. While that may be true, counter offers are generally a reasonable way of negotiating the price the buyer wants to pay, with what the seller wants to get. And unless you went the FSBO route, you don’t even have to deal with it directly- leave it to the realtors.

Many homebuyers and sellers choose to work with realtors for this very reason; they can let a professional negotiate terms and deal with tedious paperwork. Realtors report that most counter-offers may be issued to negotiate: a higher price (total consideration), a different time frame, paying service providers, a change in closing date, money down, or amenities included in the sale. According to the National Association of Realtors, people include anything from curtains to several thousands of dollars in their counter offers. Realtors in various states can educate you on laws governing counter-offers. There could be one or five in a given situation.

Deciding whether to dicker over a couple of thousand dollars, or who will keep the appliances, can be a decision that throws first time buyers or sellers into a frenzy. Keep these tips from professional realtors in mind.

Keep Your Eyes on the Prize

Realtors say that the homeowners who are happiest with their buying and selling experience were flexible, but had clear priorities. For example, realtors recommend that you have an acceptable range around your listing price that you will feel good about selling the house for. (Or paying for it). Then be flexible. Maybe the offer is $2 thousand lower than the seller wanted. This is a good time for a counter-offer that could propose more earnest money, or the exclusion of some personal property. Realtors will tell you that the seller is not required to respond to an offer at all. But if the realtors involved understand that both parties really want this sale to work, they will communicate that and help work out a mutually beneficial deal. Yet another reason that homebuyers and sellers need to choose realtors carefully. Try to view counter-offers as an opportunity for both sides to get what they want, and to leave the table happy.

5 Best Ways To Improve Curb Appeal and Sell Your Home For More

When it becomes time to sell your home you want to try and get the highest possible selling price. And one of the very first things you should pay attention to and address is your home’s curb appeal. It is the first impression a potential buyer will get about your property that will influence their determination as to what they think your home is worth.

Although you may think that if someone does not like something about your home they can just change it themselves, most people have a hard time imagining what certain changes will do to the overall look of a house. So why relinquish that control? Here are the 5 best ways to increase your curb appeal.

1. Mow and edge the lawn, remove weeds from lawn and driveway cracks, and rake the leaves. This will create an overall sense of tidiness and shows pride in ownership. If it looks like you don’t care about the general upkeep of the outside of your home buyers may start to worry about the inside.

2. Trim trees, shrubs and bushes. Overgrown trees and bushes can partially or completely hide a house from the street. If you have gone to the effort of making the exterior if your home look like a million dollars and potential buyers can hardly see it then you have just wasted your money. Trimming trees and shrubs can also make your home look bigger instead of looking lost in a jungle of leaves and twigs.

3. Plant flowers. Planting flowers around the house or using planters will not only add colour and help to brighten up the exterior, but it will also create a feeling of warmth and welcoming. If you are selling your home in the middle of winter, try to find photos of the outside of your house in the summer time. This shows buyers what your home can look like when everything is in full bloom.

4. Paint faded siding and repair exterior brick. If your home has aluminum siding that looks dull or faded, you may not need to replace it. There are products available at your local home improvement store that are specially designed for painting aluminum or vinyl siding. Brick exterior homes can be repointed and minor cracks in concrete can be patched.

5. Add lighting along paths, driveways and porches. Many showings for homes happen in the evenings after sunset so make sure your home looks good even in the dark. Solar powered lighting can easily be installed along driveways and paths and in your front and backyards.

Putting a little effort into the exterior of your house will have a huge effect on not only the buyers first impressions of your property but also help to increase the price your home will end up selling for. Remember not to rely on buyers to imagine all the changes they could make after the purchase. Take control of the buying experience and present your home in the best condition possible and you will see a return in the most important place. Your wallet.