It is always super exciting for my clients when they see their slab of their house has been poured...and we experienced that excitement this week!!
We are building a two storey home...so the footprint isn't as long as the standard single storey home...but it is so exciting to see where the garage will be,the downstairs rooms and the alfresco!! We can also see where the pipes for the kitchen,laundry and powder room will be..as well as the drains for the guttering and downpipes.
We have had great weather for the pouring of concrete(not great for our farmers I know)...the concrete will cure in no time and the builder will hopefully start on the frames later this week.
With most homes we are having a termite mesh ,this is normally a green or blue material, placed around the edges of the slab as protection against termites...the termite protection has a lifetime warranty but this is based on our home being checked every year by a pest inspector to make sure no termites are munching away! 
Next stage Frame...this is where it starts to look like a house!!

We are so close to the half way point of 2015 that we have started to notice a countdown to Christmas! Wait... not yet, there is still so much more to take advantage of in 2015 including the:

Take advantage of this great incentive to build your own home in the Lake Macquarie, Newcastle or Hunter area including the very popular Northlakes Estate and Appletree Grove Estate. 

A $15,000 grant is in place to assist eligible first home owners to build their own home. We have found this to be so helpful for so many of our clients. One client recently told us that it was a "great incentive because it covered their stamp duty." Fantastic!

Now is the time to take advantage of this grant while it stands at $15,000 because from January 1st  2016 it will reduce to $10,000. 

The grant is organised through the Office of State Revenue and your mortgage broker will be able to help you apply for the grant. A video has been put together by the OSR to explain the grants currently available.

Eligible for the First Home Owner Grant and want to make the best start?  

Have you been asking yourself the question... "Where do I start in selecting the right location for my investment property?"

You may already have a few suburbs in mind, so how do you pick the right one? Here are 5 tips that are sure to help.

1 - What are the current rents in the area? Check online through domain.com.au or realestate.com.au and see what a typical 3 or 4 bedroom home rents for. When you factor in the cost to buy or build will you receive a good rental return on your investment. Also keep an eye on the supply, if there are pages of rentals available in one particular area it may be a case that there is too much supply for the demand.

2 - Infrastructure. What is available in the area - schools, shopping centres, transport, entertainment - either established or soon to be developed. All of these features attract tenants.

3 - Link Roads, Expressways. Are the suburbs you are looking at close to major roads that potential tenants could use to drive to work. In the Hunter and Newcastle area, popular roads such as the Link Road and soon to be completed Hunter Expressway, are great roads to access for employment. 

4 - Take a closer look at the suburb, what are the houses like? Are they well maintained? Do you see majority houses or units? If you can, take some time to walk through the local shops and see who is living in the area. Google street view could also assist in viewing the area. Residents who take pride in their homes and community create a positive environment which will attract quality tenants. 

5 - Remember, you do not have to invest in your own suburb. Great investments are available state and countrywide. 

Do you have other selection criteria when you are deciding on an investment location?

News this month regarding the approved expansion of Newcastle Airport will be positive news to investors and home owners in the area.

Port Stephens council has provided approval for an $80 million upgrade and expansion to Newcastle Airport.

According to Newcastle Airport...When completed, Newcastle Airport will have capacity to increase domestic passenger flow from the current 1.2 million to a potential five million annually, as well as provide infrastructure to allow for international flights. 

The redevelopment will provide the infrastructure needed for Newcastle Airport to be a global transport hub and significant alternate gateway into New South Wales.

For investors this will provide many great opportunities for growth. There will be workers coming in from outside the area for the term of their involvement and they will want to be close to their employment, so they will be looking for accommodation in the Port Stephens area. This will mean that demand for rentals will rise and the rents themselves will go up. Driving an increase in the investment return.

You also have one of the most picturesque areas in Australia around the Bay area so many of the permanent employees will be looking for nice homes in good locations to take advantage of the growth potential in the vicinity.

With this growth and demand you could see a boom in land and house prices within a
5 kilometre radius of the airport.

This is another area within the Newcastle and Hunter region that is showing great potential for employment, tourism and investment growth over the coming years.

Kerri-Ann Hooper, Director of Carnelian Projects, shares a few thoughts on the coming year.

What are you most looking forward to in 2013 both professionally and personally?
Personally going to Disneyland with my family. Professionally helping more investors along their investment journey and seeing all the homes/dual occupancies being built..its very exciting to see a plan become bricks and mortar!

Can you take a look into your crystal ball and let us know what you think the property market in Newcastle and the Hunter will do during 2013?
I still think it will be a strong market particularly around Cameron Park, the Northlakes Estate is such a popular area.  It is close to Newcastle and Maitland and soon the Hunter Valley when the express way opens.  A great place for families and the rental returns are so strong, this is the area to watch. Also in regards to the Hunter there are still some areas where you can pick up land for under $100,000, these are the last of the bargains as land is heading towards the $200,000 and beyond in all areas now. 

Best piece of advice heading into a fresh new year?
Invest Invest Invest…but with the property market you have to remember to hold onto your investment for at least 10 years. It is not a quick gain but it will happen, all property goes up in value. 


What are you most looking forward to in 2013? We would love to hear your thoughts.

Guest post by our Finance Guru, Wade Hooper from Inspire Property and Finance

Valuers are telling us that they have seen the bottom of the market which can only mean that prices will be on the way up.

House prices will not increase until interest rates start to increase so why not get in now before we see a turn in the market.

With the combination of low interest rates and the property market at its lowest, why wait? Taking advantage of the situation now will see an investor secure a great price and set themselves up for good capital growth.

Don't forget the NSW state government incentives that are now in place. All non- first home buyers and investors purchasing homes off the plan or a new dwelling up to $650,000 or vacant land up to $450,000, are eligible for a $5,000 grant. Further details available here.  


For the first home owner the conditions are just as positive. The new state government incentives provide great cash advantages. These incentives are directing more people to buy land and build houses and in doing so we will see an increase in land and house prices. Getting in now and making that purchase will get you ahead of the market. 

Whether you are an investor or first home owner don't delay, speak with your mortgage broker or real estate agent today. 

With increasing costs of housing and living expenses, a majority of people in capital cities are looking for alternatives. This is evident in our closest capital city of Sydney.

As recently reported by Ben Smee in the Newcastle Herald, Sydney property squeeze drives Hunter's boom time , a study, by business research agency BIS Shrapnel, predicted the greater Newcastle housing market would be boosted by the ‘‘inward migration’’ of people fleeing the Sydney squeeze.

There are a significant number of advantages of relocating to Newcastle and the Hunter for Sydney siders feeling the squeeze. Less than 2 hours drive from Sydney, Newcastle and the Hunter offer affordable properties, an attractive lifestyle and employment opportunities. Beaches, city and the Vineyards are only a handful of attractions to new visitors and investors.

An easy and attractive solution to the Sydney squeeze.

Take a look at our latest e news including property of the month and details about our free NRAS investment seminar.

View our enews here.

The stamp duty exemption may have expired but the State Government has introduced a new incentive to assist home buyers.

All non- first home buyers and investors purchasing homes off the plan or a new dwelling up to $650,000 or vacant land up to $450,000, are eligible for a $5,000 grant.

Under the NSW New Home Grant Scheme, this $5,000 grant is available as of the 1st July 2012 and was introduced to stimulate the construction of new homes in NSW.

When considering the costs of purchasing a property stamp duty is a factor that needs to be taken into account. However in the Hunter Region this grant goes a long way to compensating the buyer for stamp duty and other related costs. Another great point to remember is that there are no restrictions on the number of times a purchaser can apply for the grant.

Further details about the NSW New Home Grant Scheme can be found here.

This is a question I am often asked by First Home Owners and it is one that I am more than happy to answer time and time again.

In making your first purchase in property, whether it be your first home or first investment property, it does not need to be daunting. With a little preparation the journey can be fun and you may even find that you want to stay on the ride.

Let's get started - First Home Buyer

Step One
Get an idea on how much you want to spend on your first home. In order to do this have a look at real estate websites like domain.com.au and realestate.com.au. This will give you a feel for what you might get for your dollar. For example, if you are after a 3 bedroom house with double garage in Charlestown, do your research on the above sites and see what this style of house is generally selling for.

Keep an open mind, you may have to go to an outer suburb if the prices are too high for what you want.

Step Two
Talk to your local broker for hints and tips on how to be in a position to borrow the money for that house.

Step Three
Save, save and save some more. Work on a savings plan. Have a clear, written budget which includes all your spending. Your broker can assist or you can find budget templates online.

Look at what your current surplus income is and set aside as much as you can for your deposit.

In saving for a deposit you are doing two things, one - you are saving the actual deposit that you require and two – as a regular savings pattern you are proving to the bank that you will be able to afford the loan. So it makes sense that the amount you save should be equal to the amount the payment would be. If you are renting you save the difference of the rent to the repayment.

This could be a 6 to 12month plan depending on your financials.

If Mum and dad want to give you some cash to help you with your first home, for the bank to consider this as your savings it would need to be in your account for ate least 3 months.

If you find that your surplus income is not enough to cover a loan repayment you may have to adjust your budget/living style or increase your income. Remember when you start your mortgage there will be a regular set repayment for fortnight or month. The bank want to be sure that you can make regular repayments which is why the savings plan is very important.

Please Note: The bank determines Genuine savings to be money is saved up over a 3 month period or funds held in your account for ate least 3 months. Please note it is possible to borrow 100% of the purchase price using equity in Mum and Dad's property however the bank still need to see that you have the ability to make the repayments.

Step Four

Once you get close to reaching your deposit amount it is time to approach your broker again to start the application process. Before you find a house you want, meet with your broker to make sure you fit the banks guidelines before you get your heart set on the property.

The best strategies are the ones that keep it simple. Following a few easy steps and being prepared can make your first property purchase an enjoyable one. Good luck with the house hunting!

Wade Hooper is a qualified Mortgage Broker and owner of Inspire Property and Finance.