Like it or not, your kitchen will be the most expensive room in your property to renovate. And rightly so, it’s the one space internally that adds the most value, according to bank valuers. If you’re planning a dream kitchen to your own home and the primary goal is to create a kitchen to enjoy…
Let’s face it, coronavirus has turned normality on its head. As most countries have sensibly gone into lockdown, most of us common folks, have been forced to spend a fair amount of time within the confines of 4 walls in our homes. For those lucky enough to be able to work from home, the days…
This week I thought I’d move away from the dreary doldrums of coronavirus topics. So, in writing this week’s blog, I thought I’d start off by saying, I’ve been around. Having personally renovated 127 properties over the last 30 years, you can assume I know an awful lot on all the ins & outs of…
I’m not sure who coined the phrase “positives can be taken from every negative”. While it’s hard to see the sense in any of those words right now as we all bunker down, rest assured, good can come from bad. In this week’s blog, I’m aiming to spread my little dose of positive, amongst all…
It’s official, the Covid-19 situation is scary. Who would have ever thought, a few months ago, that we’d been dealing with such a major global issue? I’m not going to regurgitate all the things that have and are happening …To be honest, I’m sick of hearing it all. I’ve stopped watching the news. What I…
For those who think I’ve been a bit quiet on the renovation front lately, this week I thought I’d bring you a round-up of just some of the makeovers I’ve been busy with. As many of you know (especially those who follow me on Facebook), I’m a regular on Channel 9’s Today Extra show. Here…
Over the last few months, I’ve had a few people write into me, asking for tips on how they can get back on their feet financially following a relationship separation or divorce. Unfortunately, a relationship split signals more than just the formal end of a union. For many, it triggers the start of a tumultuous…
A walk-in pantry is high on buyers’ wish lists, which makes it a space that potentially adds great value to any property, especially if it’s part of a modern family kitchen. Unfortunately, the average walk-in pantry is poorly designed and too often becomes a dumping zone, crammed with clutter. It’s a telltale sign if you…
You’ve heard it all before, and you’ll likely hear it for years to come; granny flats are in. That’s right: latest reports show that over 10,000 granny flats were built in Australia in 2018, and numbers have continued to climb with around 6,000 of them built in NSW alone. In a country of bullish house…
So, you think you’ve finally found the one? Months of searching online, the rollercoaster of anticipation, knock-backs and near wins – they’ve finally resulted in success. You’ve found a property that seems to tick all the right boxes. Yay! Before you get too excited and rush into signing a Contract of Sale, take a pause…
Let’s face it: one of the biggest hurdles to buying property these days is scraping the money together for that hefty deposit – especially the 20% deposit most banks love. Without the generosity of parents or a timely windfall, it’s harder than ever to get a foothold in many of Australia’s cities and regions, particularly…
If there’s something that recent times have shown us, it’s that weather patterns are starting to change the way we live. Widespread drought, followed by ferocious “mega” bushfires, and then the strange hailstorm last week that ripped through Canberra on its way to the coast… we’ve had it all these past few months. It’s got…
It’s a buzz word that’s only been coined in recent years and that’s because it’s a relatively new trend that allows cash-strapped Aussies to get a foothold in the property market – without compromising on the lifestyle choice of where they live. I’m talking about “rentvesting”. In this scenario, you rent where you want to…
Like everyone right now, I’m overwhelmed by the devastation and loss caused by the current bushfire crisis. Millions of hectares devoured by fire, lives & animals lost, thousands of homes reduced to rubble, cities and communities choking in smoke… it’s impossible to find words to describe the enormity of what’s occurring right now. My heart…
New year, new goals, new you… but what if you’ve spent 2019 procrastinating about buying property when that was your last new year’s resolution? If you’re forever finding a reason why now is not the right time to buy, it could well be your mindset that’s holding you back. The sad reality is that most…
Not everyone has the budget for a designer kitchen or the space for a large, open-plan kitchen, but we can all employ some of the clever tricks designers use to make any space look bigger and better. It’s about stretching both your budget and imagination to make the most of all the inventive products and…
Why is the kitchen such a big deal, you innocently ask? BECAUSE IT’S THE KITCHEN! Central Station of your home or investment property! There’s no doubt, the kitchen is the heart of your home. It’s where everything happens. The feeding. The socialising. The nibbling. The drinking. The living. It’s the glue that holds everything and…
TV reno shows like The Block and House Rules have long promoted the idea that property flipping can be a rewarding path for those with the right creative know-how. And the internet is full of stories boasting the tidy profits that clever investors have made through a strategic flip. Indeed, my students regularly post their…
It’s no secret that a new bathroom is one of the most labour-intensive and challenging renos you’re likely to tackle, especially if you’ve decided to project manage it yourself. Brace yourself for weeks without the convenience of a shower and loo, and for the procession of tradies a typical bathroom reno demands. Luckily, with the…
Let’s face it, renovating a kitchen is not for the faint-hearted. This engine room of the home can be out of action for weeks on end, as tradies come and go. While it might be tempting just to outsource the job and pay a kitchen showroom to design and project manage the whole thing for…
Before you dismiss that cheap stool or basic set of shelves, consider giving them a stylish new twist with these really easy DIY tricks. With just a spray of bright paint or some vibrant fabric, you can give any ordinary furniture your own personal stamp. I recently did a segment on Channel 9’sToday Extra show…
Cherie Barber explains why certain colours can stir powerful emotions. Learn which colours suit certain rooms.
Ask anyone who understands market cycles when to develop property and they will probably tell you to purchase development sites in a time of recession or trough and to sell the developed property when the market is on the way up. While this sounds like a logical plan, it can be notoriously difficult to time…
With so many people jumping on the Airbnb bandwagon, leaving guests spoilt for choice, it’s more important than ever to make sure your property stands out. Lame copy, fuzzy photos and poor presentation simply won’t cut it in today’s highly competitive short-term rental market. You want your property ranking high up in search results, and…
So you’ve renovated your property, you’re ready to sell and now you want to place it in the hands of your suburb’s top real estate gun. Hopefully you’re not going to be seduced by the first silver-tongued sales person you meet. Your goal is to find the top real estate expert in your local area,…
We all know colour trends come and go, but some shades have timeless appeal – like pink, for example. Its staying power in interiors and homewares has lasted long after Pantone named “Rose Quartz” its colour of 2016. It’s a popular accent colour in retro interiors (think pink bath, tiles or pedestal basins) and the…
It might be one of the most practical rooms in your home, but with research showing Aussies spend more than a year of their lives slaving over their laundry, it’s no wonder the old wash room is now getting its time in the limelight. Sure, it doesn’t have the pulling power of an amazing kitchen…
Nobody is born to be a property developer. You have to learn the process and ultimately hone your skills by actually developing a project. That said, I believe there are attributes that certainly make the task easier and more effective. Here are my 9 traits guaranteed to give you a head start in property development.…
Let’s face it, buying a property is one of the biggest investments you’re going to make, so it always amazes me when I hear about the spectacular purchase blunders some people make. Either they buy the wrong kind of fixer-upper, the one that is not going to make them money, or they find the right…
With so many new ‘looks” and interior products to choose from, it’s really important not to get distracted when creating the overall look for your property. That’s because design continuity has a welcoming effect that is not immediately obvious, but definitely noticeable if it’s missing! Your theme can be anything from an industrial feel, to a…
If there’s one upside to the chore of lodging a tax return, it’s that nice little windfall that hopefully lands in your account as a refund. Most people wouldn’t think to reinvest their tax refund into something that can make them money. Yes, I’m hinting at small and achievable updates to your home, guaranteed to…
I’m often asked the question, particularly from non-property people, how profitable is property development? Well, it largely comes down to risk versus reward. This risk and return paradigm is well understood by many investors – if you want a higher level of return, you need to accept a higher level of risk, and vice versa. It’s…