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Hi. My name is Michael McCaffery. I’m the chief auctioneer with First National real estate.

Are you looking at selling your house in the near future and considering the auction process? Well I’m here today in this short episode of FNTV to discuss the details that you should consider if deciding on selling your property by auction.

At auction your property is sold to the highest bidder subject to the reserve price. The reserve price is the lowest price your willing to accept. An auction exposes your property to a wide audience of buyers, these buyers will compete on auction day and driven by the excitement of the auction spirited bidding can sometimes lead to a surprisingly high price.

An auction delivers a set period of time for the sale other sales options can sometimes be open ended. Once you have made you decision to go to auction a program can generally be under way with in 24 hours with your auction in stage 3 to 6 weeks after that. Eliminating the price issue, as the reserve price for an auction is usually set prior to the auction you will have the benefit of receiving 3 to 6 weeks market feedback to assist you in determining the appropriate reserve for your property.

Marketing a targeted marketing campaign is designed to saturate specific buyers ensure your property is shown to the widest possible market. No cooling off period, if your property is sold at auction there is no cooling off period it is an unconditional sale. Yes, all properties can be sold by auction but your First National real estate agent is best positioned to determine the most desirable method of sale for your property.

At First National real estate we tailor reach auction marketing campaign to suit your specific requirements and your individual home. For more details call into your First National office.  

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If you were put in a situation where you were required to administer first aid would you know what to do?

Having emergency phone numbers on hand, a first aid kit within reach and knowing some basic first aid procedures could make the difference between life and death when faced with an emergency situation. In the event of an emergency it’s important to call for help as soon as possible.

Part of being prepared for an emergency means keeping an appropriately stocked and maintained first aid kit in your car, home and office. All homes should have a first aid kit the Red Cross would recommend some of the following in a household kit, adhesive strips or bandaids for minor wound dressings, triangular bandages for slings, conforming bandages in a variety of sizes, gauze swabs for cleaning wounds, non adhesive dressings in a variety of sizes to control bleeding and cover wounds, disposable gloves for infection control and sterile saline solution. The following is a Red Cross demonstration for applying first aid to minor cuts and burns.

Hi I’m Jono from Red Cross and unfortunately Jason has injured his arm here so we are going to go through the steps required in cleaning and dressing his wound.

Step one is infection control make sure your wearing your rubber gloves, so wash your hands and put gloves on that stops infection getting into the other person and stops you becoming infected.

Step two clean and wash the wound. Saline solution is a great one for this, you can gently wash away any dirt and gravel or anything else involved in the wound wash it away. Clean it away with some gauze and gently pat the area dry.

The next step is to apply a light dressing, these should be sterile, so from your first aid kit take a sterile dressing apply over the cut area and gently bandage it on, not a tight bandage just a firm bandage to hold that in place.

The last step and if you need to, is to put the cut area into a sling you can sling the arm up or they can just hold there hand across their chest.

So today we are going to look at how to treat a burn.

Step one for burns and the most important step is to put the burnt affected area under cool running water for at least 10 to 20 minutes. Be careful not to overcool the area. Once the area has been cooled, apply a light sterile dressing. These dressings must be very light because the burnt area is very painful. Gently cover the burnt area with a large broad bandage and carefully tape off the ends to stop infection getting underneath. It’s important to remember for any burn bigger then a postage stamp we recommend you seek medical aid because of the large area involved and the ability for infection to get into that burn area.

Thanks very much I hope these tips are useful for you in your house and remember first of all look after yourself and remember your infection control. Next up calm, rest and reassure your patient and make sure their ok and then get involved with your first aid, stop infection and seek help as required.

For more information a series of printable fact sheets on everything from how to treat bleeding and burns to stings, bites and head injuries can be printed from firstnational.com.au.

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With summer fast approaching its time to get to work on important maintenance tasks and repairs to protect your house from the sun over summer.

You mightn’t realise it but your homes exterior can take a real beating over the summer months. So why not make the most of the warmer wether by giving your house a new coat of paint or effecting some structural repairs or just general maintenance around your home. Keeping your home well maintained not only gives a sense of pride and satisfaction but its also financially wise because it helps to prevent small problems escalating into major problems that can be very expensive to repair.

On top of this late spring and early summer is always a far more active selling period in any real estate market, so keeping the presentation of your home to a high standard will upwardly influence the sales results in your area. And this will have an on going affect leading to a higher sale price in your own home when you come to sell. Here are a couple of recommendations to protect your home this summer.

Check your exterior paintwork for signs of wear and tear. Apply a fresh coat of paint and look for areas that you can repair cracks, chips or damage. This will enhance the overall appearance of consistency and add value to your home. Clear your roof and gutters of any branches, leaves or debris that might have collected over winter, you should also clean out any underbrush from around the house, this is particularly important if you live in an area that’s at risk of bushfires.

Consider bringing in a professional house-washing service that can legally high-pressure wash your house and windows to remove algae and winter grime that sometimes built up on south facing elevations. These services use far less water then a regular hose, assuming that you are in an area that can legally wash hard outdoor surfaces.

When it comes to cooling your house make sure you check your window seals and door frames, if there are gaps hot air will get in and you will be wasting your time trying to keep your home cool. Replace seals where necessary and keep draft stoppers handy for front and back doors. If your planning to travel over the summer break make sure you check your catches and door locks before you leave, you don’t want to return to any nasty surprises.

First National has over 550 offices throughout Australia and New Zealand so to find an office near you visit firsnational.com.au.

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Buying a new home and planning to move may push you to your limits but try to remember that you’re not the only one going through a big change your kids are too. Planning can help all family members especially young children better cope with the move. Consider these tips for moving with children.

Your kids need time to get use to the idea of moving give them as much information as you can about why the family is moving and what they can expect in their new home and suburb. Moving stirs up a range of emotions, its important to be there so your kids can voice what their feeling.

Listen to what they have to say and show them that you understand their concern, this reassurance will help make your move much smoother. If your child is old enough why not ask them to pack a few of their favourite things in a special box, this may help them understand that although the family will be in a new home their belongings will stay with them, personalise boxes with special labels, stickers and colours work a treat.

It’s important to be positive and optimistic because your children’s attitude will largely mirror your own. Be careful not to insist everything is going to be wonderful though even if the new house is fantastic it may still take time to adjust.

If you’re moving to a new suburb or town why not call the local First National office in the area and see if they have some information that may help describe the new area to your children. Talk to them about any attractions like a beach or park that maybe close to your new home.

Overall with the right preparation moving house with your kids can be an exciting time stay positive and open about the move. If you treat it like an adventure chances are they will too.

Whether your moving, selling, buying or investing First National real estate can help you with a series of informative guides to obtain your free copy just 1800 032 332 or log on to firstnational.com.au.

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So you’ve made the decision to sell your home the marketing plan is in place and you’re ready to welcome potential buyers but the question now remains are you really ready for this?

Here are a few tips to help you sell your home. If you are advertising a three bedroom home, make sure that’s exactly what the buyer sees when they arrive.

Think about converting a junk room back into a bedroom it’s as simple as hiring some extra furniture and removing the clutter.

Keep in mind first impressions do count try to keep your gardens neat and presentable dig out weeds, sweep paths, prune trees and hide away rubbish bins and you will be very surprise what a difference a slick of paint on the front fence will make.

You may love grandma’s teapot sitting next to a pile of your favourite magazines but crowded shelves and drawers make rooms and storage spaces appear cluttered and small so consider putting non-essential items into storage throughout the sales period.

If you have pets it is advisable to keep them out of the house whilst potential buyers view the home, it is also a good idea to air your house and store away your pets bowls and toys prior to inspection.

Set the scene and draw attention to your homes best features this can be achieved by displaying fresh flowers, hanging decorative bath towels and if you have a lovely dinning area consider setting the table for a special brunch.

We have over 550 offices throughout Australia and New Zealand so there is bound to be an agent near you to discuss what is best for you and your home contact a local First National real estate agent today.

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When you started to search for a property what was the first step you took?

9 out of 10 Australians begin their search online whether their searching to buy a property, rent a property, sell a property or find an investment property because it’s faster and way more convenient but with so much information available online it can sometimes be hard to know where to start. That’s why First National makes its easy via our website firstnational.com.au our sophisticated yet simple to use real estate search function enables you to find a large range of property types Australia wide including residential, commercial, rural, fine homes and even holiday accommodation.

Prominent placement of our property search function makes it easy to start your search straight away. Try quick search by suburb, post code or property ID or our advanced search offers a range of additional options including price, region, size and number of bedrooms.

Found some properties you like? Our convenient my properties area enables you to collect properties as you go, compare them at a glance, view on a map even print an inspection list.

If you know what you’re looking for find it first property alerts make your search even easier emailing new listings as they come to market its as simple as entering your contact details, property criteria and then preferred suburbs.

Research is fundamental to any property search, firsnational.com.au has a wide range of topical real estate information, submit a request for one of our informative property guides, find links to all relevant real estate bodies, download quick tips on topics such as preparing your house for sale, moving with children or holding a garage sale, you can even watch first national tv.

With more and more people having access to the internet on their mobile phone First National has developed an easy to use mobile website so if you’re out and about and need to find property information on the run our website makes it easy with concise details and reduced image sizes.

Technology is a fundamental and ever changing part of real estate today at First National we stand at the forefront of technology and we’re committed to providing you with state of the art tools and information that makes your experience dealing with us more memorable because at First National we put you first.

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If you have children over 25 that are still living at home and finding it hard to move out then First National real estate has some advice for you. Recent studies has shown that those in the 25 to 29 age group are living at home longer, certainly more then our previous generations did. What with interest rate rises and housing affordability at an all time low the Australian dream of home ownership is becoming even harder particularly for generation Y. Don’t despair though, we have some tips that you can responsibly help your children prepare themselves for their first home purchase. So here are a few of our recommendations.

As an initial step seek the advice of a financial advisor who can establish a savings plan and budget to track expenses as well as indentify the areas to cut back on expenditure and if you are considering assisting your children with a loan or a donation for a deposit a financial advisor can also help. With any property purchase it is essential to conduct thorough research especially when considering mortgage options. Often mortgage brokers won’t charge for their advice and these are a good place to start researching which mortgage options are available to suit the individual’s financial situation.

The purchase of a first home is an investment and should be viewed as such getting onto the first rung of the property ladder represents an investment over the long term so first home buyers should take their time and get it right in doing so one of the most important things parents can do is to keep things real for their children. In other words you should talk about the types of sacrifices your children may have to make in order to save for their first home. They may need to compromise initially on location or furnishings or even the amount of work that has to be done on the property to get it the way they really want it.

Flexibility is the key to getting that first all important step right!

If you are letting your children stay at home to save for a deposit why not consider charging a nominal and affordable rent which you can secret away into a savings account and present as a contribution towards moving out when the time comes. This will assist children to understand how important a budget can be and how the real world works, as well as help them get there deposit together or use towards those upfront costs of purchasing a property such as conveyancing, stamp duty, legal fees, insurance and utility connections. The trick is not to let your children know what you’re doing with the rent money so they don’t rely on it.

Buying your first home is a major financial hurdle and in an ideal world kids today would find a way to do it themselves as previous generations did however today things are different and for generation Y and for young families they often require some additional assistance so for more information go to firstnational.com.au and order your free copy of The Ultimate Planning Guide to Real Estate.

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Here’s a Quick tip when selling your home.
Set the scene and draw attention to your homes best features, This can be achieved by displaying fresh flowers, hanging decorative bath towels, and if you have a lovely dinning area consider setting the table for a special brunch.

Here’s a quick tip when selling your home.
It’s advisable to keep pets out of the house while potential buyer’s view your home. It’s also a good idea to air out your house and store away pet bowls and toys prior to inspection.

Here’s a quick tip when selling your home.
If your advertising a three bedroom home make sure that’s exactly what buyer’s find when they arrive. Think about converting your junk room or study back into a bedroom - it’s as simple as hiring some extra furniture and removing your clutter.

Here’s a quick tip when selling your home.
You may love grandma’s tea pot sitting next to a pile of your favorite magazines, but crowed shelves and draws make rooms and storage spaces appear more cluttered and small. So consider putting none essential items into storage throughout the sales period. Ask your friends to help or contact the local storage facility.

Here’s a quick tip when selling your home.
First imprisons do count, keep your garden neat and presentable, dig out weeds, sweep paths, prune trees and hide away rubbish bins. You would be surprised what a difference a fresh coat of paint on the front fence would make.

Every drop counts. Are you wondering how you can help save the environment and help assist drought relief? Well this can be done by ensuring your home is water friendly. A water friendly home does three clear things:
1. one it helps save the environment
2. two it helps reduce your running cost
3. three it helps reduce the sale abilities when you should be selling now or some time in the future
So stick around and I’ll show you a couple of key points to help you save and conserve water around your home.

Tip one
A quick walk around your home is an ideal way to see if there are any leeks in your home and can be easily replaced by changing perhaps a washer or alternatively calling a plumber, this is an ideal way of saving both water for the environment and saving money.

Tip two
Old shower heads today use twenty four liters per minute. This is quiet a lot when you consider modern triple A systems would be using half of that, around nine to eleven liters per minute. This simple step of replacing shower heads go a long way of both saving the environment and saving you money.

Tip three
By turning off the tap when you brush your teeth and only filling the sink up with a small amount of warm water when rinsing your razor, you can save over 100 liters of water per day.

Tip four
Drip irrigation system is a good way to keep your gardens alive and if properly installed, they will save you more water than the old sprinklers systems. But remember to consult your local water restriction guide before implementing.

Tip five
Rain water tanks in backyards are becoming increasingly popular and when we have rain they basically pay for themselves. There are now tanks that can be fitted under verandahs and deckings; Thin and sleek module tanks that can be fitted to rear or side walls virtually disappearing from view; and a range of above and below interconnecting tanks that can provide a very substantial amount of water to your home and to you garden.

Whether it’s water saving tips for around the home or information on buying, selling or investing, First National Real Estate has a series of free informative guides, to obtain your free copy just call 1800 032 332 or log onto firstnational.com.au

 

Hi my name is Michael McCaffery, I’m chief Auctioneer with First National Real Estate.
Are you looking to sell your house in the near future and considering the auction process? Well I’m here today in this short episode of FNTV to discuss the details that you should consider if deciding on selling you property by auction.

At auction your property is sold to the highest bidder subject to the reserve price. The reserve price is the lowest price you are willing to accept. An auction exposes your property to a wide audience of buyers, these buyers will compete on auction day and driven by the excitement of the auction spirited bidding can some times lead to a surprisingly high price.

An auction delivers a set period of time for the sale. Other sale options can sometimes be open ended.
• Once you’ve made your decision to go to auction a program can generally be underway within 24 hours.  With your auction then stage three to six weeks after that.
• Eliminating the price issue. As a reserved price for an auction is usually set prior to the auction, you’ll have the benefit of receiving three to six weeks market feedback to assist you on determining the appropriate reserve for your property.
• Marketing, a targeted marketing campaign designed to saturate specific buyers and insure your property is shown to the widest possible market.
• No cooling off period, if your property is sold at auction there is no cooling off period. It’s an unconditional sale.

Yes all property can be sold by auction but your First National Real Estate agent is best positioned to determine the most desirable method of sale for property.
At First National Real Estate we tailor each auction marketing campaign to suit pacific requirements and your individual home. For more details call into your First National office