Property Chit Chat by Louise Roke

Is your home making you sick?  You may not know it but while you are breathing in and out each day tiny mold particles may be infecting your body.  Little do we know but in some places all types and colours of mould that aren't visible to the human eye may be hiding in your house and causing health problems. I learnt a lot from this interview and I'm sure you will too. If you have been experiencing chronic fatigue, brain fog, headaches, eczema to name but a few little known reactions to mold then listen up….Michael Rubino author of  Mold Medic tells me what and how you can do to get  your health back by thinking and addressing mold.  Michael is passionate about this subject and  has put his heart and soul into helping people get better by fighting the often invisible invader in their home.

As the housing crisis reaches non affordability; the frustration rises. For many owning a tiny house could be the answer they have been looking for and what’s more you can pick it up and go if you change jobs, lovers, study or just want a different view! The lack of clarity around tiny homes and where they stand legally within the resource management plan and other acts needs to recognise the benefits that this type of housing may provide. People who desire to have their own tiny home legally are stressed and something so simple in concept seems fraught with problems. The ideas of how we live needs to reflect the society and community we now live in.Meet Julie Jacobson; a passionate crusader changing this for the good of all kiwis. With her entrepreneurial business skills and humanitarian heart she talks to me about what she is doing to change things for our future.

Liz Bradley is known as the Tidy Lady. She assists clients to dispose, declutter, remove, create storage and to free themselves of “stuff”. Now more than ever when people have been confined to their homes in 2020 the “stuff” problem is in their face. We have become such consumers it is driving us nuts. Liz has seen it all and is calm, collective and confidential. Liz is an ex librarian so she knows that all things have order. Oh and if you are thinking of selling but don’t know where to start to get the house ready and move on; Liz may just be your starting point.

Anthony Appleton-Tattersall is the perfect example of a young investor making sacrifices to get onto the property ladder. At only around 30 years old he has bought and sold a few investment properties to secure his future and shares his knowledge. Anthony specialise in property in his own accounting business. Anthony shares what he learnt and why he believes property is still a great investment and the sacrifices you have to make along the way. My advice is do your research, ask questions and do your due diligence before you do anything.

Not often I get to talk to such an experienced young successful entrepreneur. Being female and working your own business in a male dominated area needs the smarts and Dominique Gunderson certainly has a wealth of knowledge and experience in real estate and property starting from when she was just 16 years old. Learning the ropes from other professionals in all facets of the property industry she now runs her own renovation/house flipping company and even employs her dad as a project manager - a role she didn't take lightly. At just 22 years old this young, beautiful Californian looks like she's just come off the beach and is pretty laid back; but don't be fooled she knows how to negotiate and how to do the business! She is now a full time renovator with passion, drive and a quiet sensibility about her. I hope you enjoy finding out more. Warning... Kiwis just don't be jealous about the prices she is going to tell you about lol!

Manners go a along way and it is no different when you go to an open home. You are entering someone’s personal space and in some cases they have lived their entire lives. A real estate agent is there to represent the owner to get the best outcome for them. If you are a big mouthed nosey, nothing better to do type with no coin in your pocket… best you stay home!

Stephen Wong is an expert at commercial property leasing. He knows what buyers should look for when considering becoming a commercial investor. This interview was done during Covid-19 so Stephen talks about how the commercial world is changing and will no doubt change more. Of course as always this information is only as good as the day it is recorded so please do your own due diligence and get legal and or technical advice before entering into the unpredictable world of property!

Drones have changed the world; especially from a marketing point of view. Andy Chiu from Draw Photography talks to me how he incorporates drones into his work to gain shots and videos that has revolutionised the way that your property can be seen. He also touches on the new 3D interactive floor plan technology. Why leave the armchair; soon you will feel like you really are in the house! Excuse the recording quality this was done in lock down...

Tracey explains to me why banks and lending institutions require some buyers to get a valuation on the property prior to approving their finance and she also explains what LVR is. If you have a low deposit or a high loan to value ratio you may be required by the bank or building institution to get a valuation on the property you are purchasing.Bear in mind this information is only valid at the time of recording and we advise people to get advice to see what the latest ruling is on this; and as usual seek legal and or other technical advice.

Linda Wong talks today about the importance of communication when a tenant or for that matter a landlord has a change of circumstance. It happens to all of us suddenly someone loses a job, has an accident or health matter, death or divorce. Today Linda Wong talks to me about what to do when renting or being a landlord who is faced with a change of circumstance.

In this episode I ask the hard questions. How do people get a good credit rating, reduce debt and get on the property ladder? Grant Patten answers these and I hope you get some good tips. Find out how to self credit check yourself for free too.

Buying and selling property isn't always that straight forward, but hey, as I say, there are always solutions. I talk to Grant Patten from Loan Market about how you buy potential problem homes such as non-compliant, leaky and the like; and if you are the owner if one of these, this will also give you hope. However, this type of property purchase is not for inexperienced first home buyers or those who haven't got deep pockets or experience it is more for the seasoned purchaser or investor, developer etc and as usual seek legal and or technical advice prior to making any property transaction.

When you engage in a rental tenancy you pay bond. Linda Wong property manager, explains what a bond is and how it must be handled. If you aren't going through a reputable real estate company or property management service then you can lodge your own bond at the bank. Don't hand over cash and the bond by law needs to get lodged at the "bonds centre" check it out on the the government tenancy services website that has more information. Four weeks is also the maximum amount of bond a landlord can charge.

Today I’m joined by property manager Linda Wong who explains what casual letting means and the service she provides. There are several checks that a landlord needs to do and this is usually a subscription basis that property managers have access to such as credit checks etc Linda explains this process.

Today I speak with Grant Patten from Loan Market. He tells me the relationship that credit cards have with your mortgage and how the banks view them.Quite interesting as Grant explains to me that even if you are very good and always pay up on time and have a big limit that you never use - the bank may see it all quite differently. Find out some tips from him, I certainly learnt something.

More than ever before the power of the visual aspect of our lives are coming alive. We have got technology to imagine, to see, to open our eyes to new possibilities. If you are selling your home; you need to invest in marketing your property to make it come alive and get the emotional pull. Andy Chiu from Draw photography joins me today to tell me why you need a professional photographer, video and floor plans to showcase your property to customers; even if they are on the other side of the planet.

I speak with Tony Thorne from Thorne Accounting. Tony is an expert property accountant and explains to me what he does and why you may well need an expert property accountant rather than an ordinary accountant if you are into property. Like anything if you want to know the facts in a niche market; go to a place that specialises. Tony will open your ears to information you may not have known. This is a must listen.

In 2019 there were significant tax changes in New Zealand for property investors. These changes could greatly effect your tax returns. It may mean if you usually get a tax refund from a rental loss on your investment; don't necessarily expect it this year. Avoid the shock; listen to Tony Thorne an expert property accountant as he explains ring fencing... and I'll give you a tip it's got nothing to do with sheep....tune in and find out from him what it is and how it works. This is one experts opinion so make sure you do your own due diligence and get your own advice about your own circumstances..

I talk to Linda Wong Property Manager extraordinaire. Today she takes me through the process of how she conducts rental appraisals; tips for a landlords and tenants. She explains the two different types of property rental appraisals; one just from photos and the preferred method by visiting the property and assessing the flow, the sun, the location, the condition, damage and things that need to be done. Sometimes these things can't be seen by photos alone. Whether you are a tenant or a landlord make sure you find out what you should be doing; to save you hassle, time and money down the track. Landlords and tenants should listen up to this knowledge.

If you have broken free from the shackles of standard employment or are looking at becoming self employed; you may want to listen to what Tracey Warner, a business adviser from Loan Market says about looking after your finances.Tracey tells me that Kiwis are becoming self employed now more than ever; contractors, freelancers, business owners or entrepreneurs; she is helping them get a financial plan in place to service their needs and growth.Tracey asks the questions to get an overall about you and your business and tackles it in a different way to perhaps the standard bank or financial institution. A great listen to those in this boat.

Often rules change eg tax laws etc and these can have a significant impact on your dollar return. Investors in particular may be interested in hearing about the rules around Bright Line Tests. How long you have a property for can affect the dollar return and you may want to consider what you want to do ie hold long term or be happy to tick and flick and pay the tax and move on to the next project. You also need to know that you can't have two homes to call home even if you live in both 50%. Make sure you have the information to make informed decisions about your real estate purchase and consideration needs to be given to the Bright Line Test. I talk to Tony Thorne, expert property accountant about this. At the time of publication of course anything can change and as always you must do your own thorough due diligence about your own situation.

Stephen Wong is also on the front line during Covid19 helping the heartache of commercial tenants and landlords. Never have landlords and businesses needed to tap into commercial property managers with years of experience more than now. Having a trusted professional to manage the situation of heartbreak and headache through this unprecedented time is essential. During the pandemic landlords and tenants have relied on Stephen’s expertise and experience to get them through by negotiating and thinking outside the box to find solutions so all parties can survive and hopefully later get back to thrive. He shares his words of wisdom on his front line. For more information as it is ever changing make sure you check out on a regular basis the official covid-19 government website as at time of publication there may well be changes from what we talk about. On the 1st of May 2020 there was extra assistance announced for businesses.

There is nothing more frustrating it seems for a buyer to instruct a sales consultant to write up an offer for a property and then be told that another party has put an offer in and it is now a multi offer situation. At all times the sales consultant should be working to get the best outcome for their vendor (seller); no doubt about that. However quite often it is a lack of communication right from the beginning that gets people frustrated and fired up; multi offers seem to cause all sorts of problems and stress. Real estate sales consultants, the office or branch and brand they work for should all be on the same page so that the vendor and the buyers know what to expect when a multi offer situation occurs. Not everyone is a winner but if the process is done correctly you should lose gracefully or win triumphantly in an informed, systematic way. In this episode I give a basic understanding of what a multi offer is; when it occurs and how in good practice it should be handled.

Often it can get a little overwhelming buying or selling property. It’s important to have some professionals on hand to ensure you know what you are doing in a timely and cost effective manner. It is a huge amount of money that you are dealing with so be sure to get a good solicitor involved from the start. Today I talk to a solicitor about things that people should consider when buying or selling property. Megan Price joins me.

Whether you are building from scratch or thinking about renovating the task can seem somewhat bewildering; particularly if you haven’t done either before. Today I chat with Brendon Sowerby Master Builder from Next Level Construct and ask him a range of questions that I often get asked from buyers. He’s an award winner with a wealth of information.

There’s auctioneers and then there’s auctioneers. Meet Auctioneer Gavin Croft, he’s polite, well mannered and witty. Perfect to get the crowd going and adrenaline pumping. Perfectly in control of the room you can hear a pin drop at the Saphire Room in Ponsonby each Wednesday. Gavin Croft flies from Brisbane, Sydney to Auckland each week to call auctions. With years of real estate and auctioneer experience I ask him “Why Auction” ...

I once got told that everything was about design and it struck a note with me. This week I talk to Shelley Brockliss a designer who heads the team at the well known design company Yellowfox. I ask her how a designer can add value in a property and some tiles of the trade...

In this episode I meet up with Steve Plummer who is a Strata expert at Scope. Living and breathing strata since 2003 he shares his knowledge about buying strata property - find out what you need to know if considering buying a strata property eg an apartment and what and who are buying them. He has a methodical no nonsense approach; not a wonder in a previous life he was in the ‘job” responding to all sorts of emergencies; he gets on and gets the job done.

Susan Templeton isn't your everyday mortgage broker - she is so much more. First of all she is really passionate about genuinely helping people and goes that extra mile. She listens to what clients want and need; finding the perfect loan structure and bank for them. In this podcast I ask Susan a number of questions about brokers what they do and the services they provide.I hope you learn something from this interview; I did... whether you are buying, selling or selling and purchasing; Susan researches the choices that are available to you. Susan has her own company called Niche Mortgages and is especially passionate about assisting women, first home buyers, those upsizing, downsizing and reverse mortgages for retirees. Susan's website is www.nichemortgages.co.nz

Gower is a Go-er and has business wings; he is flying. Leading over 50 sales consultants Gower has 3 real estate offices in Auckland as well as a property management team and strata company. A good Kiwi lad from a farming background he has his feet firmly planted on the ground. He is a passionate enabler, engages effortlessly with people and enjoys chewing the fat so to speak. Always open to a creative approach he embraces technological tools but knows human to human is where the real magic happens. Having won many awards in the real estate industry he is genuinely liked and respected by his team around him and provides real support. I ask him about his real estate career and about how he juggles business. I hope you enjoy my chit chat with Gower Buchanan, Ray White Damerell Group - (Ponsonby, Birkenhead, Mt Albert).