Hey, my name is Andrew Duncan.
On my blog, you will find real estate tips, advice and market commentary, along with articles about climate change, plant-based food, personal finance and travel. I love working with nice people, solving problems and living in Wellington, where I run Relatable, an independent real estate agency where we help buyers and sellers make smart property decisions.
Please note: I am not a qualified financial adviser and the opinions offered here are purely my own. It is critical that you seek professional advice from a solicitor before embarking on any property purchase. Read: Don’t buy a home without speaking to these 5 people first What a scary time it has become for first home buyers, especially if you started looking 12-24 months ago…
After more than a decade in real estate. I have seen the value that a really good salesperson can add to the process. I have seen houses sell for prices that blew me away – because the salesperson running the marketing campaign knew how to position the property. They knew how to attract the right buyers and how to create competition. At the same time,…
There is now a real estate file delivery system available that every single real estate salesperson should be using to allow prospective buyers access to reports and other related info. This system is called propertyfiles and from our experience, it’s a game-changer. I’ve worked in real estate sales since 2007. Since the day I started, one of the most time-consuming tasks has been getting property info…
Lately, the ‘stop being so tough on property investors‘ rhetoric has gotten a little bit much for me to bear. Fellow property investors – it’s time we started being honest with ourselves. Taking care of your financial future is a good thing and you should be commended for it. You won’t be a burden to the state if you take care of your own finances. At…
This article explains why you need to think long and hard before you choose an agent and before you sign their listing agreement. What is a listing agreement or ‘agency agreement’? It is the contract you sign when you hire a real estate salesperson to market your home. Find out more on the REA website. The standard duration is 90 days and therein lies the problem….
I recently asked my newsletter recipients the following 3 questions: How do you feel the real estate industry needs to change? What would give you more confidence when dealing with real estate salespeople? What part of the real estate process do you find the most confusing? The feedback blew me away. I am touched by the amount of time many of you took to write…
When it’s time to sell your home, you will find there are basically two types of real estate salespeople out there. The first type will chuck a sign outside, take a few photos, put it up on trademe with a few bullet points in the advert and wait for the phone to ring. The second type will pro-actively go out in search of the perfect…
Buying your first home is a damn big deal. Not only from a financial perspective but from an emotional point of view as well. Kudos to you for embarking on this journey! When buying with a partner, spouse or friend, the purchase of a first home represents a huge leap of faith in your relationship. On the other hand, if you are achieving the incredibly admirable feat…
It often comes as a complete surprise to owners, that a real estate salesperson will ask them to pay not only their commission but a separate advertising bill on top (and up front). This advertising program usually comes to thousands of dollars. Which begs the one question that nearly every owner ponders at some point in the home selling process: “If I am paying my…
One thing stronger than our fear of missing out is our fear of making a bad decision. we become paralysed with indecision and anxiety when presented with too many choices. Isn’t it interesting how we get paralysis by analysis over something as simple as buying a vacuum cleaner, or deciding which hotel to book? You experience it on an even more intense level when you go…
