Andrew Duncan - Real Estate Blogger. Thoughts, advice and market commentary with a bit of world travel thrown in for good measure. I love working with nice people, enjoying plant-based food, crossfit, NFL and living in New Zealand.
property@andrewduncan.co.nz
+64 27 428 6686
Are you looking for cost-effective ways to add value to your home? Would you like to increase your potential selling price or valuation without spending the earth? When it comes to renovating, costs can spiral out of control if you are not careful. So this list has been prepared with frugal-ness top of mind! You might think some of these suggestions are obvious but you…
Some Wednesday motivation for all your hard working people out there. And a little bit of encouragement for those of us who fall off the wagon now and again. I was recently introduced to this poem by Kahil Gibran (Author of ‘The Prophet‘) while reading the Hohepa ‘Wednesday Flier’ newsletter. It was reproduced paying tribute to their long time volunteer of 33 years, Robert Simpson….
When you read through articles on my blog, you might start to think I’m being a bit tough on our poor old real estate industry. Some of you, on the other hand, might think I’m not being tough enough! Here’s the thing: I am more passionate about this ‘world’ than you could imagine. I have worked in it for 15 years (and counting) and have…
Wondering how much to offer? Are you going into a deadline blind, with no idea what the other buyers are going to put down? You need a quick, easy home valuation process to help you decide what that property is worth to you. So where should you start? Do what the real estate agents do, of course! I’m going to show you the exact process…
Let me guess – your salesperson promised you the world and bought you an atlas? What constitutes enough of a reason to fire them and start over? Let’s discuss the 7 signs you need to fire your real estate agent, and how to do it. Did you know… When you sign a listing authority, giving salesperson Sally Lotaleads permission to market your home (usually for 90…
I see changing market’s everywhere I look. Reports from Wellington describe buyers being more judicious and increasingly tentative. Priced properties are attracting lots of interest but some Tender dates are coming and going with no offers being received. Meanwhile there are 51% more houses on the market in Auckland than there were this time last year, and buyers are harder to come by. Suddenly agents are chasing…
READER: I have a question, brought on by Wellington’s crazy house market. I sold my house last year and have been living with family since then, looking for a smaller place to buy. I haven’t yet found anything that ticks the majority of my boxes. I’ve developed relationships with three agents from different firms and do all the standard Trade Me / Realestate.co.nz checks every day….
One of my readers recently asked me about buying an investment property off the plans (a property that has not yet been built). If you are considering this option, the advice I always give friends of mine is as follows: 9 things to know about buying off the plans… 1. Lock in equity from Day 1? There can be serious advantages to buying off the…
Golden sand, never-ending beaches, warm enough weather to wear shorts and a t-shirt – what’s not to like about being on the Gold Coast! Sadly for us, we spent our 2 days mostly inside a monstrous convention centre, but it was well worthwhile all the same. For anyone who hasn’t been before, AREC is the pinnacle of real estate conferences, especially in this part of…
In this weeks mailbag we provide a market prediction (living on the edge!), and answer a question around a potential bathroom renovation. Email your question to: property@andrewduncan.co.nz Question 1: “I’m a new migrant. I’ve arrived in NZ last October and have been living in Half Moon Bay, Auckland. We are living in a rental, and are now trying to buy our first house. One basic question….
