News

Integrity InSite Market Review 2016

February 21, 2016 (According to REIV & Australian Property Institute State of the Market Seminar 2016) Melbourne Real Estate has seen a complete resurgence in the marketplace over the last 5 years, and what an incredible industry to be a part of. With a banner year in 2015, the state saw over 500,000 transactions cleared, totalling $283 billion in annual sales. This was assisted by a strong retail sector, historical low interest rates, and steady employment statistics. Unemployment in 2015 was only at 5.9%, showing population growth of 1.4% and a credit growth downturn in investment lending. These key factors played in favour for sellers across the state, similar to Sydney, seeing a huge hike in auction clearance rates and median averages. The year of 2015 showed its hand when it came to property prices, exceeding performance averages higher than the record 2010 market. Although, there were some downsides to this growth. Banks capped investment lending at 10%, and ...

Best Wishes for Christmas from Integrity

December 4, 2015 As Summer rolls around each year, the word behind every thought is “hope.” Here in the Valley, we hope for a safe and happy Christmas, and we hope that the hotter months will arrive with mercy. At Integrity Real Estate, the end of each year seems to be a quick start to the next rather than a slow finish to the previous, but that is how we like it. We are already looking forward to the challenges of 2016, and have many grand designs for the future. We are working harder than ever at both our Yarra Glen and Kinglake offices to achieve Excellence in Service and to make a valuable contribution to our respective communities. As for the year that has been, 2015 has been our third consecutive record-breaking year: we doubled the size of our team, established a strong position with our new Kinglake office, achieved sales results up 15% on the previous year, and broke numerous settlement records. As a family business we understand the me...

Spring is in the Air at Integrity Real Estate

August 7, 2015 The Magnolias are in bloom, Spring is in the air!! The scent of blossoms on the breeze is refreshing and such an exciting time to stand back, look at your home, restore and repair. If you’re thinking of selling, Spring is a great time to revamp and entice the keen buyer. One of the key elements is to de-clutter!! With Spring comes spring cleaning, and what better a time to open the windows, let in the light and breeze to freshen your home. If your belongings are gathering dust, pack them away and create some clean lines and space within your home. Let it breath. Try moving furniture around to open up living zones and create clean passageways through your home. A fresh coat of paint is the cheapest and easiest way to re-create your interior. Keep your colours matte, light and neutral as these tones add life and space to an area. This is also appealing to prospective purchasers and will help encourage vision and potentia...

Through the Eyes of a New Resident in Yarra Glen

March 18, 2015 Are you thinking of moving to Yarra Glen? As a new resident of Yarra Glen, here are some reasons why I think it is a good move… My family moved to Yarra Glen three years ago, and to be honest, it already feels like home. The reason for this is probably because I have a very social 4 year old daughter, who is a little cute and who likes to chat to everybody. She has made our job of getting to know people much easier. As new parents and moving to Yarra Glen, we knew nobody, but it didn’t take long to get to know the residents. We were wrapped to discover that our new neighborhood were warm and welcoming. As a new mum I hit the pavements around Yarra Glen walking my daughter in her pram and found it so refreshing to pass all of the other parents and families doing the same. Motherhood is a wonderful thing but it can be isolating at times, especially when you move to a new town, but with Yarr...

Country Living with Integrity

March 6, 2015 Country living is a lifestyle that truly allows us to be ourselves. In my younger years, I grew up in a small township nestled in the Snowy Mountains. Surrounded by fertile orchards of apples, nectarines, cherries, rolling hills and glorious views. Camping, fishing, bushwalking, horse riding and catching tadpoles were just some of the everyday experiences I enjoyed. My upbringing was a simple life, but a way of life that held so much richness, a richness that I now search for and try to recapture every day. Not only do I search for this lifestyle for myself, but even more so now that I am a mother. I want the beauty, simplicity and purity of the country lifestyle for my family. As a child I felt like I had place and purpose growing up in the country. I manned the centre field on the hockey team, I was the one with the ‘mean arm’ in softball, and had a dig on the volleyball court that always went deep. I could walk home from trainin...

THE IMPORTANCE OF A GOOD CONVEYANCER

LIKE A GOOD AGENT, a good conveyancer could not be more valuable. Like a good agent, they can often be the difference between a smooth transaction and a bumpy one. Why? The job of the conveyancer is to advise you of your legal responsibilities in purchasing a property, as well as conveying title when the property settles. This involves communicating with the vendor/purchaser’s conveyancer on matters concerning the contract.While many sales will be smooth and easily agreed upon, often matters arise and disagreements between the vendor and purchaser need to be handled sensitively. What makes a good conveyancer? Sharp and immediate communication skills, acute knowledge of legislation, and an approachable disposition are just a couple of things that make a good conveyancer. Often vendors will spend quite a lot of time in selecting an agent to represent their property, but flippantly choose a conveyancer. It is important that that same amount of time that goes into s...