jasminechoi

DE S I GN P OR T F OL I O
printdesign
Client:
AMSL
Project:
Magazine Ads
- - -
To promote AMSLs products with
the use of strong laboratory
images and catchy phrases.
National Outlook
Rate cut and lack of stock stimulates winter property prices
The Reserve Banks surprise move last month
to slash interest rates to their lowest level on
record 2.75% is expected to underpin the
property market through the cooler months,
says Angus Raine, CEO of leading property
group, Raine & Horne.
The 25 basis point cut in May was just the tonic
the real estate market needed to encourage more
buyers into the marketplace, said Mr Raine.
The winter period is usually the time when
the property market slows and its good to see
the RBA exercised their prerogative to boost
condence and stimulate the property market.
According to Mr Raine, the rate cut will go a long
way to addressing underlying aordability issues
that have deterred many buyers from purchasing
a property. Lower cash rates will give buyers a
greater capacity to borrow, said Mr Raine.
All four big banks have passed on the 0.25% rate
cut in full, and some smaller lenders have even
surpassed it by slicing their variable home loan
rate by as much as 0.3%. This is great news for
buyers and investors looking to secure
a property.
In addition, Mr Raine said the nation-wide
shortage of listings will also positively impact on
residential property prices over the winter period.
Australia is suering from a gross undersupply
of properties, as well as a 25% lull in historic
sales volumes compared to pre-GFC levels. As a
result, our agents are screaming out for listings,
so I urge homeowners looking to sell to capitalise
on the combination of the housing shortage and
improving buyer condence.
As an example of market positivity, auction
clearance rates in Sydney and Melbourne are
currently hovering above 70%, while green shoots
of growth have been recorded in re-emerging
markets such as the Gold Coast, where Raine
& Horne Surfers Paradise has revealed sales
volumes are up around 60%.
Despite dwelling values experiencing a slight
stumble in April, a solid 2.8% rst quarter gain in
national dwelling values has reinforced a positive
outlook for property prices. When viewed in line
with other metrics such as auction clearance
rates, private treaty indicators and some
improvement in housing nance demand, it is
likely that the negative April result will be a blip
along the path to recovery, said Tim Lawless,
director of Research at RP Data. Overall, the
housing market is in much beter shape than it
was a year ago.
Dr Shane Oliver, Chief Economist at AMP, added
that additional rate cuts could be on the cards
to help further stimulate housing growth. I
expect the cash rate to fall to 2.5% in the next few
months, but to get standard variable mortgage
rates back to the lows of 2009 may require
another cut again, said Dr Oliver.
FAQ
Thinking of building a property portfolio?
Negative gearing can help!
Improving business and consumer condence,
job security and concerns about share market
volatility are all triggers for buying a property
investment to help you build wealth.
At the end of the day, a quality, well-located
investment property is one of the best ways of
creating long-term wealth, while our tax system
even enables you to negative gear the costs of
owning it.
A rental home is said to be negatively geared
when the costs of maintaining it (mortgage
interest, repairs and expenses such as council
rates, strata management levies, property
management and so on) outweigh the rental
income generated by the property. This loss is
able to be oset against a salary, wage, dividend
income, bank account interest and so on, to
reduce an individuals annual taxable income.
For tax advice about the benets of owning a
negatively-geared investment home, contact
your accountant, while you can kick start your
property research by talking with your local
Raine & Horne agent.
Why is it important to claim depreciation
on an investment property?
As an investment property ages, items and
tings start to wear out or depreciate.
Fortunately, the Australian Tax Oce (ATO)
allows landlords to claim the impact of
depreciation as a tax deduction, which could
be worth many thousands of dollars annually
depending on the size and scope of your
investment property portfolio.
However, the truth of the mater is that almost
80% of landlords are missing out on thousands
of dollars in depreciation, according to BMT Tax
Depreciation. Often this is because landlords
dont have a depreciation report, which outlines
the items that can be claimed.
With the 30 June deadline for the end of the
2012/13 tax year fast approaching, BMT is
oering every Raine & Horne landlord a reduced
fee to bring their depreciation schedules up-to-
date. Usually BMT charges $715 including GST
for a depreciation schedule, but will charge
Raine & Horne landlords just $655 including
GST. And dont forget the fee associated with
the preparation of a tax depreciation report is
100% tax deductible.
Contact BMT on 1300 728 726 or bmtqs.com.au
and please note this oer is available to Raine &
Horne landlords Australia-wide.
The NSWGovernments recently-released white
paper, A newplanning system for NSW, plans to
slash the development applications process to 25
days or fewer a move that has been applauded
by Angus Raine, CEO of Raine & Horne.
According to the white paper, the strict proposals
include maintaining the existing 10-day
complying development assessment track for
smaller applications such as new homes and
home extensions, said Mr Raine, who for more
than a decade has called on the NSWGovernment
to reduce housing development red tape. At
present, the government estimates that new
homes are taking an average of 64 days to assess,
with home alterations taking 58 days.
We all know of horror stories of drawn-out
development applications, so any proposal
that can reduce the procedural speed bumps,
while also addressing aordability and the
investor drain to other states, has the thumbs
up from me.
Andrew Sorensen, Principal of Raine & Horne
Charmhaven, on the Central Coast, said any
decision to speed up the approval process will
kick-start demand for new homes in the region.
Charmhaven is just 44 minutes to Wahroonga,
making the region a virtual commuter-belt suburb
of Sydney, said Mr Sorensen. So its a logical
step to free up planning red tape to facilitate
housing growth in the Wyong Shire, which in
turn can help address the housing shortages in
the capital.
There are large parcels of land at The Entrance,
for example, which are ripe for development,
while any changes in the rules and regulations
that enable people to split larger blocks would
also be worth considering. Currently spliting
blocks is costly and the bureaucratic hoops
just dont make it worth the eort, added
Mr Sorensen.
Lisa Surian, Director of Raine &Horne Parramata,
said any proposal to reduce planning red tape will
create more choice for home buyers in Sydneys
west. We sawthe impact changing the rules for
granny ats had a fewyears ago, which enabled
councils to approve these developments in just 10
days, said Ms Surian. Its fair to expect that any
changes to the laws for building newhomes and
renovations will prove a boon for the Parramata
real estate market.
Raine & Horne Parramata recently sold at
auction an ex-Housing Commission property
at 19 Symonds Street, Parramata. The property
atracted 50 groups through at the open home,
with many potential buyers telling us that the
council red tape involved in renovating the
property was an excuse not to bid, said
Ms Surian.
NSW
Local Outlook
NSW government proposes planning laws to fast-track new developments
Local Outlook: NSW government
proposes planning laws to fast-track
new developments
FAQ: Your property questions
answered by our experts
June 2013: Snapshot
Terraine
Your guide to navigating the property market
National Outlook: Rate cut and lack of
stock stimulates winter property prices
At its meeting just after Easter, the Reserve
Bank of Australia decided to leave the cash
rate unchanged at 3%.
This represented the third time in 2013 that
rates were left on hold, while the current
rate is the lowest since the peak of the Global
Financial Crisis in September 2009, said Angus
Raine, CEO of Raine & Horne.
RBA Governor Glenn Stevens nominated a
number of reasons for leaving rates on hold,
including forecasts of below average global
growth. While Europe remains in recession,
the United States is experiencing a moderate
expansion and growth in China has stabilised
at a fairly robust pace, said Mr Stevens.
Mr Stevens added that on the local real estate
front, Recent information suggests that
moderate growth in private consumption
spending is occurring, while dwelling
investment is slowly increasing, with rising
dwelling prices and high rental yields.
This is supported by statistics from the RP
Data Rismark Home Value Index Release,
which reported that property values across the
combined capital cities of Australia recorded
a 2.8% rise over the March quarter, taking
the cumulative capital gain to 4.7% since the
market botomed in May last year.
According to Rismarks Ben Skilbeck, a review
of housing credit aggregates also indicates
that the investor segment of the housing
market is showing greater responsiveness to
the low interest rate environment than the
owner occupier segment. Credit growth for
the 12 months to end February was 3.9% in
the owner occupied segment compared to the
investor segment at 5.6%, he added.
With gross capital city unit rental yields now
at 4.9 per cent, and a number of short term
xed rate loans also being oered at these
levels, its not surprising to see investors
responding to these conditions more quickly
than owner occupiers.
Meanwhile, a curb on real estate ownership in
China could also be great news for Australian
property investors, according to Angus Raine.
In March, the Chinese government announced
a series of proposed restraints on real estate
speculation, including stricter enforcement of
capital gains tax on home sale prots and the
imposition of higher deposits for the purchase
of second homes. Turning the screws on
property speculation appears to be aimed at
limiting a potential asset bubble in China, said
Mr Raine. The potential upshot is that cashed
up Chinese nationals will look to foreign real
estate markets, which will surely mean more
money owing into Australian real estate
markets in capital cities such as Sydney,
Melbourne, Brisbane, Darwin and Perth.
The move by the Chinese government comes
hot on the heels of the introduction of the
Signicant Investor Visa, which accelerates
migrant visas for foreigners who invest more
than $5 million in approved investments in
Australia.
National Outlook
Reserve bank leaves rates on hold as investors lead charge
into real estate
My investment property has been
vacant for a long time. What can
I do to improve my chances of
nding a tenant?
If similar properties in your area are renting
faster than yours, there may be some factors
about your investment which are deterring
applicants.
For example, if you are advertising the
property but not receiving many enquiries,
then the issue is probably the rental price.
Today, savvy tenants can easily make
property comparisons from what they see on
the internet and if your property is $30 more
than a similar style of property in the same
block, tenants are likely to prefer that property
over yours.
But price may not be the only issue. If you
are geting good enquiry but no applications,
then the property itself may be the problem.
Consider these factors: cleanliness, privacy
and security. Tenants want them all and doing
simple things such as adding a coat of fresh
paint, and new carpets or new locks, are all
investments that will help atract applications
to your property and reduce vacancy times.
Should I get a tax depreciation
schedule?
As an investment property ages, items and
tings start to wear out or depreciate.
Fortunately, the Australian Tax Oce
(ATO) allows investors to claim the impact
of depreciation as a tax deduction via a
depreciation schedule.
A depreciation schedule is a report, generated
by quantity surveyor, which outlines what
items can be claimed. These items can include
a percentage of the total value of the carpets,
window blinds, stoves and even light tings in
the property depending on their age.
For newer residential properties built after
1987, investors can also claim on their
depreciation schedule an amount equivalent
to 2.5% p.a. of the original construction cost of
the building itself. You can claim this deduction
for up to 40 years.
With the 30 June deadline for the end of the
2012/13 tax year fast approaching, its not too
late to organise a depreciation schedule for
your investment property. It only needs to be
done once and will set you back between $600
and $800. Moreover, the cost associated with
the preparation of a tax depreciation report is
100% tax deductible.
FAQ
Lower interest rates, robust rental returns and
lowvacancies are combining to fuel a surge
in investor activity across many real estate
markets in NSW, according to leading property
group Raine &Horne.
In Sydneys Inner West, Tony Andreacchio,
Principal of Raine & Horne Asheld, estimates
the investor renaissance has pushed property
prices up in Asheld by 10% since last year.
Investors have switched from units to houses
and many have been keen to purchase homes
above the $1-million dollar mark, said
Mr Andreacchio.
He added, Many investors are purchasing
properties with the prospects of long-term
capital gain and strong rental yields via their
self-managed super funds. A case in point is
a four bedroomart-deco duplex in Asheld,
recently sold by Raine &Horne Asheld to a
self-managed super fund for $1.1 million. There
are two dwellings atached to this title and the
investor is achieving approximately $550 per
week for each dwelling, said Mr Andreacchio.
Investors are also making their presence felt
in Sydneys North West, according to Damian
Hickey, Principal of Raine &Horne Castle Hill.
Since the NewYear, homes priced between
$600,000 and $670,000 have increased by
3%to 5%, revealed Mr Hickey. We are seeing
investors bidding well at auction, drawn by
Castle Hills good selection of schools, great
shopping and the prospects of the North West
rail link. To illustrate, Raine &Horne Castle
Hill recently sold a three bedroomapartment at
29/8-14 Mercer Street, Castle Hill for $585,000,
which was rented within seven days for $575
a week. This popular property sold within
two weeks, and with Castle Hill also a hotspot
for tenants, we are having no problems lling
vacant rental properties, added Mr Hickey.
Meanwhile, investors are also discovering
theres a steady streamof tenants in regional
centres such as Dubbo, Tamworth, Armidale
and Mudgee. According to the Real Estate
Institute of NSW, rental vacancy rates in Dubbo
and Mudgee are the lowest in the State, at just
1.1%. Scot Fitler, Sales Consultant for Raine
&Horne Mudgee, said strong tenant demand
has been fuelled by expansion of mines such
as the Wilpinjong, Moolarben and Ulan West
coal mines, approximately 40kmnorth-east
of Mudgee. Investors considering a regional
investment will nd strong returns and low
vacancy rates in Mudgee. The highest demand
is for medium- to long-termrentals and we are
entertaining a number of enquiries fromlocal
and interstate investors.
For instance, Mr Fitler sold a modern four
bedroombrick home at 60 Oporto Road,
Mudgee, to a local investor for $373,000.
This investor bought the home with the goal
of maximising the rental return. They are
currently receiving $420 per week in rent for the
property, said Mr Fitler.
NSW Roundup
Investor demand pushes up property prices in NSW
NSW Roundup: Investor demand
pushes up property prices in NSW
FAQ: Raine & Horne answers
your investment and property
management questions
NSW
Investor
Your investment property news source
May / June 2013:
Snapshot
National Outlook: Reserve bank
leaves rates on hold as investors lead
charge into real estate
Client:
Raine & Horne
Project:
Monthly Newsletters
Bi-Monthly Newsletters
- - -
Create and deliver monthly
updates on properties and the
property market through print
and web platforms. This includes
choosing engaging images to suit
the articles provided by the client.
Client:
OBrien Palmer
Project:
Roll-Up Banner
- - -
Roll-Up banner to promote the
companys services following their
branding guidelines.
Theme:
Dress up in your best (let your inner glama-diva-rock-star-movie-star-
nutty come out and play!) Full bufet and alcohol provided.
Partners are welcomed. Prizes for the best dressed.
DATE:
Saturday, 15th December 2012.
TIME:
7:00 pm 12:00 pm midnight.
VENUE:
Chalk Hotel, 735 Stanley Street, Woolloongabba QLD 4102.
RSVP:
With Julie at reception by 7th December 2012, julie.stokes@terex.com
Blue & Bling
Welcome to
this years Genie
Christmas party!
Client:
Genie
Project:
2012 Christmas Party Invite
- - -
A fun Christmas invitation for
Genie in 2012 - engaging the
participants with a ticket idea.
Client:
UTS Hip-Hop Society
Project:
Dance Timetable Poster
- - -
A female and male version to
target both genders.
webdesign
Client:
Real Asset Connect
Project:
Website Design
- - -
Web service to nd or register
properties.
Client:
Tattoo Studio Hunter
Project:
Website Design
- - -
A service that allows people to
search nearby tattoo studios and
artists.
Client:
Lomondo
Project:
Website Design
- - -
Minimal and clean e-commerce
website.
logodesign
Client:
Real Asset Connect
Project:
Logo Design
- - -
A service that connects people
with properties.
Client:
Mantello Painters
Project:
Logo Design
- - -
Simple typographical logo that
re ects the service they provide.
Client:
Demex Contracting
Project:
Logo Design
- - -
Strong and bold typographical
logo, where the M represents an
excavator.
uidesign
Client:
Raine & Horne
Project:
App Interface Design
- - -
Internal form app for staff only.
The application allows the
corporate ofce to create
dynamic questionnaires and
automatically process the
returned data into Raine and
Hornes enterprise system.
Client:
Modknights
Project:
App Interface Design
- - -
Internal app for staff only.

Modknights is a team of RSA
Hosts in various licensed venues
in Sydney. With this app, staff
members would use it to track
and record their observations
during their shifts.