Last week we talked about being green on the cheap, and this week we thought we would focus on the work place.  Here are 5 ways to give your office a green tinge – and some might even save the boss some money.  Here goes:

1. Bring your lunch
Pack your lunch in reusable containers. As well as contributing less to the already overwhelmed landfills, you will save money and your health. Don’t forget to pack a bottle (reusable of course!) of water, real utensils, and a cloth napkin. If you prefer to eat take out, try bringing reusable containers with you for your over-the-counter soup, salad or whatever.

2. Get involved
If your boss isn’t interested in making overall changes, you can still bring in a green cleaner for your desk, or put a bottle of eco dish detergent in the kitchen. Bring your own plate/cup/mug/bowl/utensils and store them in a desk drawer. People will notice and it might start a (good) trend. Find an electronic waste recycling place and help facilitate the office to take old stuff there. Put signs on office and bathroom doors reminding people to recycle and to shit down their computer at the end of the day.

3. Wash more, dry clean less
What are you wearing? Perc (perchloroethylene) the main chemical in dry cleaning solvent is a classified hazardous chemical and has been linked to cancer in lab animals. You know the smell. The chemical gets trapped in the plastic bags. Then we put those trapped items in our closets, close the door, and sleep next to the closet with the windows shut all night long. Bad idea. If you have perc-cleaned clothes you need to remove the plastic and air your clothes for several hours to let the chemicals evaporate. Better alternatives to conventional dry cleaning include sponge cleaning or hand washing. This works, even for wool. Speaking of wool, avoid mothballs. The vapours are carcinogenic and if a child swallows one, it could kill them. Use things like lavender, cedar, and temperature (stick sweaters in your freezer) for moths.

4. Transportation
How do you get to work in the morning? Public transportation is preferable to driving. Carpooling is a good option where public transport is unavailable. Walking or biking are obviously the best options, as is telecommuting (you’ll save money on petrol, too).

5. Open Windows
Studies show indoor air to be worse than outdoor air. Ventilation is key, especially if you’re sitting near a photocopier. And put a plant on your desk – some are known to act as air filters (aloe vera/ficus for formaldehyde; spider plant for carbon monoxide, and several others).

To read the full story, click here

Story source: www.yonderr.com.au

It was very exciting for Lois Buckett Real Estate to recieve the Lennox Head Chamber of Conmmerce  Business Award for Professional Services 2011.

Here are Yonika Mantel and Karen Stone accepting the award on behalf of Lois who has been away in Cambodia supporting the orphanage at the New Hope Community in Siem Reap.

 HERE IS WHAT YONIKA HAD TO SAY ABOUT  THE NIGHT:

 Well Karen and I went to the Lennox Head Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards last night at Opes Restaurant and it was a great night!

 We won the “Professional Services Award” which is fantastic – when I sent a text to Lois last night she was thrilled and sent a message back “thanks to all of us”.

 We sponsored the Trade Services Award and the winner of that was Frigid Air, so we got the chance to present that award as a sponsor. I also had the chance to talk a little about Lois Buckett Real Estate, and what a great team we were, and how lucky we were to work with Lois – the theme of the night was “Love Lennox” which is the new initiative from the Chamber as our “catch phrase”. This gave me the opportunity to talk about how much Lois did for the community through sponsorship, supporting local charities, and gave me the opportunity to let everyone know that Lois was in Cambodia volunteering.

 Other winners included Craig Parry Photography (Arts), Retail (Trash Clothing), Hospitality (Seven Mile Restaurant), Trade Services (Frigid Air), Home Based Business (Chem Dry), Customer Service (Fitness Matters Lennox Head) – there were also plenty of other awards but I can’t recall them all.

There was also a President’s award which went to Mavis’s Cafe (after 27 years of being a business owner – Mavis retired at 73 last weekend after selling the shop) and the Business of the Year for 2011 went to the Lennox Head Pharmacy.

 What a team we are Jonika.

Top tips to saving more this Christmas

As households prepare their budgets for festive season shopping splurges, now is an ideal time to unwrap the financial strategies that help borrowers gain greater control over their home loan situation, according to Australia’s largest independently-owned mortgage broker, Mortgage Choice.

Company spokesperson Kristy Sheppard said, “Ensure Christmas costs don’t hamper your ability to meet home loan and/or other debt commitments, by proactively managing your money. It’s not hard.”

“Staying on top of financial obligations, in conjunction with careful pre and post silly season budgeting and planning, will without a doubt put you in a better position to achieve your property goals sooner. It should also give you more confidence to properly enjoy the festive season.”

Here are five tips to help improve your mortgage management in the countdown to Christmas:

‘Tis the season to bring budgeting back on track. Get your Christmas and new year budget underway if you haven’t already. Be sure to include seasonal spending estimates for gifts, treats, catch ups, celebrations and other holiday outings.

‘Tis the season for a home loan health check. Are you making the most of your loan? There may be features attached to it you are not utilising or are paying a premium for. A regular home loan health check is a great way to see if you are making the most of your existing loan or if you are better suited to a different lender and/or product. Before switching, carefully weigh up the pros and cons by comparing loan features, rate, repayment type and frequency, accessibility, fees and more.

‘Tis the season to keep repayments steady, despite recent rate cuts. If your loan’s interest rate has recently dropped, get ahead by continuing to repay at the original, higher rate. For example, take a loan of $300,000 at 7% over 30 years. If your rate reduces by 0.25% to 6.75% and you keep repaying your loan as if the interest rate was still 7%, you could shave over two and a half years off your loan term and save more than $54,000 in interest owed.

‘Tis the season to go one step further and round up repayments. If the monthly repayments on the above mentioned loan maintained at the higher rate are rounded up from $1,996 to $2,100 from day one, it is possible to cut a further three years and seven months off the loan term and save an additional $55,000 in interest owed (if all loan aspects remained the same). The total savings would equal $109,000 in interest and a reduction in the loan term to 24 years and 8 months.

‘Tis the season to turn up the frequency of repayments. Depending on your loan and lender, dividing your monthly minimum repayment in two and making fortnightly repayments instead may also save you interest owed and reduce the loan term. There are 12 months and 26 fortnights in one calendar year; by paying fortnightly, you make the equivalent of 13 monthly repayments. The savings on the above mentioned loan equal almost $100,000 in interest and almost six years off the loan term.

For home loan tips, trends, facts, data and other information, visit MortgageChoice.com.au,

Consider these tips when looking for property in a depressed market.

Purchasing an investment property when the market is down can be extremely profitable.

But you still have to make sure you’re getting a good deal in a buyers’ market – and wise investors won’t be so blinded by the chance of a ”bargain” that they ignore their long-term strategy – which all means it isn’t as simple as it might look.

In a sellers’ market almost any price a vendor puts on a property results in a sale and such buoyant conditions tend to hide ”over-enthusiastic” prices.

In a depressed market, it’s much easier to buy real estate at more realistic prices because there’s more supply than demand.

Real estate isn’t a uniform market, though. There are many sub-markets that perform differently.

Good properties in certain areas can still sell within 24 hours of being listed, whatever the prevailing conditions, so it’s vital you get up to speed with the buying tactics used by seasoned investors.

Target fail-safe properties

The best properties to buy are those that will always be in demand. For many investors, this means acquiring property that’s close to the city centre. For others it means opting for houses or units priced at near the median price for their areas, which are sought-after by owner-occupiers and investors.

Areas that perform well over time and properties that have a high land content are often your best options.

With units, the golden rule is to go for an apartment in a popular location with restaurants and transport nearby. It should be in a well-constructed building with a high land-to-unit ratio.

Distressed sellers

Many vendors have been hit hard by changes in their circumstances. While mortgagee sales are a clear sign of the economic slowdown, you also need to be on the lookout for other signs of vendor distress.

The number of couples seeking divorces tends to rise in times of financial hardship. Other vendors give up on home ownership and go back to renting. You don’t always discover these factors the first time you talk to an agent. But if you prod him or her and ask the right questions, you’ll obtain information that may help you secure a good property at a great price.

Avoid speculation

It’s crazy to buy a property at below market value if it’s in an area where prices are set to fall. Some property advisers believe this is not a good time to speculate or to rely on the ripple effect to drive up capital growth in suburbs bordering proven growth areas.

Speculators do best when markets are running hot. With the number of properties for sale rising in many areas, your opportunity to make good money by targeting properties in established suburbs is higher. Why take the risk on an unproven area?

Look for multiple listings

Listing a property with several agents shows a keen vendor. Because no single agent has an exclusive deal, you may be able to buy directly from the vendor. This can eliminate $30,000 or more in agents’ selling fees from the sale. You need to tread carefully and take legal advice, however.

Many of these vendors usually want an agent to handle the final sale. Even so, the fact their property is listed by several agents means they want to sell and fast.

Go fast, go slow

A buyers’ market means buyers are more in control than sellers. It’s easier to negotiate a delayed settlement on a purchase but don’t forget that speed is also a useful bargaining tool. In a slow market, cash is king. A vendor may take considerably less for a quick settlement compared with another higher offer on delayed terms.

If you’ve found a property you want and have gone through your normal planning and checking processes, a cash unconditional offer and a quick settlement can significantly reduce the price you pay.

Story by Chris Tolhurst www.domain.com.au

INVESTORS will be allowed to improve properties in their self-managed superannuation funds, following a tax office move to abolish a ruling that banned the practice when money had been borrowed to buy the property.

Investors have always been allowed to maintain their properties, but they were banned from changing them because it would negate the concept of the "single acquirable asset" that the Australian Taxation Office had come up with to more clearly identify assets in SMSFs.

Ken Reiss, a director at accounting firm Chan & Naylor, said the new ruling was a "huge win" and would turn around a situation where investors had lost the desire to use their SMSF to use debt to buy property.

He said the previous rules meant, for instance, that "if an SMSF had used debt to buy a property in Queensland that was destroyed in the recent floods, the insurance proceeds could only be used to pay down debt rather than rebuild".

"In that case, the investor would be left with a block of land that they had no option but to sell" because any reconstruction, even an identical one, would be classed as a new asset.

The new ruling still insists that the improvements be paid for by cash resources in the SMSF rather than by borrowing.

The draft ruling will not, however, allow SMSF investors to buy and bulldoze houses and put up units using borrowings, for example. Allowable changes include pools, extensions and bigger kitchens, but they must not "fundamentally change" the property.

It also gives owners more room to move when buying a rundown property that needs more than maintenance, although, again, the new work cannot be financed by borrowing.

The decision caps a succession of policies that used to allow borrowing to buy property in super funds until June 1999, which was then banned except for existing arrangements until September 2007. The ATO brought in the no-improvements rule last year.

Story by Andrew Main, source: www.theaustralian.com.au

Elise and Karen

It seems that when Melbourne Cup Day sneaks up on us  Christmas is just around the corner and this year, with the first Tuesday being the 1st November, it gives us all a sense of urgency.

For the first time I decided to close our office and support the local fundraising for Children with Disabilities and the Intellectually Impaired .

The whole team at Lois Buckett Real Estate were keen to attend a fabulous luncheon and fashion parade at the Lennox Point Hotel.

Yonika and Paula

We enjoyed a sumptuous meal, an excellent fashion parade sponsored by Le Chelle and C-Shell in Lennox Head and were swept away in Melbourne Cup Fever.  Hats (or fascinators) off to a wonderful event. And many thanks to Tracey Everingham and her team of hard working volunteers who made the day happen.

Australia’s biggest home lenders cut mortgage rates soon after the central bank reduced the cash rate for the first time since April 2009.

Westpac took just 15 minutes to pass on the Reserve Bank of Australia’s (RBA) 0.25 percentage point rate cut in full on Tuesday. It will lower its standard variable home loan rate (SVR) to 7.61 per cent from November 14.

Westpac is the nation’s second biggest mortgage lender by market share,

Bank of Queensland (BOQ), and Commonwealth Bank (CBA), Australia’s biggest home lender, followed suit, cutting their SVR to 7.61 per cent and 7.56 per cent respectively.

BOQ’s rate cut will take effect on November 11, and CBA’s on November 4.

ANZ Banking Group and National Australia Bank (NAB) said their interest rates were under review.

The cuts by the bigger Sydney-headquartered lenders come almost two years after Westpac ignited public outrage by lifting its SVR by 45 basis points after the RBA’s rate hike of 25 basis points.

Last November CBA did the same, with its rivals passing on rate rises of between 35 and 43 basis points, helping to prompt a Senate inquiry into competition within the banking sector.

NAB has consistently tried to undercut its rivals to win market share, and last Thursday posted a record annual cash profit of $5.5 billion on strong growth in home lending and deposits.

Westpac retail and business banking group executive Rob Coombe said economic weakness in Europe was having a negative effect on Australian business and consumer confidence.

"A reduction in interest rates will provide a timely boost to sentiment and generate a positive flow-on effect for the broader Australian economy," he said in a statement.

The rate cut will reduce repayments on an average $250,000 mortgage by about $41 per month, he said.

BOQ managing director Stuart Grimshaw announced the rate cut on his first day with the bank as its new boss, saying that with Christmas approaching it was the right thing to do.

CBA has 27.8 per cent of Australia’s home loan market.

Westpac has a 26.4 per cent share, while NAB has 15.6 per cent, ANZ 14.3 per cent, Suncorp 2.8 per cent, Bendigo and Adelaide Bank 2.6 per cent and BOQ 2.2 per cent according to figures from the banking regulator.

Westpac will report its annual result on Wednesday followed by ANZ’s profit result on Thursday.

Story source: www.ninemsn.com.au

Fixed term mortgages hit 3.5 year high in October

Basic variable rates were the most popular with new home loan borrowers only 11 months ago, but today they have been far surpassed by ongoing discount rates and fixed rates, according to loan approval data from Mortgage Choice, Australia’s largest independently-owned mortgage broker.

At that time, the no-frills product type accounted for 34% of the broker’s new approvals. Today, this sits at less than 16%, the second lowest point since Mortgage Choice began recording such data in January 2003.

Fixed rates are now more in demand than they have been in well over three years, and although the popularity of ongoing discount rates dropped for the first time in October they remain by far the most popular home loan with new borrowers, accounting for more than 43% of approvals.

Company spokesperson Kristy Sheppard said, “When comparing our October loan approval data to that extracted one year ago, it’s remarkably obvious how much the industry has changed in reacting to subdued housing finance demand and a relatively positive interest rate outlook.”

“Then, basic variable rate was the loan of choice at just over 34% of approvals. Standard variable rate followed with just under 34%, then ongoing discount rate at 17% and fixed rate at 11%.

“That situation has now flipped. New borrowers’ appetite for fixed rate loans is at a three and a half year high of 20% of approvals and ongoing discount rate loans account for 43% of approvals.

“In an environment of rising living costs and economic uncertainty it is unsurprising borrowers are taking advantage of the relatively low fixed rates and attractive variable rate discounts offered by lenders hungry for business.”

The popularity of standard variable, line of credit and introductory rate home loans all fell in October, to 15%, 4% and 1% of approvals respectively. Basic variable demand rose slightly to 16%.

Note: Mortgage Choice currently writes one in 25 new home loans in Australia, equating to approx. $10 billion in approvals per year, hence it provides a clear insight into borrower preferences. The 19 year old mortgage broker has a loan book of over $42 billion.

One in 10 Australian households is in housing stress and at risk of financial hardship and poverty, a new report says.

Renters and first home buyers are most under pressure, with 26 per cent of renters and 15 per cent of first home buyers in housing stress, the Australians for Affordable Housing (AAH) said on Monday.

"There is an entrenched and significant group of people in Australia who face day to day hardship because of their housing costs," AAH spokeswoman Sarah Toohey said in a statement.

Overall, 850,000 households across the country are at risk of financial hardship after paying for housing costs, of which nearly 300,000 are in NSW.

The report, commissioned from the National Centre for Social and Economic Modelling (NATSEM), found 21 per cent of first home buyers in Melbourne are more likely to experience housing stress, compared to 15 per cent in Sydney.

Hobart and Sydney put the tightest squeeze on renters. Hobart has the highest rate of renters in housing stress at 33 per cent, while Sydney has the highest number with more than 100,000 households facing poverty because of the high cost of renting.

"A secure home is a fundamental building block for everything else we do in life," Ms Toohey said.

"We need to create a housing system that works for everyone."

Story source: www.ninemsn.com.au

The central bank has decided to keep the cash rate unchanged this month and has opened the door for possible future cuts.

The decision was expected, with all 15 economists surveyed last week by AAP predicting the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) would keep rates on hold at 4.75 per cent on Tuesday.

The central bank’s board last raised the rate from 4.5 per cent in November 2010.

But the focus was on the statement accompanying the decision, in which RBA Governor Glenn Stevens indicated he was less concerned that inflation would accelerate.

"The path for inflation may now be more consistent with the two to three per cent target in 2012 and 2013," he said.

That meant rate cuts were now on the table.

"An improved inflation outlook would increase the scope for monetary policy to provide some support to demand, should that prove necessary," Mr Stevens said.

UBS interest rate strategist Matthew Johnson said the RBA appeared to have downgraded its growth and inflation forecasts.

"I think that the bank has gone from thinking that things were too strong a couple of months ago, to being around trend now," Mr Johnson said.

"If there’s a further deteriorating, they’ll ease policy."

He said the statement prompted investors to buy bonds, on expectations that the central bank may soon cut the cash rate.

The December 10-year bond futures contract rose to 95.985 (implying a yield of 4.015 per cent) from 95.96 (4.04 per cent) just before the RBA released its statement at 1430 AEDT.

The Australian dollar dropped to a one-year low 94.65 cents after the statement.

Mr Johnson said Mr Stevens’ statement suggested the bank would be watching unemployment figures very closely, as a gauge of inflationary pressure on the economy.

"But we’re a few months away from having to make that decision."

Mr Stevens said conditions in global financial markets continued to be "very unsettled, with uncertainty increasing about both the prospects for resolution of the sovereign debt and banking problems in Europe, and the outlook for global economic growth."

However, economic activity in China and Asia was continuing to expand, he said.

CommSec chief economist Craig James said Mr Stevens’ statement showed the RBA had become more open to the possibility of lower rates.

"For the first time since the global financial crisis, the Reserve Bank has opened the possibility of rates being trimmed to support the economy," Mr James said.

He said the focus now shifts to October 26, when the Australian Bureau of Statistics releases consumer price index (CPI) data for the September quarter.

The CPI is a key measure of inflation and is used by the central bank in setting its monetary policy.

HSBC chief economist Paul Bloxham said the RBA’s statement was more dovish than recent ones.

"The RBA is keeping a steady hand on the wheel and is more concerned with the inflation outlook," he said.

Mr Bloxham noted that while the European and US economies were slowing, Asia, and particularly China, were going strong or, at least, easing at a steady rate.

Story source: www.ninemsn.com.au

It is very exciting that the NSW Government has announced a grant specifically aimed at regional NSW. With Lennox Head, Bangalow, Ballina and the Hinterland all falling under this umbrella we can look forward to more interest being geared to the sales in our area.

The scheme is designd to encourage buyers to purchase in regional areas and will operate for 4 years from 1 July 2011. It provides a one off payment of $7000 to assist purchasers with the cost of relocating from their metropolitan home to a regional home.

Naturally there are some criteria that apply for applicants to be eligible for the grant. A complete  overview can be found at www.osr.nsw.gov.au.  

Some of the more relevant points are:

• The grant does not apply for the construction of a home on vacant land but only to existing homes or “off-the-plan” purchases
• At least one applicant must be an Australian Citizen
• Companies or Trustees do not qualify
• The metropolitan home must be sold within 12 months after settlement of their purchase in regional NSW.

Simon Rawlins our Property Manager based in Bangalow has recieved yet another testimonial to his hard work and dedication – please read on……………………………

For hard working, nothing too difficult, willing advisors, I thoroughly recommend Simon Rawlins and the Lois Buckett team.
They understand our needs as property owners and have matched tenants brilliantly.
Above all I trust Simon to “do the right thing” and that is an enormous relief.
PHIL GREGORY – WATER SYSTEMS SOUTH YARRA

According to Life Rick Management in a recent flyer recieved at Lois Buckett Real Estate in Lennox Head, “the appetitie investors have for risk has significatnly fallen since late April, which has seen global sharemarkets fall by around 18% (at 9th August am).”

However, with the Australian Federal Government maintining its AAA credit rating we have the benefit of strong export partners.

With this information at hand we expect the markets to remain jumpy for quite some time and the usual trend is that investors will turn to real estate.

It is always refreshing to hear good news and it is with great pride that I publish this testimonial, revieved from a happy renter.  For me, as a principal and licensee, it is extremely heartening to hear that that culture and environment within our office is something that infiltrates into the larger community and affects people when they are first greeted by my dedicated staff.  So, here it is:

Dear Lois

Thank you for your kind correspondence relating to our recent leasing at LENNOX HEAD.

I have been delighted with the uncommonly high level of service offered by Lois Buckett Real Estate and can offer only pleasing feedback for everyone we have encountered that be Paula de Vos, Simon Rawlins and mostly Karen Stone.

Karen was very effective when communicating with myself and with the landlords. Her efforts led to the two parties reaching a happy outcome. Karen was also good enough to show the property four times while we were attempting to engage a third party to share the rent.

I must also mention the very kind gentleman who mans the office on Saturdays; he had just finished for the day and offered to take my housemate through so that his five year old son could see the property before we moved in.

Paula in particular plays a very important role in the office. Her kind demeanour and fresh appearance makes it very easy and pleasant to pop into the office, and one leaves having been listened to and assisted.

Lastly, your website is very fresh and uncluttered, the colours are beautifully chosen and well balanced. The fonts used are contemporary and clean. The layout and general navigation is more slick and stylish than any other property website that I have seen.

Again, it is noticeable that all of the staff have been very well appointed. I feel compelled to encourage you all to hang in there with the persistent softness of both the rental and sales markets. Keep up the great work!

Yours sincerely

Katie Gold