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Contact the strata manager to get clarification of what the item is or speak to one of the members of the executive committee to clarify the issue and see if anyone else has the same query.
You may also need to be a licensed real estate agent to manage property that is owned by other parties.
Take a look at Property Manager Pro (www.manaccom.com.au) – available online or from Harvey Norman. If it is only for a couple of properties, this is easy to use and gives you reports for each property and for all properties.
Sorry to bust the bubble but this does not relate to ionisation type smoke alarms (typical hardwired home devices) .
This is the Australian standard for commercial, multi residential, retail etc type buildings and is for the servicing and provision of the annual fire statement (previously form 15a in NSW).
The standard covers the servicing & certification of fire hose reels, hydrants, exit and emergency lighting, sprinkler systems, fire doors etc.
Termite damage leaves the face of the timber intact (though paper thin). A good indication if there is more termite damage is checking floor spring – see if the floor bounces or remains solid when you jump up and down a little in several places, listen to the walls for scratching, look for mud trails on the visible piers, sources of water leaks etc.
Timber with dryrot can be spongy.
Are you sure that it is termite damage not dry rot?
Personally, I would prefer Granville although its ethnic diversity is diminishing ie becoming more concentrated whereas Ambervale has a lower socio-economic demograph. Blocks are generally regular in shape around the area, most are over 600 m2. There is a good train service (main western line and southwest line). Good access to Parramatta. Houses are generally 50+ years old a(read fibro) but over time, these properties will be sought after for redevelopment at land value.
Ambervale will over the next few years suffer greater unemployment due to the low skills base found in the area. The closest industry is located at Minto/Campbelltown/Wollongong. Improvements to the rail line have been delayed (scrapped). Housing stock is newer than Granville however it is cheaply built b/v cottages.
Thanks Richard, a market valuation for sales purposes and a bank valuation for mortgage purposes are two totally different things (with different outcomes). Likewise the REA can only give a market appraisal (there is a less stringent criteria on REA) hence the higher numbers (more a sales pitch and reflective of his opinion of the market).
If you did appoint a valuer to determine market value, you may be able to get the banks valuation revised if there was a large discrepancy between the two valuations (but the vals should be for the same time eg march 09).
There is plenty of information available from the REI websites (in each state) which is freely available. You can subscribe to the REI (for free) to access much of this information.
Unless you are a serious user of the information there is probably no need to become a member.
many of the major real estate companies also provide a lot of free research papers eg Colliers, PRD Nationwide, JLL etc.
I swapped over to Rentmaster – easy to use, has better tools, can handle multiple ownerships (POSH can't) and does a whole heap more. Price-wise, very competitive (read cheap). It does get upgrades regularly so it is worth getting the subscription to the updates.
I have used both POSH & Property Manager Pro. I was happier with PMP than with POSH but POSH is meant to be the bees knees (for cheapies).
PS Rentmaster comes with a 60 day trial Rentmaster
Land value and ratings value are two totally separate types of values and do not relate to one another. Rating value is used by council to determine the amount of rates that you pay, land value is what the theoretical price of vacant land is once you take away the depreciated value of the improvements (buildings, sheds, garage, carports, paths, clotheslines, landscaping, pool etc).
To determine the value of the property (or the price that you will no longer be interested in purchasing) you need to assess the value of the house/improvements and have formed an opinion regards the land value. (Generally speaking I would not consider more than 50% of the value being tied up on the improvements).
The licensee is usually the person who has the legal requirements to run the agency – this should be listed on their website or on the dept of fair trading/vcat website. (or you can ring the receptionist and ask for the licensee).
I'd also go fibre cement sheet but depending upon how bad the brick work behind is, fix a few 20 x 40 timber battens @ 450 mm centres horizontally, fix with spaghetti and screws. Then use stud adhesive & plasterboard screws (predrill holes through the sheet). Cornice cement is probably not the best solution in wet areas (read the pack).
The info that you are after is:
Base index (Melb Dec 2007) – 158.5
Current Index (Melb Dec 2008) – 163.5Therefore new rent = 163.5/158.5 X $1000 = $1031.55
Check that there isn't a ratchet clause or minimum increase eg clause stating the greater of CPI or 4%
It may cost you a little more but is it possible to get a personal loan to cover the loss?
Generally, there is no maintenance required on a hard wired smoke detector other than the annual replacement of the 9 volt battery. Unit is tested (manually) on each change to daylight saving. Unless there is something special about the installation ie very high ceilings, any handyman can do this. I am not aware of any specific maintenance requirements for these systems.
The fee is probably quite reasonable but you must remember that you will pay a tradesman a callout fee to do the inspection anyway. No discount as each is in a different location.
Buyer's agents are used for time-poor clients or those who do not feel confident to undertake the due diligence work required. They can provide much useful insight into the property including arranging for all inspections and valuations etc as may be required prior to bidding at auction or submitting offers and undertaking the negotiations.
Escalate the issue with the property manager's licensee. Tell them that the PM doesn't have the balls to get the tenant to pick up their act (and threaten to walk, do so if you must).
Do you have any recourse against the builder via the dept of fair trading or VCAT?
You will be up for the rent on the place that you are currently leasing up until the expiry or someone else takes it over. On top of that you pay the letting fee, lease preparation and advertising costs.
