The House of Inspiration

While the virtual world can never replicate the in-person experience, at a time when social distancing is the new normal, auctions have proven to be an effective method of selling everything from hand sanitiser to homes.

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Topics: Rural, Advice, Auction, Rural market, Lifestyle and Rural Property Focus, Online Auction

Rural Women New Zealand national president Fiona Gower was once asked why rural women were doing so well in leadership roles. Her response, their ability to multi-task. Often living in isolated locations, rural women have always had to be resourceful. "We're not just tea and scones", says Fiona.

Pictured: Suzanne Cottle, Lifestyle and Rural Specialist

Harcourts Rural and Lifestyle Specialist, Suzanne Cottle, knows firsthand what it feels like to be a rural woman and have your abilities underestimated. The impetus for her to learn about rural real estate came over 20 years ago when Suzanne and her husband tried to sell their farm.

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Topics: Rural, Advice, Rural market, Lifestyle and Rural Property Focus

If a holiday home has always been a dream of yours, now may be the time to make that dream a reality. Analysis done by the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand (REINZ) shows that while house prices around the country may be on the rise, the same is not necessarily true for some popular holiday locations. The latest REINZ statistics reveal that some holiday hotspots are now more affordable than last year.

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Topics: Newsletters, Buying, Advice, Holiday Home, property focus, Buying Tips

Farmers receive a relatively small percentage of the consumer dollar paid for their products and are always on the lookout for ways to increase their margins.

An obvious way to achieve this is by increasing the size of the operation. Economies of scale are present in most types of farming, but higher total production does not always lead to greater margins. And for smaller producers who are producing a premium product, this may not be an option or even desirable.

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Topics: Advice, Lifestyle and rural property

The word ‘reasonable’ is found throughout the Residential Tenancies Act 1986 but this can be difficult to navigate because one person’s interpretation of ‘reasonable’ is not the same as another’s. One area that has proven troublesome for landlords and tenants is to establish what is ‘reasonably clean and tidy’ when it comes to vacating a property.

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Topics: Property Management, Renting, Advice

Spring and summer are a popular time to sell your home, but where do you begin? Most people will spruce up their property by decluttering and cleaning their house, but many people don’t realise how much impact their garden can have. Here are some easy ways to help ensure your garden adds value to your property before you put it on the market.

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Topics: Selling, Advice, Garden

Whether you love the thrill of an auction or your knees tremble at the thought, auctions have become the preferred method of selling property in most of the major centres across the country.

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Topics: Auctions, Residential, Selling, Buying, Advice

If you’re planning on selling your home, the kitchen is a great place to start to add value. The kitchen is one of those spaces that can make or break the sale for many buyers, but before you make the decision to totally gut your kitchen and start again, here are some tips on how to get the best out of your existing kitchen without breaking the bank.

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Topics: Residential, Selling, DIY, Advice, Renovations

Remember to cancel:

☐ Newspaper and/or milk delivery.

☐ Telephone, internet and cable TV.

☐ Gas, water and electricity (arrange a final meter reading).

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Topics: Residential, Selling, Buying, Advice, Moving House

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Topics: Commercial, Residential, Advice, Investors