Marquette Turner Luxury Homes

At the forefront of luxury real estate marketing, and proud recipients of multiple awards from the esteemed Who’s Who in Luxury Real Estate Marquette Turner Luxury Homes is the home for your property search including luxury homes, resorts, developments, apartments, condos, villas, mansions, penthouses and islands throughout the world.

We focus on assisting high-net-worth individuals to achieve the most appropriate exposure in marketing their luxury properties via the luxury lifestyle magazine-style website MarquetteTurner.com and in assisting aspirational investors find their ideal property.

We have forged partnerships with developers, real estate agents and vendors throughout the world and are proud to present to you an exceptional showcase luxury homes for sale or rent throughout the world.

As we move beyond our traditional heartlands, we are now expanding our presence into Africa: West, East and South, and are looking forward to an increasingly diverse and broad company to present to you.

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Marquette Turner Launches "Home-Page"

Marquette Turner is extremely excited to launch "Home-Page", a service allowing EVERY SINGLE property listing to have it's very own website.

Managing Director Michael Marquette said yesterday that "in keeping with our philosophy of providing an individual and personalised experience at all times, and with our constant pursuance of improving the technology with which our business operates, Home-Page is to property listings what our ground-breaking Concierge service is to people."

With immediate effect ALL vendor's and landlord's properties will be presented using a Home-Page, as well as the traditional internet marketing services. This will allow their properties to stand-alone in all their glory, and for prospective purchasers and tenants to fully appreciate the property online.

Another reason for you to enjoy our company!

Click here to see the very first Home-Page property.

Simon Turner

How To Get On The Property Ladder

THE HARD FACTS

  • More than a third of a family's income goes to mortgage (In NSW it is 38%)
  • Affordability has dropped in every state except Tasmania
  • NSW is the most expensive state, ACT has the least affordability
In Sydney, with almost 40% of the household income going towards housing it is little wonder that there is any money left for anything else after living expenses are met (food, utilities, schooling etc).

Additionally, credit card debt is increasing hand-in-hand with the increase in the cost of living.

The new Rudd government promises action, and Marquette Turner remain hopeful that their election promises of first home-owner saving’s schemes are just the tip of the iceberg of a myriad of plans to improve housing affordability.

In the short-term, however, here are some suggestions to help you improve your chances of buying a property.



WHAT TO DO


Rent and Invest.

If renting, don’t wipe investing from the equation. You CAN do both! While rents have also gone up over the last year, the rise has not been anywhere near as steep as increase in mortgage payments (due to increasing interest rates) and rising property prices.


Renting can save you money in the short term so use the savings, no matter how small, to:



a) pay off any credit card debt (as the interest on this is likely to be far higher than any savings account can offer)

b) invest the money in an internet savings account (around 7.25% currently). Do not leave in a standard bank account as the interest returned to you is barely worth the cost of a stamp.

c) for those with more confidence, the stock market is returning almost double such saving’s account: on average 14% this year. Money invested in the stock market can quickly be withdrawn (i.e. is liquid) and can be used for the down payment of a mortgage.

d) some of you may even be in a position to consider to investing in a cheaper city to the one you're renting in.



Budget and spend carefully.
In times like this it is especially important to keep a budget and spend wisely. The more you save now, the more can save and invest meaning that your money is working for you now so that when affordable opportunities present themselves later you will be ready.



Move back in with your parents.

If this is still an option, don’t dismiss it. Rather than pay rent to a stranger – help out the parents by providing an extra income source for them.


Move.

Yes, the major cities in Australia are expensive. So move to a smaller city that is growing. Both cities are relatively cheaper and jobs are available. While this is probably the most difficult option, it may be the best long term solution for finding that affordable dream house.





Keep looking.
Despite high prices there will always be a potential bargain out there if you are willing to compromise a bit. The big thing when buying is Location, Location, and Location. Look for old houses which with some renovation. This could be the affordable option you were looking for.


Don’t Stop Researching

Whilst housing affordability may be at its worse, one’s ability to research and make sound investment decisions is probably the best it has ever been. Use the internet to educate yourself on processes, ideas and trends. Marquette Turner's blog's can provide you with useful insights, regardless of your experience, intentions, or available funds.


Maybe things are looking up after all! Good luck.

Simon Turner

What Women Want: Guess Who Makes the Investment Decisions!

A survey by Suncorp Metway has uncovered that women make most of the big decisions when it comes to investing in property.

A staggering 85 per cent of all purchasing decisions are influenced by a female despite the findings that most women are ignored during the purchasing process.

Real estate agents and mortgage lenders seem to think that women who come along are just there to support their partner meaning that they are treated fairly poorly.


Quite simply, anyone ignores a woman at their peril, as they can make or break a transaction. And reversely, any woman that finds she is being ignored or that the agent is looking to her husband for approval can also potentially use this to their advantage. She can be silently but deadly, her moves poorly followed.


The investigation also showed that women tend to research more when it comes to buying, meaning they’re more likely to find a good balance between their head and their heart.

They are most interested in features of the property, such as living areas, number and size of bedrooms, kitchen appliances, and off-street parking with the ultimate deciding factors being the size of the block or house, overall aesthetics and proximity to amenities.

Simon Turner

The Hit List: Latest Buyer Trends

HOME buyers are looking for fewer but bigger rooms, a bedroom with a view and the latest in technology. Not to mention a great location and water tanks!

The trend is for fewer but larger rooms, and while the formal dining room went out of fashion a long time ago, spare bedrooms and the third bathroom are the next to be crossed off the home buyer's shopping list.
A master bedroom with a view is the ultimate desire. And while it doesn't have to be on another floor, there does have to be a bit of distance between it and other bedrooms. The ensuite must have plenty of room, where owners can sit in the bath and see outside. And, despite current water restrictions, they like to have a spa.

Home theatres are still on the "must have" list but now we also want plasma or LCD screens throughout the house: in nearly every nook and cranny, including in the kitchen, bedroom, near the pool and even in the bathroom.

Technology continues to affect our homes and it is also now important to buyers that their home has a wireless connection so they can work from home, throughout the home without having to compete with the rest of the family for cable access.
When it comes to looking into the crystal ball to see what will be the most desirable asset of your home in the future, the location remains the ultimate key.
Schools in particular, shopping centres, public transport, parks and lifestyle conveniences such as, cafes, restaurants and gyms are all desirable aspects.
From most buyers' viewpoint, the really important features for the location of their home are that the neighbourhood is safe, close to schools, medical services and shops, and also close to their workplace or to reliable public transport.

The aesthetic characteristics of a suburb or street also rank high on most homebuyers' list of desirable features.
A recent survey by Archicentre asked home buyers about what feature they would place above others. Almost 80 per cent said a water tank for gardening while 14 per cent said a spa in the en-suite and 6 per cent went for the large plasma screen.

Sustainable housing practices, such as rainwater tanks, are becoming more popular across the board given that water restrictions are unlikely to disappear in the near future.

Simon Turner