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Assistance to Foreign Property Buyers

Assistance to Foreign Property Buyers.

SA Listings has recently assisted a number of foreign buyers successfully purchase property in South Australia. It is essential, as a foreign purchaser considering a property purchase in Australia, you understand the complex rules surrounding the transaction. SA Listings offers a Buyers Agent Service to guide you through the process, assisting with government approvals, property selection, finance approvals, contracts and finally settlement on your new Australian property. We are also able to assist with finding tenants through our experienced property management partners.

In general, foreigners buyers are only permitted to purchase properties in Australia that are either new or under construction and each individual purchase transaction must be approved by the Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB).

Who needs FIRB approval?

Essentially, if you are not an Australian citizen or are a temporary resident on a visa living in Australia, you may need to seek FIRB approval for a property purchase. SA Listings can assist you with achieving FIRB approval, contact us for a discussion of your individual circumstances.

Taxation and property purchase costs

There are other costs associated with purchasing property in Australia. As with most other countries, stamp duty is payable on the transaction. Additionally, as a foreign purchaser, with any transaction in South Australia you now must pay a ‘Foreign Owner Surcharge’ amounting to an additional 7% of the purchase price on top of normal stamp duty. SA Listings can assist in helping you choose the right property to minimise any additional costs.

There are also a number of other costs attached to a property purchase which must be considered, including legal & conveyancing fees, loan application fees, insurance cover and pro-rata adjustments for council or water rates, and building or pest inspection fees. Additionally, in South Australia, to complete any real estate transaction a conveyancer or solicitor must be engaged to carry out the actual process of the transfer of title.

Buyer’s Agent Service

As with any property investment, it is essential the correct property is chosen in order to achieve the best return on investment. SA Listings can assist your decision through our Buyers Agent Service – of course there is no obligation or cost for any initial discussion.

We have successfully helped a number of foreign buyers navigate the purchase process – we can do the same for you. Contact us for more information.

Justine Thomson

1 July Property Legislation Update

Well we are a few weeks into the new financial year and, as is usual, property owners and investors should be aware of various changes to property rules from the ATO.

Australia wide, the greatest and possibly the one with the biggest impact on investors, new home buyers and developers is the requirement for purchasers of new residential premises or potential residential land to withhold an amount of the contract price and pay this directly to the ATO at settlement.

Essentially, this means for affected property transactions, purchasers will need to:

split the amount of GST from the total purchase price,
pay the GST component directly to the ATO by a disbursement at settlement, and
pay the GST exclusive purchase price to the property developer (vendor).

The new rule imposes requirements onto the vendor/developer as well. Developers need to give written notification to the purchasers when they need to withhold.

The actual liability for the GST remains with the property developer, however there are no changes to how property developers lodge their business activity statements.

Should you be contemplating purchasing new residential property or potential residential land there are a number of forms that need to be completed by the purchaser or their representative (a conveyancer or solicitor) after contract signing and prior to settlement. Speak to your agent or conveyancer to ensure you comply with the new requirements or visit https://bit.ly/2tLbVri for more information from the ATO.

1 July 2018 also marks the date from which first home buyers can access super contributions for the purpose of buying their first home. Since 1 July 2017 eligible Australians have been able to make voluntary super contributions of up to $15,000 a year, to a maximum of $30,000 over more than one year, to their superannuation account to help purchase their first home. Since 1 July 2018, eligible Australians are able to apply to their super funds to release these contributions (and earnings) for the purposes of purchasing a first home.

Finally, another change on 1 July 2018: Australians aged 65 years + can make a non-concessional (after-tax) contribution into their super account of up to $300,000 from the sale proceeds of their family home (main residence) if they have owned the property for at least 10 years. Couples will be able to contribute up to $300,000 each, giving a total contribution of up to $600,000.

Again, please visit the ATO website https://bit.ly/2udPt9Jor discuss with your financial advisor for detailed information related to your particular circumstances.

Justine Thomson

Selling a Tenanted Property

Selling a rental with tenants requires a number of additional requirements the owner and agent must abide by to ensure tenant rights under Legislation are met. While these requirements initially may seem onerous, by keeping a tenant “in the loop” with timely communication, any issues can be dealt with before they become insurmountable problems. There are pros and cons to selling a tenanted property:

Pros:

Rental income continues while the property is on the market.
Buyers benefit from purchasing a tenanted property – reducing costs such as letting fees and time vacant after settlement.
Potential buyers see the property as “rentable”

Cons:

Increased legislative requirements for notice to tenant
Reduced flexibility for opens
Possible lack of control over the standard of presentation of the property
Potential buyer pool – buyers after vacant possession may not be interested

A successful campaign of a tenanted rental keeps the tenant “in the loop” before, during and after the sale. A tenant who does not know what is going on, is uncertain of their future, or is kept in the dark with open times and notice will likely not be accommodating with access to the property for opens.

So, how do you do this?

Notice of Sale

It is a requirement before entering a residential tenancy agreement to advise a prospective tenant if owners have or intend to advertise the property for sale. A tenant can terminate a tenancy if the owner enters into a contract for the sale of the property within 2 months after the start of the tenancy agreement and did not inform the tenant of this intention.

Issue Correct Notices within Required Timeframes

On deciding to sell a tenanted rental property, an owner must advise the tenant with at least 14 days written notice they have entered into a sales agency agreement. Advertising the property or access to the property for the purpose of showing prospective purchasers cannot occur before this 14-day timeframe expires.

Once the initial 14 days has passed, the right of entry to the property for opens is outlined in the Act. These requirements include no more than 2 occasions within any 7-day period, at a time previously arranged with agreement of the tenant. If an agreement cannot be reached, at a time within normal working hours with reasonable notice. Reasonable notice is not defined, but at least 7 days minimum is advised.

Once the property is sold, the tenant must be advised in writing within 14 days or as soon as possible after the contract of sale is entered into of the name of the purchaser and the date from which rent is to be paid to him or her.

Remember, the tenant has a right to stay at the property during any open inspections, including on auction day. The tenant is also entitled to the quiet enjoyment of the property – continuous driving past or prospective purchasers walking around the property may not meet this requirement.

SA Listings tips:

Start an open and honest dialogue with the tenant as soon as the decision to sell the property is made.
All notices MUST be served in a timely manner, erring on the side of caution.
Provide the tenant with a complete schedule of inspections as soon as possible.
Any property manager MUST be in the loop with the decision to sell, plus the intended schedule. Consider combining routine inspections with other required access (such as photo sessions) in order to minimise tenant disruption.
Consider a small rent reduction throughout the campaign. This will show the tenant you are conscious of the disruption to the tenant’s enjoyment of the property.
Stay flexible. The tenant must not unreasonably refuse to allow access. However, be prepared and willing to negotiate access times.

SA listings will happily arrange for all of the above requirements to ensure your sale campaign runs smoothly. We also partner with experienced property managers who understand the needs of both tenants and landlords throughout a sales campaign.

Planning and preparation is needed. But if done, there is no reason the sale of a tenanted property should not go smoothly. Contact us for more information.

Justine Thomson

Exceptional Sale Results without Excessive Commissions

The results are in! SA Listings has selected our last 18 recent sales to statistically prove you get the same results, if not better from a fixed fee Agent compared to a traditional commission based Agent. The results also prove that brand does not matter when selling your home. SA Listings, a relatively new player in the Adelaide real estate market has successfully sold the last 18 properties with an average of 23 days on market, achieving an average of full Vendors asking price and savings in excess of $110,000 in Agent fees to boot!

SA LISTINGS – CLIENT RESULTS AND AGENT FEE SAVINGS
Property Address	% of Asking Price	Days on Market	Agent Fee Saved*
92 Folland Ave Northgate	105.24%	4	$7,312
72 Rapid Ave Lightsview	102.19%	7	$9,400
1/91 Myrtle St Prospect	100.00%	31	$4,590
11 Allen Ave Brooklyn Park	105.00%	11	$7,310
4 Paddington Ave Northgate	108.00%	9	$7,662
109/220 Greenhill Rd Eastwood	98.33%	49	$6,980
140C North East Rd Walkerville	99.11%	34	$6,320
140B North East Rd Walkerville	98.23%	31	$6,210
14 Epsilon Crt Woodcroft	100.00%	16	$3,250
14 Rapid Ave Lightsview	100.00%	52	$1,920
8 Welsh Rd Lightsview	108.70%	5	$7,750
14 Holmeswood Crt Para Hills West	98.00%	46	$3,680
74 Rapid Ave Lightsview	100.00%	1	$7,360
10 Rozells Ave Lightsview	100.00%	7	$7,150
2 Rivergum Cls Walkey Heights	97.00%	20	$6,860
13 Welsh Rd Lightsview	97.22%	21	$9,400
19 Rapid Ave Lightsview	100.00%	26	$6,540
21 Rapid Ave Lightsview	100.00%	43	$5,000
	Average Ask Price	Average Days on Market	Total Agent Fee Savings
	100.95%	23	$114,694
*Savings based on traditional Agent Commission in SA of 2.2% inclusive of GST

The savings in Agent fees is conservative, as it does not take into account significant savings achieved by our clients in marketing fees. Several of the properties listed above had no marketing fees at all as they were successfully matched to purchasers on the SA Listings buyer database. We have in fact, been told by our clients of well known brand name Agents charging additional fees of up to $2,000 for use of pre-market listing techniques, whereby, your property is listed on their website and database for viewing only by their registered subscribers, prior to listing to the general public. This is astounding! One would expect the Agent commission to cover the cost of the Agent actually matching the registered subscribers on their database to your property. Is that not their job? At SA Listings, we database match and contact all relevant parties we believe would be interested in your property. This service is incorporated in the fixed fee package at no additional cost to you, we believe our job as your Agent is to sell the property for the very best price at an affordable cost to you – without fee gouging!

Also as a consumer be aware, there are some new Agencies providing a low fixed fee but the package does not incorporate a full agent service. Please read the fine print and ask questions of the Agency selling you the packages.

Remember, SA Listings provides a full agent service for an affordable fee with the highest service from listing to settlement, to find out more visit www.salistings.com.au

Justine Thomson

Top Reno Tips Before Listing

I am often asked as an Agent, “What reno’s should I do to my home to maximise the price I achieve on sale?” Usually when a person is asking me this question, the work they are doing to the home is not for them to enjoy but to present the property as best they can to maximise return.

To answer the question, there are 5 key reno’s that will maximise the property price.

Paint: this can be done affordably if you manage yourself and can literally add tens of thousands to the sale price. Internally use a neutral white colour on all walls and ceilings. Do not do feature walls, this can polarise people if they do not have the same taste as you. Bring in colour with soft furnishings and wall art. It is also a good idea to freshen up external timber and gutters with a lick of paint if required.

Update the Kitchen: this is a major selling point of a home. Update door handles, fixtures and fittings. If the budget allows and the cabinetry/benchtops are out-dated, consider replacing the cabinetry with white laminate and upgrade the benchtops.

Update the Bathroom: you do not need to rip out and replace the entire bathroom but look at the quality of the sink, tapware and showerhead. If the tiles are dated, consider replacing or painting. Another low cost exercise is to clean all the mould from the grout. There are great products available on the market to make this job simple and easy.

Spruce up the Garden: the front garden is the first thing a prospective buyer sees. Make sure it is neat, tidy and presents well. Replace any dead plants with new, mow lawns and remove all weeds.

Repair and Patch: Consider fixing any maintenance issues including any holes/cracks in walls, cracked tiles, worn timbers and any appliances not working.

Your home is one of your most important assets and when listing to market you want to maximise your dollar return. Some hard work prior to listing should pay good dividends and will reflect in the final sale price.

Justine Thomson

What Price to Offer?

As an Agent I am often asked the same question from each and every potential purchaser, “How much should I offer?” The answer to this question is: there is no answer! As the Agent selling the home I work for the Vendor and my role is to achieve the best possible price for them – but I’m unable to advise you, the purchaser, of what price you should offer for the property.

However, to give you some insight into ways to determine the offer price to secure the home of your dreams, SA Listings suggests you think about the following points:

Do your own research on the area and current market sale prices for similar properties. To assist you with this, a good Agent should be able to provide you with a list of recent sales of comparable properties in the area.

A good Agent should always consider current market prices for similar properties sold in the area and should price the property accordingly. Your own research, plus the agent’s comparable price list, should give you an indication of where you believe the property price sits. Remember, the price advertised will be the Vendors expectation so your offer should, as a minimum, be in this range.

Have you missed out on previous properties you were interested in? If so, the reason may be is you are low-balling your offer in the hope of securing a property below current market conditions or you may be seeking a property outside your budget. I can tell you, the chances of securing a property using this approach is slim. A good Agent prices the property in accord with current market conditions and if you low-ball an offer the Agent will likely recommend the Vendor reject it. The likelihood of securing a property using this tactic is as probable as daily rain in Dubai. Do not low-ball, go in with your best offer from the start.

Consider carefully any conditions you include with the offer. An Agent may recommend a Vendor accept a lower offer if no conditions are attached, for example, a cash unconditional may be more attractive than subject to sale. So be prepared: have finance pre-approvals in place, offer an appropriate deposit and know what you are prepared to do regarding settlement timeframes. Being prepared here provides confidence to the Vendor of your ability to pay for the property and shows you are serious about the property and your offer.

Remember, each property is unique and if you have been searching for some time and this property ticks most of your boxes then don’t miss out, put your best foot forward from the start. Too many people miss out by trying to snag “that bargain” when in reality, had they put in a realistic offer initially they would have secured the property.

One final note, don’t bother asking the Agent where your offer sits compared to others. A good Agent will not disclose this as it is against South Australian legislation. The agent is unable to tell you any details of other offers, other than the fact there are other offers. If you wish, you can ask for this in writing.

If this home is THE ONE, your inner Zen, your sanctuary, the right floor plan, the right location and within budget then don’t be influenced by other offers, just focus on what you want, what you can afford and put forward your best and final offer. You may not get a second chance. If your best offer is not good enough, be prepared to walk away, another one will come along.

If after reading this blog, you are unsure on how to go about the negotiation process you can always engage a Buyers Agent to act on your behalf. SA Listings offers this service – for more information contact SA Listings at info@salistings.com.au

Justine Thomson

Pinpoint the Perfect Agent

Deciding to sell your property can be one of the biggest decisions you make in your life. Along with your savings for retirement, the property you own would be one of the highest valued assets in your portfolio. The decision to sell and who to appoint to sell your property should be done with utmost care.

How do you know who is the right agent for you?

From experience, I would suggest interviewing a minimum of three Agents before appointing one right for you. If you are an employer looking for the right employee to fill a job role, you do your due diligence first before deciding on the right candidate. You don’t want someone who turns up late, cannot do the task at hand or is disrespectful. The same decision making process should be applied when reviewing Agents.

To sell or not to sell? A good Agent will consider whether now is the right time for you to sell your property taking into account market conditions, reason for selling and your needs. Securing the listing should not be their number one focus. The number one focus should be what is best for you.

The biggest brand or most popular Agent by size may not necessarily be the right Agent for you. Flashy cars, the largest billboards or designer suits does not make for a good Agent. A popular Agent can be working with many clients and may be spread too thinly. Professionalism, knowledge of real estate and the ability to negotiate are critical skills of an Agent. My partner and I many years ago had a number one Agent come to appraise one of our properties and all the person did was talk about themselves. No questions were asked about us and our needs. Once the Agent left the property, my partner made the comment, “Elvis has now left the building!” We looked at each other, laughed and agreed this was not the person we wanted to represent our property and us.

Referrals are important. A good Agent will have a list of positive client testimonials and with prior approval from their past clients, be willing to provide you with their contact details. It is always a good idea to call one of their past clients to get an understanding on how they perceived the service they received.

Licensed and professional memberships of the relevant State Government body and real estate organisations in their State. In SA, a Real Estate Agent must be licensed by the Office of Consumer and Business Affairs and carry their license on them at all times. A good Agent in SA would also be a member of the Real Estate Institute of SA or the Society of Auctioneers and Appraisers. Membership of professional organisations means they are interested in their own professional development. Be wary, if an Agent cannot show you their license, consider them to be Frank Abagnale, the guy who before his 19^th birthday successfully performed cons worth millions of dollars by posing as a pilot, doctor then prosecutor. We recommend no license, no appointment!

Knowledge is often underestimated and can be difficult to determine from an interview. However, if you ask the right questions, their knowledge should be evident. Questions like:

What do you consider to be the market appraisal for this property?

What areas of improvement to the property will assist us in maximising price?

What is the current market like for property in our area?

What would be the best way to market this property?

How do you qualify a buyer?

What qualifications do you have?

A good Agent should not need to be prompted by you, they will impart their knowledge throughout the initial meeting. Use your intuition and watch their body language. A lot can be garnered by body language. Beware of dominant body language, this is when a person makes the rules by interrupting you, using inappropriate language and standing over you. We are not looking for a round with Muhammad Ali, we are looking for someone who can build rapport and knows their profession.

Fees are also an important consideration. At SA Listings we are of the belief a good Agent does not need to be incentivised to obtain the best price for your property, for this reason we charge a fixed fee, no matter the value of the property. The role of a good Agent is to negotiate the very best price and conditions for you. When comparing fees ensure you have information not only on commission but also marketing costs, Government searches and Form 1 preparation. To compare apples with apples you need the entire fee structure. For more on fees, please refer to SA Listings earlier blog: “Real Estate Fees – Friend or Foe?”

We hope this article has been informative and assists in ensuring your property journey is a successful one.

Justine Thomson